This past Saturday I took Anna (the oldest) to Karlstejn Castle, which is situated above the small town of, you guessed it, Karlstejn. The castle was founded in 1348 by Charles, or Karl, the IV to provide a place of safekeeping for the Bohemian/Czech crown jewels and the Imperial Regalia (which were the crown jewels of the Holy Roman Empire). Interestingly, women were forbidden to enter the castle. However, Charles IV's wife, Anna, was able to break-in (in drag) at one point. I guess this story has become one of the most popular Czech comedies.  Here's the castle above the town:

Look mom! A picture of me! You'll be so happy.

This is Anna. She's so tiny! Haha.

We got lunch after we took a tour of the castle. Anna's English is better than our tour guide's was! I'm always impressed with how well children can learn new languages. It's amazing. I wish I still had that... Anyway, I got goulash in a bread bowl and Anna got this pancake thing folded in half with chicken inside. It was pretty good. While we were in Karlstejn and when we were eating lunch she was like "I want them to think I am from America too. So I won't speak Czech to them." Haha. Then she ordered some lemonade thing that had a very long Czech name and I'm pretty sure that gave her away. She's so funny, and probably one of the sweetest girls I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know.

Yesterday I had a day off, so I went into the city to do some exploring and run some errands. I had to get some more pages sewn into my passport at the embassy, so I decided to walk around downtown for a bit while that was getting done. I walked around to the back of the embassy because there's this cool park/orchard thing I read about, so I figured I could find a bench there, enjoy the sunshine, and eat my lunch. By the way, what is it about simple baguettes with butter, ham, and cheese, that are so darned good? I'm sure it's because it's in Europe. Haha. So I had my ham and cheese baguette, some Manner cookies (where are my Vienna friends, when I miss them so?!), and some peach and apricot Fanta. Seriously. So good. I think I could drink Fanta every day for the rest of my life and die happy. And really fat...

After my lunch in the orchard (and some photo taking, naturally), I went to this church that was nearby and was supposedly some big tourist destination. Inside they have this little Jesus baby doll up on an altar, all dressed in fancy clothing. Haha. It looked like some creepy porcelain doll from the 80's, but a lot of people seemed to really like it. There was even a museum to the side of the church that had all the little costumes that have been given to the church for the baby Jesus over the years. Creepily funny, if you ask me. Haha.

I then took the tram over to a street called Na Příkopě (which I am incapable of pronouncing. When there is one of those little marks above the r it makes a sound that people say is like a mix between an r and a z. The Krseks, however, told me that that's not how you say it at all. It's more like how the french say the j (zh), but with some additional weird thing they do with the tongue. I'm determined to figure the pronunciation of this letter out.). There's lots of shopping to do and the buildings are mostly all old, and all very cool looking. Of course I stopped in at H&M...

By then it was time to go pick up my passport. Rather than taking the tram back, I decided to walk the whole way, and just wander around. I walked around the National Theater and went to this little island in the river. When I came to Prague with my Vienna group, some of us went to this island and rented paddle boats from this little rental place there. It brought back a lot of fun memories. :) This time it was a lot prettier though. It was October when we went, and most of the leaves had already fallen off the trees and most of the stuff was dead. This time everything was green and in bloom...

After I picked up my passport, my feet were protesting any more walking, so I decided to catch the tram and head home. While I waited for the tram I had this really cool experience that I think will stick with me for a long time. As I walked up to the stop, I noticed this blind girl approaching from the other direction. She stopped a few feet away from me and we just stood there while everyone else was walking around us and the other passengers who were waiting for the next train. All of a sudden, her white cane tapped into my feet and as I turned in her direction she said "Oh pardon, pardon!" and then asked me something in Czech. All I could say was "Anglitsky" ("English"). So then she started talking to me in English. She asked if she was standing alright at the tram stop (she didn't want to be too far forward, or too far back, in case she missed the train) and I told her she was standing in the perfect place. She asked if I was a tourist, and I was like "well, sort of, but not exactly. I'm an au pair, a nanny, this summer for a family here." At this point a train was approaching and I asked her which tram number she was waiting for. She said 22, so I informed her that she would want to get on this tram that was coming in. She asked if I was getting on it as well and I told her no, I was waiting for the 12. So she bid me luck with the children this summer and went on her way.

Such a cool person! Earlier that day, there was a church that I wanted to see. There was some long skinny pathway in front of it and a sign that said "Klub." This sounds really, really dumb, but I turned around as soon as I saw the sign and walked the other direction, afraid I was going somewhere I shouldn't be going. And here was this girl, who couldn't see a thing, and she was getting on a tram, trusting that people were telling her it was the right one, and trusting that she would be able to get off at the right place and get to where she needed to be. I can't even walk down a path because I'm worried I shouldn't be there. This experience really put things into a totally new perspective for me. I should have kept on walking, and if someone told me off, then I could say in a thick American accent "Oh sorry! I didn't know!" and then leave.

Anyway, I thought that was a cool experience that I learned a good lesson from. I hope from now on I will remember that and not be deterred by dumb little signs in my path.

 In other news, I started working out again for the  first time in two months. My body basically hates me right now. But being sore is such an awesome feeling.

That's right, I've joined the big boys now. Haha.

July 13th: Open

This seemed to be an appropriate photo to share today. I feel like the last couple of weeks have been about being open. And I have failed miserably at it. Be open to changes, be open to new ideas, "don't worry about it." Where am I going to be in seven months? I have no idea. But I guess I am supposed to be open to whatever it is and just not worry about it. I sure would like to know what His plan is sometimes.

"The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next.

Ursula K. LeGuin

Certain events today have made me feel the need to vent my frustration for the entire cyber-world to read... or just close friends and family. Late this morning, upon stumbling upstairs after a wonderful night's rest, my mom suggested we go vote today since today and tomorrow are the last days for early voting (otherwise read as the last days to vote without ridiculously long lines). "Great idea, mom! I'll go research the candidates a bit more and make sure I'm educated about who supports what policies, etc., etc." Sitting down at the computer for what I thought would be a  nice educational experience, my eagerness quickly (very quickly, I might add) turned into aggravation, and not long after that, complete frustration.

How in the world am I expected to be an educated, responsible voter if I can't even find who is running for what office in my county? 

Is it just me or does this seem like something that might be important to release to the public before an election. I know many people's tactic when it comes to voting is to either vote along party lines, or even scarier, pick the prettier sounding name, and I must say I can't blame them! If you can't find out what each candidate supports, who are you supposed to vote for? I'm starting to think it's down to either voting with their strategy in mind or just turning in a completely blank ballot. One could argue that technically you voted... even if you didn't vote FOR anyone... 

In the end I was able to locate some information on three candidates (just three out of the thirty or so running competitively for office this year), and even some of those didn't have any information on their actual political views. Just a little biography. Because, you know, since you have three kids, a lovely wife, and live in Benton County, that's definitely going to make me want to vote for you over the other candidates!

 Which leads me to my second point of frustration. When my mom, my dad, and I were finished casting our ballots, the people working the booths told us that I was the ONLY person my age who had come in and voted in the last two weeks! Are you serious?! Now that I know how hard it is to even figure out who's running for office, I must admit it's no wonder no one votes anymore. But seriously? Two weeks and one person has come in who is under the age of 25! It is a scary thought thinking that this amount of political awareness is what we have to look forward to in the future.

I will say though that this whole experience made me feel the dutiful citizen. Actually researching my candidates and then going in for early voting. Plus you get a cool sticker that says "I voted!" 

Guys, even though it's just family and maybe a few friends reading this, do this country a favor and VOTE! I'm serious. Do your civic duty and get out there and vote this year (or I will turn my rampaging rhinoceros herd on you)!

“You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.”

-Benjamin Mee in We Bought a Zoo

If I am ever a teacher, I will not make the final project due the last day of class. It's cruel.

I just need to think more with this mindset:

"We find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve."

Maxwell Maltz

If I have lost confidence in myself, I have the universe against me.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

There is a website that I frequent, called the Quotations Page. My favorite section of the website is under the "Motivational" tab. Lately there have been a lot of quotes about confidence on there and I think someone is trying to tell me something. I've been struggling with this lately (who doesn't struggle with confidence, really?), so think it's time I worked on it a little harder.

"If you don't have a plan for yourself, you'll be part of someone else's."

- American Proverb

Have more than thou showest; Speak less than thou knowest.- William Shakespeare