...Counting Down...

Alright, so we're approaching 2am and I can't sleep. I don't even want to think about the fact that I have to be up in 6 hours to entertain children.

I don't really have anything super important to write about...no experiences, no fun adventures...just the fact that I have begun the countdown. I actually have a few countdowns going. A countdown for when my family comes, for my last day of work, when I get home, when I leave home, when I arrive in Utah and start student teaching, and when I move into a house with my friends. All of these events happen within about 2 weeks of each other, but as soon as I realized that they were closer than they seemed and that this summer has gone by extremely fast, everything started to go in slow motion. My days have been dragging on! It seems like I went to the Hamptons a month ago and that it should be Friday today, not Wednesday (okay, it IS Thursday by now, technically...)

I am pretty much over New York. I love the family I'm with and the boys and I am going to be SO SAD when it is time to leave them...I even love this state and the area I'm in (it reminds me a lot of home...really woodsy with a big--no city is as big as this one--city somewhat nearby) even though I would never choose to live here. I think I have just grown accustomed to being at school with all my close friends that I love and that know me and being able to see my family at least once every three months for at least a week at a time. Okay, granted, I just looked at it and it was exactly 3 months yesterday since I've seen them and I'll see them soon, but I think just the fact that I'm 3,000 miles away with NO ONE...no friends, no one I even know remotely anymore...is what's making this so hard. It's just so WEIRD. I have never been on the East Coast...let alone LIVING over here. I have never lived anywhere besides Washington and Idaho...and in both places I have been surrounded by friends and/or family. I don't know...it's weird. When I first got here, I didn't think I'd ever want to leave. Tuxedo is so gorgeous and it is just far away enough from the hustle and bustle of the city...but I need to live near SOMEONE. One of my friends and I were talking the other day and he said to me, "You pretty much don't do anything by yourself, do you?" That is so true...until now. I have not gone out on my own and done something all by myself without anyone I know...ever. This is my first real solo adventure and I'm proud of myself for doing it...it has been an amazing experience and I am so glad I got to do this. I have learned a lot about myself and have just learned a lot in general.

But....I can't wait to be around friends and family again :) I love having comfort in knowing that there is someone I can physically turn to, rather just by using a phone. Until then, my countdowns are keeping me sane! I'm just sad I haven't made an extravagant countdown like the graduation countdown my roommates and I made in the winter!

I DO, however, have a lot of construction paper...maybe I'll go old school and make a ring countdown like we used to do for Christmas in elementary school! :)

Anyway, approximately 31 days until I leave New York (exact date is undecided currently), 35 days until I leave for Utah/Twin Falls, 40 days until I start student teaching, and 41 days until I get to move in a house with my amazing friends! Yay! :)

SOUTHAMPTON!

I went to Southampton for the 4th of July with the family I nanny for. We were staying at their friend's house. My boss described it to me as "a free hotel." She was completely right. We left late Thursday night and after about 2 1/2 hours, we pulled up to the house. The house is gorgeous! It doesn't look like a mansion from the outside, but it is definitely one from the inside. The rooms are amazing. I had my own room with my own bathroom and a great view of the tennis court and swimming pool in the backyard. I forgot to take pictures of the outside before I left, but here are some pictures of my bedroom and bathroom.

The bathroom drawers were fully stocked with all different things: a sleeping mask, bug spray, first aid kit, Altoids and Tic-Tacs, curling irons, hot rollers, etc.! It was so nice!

My boss had originally told me that about 80% of the time we were there would be "me" time and then I'd only be "working" about 20% of the time, which was exciting for me! It was like a vacation while working! The first day my boss' husband was sick and had to work for the first half of the day, so we went to Kmart and then hung out by the pool...practically all day. The next day, we hung out by the pool and then went to the beach later on in the evening. We played in the sand, flew kites, and one of the boys even let me bury him in the sand!

The next day we spent more time by the pool and just hanging out...I watched the kids and put them to bed so that their parents could go out to eat. Monday we went to the Southampton parade...it was alright...the kids got sick of it after an hour and a half though (plus it was HOT!!!!!!) and so we left and then went swimming (thank goodness!) It was just me and the boys this time because their parents went to lunch at the beach club with the couple who's house we were at. It was really difficult trying to make sure two kids don't drown in the pool all by yourself! Wow! Anyway, more hanging out and then we left that evening back for Tuxedo! It was an excellent weekend and I'm really glad that I was invited to go!

The next thing I have to look forward to is my family coming! Thank goodness! I'm getting pretty "family and friends sick"! Trying to figure out what we have time to see and what is important to see has been hard work! Hopefully we can manage it without any regrets of things we wished we would have been able to see! :) After that, another week of being a nanny and then HOME (for approximately 36 hours) and Utah :)