July 2011 Newsletter

Welcome to July!

This month we celebrate the birthday of the United States! Independence Day is on July 4. On that date in 1776, the founding fathers declared that the United States of America would be its own country, independent of British rule. The holiday is celebrated with parades, barbecues and picnics during the day, and fireworks displays after dark. I hope that you will share the festivities with your host family! July 4 is on Monday this year so many people will take off for a three day weekend. Please note that au pairs do not necessarily get holidays off. If your host family would like you to care for the children that day, they can schedule you to work.

AuPairCare will be closed on Monday, July 4 for the holiday. I will return all calls and emails the following day. As always, if you have an emergency after regular business hours you can call 415-434-8788 and someone will assist you.

Summer Reminders

The sunny weather is finally here, so here are some reminders for summer:

* Don't forget to put sunscreen and/or hats on the children if you're out at the park all day.

* If you are around a pool or other water with the children, never take your eyes off them. Don't trust that a lifeguard will keep them safe. YOU are the lifeguard!

* If you are thinking of taking a summer trip, talk with your host family well in advance about getting time off. Vacation should be taken at a mutually agreed upon time. Planning ahead is important!

* Start now to look for classes that will begin in August or September.

Growing AuPairCare in North Alabama

Do you know someone who is a small business owner? Would they be interested in partnering with AuPairCare? Contact me for more information!

July Au Pair Activity

Thurs. 7/14 at 8pm at Sam & Greg's Pizzeria/Gelateria, 119 North Side Square , Downtown Huntsville. The building dates from the early 1800s and has been a part of Huntsville's original Courthouse Square. Come enjoy some Italian ice cream, coffee, or pizza!

Save These Dates

AUGUST - Sat. 8/13 at 6pm: Huntsville Ghost Walk. Meet at 5:30 in front of Harrison Brothers Hardware (124 Southside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801) Admission is $8 (cash or check only!)

SEPTEMBER - at 3pm: We will meet at Pottery By You, 181 Hughes Road #9, Madison AL. Studio fees are $6 per person and pottery items start at $9.

Note: dates are subject to change if there's something fun we'd like to do that doesn't correspond with the dates I've chosen. Just let me know what you want to do!

Au Pair Birthdays

There are no Au Pair birthdays this month.

Arrivals/Departures

There are no Au Pair arrivals or departures this month.

Lunch at Applebee's

Pam, Vero, and Fernanda met me for lunch at Applebee's. We missed Gaby, who was on vacation. I've found that Applebee's is a great place to meet the au pairs for lunch: there's plenty of variety on the menu for everyone to find something that appeals to them and there's just enough ambient noise yet not too much to enjoy conversation. Our meal was marred by errors and tardiness on the part of the wait and cook staff, but they did their best to correct the situation. Having lunch together is always on my standby list of great activities. We may try a different place next time just to mix things up a bit.

June 2011 Newsletter

Welcome to June!

Remember to discuss vacation plans with your host family well in advance of your trip. Vacation time must be mutually agreed upon! If you will be traveling out of the country make sure you have made copies of all your documents and checked to make sure everything is in order before you go. Please let me know what your vacation plans are when you have them finalized.

Growing AuPairCare in North Alabama

These local businesses have partnered with AuPairCare. If you find yourself in need of their services, please consider them first!

Dr. Katarina Allman, M.D.

Allman Family Medicine, 1878 Jeff Road Suite G, Huntsville, AL 35806; 256-428-0444

The Jacob's Wings Foundation, jacobswings.org

Do you know someone who is a small business owner? Would they be interested in partnering with AuPairCare? Contact me for more information!

June Au Pair Activity

Sunday 6/13 at 12pm: Lunch at Applebee's on South Parkway (3028 Memorial Parkway Southwest, Huntsville, AL 35801-5303)

Save These Dates

JULY - Sat. 7/9 at 3pm: Pottery painting at Pottery By You, 181 Hughes Rd. #9, Madison, AL 35758, (256) 325-2964. Studio fee is $6/person; items start at $9.

AUGUST - Sat. 8/13 at 6pm: Huntsville Ghost Walk. Meet at 5:30 in front of Harrison Brothers Hardware (124 Southside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801

(256) 536-3631). Admission is $8 (cash or check only!)

Note: dates are subject to change if there's something fun we'd like to do that doesn't correspond with the dates I've chosen. Just let me know what you want to do!

Au Pair Birthdays

There are no Au Pair birthdays this month.

Arrivals/Departures

There are no Au Pair arrivals or departures this month.

Just For Fun

Cool Cucumbers

A refreshing side dish on a hot day.

Cucumbers in Sour Cream Sauce

3 large cucumbers, sliced thin

1/2 Vidalia onion, sliced thin

8 oz. sour cream

3 Tablespoons cider vinegar

3 Tablespoons sugar

pinch baking soda

salt and pepper to taste

Place sliced cucs in a dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour to draw out the water. Drain cucumbers

Mix together the sour cream, vinegar, sugar and baking soda. Add to the sliced & drained cucs and the onions.

Adjust seasonings if needed. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Enjoy! These are best served cold.

Birmingham Zoo

We were fortunate to have perfect weather for our day at the Birmingham Zoo!! Gaby and Pam rode with me from Huntsville and we met up with Vero and the Birmingham cluster at the zoo. We all had a picnic lunch together and then began our zoo adventure. My oldest son, Zachary, was with us and the au pairs enjoyed taking turns pointing things out to him and lifting him up to see better. Although it was a bit of drive for us, this is definitely an activity to keep on the list: not only did we have a great day at the zoo, we got to spend time with the Birmingham cluster too!

May 2011 Newsletter

Welcome to May!

Following the incredible storms on April 27th and the devastation they caused, I am so grateful that all of you were kept safe. Now that we have our power back and we're returning to our regular routines, please remember those who were greatly affected and still in much need. For information on donating supplies or volunteering your time, please visit these sites:

www.redcrossrelief.org

www.servealabama.gov/2010/default.aspx

www.bamatornadorelief.com

Growing AuPairCare in North Alabama

These local businesses have partnered with AuPairCare. If you find yourself in need of their services, please consider them first!

Valley Music Therapy

Carla Durham, 256-345-8772, musicladycarla@yahoo.com

A Nurturing Moment - Maternity and Breastfeeding Boutique

964 Airport Road Suite 10, Huntsville, AL 35801, 256-489-2590

Do you know someone who is a small business owner? Would they be interested in partnering with AuPairCare? Contact me for more information!

May Au Pair Activity

Birmingham Zoo (joint activity), Saturday, May 14th, Birmingham, AL

We will be meeting the Birmingham cluster at the zoo entrance at 11:00. Please bring a lunch. Water and juice/soda will be provided by Birmingham's Area Director, Lucy Edwards. Contact me if you would like to carpool. Zoo entrance is $14. You may also want to bring extra money for souvenirs or food once we are in the zoo. Please wear comfortable shoes and don't forget sun protection - we will be outside most of the afternoon. Please let me know if you will not be coming or if you have any questions.

Save These Dates

JUNE - Pick your own fruit, details coming soon. Please Save the Date: Sunday, June 12th

JULY - To Be Determined. Please Save the Date: Sunday, July 10th

Note: dates are subject to change if there's something fun we'd like to do that doesn't correspond with the dates I've chosen. Just let me know what you want to do!

Au Pair Birthdays

There are no Au Pair birthdays this month.

Arrivals/Departures

There are no Au Pair arrivals or departures this month.

Just For Fun

Deviled Egg Boats

Ingredients

12 hard-boiled eggs

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons vinegar (white or cider)

1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 red, orange, yellow, or green bell peppers

Paprika

Instructions

Peel the eggs, then slice each one in half to make boats. Place the yolks in a medium-sized bowl and mash them with a fork. Add the mustard and the vinegar, then add the mayonnaise, stirring until the consistency is smooth but not soupy.

Next, make the sails. To do this, cut each pepper into 1-inch-wide strips, then cut the strips into 1-inch squares and slice each square in half diagonally.

Fill the egg-white halves with the yolk mixture. Stick the sail upright into the filling and sprinkle with paprika. Makes two dozen.

Crawfish Boil

In celebration of Mardi Gras, we took advantage of a ticket deal on Living Social and attended a Crawfish Boil! Vero and Gaby met my family and me at the door. We arrived right as everything was getting going and stopped to check out the live crawfish on display in plastic kiddie pools. The kids weren't so sure about the live crawfish but the au pairs got their cameras right out. There were some inflatables at one end of the conference room, so my husband took the boys over while the au pairs and I found a table and got caught up on each others' news. Soon a line began forming for the crawfish! The au pairs decided against trying the delicacy, but we were all delighted to watch the boys (aged 3 and 18 months) experiment with the new flavors. Pretty soon the band started playing and the high volume prevented further conversation. The au pairs stayed a little longer and then made their good-byes. My family and I finished our crawfish, took one more turn on each of the inflatables, and then we too headed for the exits.

As a former resident of New Orleans, I found the experience both enjoyable and disappointing. I'm not sure this is an activity we'll repeat again.

April 2011 Newsletter

Welcome to April!

This month we're continuing to create and grow relationships with local area businesses to help spread the word about AuPairCare. Do you know someone who is a small business owner? Would they be interested in partnering with AuPairCare? Contact me for more information!

Please 'like' our Facebook Page "AuPairCare of North Alabama" and help spread the word.

If you have photos from our monthly activities, please feel free to upload and share them!

Community Partner Spotlight

These local businesses have partnered with AuPairCare. If you find yourself in need of their services, please consider them first!

Buckner Chiropractic

256-895-0606; bucknerchiropractic.com

Denise Crosby, Mary Kay Independent Senior Sales Director

256-464-3191; www.marykay.com/dcrosby

Upcoming Activities

APRIL - Crawfish Boil

Saturday, April 16th at 3pm, Von Braun Center, South Hall

Entrance tickets are $7 per person and do not include food (kids under 12 free w/ paying adult). (See website for menu prices). Tickets are available at the VBC Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, and by phone at 1-800-745-3000. http://headstailscrawfishboil.com/

Friends and Host Families are welcome as well since this is a unique event! There is a strong possibility that my husband and children will be there too.

MAY - Birmingham Zoo (joint activity)

Saturday, May 14th, Birmingham, AL

More details will be available soon. Please anticipate that this activity will take up most of our day on Saturday.

JUNE - To Be Determined, Please Save the Date: Sunday, June 12th

Au Pair Birthdays

There are no Au Pair birthdays this month.

Arrivals/Departures

We are very excited to welcome Maria from Mexico this month!! Everyone be sure to introduce yourself and help her feel welcome!

Just For Fun

Peanut Butter & Jelly Picnic Treats

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups flour, plus more for the pan

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups creamy or crunchy peanut butter

1-1/2 cups seedless jam, such as raspberry

1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. In a medium-size bowl, mix the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, then set it aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter and both sugars until well blended, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter. Beat them until well blended. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until a soft dough is formed.

Spread two thirds of the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan, then spread the jam evenly on top. Scatter small mounds of the remaining dough over the jam layer and sprinkle it with the peanuts.

Bake the dessert until golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through, about 45 minutes. Let the dessert cool before cutting it into squares. Makes 18 bars.

Tips:

Make-Ahead Tip: The bars can be made up to two days ahead and stored in an airtight container.

To-Go Tip: Layer the bars between sheets of waxed paper.