brittany jane clark

Last weekend in Madrid!!

2009-08-12T02:38:00.000-07:00

Well, my last weekend came... and gone! WAY TOO FAST! I am all packed up... and we are leaving to England in about 2 hours! AHHHH! I will spend the rest of my time there, and then I fly out of London on the 25th. Back to the 801 to real life. I CANNOT wait to see my family... yay!!! Here are a few last pictures of me in Madrid!

My bus stop! No more bus rides into the city for me... but the 628 was my best friend!! I will miss it!!

I FINALLY got to see a bull fight!! You cannot come to Madrid, and not see one!

I went to the famous Rastro market in Madrid for the last time!! :( It was PACKED with people!

I sai my goodbyes to Gazpacho. YUCK! I hate it!! I am SOOO relieved I don't have to eat it anymore!! YAY!

I showed the new nanny that is taking over for my family a little bit of Madrid. She came to the bull fight with me and we had a lot of fun getting to know eachother. Sad to officially know my time is coming to an end and she will be taking over, but she is going to be really good!! yay!!

Poor bulls and horses hahaha!!

Me in front of the Madrid bull ring. It was a really fun last weekend, and I cannot believe it is time to leave! It definitely was not the same without my Madrid friends... but I had a good time. This experience has been more than I could have EVER asked for. I feel so blessed, and I am so excited to see England before I come home!! When I write my next post, I will be back in Utah!! YAY FAMILY HERE I COME!!! :D

Our final "excursion" in Madrid!

2009-08-12T02:13:00.000-07:00

First off... My Dad is feeling better!! Still on oxygen, but they released him from the hospital today to go home!! I am more at peace, and am able to enjoy my last two weeks here, knowing that he is stable!! YAY!

Well, my time is winding down here in Madrid and before I leave, my host Dad wanted to go on one more "excursion."

Our Checklist before leaving the house:

1. Kids hats and Backpacks

2. Dog leash, water, and water bowl

3. Walking sticks

4. Sunscreen

5. Bathing suits and a towel

6. drinks and chips for a picnic

We went up to the "mountains" and had a lovely walk along a river. Charles, my host Dad, doesn't go anywhere without his dog, Athos, and he was the leader. No one was allowed to pass Athos, and we were not allowed to step off the path that Charles made because, "you never step off of the path the leader makes!" hahahaha It turned out to be a lot of fun.

The kids were able to get into the water, and we ended up catching a bunch of tadpoles! I have never seen one in real life, so it was pretty cool!

We were gone for the entire day because we had lunch on our hike, and icecream at a restaurant on our way back home! I am going to miss these little adventures with my Spanish family!

Oh I almost forgot. On our way home, we stopped to see my host Dad's horses. He pays to keep them on a piece of land, with about 150 other horses. When we arrived, little Ana and I walked up to the fence to look at all the horses. I was standing behind her when all of a sudden she started SCREAMING....followed by her turning around and punching me in the legs. She was crying and screaming "YOU HIT ME!!!" I had absolutely NO idea what was going on... for all I knew, I was standing right behind her looking at a horse that was biting another's bum, laughing to myself! Turns out she had grabbed the fence in front of her and it was electrical, so the horses are not able to escape, and she got electrocuted!!! She had no idea and thought that I had hit her from behind. She was so sad and would not come to me for a little bit, until she realized what had really happened. I felt so bad!! I promise I am not a child abuser!

my hero.

2009-08-06T02:58:00.000-07:00

If you know my Dad, you know that he is never wrong. He always gives THE BEST advice, and always has the right answer for everything. My Dad and I became EXTREMELY close during my parents divorce, and ever since then... he has been my best friend. He has always been there for me. He is a spiritual GIANT, and I cannot remember how many times people have come up to me after he gives a lesson in church to tell me what an amazing job he did. I can talk to my Dad about anything. When I cry, he is usually the person I go to. When I was living down in Provo for school, whenever I was having a hard time... I would drive straight home to be able to talk to him. We have gone through so much together, and it has made our relationship so strong. He has always been there for me no matter what... but right now he needs my prayers. Not too long ago he got phnemonia and was flat in bed for a while. To our shock... it came back to haunt him, but ten times worse this time. I feel trapped in Madrid not being able to be there for him, or to help him. I call home everyday to check up on him and he just sounds miserable, and out of breath. Recently he was put on an oxygen nasal cannula to help him breath, because his breathing wasn't good enough on his own. He has been going to the doctor everyday to get his medicine through a vein to get in his system quicker, and then back to bed. Yesterday after my Step Mom and him left the doctor, they didn't feel right about it. They went to see another doctor who did some scans and noticed his heart was enlarged. He was then taken to the hospital where he is now in the ICU. They found two blood clots in his legs, and he has double phenomia which is effecting both of his lungs. They also think he may have the Swine. He is strong, he will be able to pull through, but it is hard for me to be relaxed over here thinking how miserable he is at home. He will be able to leave the ICU soon... I know it. He has been given priesthood blessings, and I know he is being watched over! He always caters to my every needs when I am sick on the couch with Strep, or something that seems so minor now... and yet I am not home to be there for him!! Why do I have to be so far away right now? Prayer is all I can do in hopes that my hero will be comfortable. Our family loves you so much Dad!! I cannot wait to see you!! Feel better soon!! :(

Back in Madrid again!!

2009-08-06T01:15:00.001-07:00

Well... the day finally came. After a month in the South, it was time to say gooybye to the beach! We cleaned, packed up, and crammed back into that mini van to head home to Madrid. Andrea and I felt like we were sitting on a wooden table.... that's how amazing the ride was. Luckily it went by fast!! 6 hours of watching Disney movies in Spanish got a little old, but those are little memories that I will never forget!!

Last picture of our house in the South... with the finished pool! On our way home.... we had to do something to entertain us!!

Being back in Madrid has been good. The days go by slower because we are home all day long and the children are out of school, but we manage to keep having fun! We made paper chains for our countdown to England... one week from yesterday!!

Playing dressups! Wish the clothes actually fit me so I wouldn't have to wear the tutu on my head!

Yesterday we went on an "excursion" into the "mountains" to have a picnic and see horses!! It actually was a lot of fun!

My host Dad is going on a week long riding trip in September and wanted to see the horses that he will be riding. The kids all got a turn to ride on a very old horse... and they ended up giving the horse to my host parents so the kids can learn to ride as they grow up!!
ANA....

VICTORIA....

and CHARLES!
I am in love with my host family. I got extremely lucky, and I feel so grateful. This picture was at our picnic. It is going to be REALLY hard to leave!!
I couldn't have asked for a better experience here. It is all coming to and end WAY too quick. We leave for England next week to visit my host Dad's family... and then I fly out of London on the 25th. My host Mom asked little Charles the other day if he was ready to have me go back to America. He started crying and ran downstairs. It will be a hard goodbye, I have grown to love my little Spanish family!

My Little Lucy Jane!!

2009-07-26T02:45:00.001-07:00

Today is a VERY special day!! My little niece turns two!! She is the youngest of my nieces and nephews.. and I cannot believe she is soo big!! Where does the time go? I have not seen her since January... and man does she look different! She can talk, and my Sister says that she has A LOT of attutide. I cannot wait to see her!! The only way I have been able to talk to her is through Skype... so now she thinks her "Aunt Brit Brit" is a talking computer. Great. Here are some pictures I have of my little LJ as she has grown up!

The day she was born at the hospital!

Her Blessing Day!

All the Smitty Kids together before church one day. I am the luckiest Aunt in the ENTIRE world!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL!!! AUNT BRIT BRIT LOVES YOU!!!!!!

Three New Adventures!!

2009-07-26T02:19:00.000-07:00

Adventure Number One: I don't know if life could get any better. A couple of weeks ago we all went horseback riding... on the beach. It was amazing!! We went down on the shore and the horses were able to walk in the water. Two problems: #1 My horse WOULD NOT stop POOPING! #2 It was also TERRIFED of the water... and when a wave would crash, it would take off to the side. I thought we were both going to fall over. I haven't been on a horse in a long time.. but I would have to admit that I was impressed with myself. It was SO much fun!

We looked amazing in these helmets too! hahaha

Adventure Number Two: My host Dad rented a boat and we were able to go out in the ocean and look for dolphins! We were inbetween the coast of Africa and Spain. It was pretty incredible! Unfortunately we went on a super windy day so we weren't able to see any, but it was fun to be out on a boat!! Our boat driver anchored at an abondoned beach and we were able to get out and swim. The water was clear blue and there were fish all around!! We pulled out the binoculars and looked at the houses on the coast of Africa. I wanted to go over there so bad!! So close... but yet SOOO far away!! We had an amazing day!

Charles and I found a pirate ship and it was for sale!! We are going to save up and buy it!

There has not been a time where we haven't had visitors staying with us. This is one of my host Mom's close friends. She came with her family, and they were able to come on the boat with us. She spoke very little English, but she was so nice!! I have met so many amazing people since I have been over here in Europe. I love it!!!

Adventure Number Three: Jo and her boyfriend came down from Madrid to spend a few days in Cadiz. They were able to come see me one day when they were here!! I could NOT have been happier!! It was SOO good to see her! I thought the last time we were ever going to see eachother was in Madrid when I said bye to all the girls... I was WRONG. Man I love this girl! Thank you Jo for being such a good friend!! We had a fun day together!

The South of Spain!

2009-07-23T02:08:00.001-07:00

Well, we have finally made it to the South! Actually we have been here for almost a month... I just stink at keeping up with my blog! My host Mom has a house in the South that she shares with all of her siblings. They used to come here every Summer when they were little, and the tradition just keeps on going. It is beautiful here and the weather is amazing!! Our house is up on a ledge, so we look down at everthing. We can see the mountains of Africa from the house... it is incredible!! They decided to put in a pool this year in the backyard... just my luck!! :D They started the day we got here, and they are already done! It has been soo nice!! I am so grateful for the experiences I have had here. It is going to be hard to go home, and back to real life!! My host Mom told me that she is adopting me and I am staying here forever... I wouldn't mind that too much. I am still loving it here!

Eating at a Pizzaria with Andrea (the housekeeper) and my three tiny ones!

Always have to have matching suits! I love them!

Beautiful Andrea and I. She only speaks Spanish... but understands a little English. When we hit a language barrier...we pull out my computer and use google translator haha!! Thank heavens for technology!! She is my only friend down here since we are in the middle of nowhere, and we have become really close. I have learned so much from her and we have had a lot of fun together!!

Little Ana

Georgie and her boyfriend came to visit the first week. It was fun to have someone to play with on the beach! I want her English accent SOO bad!

Love my life. Enough said. We have been to the beach every day! It never seems to get old. I have never built so many sand castles in my life... and I have never been buried so many times in my life. I am now a pro at boogie boarding, and I have learned to love tomatoes! They are so sweet and delicious here! The water is clear blue, and the weather hasn't been colder than 85 degrees. Perfect. One day it got up over 100... with the humidity here it was impossible to go outside and not melt. There are tons of mosquitos at night... but nothing that my bug spray can't handle! I love it!

Mirna.. a past nanny for my same family... came to visit for a week. We went out one night for dinner and took some fun pictures. It was fun to hang out with some girls my age for a night! I miss my friends in Madrid soo bad!! It is weird not being with them every single day! So far being in the South has been a dream. I got soo lucky with my host family and I feel so blessed to have experienced all that I have in the past 7 monts! I have 5 weeks left before I go back to the 801 so I am trying to give them my all... so hopefully I will be someone they never forget! Hope everyone has a good 24th of July! Wish I could see some fireworks!

Our last night together!

2009-07-14T03:07:00.000-07:00

This was a super sad night.... I left to come to the South with my host family.. and all of my friends go back to their countries while I am gone :( When I get back to Madrid in August, I will be a lone ranger!! I had so much fun getting to know them, and I learned SOOO much from each of them. It was hard... but hopefully we can keep in touch. Life would be miserable without friends... I don't know what I would have done without them.

It is weird not having them around... but they will never be forgotten!! Love you girls!!! Thanks for EVERYTHING!!!!

The Zoo!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-14T02:53:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make... I think I am 20 going on 8. I was more excited to go to the zoo than the little kids that I nanny!! I LOVE it!!! Andrea (the housekeeper) and I got to take them the day before we headed South! The Madrid Zoo was ENORMOUS! I was in heaven.

We got to see the dolphin show!! How do they even train dolphins? It was amazing!

I have the best job. I love the kids I nanny!!!!

The White Party!

2009-07-14T02:31:00.000-07:00

I have never been to a themed party before... but man was it fun!! My friend Jo's host parents had a party at their house and the dress code was to wear all white. Her host Mom invited Jo's friends as well. This was one of the last times that I was able to play with the girls and realizing that was pretty sad... but we had a fun time!!

Beautiful Elina and I

Jo and I!! I want her English accent soooo bad!! Love her!

Another dream accomplished!

2009-06-23T05:58:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh Lucky me! I was able to go to Venice, Italy this past weekend!! I met two of my friends, Jamie and Heather, in the airport... and we had such a good weekend!! They have been backpacking in Europe for the past couple of weeks, and they saved Venice until the end so I could come meet up with them. I haven't laughed that hard for three days straight in a LOOOOONG time. It was by far my favorite place I have traveled in my life! I loved it that much. It makes the trip depending on who you travel with...and I am sooo glad I chose to go with them. We have lots of new inside jokes, and memories that I will always remember!! Thanks for meeting with me girls!!

Typical tourists with our new Venice sweatshirts on!!

We went on a Gondola ride our second night... let's just say it was BEAUTIFUL weather the entire weekend... but 5 minutes into our ride, it started to rain. hahaha we still had fun anyway!

Feeding the birds in St. Marks Square. Before I went... I heard this was a must do. Wouldn't do it again, but it was a lot of fun! We had a HUGE audience watching us and video taping us on their cameras!

We know the E is backawards... but it looked the best this way! We L OV E D our trip!!

Heather and I on the little Island of Murano!

It was known for its glass sculptures!

Yes we ate a lot of crepes!! Nutella and fresh strawberries was my absolute favorite!!! Such a fun trip!!!!

Summer time in Spain!!

2009-06-16T02:54:00.001-07:00

Yay!! The good weather is finally here!!! I was hoping for hot... and now it is too hot. I definitely spoke too soon!! It would be really hard to not have a pool around while outside. It is over 90 degrees everyday and I feel like I am melting away!!! Everyone in Spain has a pool, so this is what our free time consists of lately, now that the weather has just turned amazing! The only down side....no air conditiong. I lay in bed and sweat at night as I am trying to fall asleep. There are so many things I take for granted at home, and I would have never realized it unless I came somewhere else to live. I am so thankful for all of my experiences!! I love it here!!

Swimming in Jo's pool on a Saturday!!!

Last week we went to Retiro Park, and rented a boat for an hour to take out onto the... pond I guess you would call it. It was a lot of fun... but SOOO dang hot!!

Elina and I on the boat!!

Jessica and I strikin a pose!

Eating popsicles in Madrid, tryin to stay cool!!

This is the patio that my little ninos eat all their meals at everyday. Tough life huh?

My host Mom swimmin' with the girls in the backyard!

Charles bein' sassy. Love this kid.

My backyard!!! I am so lucky!!

Ana, me, and Victoria! The pool is salt water... I have never heard of that until I came here!! It has 1/10 the amount of salt as the sea. Atleast it's better for my hair.... and I'm just glad I can't taste it very much!

Our favorite place to get salads and sandwiches. MONTYS! It is only 1E on Wednesdays. You know where to find us poor Aupairs!!

I guess this is the thing to do now a days when your hair goes grey??

We found a bird's nest by the patio

The BEAUTIFUL Madrid temple!! Love to go and sit on the temple grounds on Sundays!! Had a bad experience with some creepy men last time I went, so I am extra careful now when I am on my own!!

Elder McArthur is in the MTC and I got to see him sing!! He was waving at me!!

My favorite Trek bro!! Church won't be the same without him when I get home but he is going to be an amazing missionary!

I am so thankful for my life! I am so happy!

RO*ME

2009-06-06T06:17:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh my life just keeps getting better and better!! I thought Lisbon and Paris were amazing.... Oh no. Italy is BY FAR my favorite place so far!! I am a LOVER of Italian food... Pasta is my absolute favorite. The real Italian food was incredible!! The city was beautiful, I fell in love with it the second we got there!! All of the friends I have made here have to work on the weekends, so I convinced my host Mom to come with me to Rome!! She siad that I am not allowed to leave Europe without seeing the city, and since she hadn't been there for 15 years she decided to join me!! We had a blast!! It was fun getting to know her better, and realizing how much we have in common. She stooped down to my level and made it so much fun for me. Since she had been there before, I had a walking tour guide 24-7. I saw so much of Rome that I thought my head was going to explode from all the history!! It was humid and hot, but SO worth it!! I go to Venice in two weeks and I cannot wait to be back in Italy!! We will see which city I like more!

Some old ruins in the middle of the city!

The Colosseum!! Absolutely incredible!!

Oh I forgot to mention... my host Moms friend, Paloma, and her fifteen year old daughter, Angela, decided to come with us!! They only speak Spanish... so that is all we spoke to eachother all weekend. I was actually pretty impressed with myself. I didn't do half bad. My host Mom had to help me out occasionally though!

Inside the Colosseum!! I LOVED it!!!

Some more old ruins.

I would have loved to see the city back in the old days.

We saw a 3-D movie while we were there. The seats moved to make it seem real. It was really interesting!

The Pantheon

Everyone drove vespas, and they were always dressed so nice. It wasn't uncommon to see a man with a full suit and tie... riding on a vespa!!

This picture looks fake... oh no, it's not. That's how incredible the city was!

The Vatican City!

Our hotel is the Yellow one at the end of the street. Loved it!

The four of us!

hahaha my personal tour guide!! a.k.a. my host Mom Milagros!

Flower shops everywhere!

The Spanish Steps!

Nothing but the best.... Italian Gelato and Icecream!!

HAHAHA this was the coolest thing I had ever seen!! I want one!

I absolutely LOVED Rome, can ya tell?!?!

My First Polo Game!

2009-06-05T05:03:00.001-07:00

Well, I can admit that I finally know why there is a horse logo for Polo clothing. It was something I never really thought about, and now it all makes sense!! I went to my first Polo Game, and I absolutely LOVED it!! My host Dad is in a business selling energy drinks and got invited to this Country Club to watch the game. It was for a very well known magazine, so everyone was dressed VERY nicely. Kids were invited, and that is why I was able to go to! The entire time there were people walking around with baskets, and inside were all different kinds of appetizers. Mini pizzas, sandwiches, bread, cheese, cookies... ahhh it was never ending! Even though it was a rainy day, it was so much fun! Everything was soo green from the rain, and it was fun to be outside!

My host Dad and some of his buddies. He is the one with the sweet top hat! Little Ana and I. Love this girl.

The Polo Team!! They won!

During the breaks, all of the people have to go out and fill in the holes before they start playing again. It looked as though someone had been playing golf. You picked up the chunks of grass, and they would prefectly fit back in.

They all had to have their umbrellas!!
Love my life!

Sisters B-day

2009-05-05T07:44:00.000-07:00

Today is my sisters B-day!! I wish I were home to babysit for her so she could go out with her husband... but I'll have to make up for it when I get home. My sister is Super Mom!! I hope I can be half the Mom she is to her kids one day!! She is 30 and has 4 kids.... and they are THE CUTEST kids in the world!! When I am home, I love going and hanging out at her house. She gets really giggly when she is tired, and she makes me laugh. She gives really good advice, and she is always interested in how I am doing, and how my life is. She is a HUGE example to me, and i look up to her so much. She has a strong testimony, and it shines through her personality! I miss her so much and hope she has a good Birthday!!

I hope I look as young as she does when I am 30!!! She is gorgeous!!!

Lisboa!!!

2009-05-05T06:47:00.001-07:00

And my dream life continues.... last weekend I went with two girls to Lisbon, Portugal!!! I fell in love with the city... delicious food, nice people, and the best hostel I have ever stayed in. I enjoyed every second of it!! I went with Georgie and her friend Clara. They were SO much fun to travel with...very easy going. We had a really relaxing weekend!

We took a day trip to a city called Sintra, about an hour out of Lisbon. This was the Royal Palace there... it was AMAZING! It reminded me of Disneyland.

This was at the palace, and shows the ocean in the background.

This is the Monastery in Lisbon. It was beautiful!

There is tag EVERYWHERE over here. Some of it looks really cool, but most of the time it bugs me so bad!!

A typical street in Lisbon!!

Cute Georgie and I at the castle

There are smart cars EVERYWHERE over here. Nice parking job!

The cathedral

Did Lisbon copy California just a little bit?

These were the coolest chairs I have ever seen!! They were on wheels too so you could push them wherever you wanted!

The view from the door of my hostel. The ocean is right behind that statue at the end!! It was so much fun!!!

This is one of the best street entertainers I have ever seen!! He was so cool!

B-Day Party!

2009-05-05T06:19:00.001-07:00

All three of the kids I nanny have Birthdays in April. Instead of having 3 little parties... my host Mom prefers throwing one HUGE party with about 40 children. This party is a HUGE deal with hired entertainers to run games for the kids, food and cake for them, and food for the parents as well!! It takes place in the backyard with millions of balloons and decorations. This year, I talked my host Mom into letting me and three friends run the games for money instead. When I offered myself, I had absolutely NO idea what I was getting myself into!! The week before I got strep throat and was finally starting to feel better... until the party. I had to have round two of antibiotics because I yelled and sung on my thraot WAY too much that night. We dressed up as clowns, and each took a group. I had little Ana and the 4 year olds. It turned out to be a great success, so much fun, and I LOVED the extra money!

Charles and I. He is one of the twins and they turned 6 years old!!
This is Victoria... the other twin and "The Princess of the Party"

Elina and I keeping an eye on them while they ate food and cake on the patio

Sac races, and egg and spoon races! 4 year olds aren't very good at it...

The entertainers... and the 3 kids I nanny! It was a lot of fun

Pass the Parcel!

I don't think I have EVER blown up so many balloons... my room was COVERED!

Easter weekend!

2009-04-16T05:12:00.001-07:00

Ohhhh man!! My first Easter away from home!! It was spent at my host family's cabin..."La Canadilla." I wasn't able to watch Conference on TV because they don't have one at the cabin. I have been watching it on LDS.org and MAN IS IT AMAZING!!! You would think that they would run out of things to talk about... but it just keeps getting better!! The cabin is run off of a generator... and the water comes from a huge pump up on the mountain. I bonded a lot with my host parents at night because we would just sit by the fire and talk for hours. My host Mom is very catholic, so Semana Santa was a huge deal here in the Elwell house. We only ate fish and eggs on Good Friday, and then went to watch them carry the statue of Mary, and the cross, from one church to another. I cannot tell you how refreshing it is... to be in another country, and have the comfort knowing that going to church on Sunday will be just the same as it is at home. It may be in a different language, but the spirit is just as strong! All around, it has been an amazing past two weeks! I love living here, and have realized how truly thankful I am for the kowledge I have of the gospel!

Mr. Charles and me on Easter Sunday!

The pool is finally open, yay!

Semana Santa. There were so many people there, it was unreal!

Charles didn't want to walk, so he was on my back the whole way!

Love this girl!

Being a nanny is so much fun!

At the cabin waiting for the bonfire to be lit!

Sitting by the fire before bedtime!

Victoria and Charles turned 6 while we were at the cabin!! I gave Victoia a magnet board with pieces to create your own faces!

Charles got Candy Land... they had never heard of it before!!!

yay the twins are 6!!

I bought Victoria and I matching bracelets. Its a competition to see who can keep it on the longest.

Last night ever being 5!!!!

We caught a lot of lizards at the cabin... we may have caused this one a little damage. woops!

There is a pond by the cabin that is filled with frogs. They have never attempted to catch one before, so I made it a goal to get one before we left. This is a frog I caught the first day!! It was so much fun to see their reaction. They LOVED it and named it Tink. It lived in a bucket while we were there for the week!

They had friends over for lunch one night at the cabin!

Here in Spain, they don't have campfires. They just do big bonfires with dead branches and boxes. It lasts about 5 minutes. They thought I was CRAZY when I brought up the idea to roast marshmellows!

In the back of the truck, going to swin in the pond!

The entire ride there... the dog was at my feet. hahaha

Not your typical Utah mountains... but this is where the cabin was! There were olive trees EVERYWHERE!

This is what I woke up to every morning!! Lucky me!

Our homemade frog catching net!

La Canadilla!

Victoria

Charles!
We went to play in the snow the day after Easter

The snow man was falling over so I tried to catch it.....

That didn't work out so well. They all jumped on me instead. Anyway... there is an update on life!! I miss my family a lot, but I love it here! 3 months down, 4 to go!!

Paris!!

2009-04-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

And the fairy tale life continues..... PARIS! Last weekend Kate and I headed out to Paris!! We found round trip tickets for under a hundred dollars, and we were gone!! We left on Thursday morning, and came back on Monday afternoon. Our host families were way nice about us being gone so long, we were surprised!! It rained for a minute on Saturday which was kind of a bummer... but I absolutely LOVED being there!!!

Kate and I at the top of the Eiffel Tower!

Some crazy lady outside the Notre Dame. She reminded me of the old lady on Home Alone. She had birds all over her!!!!!

After seeing this, I wanted to go watch The Hunchback!!

The Eiffel Tower at night... AMAZING!

hahaha at the top of The Arc de Triumph

It was rainy for about an hour... but we still managed to have a good time! Not hard to do when you are in France!

Ummm my 5 Euro umbrella didn't last long!!

Holding the Lovre like an ornament hahaha

Kate and I before we went in to see the Mona Lisa. The Louvre was HUGE!

Perfect picture moment of my SWEET umbrella that held together SO well!!!

Kate and I on the "Romantic" river of Paris!

The littler streets were adorable!! You can rent those bikes behind me and ride around everywhere!! It felt like they were available on every corner!!

Big holes to tie the boats up to on the river!

On the bus heading into the city!

RyanAir... probably the cheapest airline ever hahaha!!! My seat wouldn't even recline :(

Kate and I outside my house right before we left on our adventure!!

I think I am living in a dream!!

2009-03-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

And yet again... another weekend adventure!!!! This time, four days!! Yeah!! The kids had school off for a Holiday, which meant no work for us!! We got on the cheapest bus we could find and headed South!! Unfortunately, cheap didn't mean fast. It took us six and a half hours to get to beautiful Sevilla, but it was SOOO worth it!! It is down south, and the weather was amazing!!!

These are the girls that came with me!!! Jo, Marie, and Lini! We all had a blast together!!

In the bus station!

In the beautiful gardens of the Alcazar!

There were tiny cobblestone streets, and orange trees everywhere!! It was amazing!!

Takin a rest after all the walking we did!!

Jo and I heading to the theatre to watch tradition Flamenco Dancing!

This was a river that runs along the side of the main city of Sevilla. We rented a paddle boat, bought some popsicles, and had a nice day in the sun!!

Marie and I.. the heat might have gotten to us a little but too much!

We went and took a tour of the Plaza de Toros! Too bad there wasn't a bull fight to watch... I need to see one before I go!

We walked up the Bell Tower of the Cathedral, and this is the view from the top!! Absolutely incredible!!

The front of the Cathedral!

Sevilla in the night time!!! I loved it there!!!! There were palm trees everywhere!

This was by far my favorite weekend adventure yet. It was SOO much fun!! The first night we were there, we all pitched in and went on a horse and carriage ride. I felt like I was living in a dream!! I love my life!!!

Toledo!!

2009-03-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

Well another weekend adventure for me!! Kate and I got on a bus and went to the city of Toledo!! It was amazing!! The cathedral was huge, and we had a lot of fun walking on the streets. They were all very narrow cobblestone streets again, my favorite! It was over 80 degrees outside so at one point we sat down on some benches and soaked up the sun!! It was really fun to get to know her better, and see more famous sites in Spain!!

The city of Toledo behind us!! It was amazing!!

The castle in Toledo!!

Coolest stop light I have seen yet!! It was tiny for the little streets!!

Outside the doors of the cathedral! It was amazing!!!

Think my shirt is bright enough?

Kate and I before we got on the bus. Behind us is a pond filled with a million turtles!! It is right in the middle of the train station... it is really cool!!

At the end of the night!! I love living in Spain!!!!!!!!

El Escorial!!

2009-03-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

Last Friday... the girls and I decided to skip school and take a train to El Escorial! It is a big historical site here in Spain! It used to be the house of the king of Spain wayyy back. It now is a monastery, royal palace, museum, and school. We took a tour of it and saw the gardens. It was amazing!!

My girls and I! I have made such cute friends here!! I love them all!! I will start with me.. going clockwise : me, Elina (Finland), Marie (Germany), Sabine (Germany), and Jo (England). We have a lot of fun together, and frequently make fun of eachothers accents! They are all nannies as well, and we all go to the same language school learning Spanish.

Goofing off at the end of our tour!!

The gardens were amazing!!

Some guys on the street tryin to make some money!! I love living in Spain!!!

Chin Chon!!

2009-03-07T11:00:00.001-08:00

Alright... another weekend adventure! We rode on a bus for an hour to the middle of no where to get to a little city named Chin Chon. It is one of the spots to visit in my tour guide book! haha It is famous for its main plaza. It holds a huge bullfight but only once a year, and unfortunately it isn't until the Summer time... but we still wanted to see it! There are cafe's all around the circle so we just ate lunch and talked for a few hours. It was a very small town, but a lot of fun for a day trip!

The crane looks so good in the background.

There was a line of donkeys taking small children for rides! It was so cute!!

Out and about in the city!!

2009-02-25T03:50:00.000-08:00

I decided to put up some pictures of Madrid to show everyone what it looks like!! There are random tourist spots everywhere, and it is not very common to drive. Everyone is out walking on the streets, and it is SOOO much fun to sit down and people watch! When I mention that I am going out to the city, this is what I am doing!!

Kate and I outside the Royal Palace! She is adorable and is from Canada.
It was so bright outside we could barely see but we wanted a picture with the guards so bad! We finaly got one!!!

This is Sabine and I outside a cathedral. She is from Germany and was my first friend here!! She lives down the street from me and is a nanny as well!

This is beautiful Retiro Park!! It reminds me a lot of Liberty Park in Salt Lake City. It is huge!!

I took a picture of him when he was not looking because I thought it was funny that he was matching his Vespa!!

These are the girls I spend all of my free time with!! I would die without them!

There are random cows decorated on every corner of the streets. It is so weird... but this one was on Valentines Day so I of course had to take a picture with it!

This is Jo!! She is so much fun to be around and I love her accent! She is from England. After the girls and I got to know eachother better, they said to me, "Girl! You have the thickest American accent EVER!" Yeah right!! They are the ones with the accents! haha

This is underground at the Metro Station. They have flatscreens in the middle of the two tracks to watch the news while waiting for the metro to come. I thought it was funny the first time I saw it.

The ceiling was SUPER low right here!! hahaha I barely fit because I am so tall!

Outside an old train station that they have now turned into a place for turtles. It was really interesting!

The typical street signs in the city!

Does it look like I am pusing it haha?

One Sunday after church!

Outside the Royal Palace!! It was HUGE!

I could not believe this lady was so short!!!!! Her feet are on the same level as my knees! She was out selling fruit and had an extra hat, so I asked if I could take a picture haha!

This is by far the best mullet on a woman I have seen yet!! The best part..... the reason I noticed her is because she was singing, "In the middle of the niiiight..." hahaha I was dying laughing!!

The worlds fattest Spider Man!!! They dress up and pose for money! They are so cool!!

This is another person out trying to get money! The city is so much fun!! We have a blast everytime we go do something!! I absolutely LOOOVE living here!!

Sledding in Spain!

2009-02-17T15:02:00.001-08:00

Milagros and I decided that one day leaving early from school wouldn't be bad for the kids! After I was done with my Spanish class, I hurried home and the car had already been packed! The children were in their matching outfits, and our picnic was ready to go!! It was a beautiful day, and we were headed to the mountains to see the snow! I thought we were just going to go on a warm day to have a picnic and let the kids run around... oh no! Going to see the snow in the Elwell family is a HUGE deal!! Everyone must have protective eye wear, very sturdy shoes, water proof clothes, and sun screen... we were going sledding! I was lucky enough to get to wear my host Mom's jacket because she decided she wanted the full suit. Dang it!! We rode the ski lift up to the top, took some pictures, and then went back down. The kids thought this was the GREATEST thing in the world. Something that seems so normal to me, made their entire day! There are a lot of little things at home that I now realize how much I take for granted!

Gotta have protective goggles... glasses were acceptable for me though! I Had no idea my hair was sticking straight up though!! woops!

I felt at home playin in the snow!! They go twice a year... can't wait to go again soon!!

SEGOVIA!

2009-02-13T06:48:00.001-08:00

One weekend my host family went to their cabin, and I chose to stay at home. Sabine and I traveled to the city of Segovia!! It was supposed to be horrible weather that day. When we found out, we were super bummed because none of our pictures would turn out!! The fog was soo thick in Las Matas, which is common here in Spain, that we couldn't see 15 feet in front of us!! We decided to go anyway, hoping for the best!! If you can tell from the pictures... my prayers were answered and even though it was cold, we had blue skies!

This is an old Gothic Cathedral right by the main square. It was MASSIVE!! This is the prettiest cathedral I have ever seen. The ceilings inside were so tall!!! I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was! There were stained-glass windows everywhere so it looked beautiful inside with all of the colors.

This was the only place inside the Cathedral that we were allowed to take pictures! The details were incredible!

This is the famous Roman Aqueduct. It was used until the late 19th century as a way to recieve fresh water. It flowed along the top and was filtered along the way. I can't even imagine how they built it, it was huge!

Sabine and I

Behind me gives you an idea of what a cute little town Segovia is with its cobble stone streets!

This is the statue outside the castle!! I was STOKED to be able to see the tip of it when we were taking this picture!! I have always wanted to go to a castle!

Sabine and I outside Alcazar!! One of Spain's many midevil castles!!!

Of course I had to do a jumping picture!! I was so excited!!

This is a dungeon where they used to keep prisoners! No thanks!

I definitely want to go back before I leave this Summer!! I loved it!!

Snow in Madrid.. what?!?!?!?!

2009-02-13T06:15:00.000-08:00

The other morning I woke up to get ready for church, glanced out the window, and it was snowing!! I couldn't believe my eyes!! It RARELY snows in Madrid... maybe once in a while up in the "mountains"... but not down here in Las Matas!! I had to walk 2 miles in the snow to the train station because the buses weren't running!! It was FREEZING!! I put plastic bags over my feet inside my boots, and the snow soaked through!! My host Mom kept telling me on the phone that they excuse people from church on days like these... but look what the pioneers had to do!! I was so thankful the moment I walked in the church doors and believe it or not, I made it on time! It looks beautiful, but man is it inconvenient!! I left Utah to get out of the snow... just my luck!

The litte girls were staring out the window wanting to go outside... they don't see snow very much! Oh.. and their outfits are always matching... they are so cute!
Charles was able to make a cute snowman!!
When I was waiting on the bus for it to move... I watched 4 cars slide into one of the trees behind me. I felt just at home!! This picture was taken by a random person when I finally decided to get off the bus and walk to the train station in hopes of making it ontime! I have never seen such huge snowflakes in my life!!

I love being a nanny!!

2009-02-05T02:53:00.000-08:00

Just to give you an idea of what my family is like... My host Mom's name is Milagros and she was born and raised in Spain, speaking Spanish. She learned to speak English from her husband over the years, and from her job. Charles is my host Dad and he is from England and speaks only English to the children. This has forced the little ones to be bilingual!! Makes my life a lot easier!! The kids have an English accent and it is adorable!!! Here are pictures of them!!

This is Victoria!! She is the princess of the house and loves the color pink!! She is 5 years old and is one of the twins! She is by far the best swimmer at swimming lessons! She also loves to play dress ups!

This is my Charles. He is one of the twins and is 5 years old!! He is really into the movie Cars, and is by far the best listener of them all!! He is my little buddy and loves to hang around my neck! He also loves playing tennis with his Dad in the backyard on the tennis court!

This is little Ana. She is the baby in the family!! She is three years old and I sometimes tend to forget that she is that little!! She acts five just like her brother and sister! She is a little follower and does whatever her siblings do.