LIfestyles of the Rich and Famous

Today I took my child to swim at the Grand Hotel Quisiana (http://www.quisisana.com/). This is the same place that I went with the bosses and Mrs R yesterday. It was a little different my second time around - I actually paid attention to what was happening around me due to the fact that it was just me and the kid. The people that were swimming there were all stuck up, rich, had perfect bodies, and were annoyed at the fact that there were children anywhere close around - apparently this is a famous/prestigious hotel in Italy. After my bosses left, the kid and I went for a swim and as we were swimming, I was told that I couldn't be in the pool with a child because it was "quiet hour" from 2-5. I looked around and all the rich people and celebs were rolling their eyes and smirking at me as I grabbed the kid and headed over to the restaurant to eat lunch instead. Memo to self - what a horrid place to take kids! Next memo to self - never have any desires to become like the guests at the Grand Hotel Quisiana, its just not worth it.

In other recent events, we took a cruise around the island today. Here is my favorite picture from the day. Ciao

Capri at Night - and other adventures

Today has been quite the day of days. I woke up to the news that Ann R was arriving this afternoon and didn't quite know what to expect. I went with the family to a nice hotel because they wanted to swim in the cool pool. After playing around for a while, we were greeted by Ann who ate lunch with us at an Italian restaurant. Unfortunately my first Italian pizza was experienced under the most stressful of situations where I had to make small talk with the bosses and Ann R. After finishing a successful lunch (due to the fact that my child was asleep), we went window shopping and talked about clothing (of course stuff I could never even look at the price tag of) along with literature, taiwan, politics, and different life things. After scary and successful conversation, my child and I were treated to a heavenly gelato and I choose a flavor that everybody decided to want to try. My gelato was such a hit that we all shared it.

Below are some pictures of my dinner plate because with nannying and such - I got my own setup from the yacht staff for dinner tonight. Because it was just for me, I decided to take a picture because I could and because the staff is so awesome I feel comfortable enough to tell them how crazy it is that I get such special treatment. But basically if I wasn't with who I was with, I would be snapping pictures of all of my meals and my dinner party.





Capri at night -

History Lesson

This morning my boss took me outside and showed me where the great hiking trails are here at Capri. He pointed out a couple of old buildings and said that Nero moved his headquarters to Capri because it was so beautiful (the same Nero that burned the city if Rome however AD ago). He told me that on the other side of the island there are a bunch of rocks and that those rocks are where Homer said that the screaming syrens are supposed to be living from The Odyssey. I'm in shock that I am here seeing things that I have learned about in history, what a great opportunity.

Capri

Have you ever watched Annie where she goes to Daddy Warbucks home and expects to scrub floors, make beds, and do tons of house work then finds out that she doesn't have to do any of that? That is exactly how I feel right now! I have never been so spoiled in my entire life. It's so funny to me to have egyption cotton sheets, a candy fridge filled with ghirardelli chocolates and fiji water, fresh orchids in my room, meals looking over the island of Capri, laundry service where i just put my laundry in a little bag then leave it outside of the door and it magically gets take care of, my luggage being folded and put away, tilapia for dinner, etc. The best part about all of it is how nice and sweet everybody is. I thought that I was coming as the worker, but I am definitely being treated as the guest. I feel very blessed to be working for people who care so much about me as their guest and nanny and take the time to make me feel welcomed and at home.

The YachtCapri

Going to the Zoo!

Today my kid and I went to the San Diego Wild Life Zoo. It was aMaZiNg! First of all - due to Dr. Glenn L. Latham's parenting advice, my child was great. Second of all, the zoo had an African Safari and we saw cool animals living in their unnatural habitat right from a jeep :)

Here are some pictures of what we saw (I stole them from the zoo because my camera broke again):

Surfing - A deadly sport

Being the girl that I am, I decided to go surfing here in La Jolla :) I went out about two weeks ago and it was a pretty flat day so I just learned how to balance really well sitting on my surf board waiting for the waves that I never saw. Some kid came and joined me and told me that a place called something like earth, wind, and sea was the best place to go but that the guys there were a bad word and don't let people surf with them. Of course I took this advice into no regard and headed out to the waves this morning to check it out.

The miracle is that I'm still alive to tell the story, the waves were brutal! I paddled out there at an angle so I never had to hit the waves full on and all I saw were a bunch of old surf guys who were probably in the 40's or 50's who didn't seem so scary to me. When I came paddling out, one of them said to all of the others to watch their language and then he told me that I didn't have to worry about any of the other guys because they were all homosexual except for him.

So I attempted to ride the waves... The waves won. If you have ever been with me to a theme park, you know that I scream a lot. Me screaming at a theme park is nothing compared to what I let out today. I was scared out of my mind, and everybody knew it! The waves were huge and once I sort of rode some in, I would look behind me and see massive waves breaking above my head and have no clue what to do because they were so big! Was I supposed to ride them as they were breaking like I could do in Taiwan or was I supposed to go through them? The way they broke so high, it was impossible to go under them because once you start going through, the wave is already in washing machine effect so you get thrown around like crazy. All of the older men were laughing and shacking their heads and then they told me that this was pretty much as hard is it gets and that it was a great learning place because it kicks your trash - and let me tell you, my trash got a good kicking!

As I was leaving, they told me "you know, you really got in our way today and we would have thrown you out but you were cute enough that we let you stay around." Well, at least I know that although I wasn't a good surfer, I can be reassured to know that a bunch of surf guys in their 40's and 50's thought I was cute.

Here is a pic that I pulled off of the internet from the place I went and these are probably actually some of the guys that I was out there with. They all looked pretty much like this and they are the regular local morning going group. It was a fun day and a fun adventure!

California Girl

Life has some amazing surprises, sometimes good, sometimes bad, and sometimes both. I was surprised to change my life in a way that I wouldn't have dreamed in a million years. On the 23rd of July, I got a phone call from Amelia asking if I could go to California for a week to nanny for Lane's boss. I had the impression that I wanted to serve these people and thought of this to be similar to the story of Ammon when he goes to serve King Lamoni so needless to say, I gave it my all while I was there and had an amazing week and an amazing time with these people. They are a great family and I feel very comfortable with them. They hired a new nanny before I came so I was just there while they were in between nannies, but I guess while I was there, we all just sort of clicked. I met the new nanny and last Thursday I handed over the job to her and then on Friday morning John made me an offer I couldn't resist saying that they will pay me well then followed this up by saying "have you ever been to Italy? Have you ever been to Italy with Mitt Romney?" After 24 hours worth of thinking and praying, I feel very confident that doors are opening up in my life and although I may not understand them and feel overwhelmed by the experiences that I will have, I am excited for this new opportunity. It seems like this is just something that was supposed to happen the way it happened. Don't worry, the new nanny knew she was only on a trial base but I do have a commitment until May. I will get to be in Utah for a lot of my nanny experiences because the kid will go to school in Utah after we return home from Italy. But don't worry, that won't be the end of my travels, after Christmas, it will be a month in The Bahamas :) I'm excited to see and learn new things both through being a nanny and through travel.

Here are some pictures from the California home where I stayed with them last week:

This is outside of the house There were two houses that they own along the beach in California and this is the other house, not the one that I stayed at. It got to dark before I could take a picture of the the main house.Here is my roomMy bathroom has a temperature gauge on the shower to know how hot the water is! My room was upstairs on my own separate wing and this is just a sitting area outside of my room.

Italy comes up on the 25th of August, so there will be more new and exciting pictures for sure :)