Lunch with the Au Pairs

This month we had planned to enjoy a leisurely lunch at a local restaurant that serves homemade southern fare. Unfortunately, I didn't think to check their schedule until the day of our meeting and discovered, to my dismay, that the restaurant is not open on Sundays. This led to a hasty round of emails and Facebooking, during which I was truly thankful that I have an internet-capable phone, because my family and I were not at home for the entirety of the morning! But by the time lunchtime rolled around, we all found ourselves at the same place and enjoyed a leisurely lunch at Applebee's. The food was good, the conversation was great, and the company was even better. Thanks for a great afternoon girls! See you next month!!

Newsletter: July 2010

Happy Fourth of July!! This month we celebrate our nation's independence. What fun activities do you have planned? Many families enjoy celebrating the holiday with picnics or BBQs, swimming in a pool or playing at a park, and, of course, no 4th of July is complete without a fireworks show!

Also this month we have an Au Pair birthday to celebrate: Kirsten's birthday is July 27th. Be sure to wish her a happy birthday!!

July Au Pair Activity

This month we're sampling homemade southern fare at Lyn's Gracious Goodness at 2306 Whitesburg Drive. We'll meet at the restaurant at 1pm on July 25th. Let me know if you need a ride! You can check out the website and take a peek at the menu at www.lynskitchen.com

A Couple Reminders

Please remember that I am out of town at the beginning of this month (please see email for specific dates). I will be available by phone or email; however, if you need immediate assistance, please contact Melissa Bush.

Also, remember that the AuPairCare offices will be closed Monday, July 5th in observation of Independence Day.

Harmony Park Safari

This month we went on a Safari right here in Huntsville. Since there are only four of us right now, we only needed one car, which was nice! The park is a drive-though safari, so we stayed in the car almost the entire time. It's not a huge park and the circuit didn't actually take very long. There's food for sale at the entrance to the park, and although we didn't buy any, the animals know that incoming cars have lots of food, so we immediately found ourselves surrounded by goats, deer, and ponies. The goats were so upset we didn't have anything for them, that one actually head-butted my car! Eventually the animals moved off the road and we were able to continue our trip. During the rest of the safari we saw more goats, deer, and ponies, as well as camels, emus, peacocks, buffalo, cows, and alligators. At the end of drive we parked and got out to see the turtles and some other reptiles that live inside a small structure. The safari was definitely a great way to see lots of exotic animals up close (and I mean UP CLOSE) from within the safety of the car.

Au Pairs in attendance: Kirsten, Gaby, Isa

Newsletter: June 2010

This month we remember to honor our Dads: Father's Day is Sunday, June 20th. While many dads can be hard to shop for, remember that a handmade card is sometimes better than another tie. You may also want to plan a special dinner, or a fun activity.

Summer Safety Tips

The occasional thunderstorm notwithstanding, summer is upon us! If you are caring for your children, keep sunscreen and sun hats handy. If you are in charge of the children near water, never take your eyes off the kids! Water emergencies can happen in the blink of an eye. Always follow the host parents' rules regarding child safety.

June Au Pair Activity

We're going to a baseball game! We'll see The Huntsville Stars play The Montgomery Biscuits on Sat. June 19th. Meet at the ticket counter at 5:45 for the 6:00 game. Tickets are $8; parking is

$4 (cash only for parking). See you there!

Au Pair Arrivals/Departures

This month we are pleased to welcome Laetitia from France! She will arrive on Thursday, June 17th. Please help her feel welcome!

We have no au pair departures this month.

Newsletter: May 2010

Welcome to May! We have two big holidays this month: Mother's Day on May 9th and Memorial Day on May 31st. If you're short on gift ideas for Mom, try making something for her even if it's just a card. Also remember that sometimes the best gift you can give is time: plan a special breakfast or dinner that she won't have to cook or clean up after!

Memorial Day commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. Most schools and businesses will be closed on that day and many community pools will open for the summer on this weekend. Enjoy!

May Au Pair Activity

This month we are continuing our animal theme and taking a road trip to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere on Saturday, May 15th! Visit the zoo's website at www.nashvillezoo.org for more information. If you would like to join us, please visit our Facebook page to RSVP.

We're on Facebook!

AuPairCare of Northern Alabama has its own Facebook page! Click the 'like' button to keep up with our activities, participate in the discussion forum, RSVP for events, and upload pictures and

videos (do not upload anything without proper permission).

Newsletter: April 2010

Welcome to April! Did anyone fall prey to an April Fool's joke? Did you play one on someone else? While practical jokes can be fun, be sure to keep it safe and don't do anything to someone that you wouldn't want them to do to you.

Speaking of staying safe, April thunderstorms can often bring tornadoes and flooding. Listen to the radio for severe weather warnings and don't leave home during severe weather if you don't have to. While thunder and lightening can be scary, remember that "April showers bring May flowers"!

April Au Pair Activity

This month we are going on a safari! Harmony Park Safari is a federally licensed nature preserve of free-ranging exotic & endangered animals. This is a "drive-through" animal park where we will remain in the car on the two-mile route to see zebras, zebus, antelope, buffalo, a camel, ostriches, pythons & crocodiles. Please visit our Facebook page for more details.

Mother's Day Approaches...

It's not too early to start thinking about how to celebrate our moms this coming Mother's Day! Au pairs may want to help the kids make a special card or even a homemade gift for Mom. Another idea is to plan a special breakfast or dinner for her. Mother's Day is Sunday, May 9th.

Newsletter: March 2010

Welcome to March! Hopefully we've said goodbye to the last of the freezing weather and we'll be able to start enjoying being outdoors again! I bet the kids are looking forward to Spring Break this month - does anyone have vacation plans for that week? I'm really looking forward to our activity for this month - I hope everyone can participate! Also, AuPairCare is offering a double referral bonus for the month of March - you could earn $400 for telling your friends about AuPairCare! I'd love to help you earn this bonus, please contact me if you have any questions or ideas!

March Au Pair Activity: Share-A-Bear

This month all Au Pairs and Host Families are invited to a Build-A-Bear party on March 14th at 2pm to create special bears to donate to children in our city! Please see invitation for additional details (let me know if you did not receive an email invitation). RSVP by March 7th.

Referral Opportunity - Double Referral Bonus!

Do you know other families interested in learning more about the benefits of hosting an au pair? Host an AuPairCare information session at your home and receive $250 just for hosting PLUS $400 for each of your friends who joins the program! Contact your Area Director for more information.