Category Archives: Uncategorized

Taxes Are Due April 15th

Here are some of the basic questions:

Who is supposed to file taxes? – All au pairs who made $3800  or more in the calendar year (Jan 1 – Dec 31.)  For au pairs who made less than $3800, you don’t need to file.

Will all au pairs have to pay something? – No, it depends on when you arrived and how much money you earned last year.

When are 2012 taxes due? – April 15, 2013

Where can I get the tax form? –  1040NR-EZ Form

Where can I get the instruction booklet? – 1040NR-EZ Booklet

Where can I get detailed information and see a sample au pair tax form? – APIA Tax Info for Au Pairs

Easter and Springtime Ideas for Kids!

March 26, 2013

I realize it snowed yesterday but I believe if you “think spring” it will come!  Here are some great ideas to plan with the kids!

Click Here for Easter and Srpingtime Fun for Kids! http://pinterest.com/tbaupair/easter-and-spring-fun-for-kids/ for Easter and Srpingtime Fun
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FREE ITALIAN WATER ICE

Free Italian Ice on the 1st Day of Spring

IceCollageOn Wednesday, March 20, noon-9pm, all Rita’s Italian Ice locations will give each customer a FREE regular size Italian Ice. What a sweet way to start the season!

What is Italian Ice?
From the Rita’s website:
“Rita’s signature product is our Italian Ice, which is much smoother than a snow cone and combines ice with real fresh fruit; made fresh daily at each location and served within 36-hours of mixing. Trans-Fat Free and made fresh daily in dozens of deliciously refreshing flavors.”

There are Rita’s locations in Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Havertown & more.  Check here on their website to find the nearest one for you.

**Contest** – The first au pair in my cluster to send me a message (email or Facebook) telling me their favorite flavor of Italian Ice will win a gift card for a sweet treat.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!

Friday (March 8th) is International Women’s Day! This day helps to jumpstart the month of March, which has now been named National Women’s History Month in the United States . International Women’s Day is celebrated in 176 countries and allows women worldwide to connect, celebrate and honor womens past, present, and future.

On this day women will “Celebrate, Commit, and Connect.” They’ll celebrate like never before ~ connect as only women do ~ and commit to improve in 3 areas of their lives:
1. Personal ~ improve their personal health and well being, and their businesses as employees, business owners, entrepreneurs.
2. Family ~ help their families be healthier and prepare for the future right now.
3. Country ~ let their voices be heard: to speak up, to make positive changes in their communities/countries.

Au Pair in America is an organization fully commited to enriching the lives and minds of young women and this day is highly regarded within the organization.

Young women from all over the globe, ages 18 -26, come to America to live with an American family and learn about American culture. The Au Pair in America cultural exchange program provides a platform to really the change lives of the young women that participate. Fanny Carvajal-Delgado, one of our former au pairs from Costa Rica, has said “Working as an aupair with Au Pair in America is a life changing experience. It has changed my life, the way I value my family and friends, the way I see the world and the way I think about myself, in a positive way.  I will never be the same person ! When I finished the program I was more mature, Independent and responsible.”

In recognition of International Women’s Day, below are some ways you can celebrate this day as well as National Women’s History month in your lcoal community:

  • Register to vote
  • Attend an event promoting women’s health, equality or safety
  • Thank a woman who has been a positive influence in your life
  • Support a program that provides business training for women in developing countries
  • Make a doantion that provides education for girls

To find for an International Women’s Day event in your area, go to www.internationalwomensday.com!

WINTER FUN

Getting Outfitted for Snow Tubing

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Our  snow tubing trip is just over a week away. Now is the time to buy your snow clothes, if you don’t already have some.  If you wait too late in the snow season, it can be hard to find some of these items.

Below is a list of the basic outerwear you want to have to stay dry and warm.  You could probably find some of these things in your host family’s closet 🙂 —

For Skiing/Snowboarding/Snow tubing

  • Waterproof Snow Pants
  • Gloves, hat, scarf and jacket (which you should already have)
  • Waterproof Boots (for snow tubing)

Snow pants can be found at places like Sports Authority, Dick’s, Modell’s and REI; as well as online retailers.  You can usually find an adult pair for $25-$40.  Many of you (au pairs in my cluster) are small enough that you could buy a pair of XL snow pants in the boy’s department.  Those will cost you less and can sometimes be found at places like Target, KMart and WalMart for $15-$25.

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PHILADELPHIA’S HOLIDAY BEST

There are oodles of Main Line events to keep the holiday spirits bright, but there’s something exciting about heading into the city for a bit of grandeur. Check the train schedule and head into town.

The weather outside is far from frightful, so catch the closest SEPTA train bound for Center City to enjoy a delightful winter wonderland. Philadelphia hosts a magical array of holiday traditions that are fun for the entire family, and only a few blocks away from Suburban Station in any direction.

Here is a guide to some of greatest attractions – from the world’s largest operational pipe organ, to an enchanting Christmas Village, to, of course, Santa Claus!

The Comcast Holiday Spectacular (The Comcast Center, 17th Street and JFK Boulevard)

This first stop may be the baby of Philadelphia’s holiday traditions, but it became a must-see attraction almost instantly after its 2008 debut.

Visitors flood the Comcast Center lobby every hour, on the hour, to lose themselves to this marvelous 3-D display on the Comcast Experience Video Wall – the world’s largest four-millimeter LED screen. The 15-minute video showcases scenes from The Nutcracker performed by the Pennsylvania Ballet, a swing dance rendition of “Jingle Bell Rock,” and a breathtaking sleigh ride through the woods and into the sky above Philadelphia’s skyline.

By the time you step back out onto JFK Boulevard, the whole family will be dancing and singing. (Here is a look at the 2011 Spectacular, which isn’t quite the same on your tiny computer machine.)

Christmas Village (Love Park, Ben Franklin Parkway and Arch Street)

This charming annual marketplace of holiday cheer surrounds the fountain at Love Park for the second straight year. (Which is fine by us since Dilworth Plaza outside City Hall is transforming into an ice rink!)

This is the perfect spot to find last minute gifts and stocking stuffers. Local potters, jewelers, toymakers, and craftsmen sell stunning pieces of art, clothing, and accessories. More than a half-dozen ornament booths have dazzling additions to your tree. And if all that shopping wears you down, there are plenty of booths with hot beverages and treats – most of them sweet and sugary.

Be sure to check out the Village events calendar for live demonstrations and workshops from local artisans.

Macy’s Christmas Light Show and Wanamaker Organ Concert (Macy’s, 13th and Market streets)

Did you know that the world’s largest operational pipe organ is right here in Philadelphia? The Wanamaker Grand Court Organ overlooks the Grand Court of Macy’s throughout the year, but only during the holiday season does it transform into a tower of more than 100,000 LED lights.

Every hour on the hour, the voice of Julie Andrews begins her narration of a Philadelphia Christmas tradition that dates back to 1955.  Snowflakes, snowmen, reindeer, and ballerinas illuminate the organ, dancing about a fantastic tree to the delight of families gazing upward from all around the store.

It may not boast the same sophisticated technology as the Comcast Center’s show, but Macy’s Christmas Light Show is a timeless classic, magical in all its splendor.

Dickens Village (Third floor of Macy’s)

The story of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is renowned to children of all ages, and every year it comes to life on the third floor of Macy’s . Take a break from shopping to experience this tale as you never have before (or as you have every year since you were a kid). Life-size animated characters turn the book’s most memorable moments into reality, if only for a moment.

And this story has a twist ending: when children emerge from the village, they can meet Santa Claus and share their Christmas wishes while sitting on his lap.

Blue Cross River Rink (101 South Columbus Boulevard, near Penn’s Landing on the Delaware River)

Head down Market Street from Macy’s, through historic Independence Mall and Old City, and arrive at the Blue Cross River Rink for ice-skating. Skate rental is just $4 per person, and they even have skate sizes for toddlers!

Be sure to purchase tickets early to ensure you can have time on the ice with your whole family.

OUR CLUSTER HOLIDAY GET-TOGETHER

Holiday Gathering at My House

Holiday Gathering at My House

We got together for light snacks and punch; gifts were exchanged (and then stolen) in a just-for-fun “Secret Santa;”  and  the au pairs shared stories about their experience in the United States – Fun!


HAPPY HANUKAH!

First of all, I want to wish all who celebrate this holiday a very happy Hanukkah!
Hanukkah started on Saturday evening and will end on Sunday, December 16th.

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It is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and nights. It starts on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, which coincides with late November-late December on the secular calendar. In Hebrew, the word “hanukkah” means “dedication.” The name reminds us that this holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C.E. Here is some information to share with your au pairs.

The Hanukkah Story

In 168 B.C. the Jewish Temple was seized by Syrian-Greek soldiers and dedicated to the worship of the god Zeus. This upset the Jewish people, but many were afraid to fight back for fear of reprisals. The Syrian-Greek emperor Antiochus then made the observance of Judaism an offense punishable by death. He also ordered all Jews to worship Greek gods.

Jewish resistance began in the village of Modiin, near Jerusalem. Greek soldiers gathered the Jewish villages and told them to bow down to an idol, then eat the flesh of a pig – both practices that are forbidden to Jews. A Greek officer ordered Mattathias, a High Priest, to follow their demands, but Mattathias refused. When another villager stepped forward and offered to cooperate on Mattathias’ behalf, the High Priest became outraged. He drew his sword and killed the villager, then turned on the Greek officer and killed him too. His five sons and the other villagers then attacked the remaining soldiers, killing all of them. Mattathias and his family went into hiding in the mountains, where other Jews wishing to fight against the Greeks joined them. Eventually they succeeded in retaking their land from the Greeks. These rebels became known as the Maccabees, or Hasmoneans.

Once the Maccabees had regained control they returned to the Temple in Jerusalem. By this time it had been spiritually defiled by being used for the worship of foreign gods and also by practices such as sacrificing swine. Jewish troops were determined to purify the Temple by burning ritual oil in the Temple’s menorah for eight days. But to their dismay, they discovered that there was only one day’s worth of oil left in the Temple. They lit the menorah anyway and to their surprise the small amount of oil lasted the full eight days. The holiday is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. The typical Menorah consists of eight branches with an additional raised branch. The extra light is called a shamash and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest. The purpose of the shamash is to have a light available for use, as using the Hanukkah lights themselves is forbidden.

For fun and educational activities for children go to http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/hanukkah/

Directions to play the Dreidel game. Play for Hershey kisses, a great way to have fun with the kids when they are home from school! http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/hanukkah/dreidel-game.html

Happy Hanukkah!