The Moles in California: Knickers and Pink Doughnuts

We're driving along the mountain roads to our favourite beach Santa Cruz. All is quiet in the car when suddenly this little but loud voice yells from the back 'knickers'! It is of course Tommy who then starts giggling at himself and puts 'knickers' on repeat getting louder and louder. Phia then joins in and the chanting turns into 'boys knickers' which doesn't end until we pull into the car park at Santa Cruz. This sums T up very well at the moment. At 2 and a half he is full of toilet humour and basically being a little boy. Whilst picking his nose the other day he declared 'I can't get my bogey mummy, you pick it out for me'! Nice. I have to admit that California life suits him very well. He's as brown as a button, his hair is even blonder (if thats possible) and he loves spending his time in parks and swimming or just running around our back garden with no clothes on. He's a real outdoor boy and enjoys life to the max. Don't get me wrong, when life doesn't go his way, he can be as stubborn and sulky as his sister, perhaps even more so but when life is good, its great in T's world.
Phia on the other hand as taken up whinging for a living. 'But muummmy, I don't want to go to preschool', 'but muummmy, I want to play with my Cambourne friends', 'but muummmy I don't want to go to the park' 'but muummmy, I don't like America, you can't get pink doughtnuts in America', 'but muummmmy I want a pink doughnut now' But muummmmmmy............' Arrhhh!! Ok I'm probably being quite harsh on her but she is being hard work at the moment. I can't decide whether its because I haven't settled here yet that makes it be the same for her because in the eyes of a child life out here is pretty good. The parks are beautiful, there is a selection of lovely outdoor pools to choose from and also lots of funfairs. Not a week goes by without going on some type of ride. We are also starting to settle into a pattern of seeing people on a regular basis and she gets excited about seeing her new friends. However if there's a moan to be had about living in America, Phia will find it! I suppose she's her mother daughter and I'm exactly the same!
Its funny because we have had a month of visitors for nearly the entirety of July but I have been feeling more homesick than even. Difficult to put my finger exactly on why but it certainly hasn't helped that Ste's work have sent him out to Korea, twice now. The first time was during Granny and Pop's visit but he is out there now and this week I've been all on my lonesome. Its difficult as I know he loves his work and he's getting on really well and enjoying things for the first time in a long time. However travel was never mentioned and I just didn't sign up for being here on my own. They've promised for the last time this year but we'll see. Right now I have no idea what the future out here holds for us. All I do know it that we're bankrupt as have now shelled out for flights home in Oct, Dec and next May (the kids and I are coming home without Ste for 3 weeks - I'm sure 11 hours on a plane on my own with a 5 year old and a 3 year old will be a breeze!) I have to admit it feels really good to know we've definitely got seats on those planes and will be getting our England fix on a regular basis. We've also booked a holiday to Disneyland in LA next February for the kids birthday treat. Granny and Pops are coming too and we are all really looking forward to it. I have made the mistake of telling Phia all about it and showing her stuff on the internet so it her less whingy moments she is full of Candiland (which is her name for Disney for some reason) her birthday itself and her birthday party. Feel we've peaked too soon as its 7 months away - opps! Still lots of lovely things to look forward to.
Like I said its been a month of visitors. Granny and Pops came for nearly 2 weeks followed shortly by Grandma and Grandpa for another nearly 2 weeks. The kids have had a ball and have been thoroughly spoilt by attention. We have also moved house to our new home in Mountain View during this time. And I have to say I love it. I would never have considered living in a bungalow at home but I definitely would now. Being all on one level is great as it makes you use all of the space in the house. The house itself is smaller than Greenhaze Lane but it feels bigger just because we're using all the space rather than just the downstairs. The house is quite old and could do with a bit of tarting up but that is completely made up for by the garden which is huge and wonderful. How we coped in a place with no outdoors in this climate for so long I really have no idea. The kids love it, playing in the paddling pool or racing round in cars or T practicing his newly aquried soccer, sorry football skills! I love it as I've got my whirlly gig up and can finally dry my washing outside under beautiful blue skies rather than racking up bills using the dryer (I do NOT understand the American love for the tumble drier!). We are also much closer to the people we know and the things we do and the area itself is really lovely. We already know all our neighbours and the people across the street invited us to their daughter Franjessica's (as Phia insists on calling her!) birthday party which happened to be a Dora party so went down very well indeed!
Anyway I will be uploading some pictures of our first 4 months and a little video of the kids guided tour of the house on facebook so you can see what we've been up to. The next month or so holds more of the same I think. However we have decided that things do have to change somewhat to make the most of our time out here. As much as I try to be a maternal mother earth type character, no matter how nice the day has been I'm always ready to sell the kids at the end of the day! As I can't work I do really need to do something that doesn't involve the kids. So I'm going to start Zumbaing and I'm going to join the Sunnyvale Singers! While the kids are at preschool I'm also going to a start a writing course - have 4 books currently ongoing, a child's one, a young teens one, an adult one and a travel/autobiography one. I want to be able to choose one and actually write it! So keep an eye out in Waterstones for my name! Ok, maybe not but at least it will give me a focus and I hope to regain some of my sanity that seems to have deserted me over the last four months!
On Ste's part he's going to start going to Tennis and is going to some home early a couple of nights a week so we can have tea together - small things and all that but hopefully we help us to settle. We've also decided to change Sophia's preschool. I feel the kids and I need to make more of the time we spend together. When Phia is at preschool T and I tend to hang around waiting for her to finish. I have to admit I really want proper school for her as she is so ready to learn but its not going to happen, preschool is preschool and we've decided to send her a little less and so we can all do more classes together. Granny is currently on a mission sourcing book bags and reading records etc so we can try and teach her the foundations of reading ourselves. Am so not into home schooling but really don't want her to get left behind especially if we come home. Anyway as we've never all really settled into her current preschool and it is soooo expensive the next change is our lives will be happening shortly! I have found a new preschool up the road, where everyone drops off and picks up at the same time, it has a PTA and is half the price. She seems fine about moving (as she only has to do 2 days as opposed to 4 - although they are full days rather than half she doesn't realise this yet!) and Tommy will start with her. Hopefully it will give us a chance to meet more people in the immediate area and perhaps some children that will go to school with Phia the year after. We can but hope anyway! So Tuesday and Thursday mornings (T only doing the mornings) will become my own as of September and I can't wait!
Ste's is back tomorrow and its been a long old week and not one I want to repeat in the near future. However having said that it has also proved to me that I am ok out here and already have some lovely friends. We have not spent one day on our own and have had lots of people to keep us company and even feed and water us - so if you're reading this friends in America - thank you! And as soon as Ste walks in through the door tomorrow the children are all his and I'm off to a makeup party!
As for all family and friends at home - miss you all lots, Oct not too far away now! xxxx

These photos are soooo difficult to organise in this blog - I will write a capition but they are all in the wrong order - still they give a flavour of life!