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!

In Rivermark

Yo yo

The May rain

Monterey aquarium

Touchpools

Santa Cruz with pops

Visit to a firehouse

Los Altos Cheese and Wine festival

The train park

Making an octopod

Fun in the garden

Riconada pool

Fairyland

Feeding goats at Happy Hollow

Santa Cruz rides

The seal lions sunbathing

Sian and Phia

Gorgeous Santa Cruz

Dinner at Ideals dinner

Francesca's party

Pin the boot on Boots!

More Santa Cruz!

Coins, Californian licences and Celebrity Cambourne Status!

Well the last week has been dominated by T being a little imp.  For those that don't know last Wednesday T decided that a cent coin looked rather tasty and proceeded to swallow it.  There then followed a trip to the doctors that managed to last the entire day.  Phia found the whole thing totally hilarious (as did T himself - he's telling everyone that will listen 'I eat a coin all up - it yummy!!') and we are now waiting for the coin to make an appearance.  Its been nearly a week and no sign.  Really can't face the thought of spending more time at the hospital - it is a hateful place!  As well as this the kids detest it as the week before last they suffered the indignity of having to have jabs without any kind of warning.  They wanted to give them 4 each one after another!  I refused and they looked at me like they really couldn't see what the problem was.  In the end they had 2 each and left the place screaming and vowing never to return (although we have to at some point as they have to have the second lot - is not going to be fun).  I think the problem was I had no time to prepare them for what was going to happen as I didn't know myself.  Anyway here's hoping that the coin makes an appearance and that the bribe of some lovely present with get us through the coming jab ordeal without as much fuss as last time! 

Ste and I both now have our Californian driving license.  We both passed with a similar number of faults.  Mine were for things like not getting in the bike lane before turning right and speeding (it was very difficult to stick to the 25mph all around the test centre!) but Ste got 7 all for the same thing of not stopping properly at a stop sign!  This of course was instructor error rather than him doing anything wrong!!  Anyway thank god thats all done with.  Driving around here is a royal pain in the backside though.  There are just so many lights and if you're turning left at them they can stay on red for over 5 minutes - it took me 40 minutes to travel a little over 5 miles yesterday.  If only the American government would look at how roundabouts help ease the flow of traffic, they could really use some over here!

Anyway on to the main event of last week - we signed a lease on another house in the city of Mountain View (where I've wanted to live from day 1).  Its only a 2 minute drive from Phia's preschool (instead of 20 minutes) so will get us out of spending hours each day in the car and is also in the catchment of a decent Mountain View school which was one of the main reasons I wanted to move.  To know she'll be able to go to a good school next year is a huge weight off my mind.  The house itself is a traditional 1950's American style house.  Just one level, so no stairs for T to chuck himself down which is great!  Its a 3 bed but has a converted garage which we'll use as a playroom but can also double up as a proper guest room for when people come to stay (so please come to stay - we've definitely room now!!).  The drawbacks are no a/c (but Pops thinks this won't be a problem as 1950's house were built to stay cool!) and only 1 bathroom.  I can't remember when I didn't have 3 toilets but I suppose its less cleaning!  Still one more would have been nice.  The best bit about the house though is the huge garden filled with lemon, orange, plum and fig trees!  Its really lovely and we're so missing having a garden especially as summer has finally arrived and kids can't wait to move and have the run of it.  I thought Phia might be reluctant to move again but she is actually is as excited as me.  Its very homely and I can see us being happy there for the next couple of years.  The lady whos renting it to us is called Dorothy and I think the children charmed her as quite a few people applied to rent the house.  She only lives across the road and I can see her being a regular visitor which is absolutely fine by me.  Anyway a week on Saturday (25th) is moving day.  Ste has persuaded one of his new colleagues to come and help us move (with payment being beer and pizza) and so hopefully it shouldn't be too stressful as we still do have most stuff in boxes.  We email everyone our new address - I promise it won't change again for at least a year (Ste would kill me! [Ste's note: yep!])

Phia started her ballet lessons this week.  She looked lovely in her little purple leotard (will put some pictures on facebook) and seems to enjoy herself although I've no idea what she did.  The adults aren't allowed in the classroom and she refuses to show us what she did!  Still she's looking forward to next week.  Shes also really started to enjoy preschool.  She even told me she loved it the other day which is a real turn around and I'm really pleased.  They are good at doing exciting things like every Friday is water day and they can go in in their swimmers and run through sprinklers (although I think this did actually scare her a bit!) and they do some really lovely art work.  When we got there this morning a lot of her class (there 12 in a class) were all ready there and they all turned round and yelled 'Sophia' and one little boy came up and gave her a hug.  She wasn't at all bothered but I love that fact she seems to be well liked.  I'm definitely warming to the place although they do do some strange things if you ask me.  The focus on a different letter every week but they teach them the capital version - since when does anyone write in capital letters?  Sorry but the teacher in me can't comprehend this!  They also say some strange things.  The teachers call the children 'freinds' and as I walk down to the classroom to pick her up after lunch I often hear 'Ok friends, let go potty'!!!

Ste is still really enjoying work and kids and I have now got ourselves into a nice little routine in the week.  I set up a British Expat mums group when we first got here and we have meet some really lovely people through that.  The kids and I have a birthday party to go to tomorrow afternoon and we're having a family bbq in a couple of weeks.  I have also joined another American playgroup and we do a couple of things with them every week.  I went out on a Karaoke evening last week (I did sing even though I only had one glass of wine! - in a group, not on my own mind!) and we're going family bowling on Friday evening with the same people.  So were are gradually getting ourselves settled in and although I still miss home a lot its starting to get a little easier which is good.

After a couple of weeks of really pants weather I was beginning to worry that summer was actually never going to arrive.  However it now has and it was 30 degrees c today, beautiful blue skies - really glorious.  It just better stay that way!

We are looking forward to having some visitors over the next month.  My mum and Rich come up on the 24th and when they go its not long before Ste's parents arrive.  In fact I worked out we only have 7 days in July when we are just the 4 of us!  We are really looking forward to having everyone (and Ste and I might be looking forward to a bit of babysitting and maybe a couple of lie ins too!).

One the last note the kids and I discovered that we now have celebrity status in Cambourne.  The church coffee shop (which we used to frequent a lot) is advertising with an A4 poster featuring the 3 of us (thanks for sending Laura!).  It makes me feel a little homesick but also good that we're making sure people don't forgot us.  I quite sadly might put the flyer in a frame!!

Anyway will post again after our move xx

2 months in....

Well, after promising I would update this blog on a weekly basis I realise I haven't actually done it for 3 weeks.  As we've only been here for 2 months this is very poor.  I will try and do better!

Its been our first bank holiday weekend here (as I know it is at home too) but ours is for Memorial Day to remember all the troops who have given their lives for the country, a sombre day you would think, but the park down the road still managed a big fireworks display last night!  It has been a lovely weekend though.  We went down to Monterey Bay on Saturday to go to the aquarium (pics on facebook to follow) and had a fab day.  We have spent the today with our new friends Greg and Emily, just hanging round in the sunshine (well the blustery sunshine) which too was great.  The 3 days have just been over a bit too quickly as back to the grindstone tomorrow, oh well.

I have to say that one of the most disappointing things about California so far has been the weather.  Early on we had a run of blisteringly hot days but since then its been pants.  Yes, its mainly been in the low 20's and we all have dirty looking tans (T especially looks like he needs a good bath!) but I have to admit I expected more, its California for gods sake!  Today started out like a British bank holiday but at 11 the sun broke through and it was pleasant but very windy and although some mad people braved the pool I certainly wouldn't have.  It rains and is cold cold at least once a week.  People keep telling me I'll start to moan when summer really starts (although I won't), however I am now fearful it won't start and we've brought the British weather with us!

My thoughts mainly this week have been dominated by houses.  I have come to the conclusion that we can only really be happy out here if we move.  As I originally wanted to do right from the start, I think we would be better off in Mountain View.  The schools are better and Sophia won't be in such a minority group, the journey to preschool will be 5 minutes instead of 20 and more than that we have met some lovely people that live in Mountain View and I feel we can be more part of the community than we are in Rivermark.  Its not been an easy decision, we've only just moved in, but having said that all our stuff is still in boxes and we'd just have to hire a van and we'd be good to go.  So anyway the landlord has been informed (pretty pissed off but thats life) and has already found new tenants!  Things are moving so fast that it is quite worrying about getting something else sorted out but having said that feel like a huge weight has been lifted just knowing that we can leave.  Operation house move now well and truly on, at least it will give me something to concentrate on!!

Sophia has now done 2 weeks of preschool and its been ok.  She is not that fussed about it and says that daddy and her both do their 'jobs' together, its just something she has to get through.  However I did know it would take time and she wouldn't settle in immediately, shes not that type of girl.  When I ask her if she's talked to any of the children she says 'I forgot!  I'll do it tomorrow'.  I initially was not that impressed with the preschool itself but she had a bit of a wobble this week (which was actually down to a dodgy tummy although we didn't know at the time) and they actually dealt with it really well.  Much better than at the start where when I picked her up she was sitting in a dark room whilst the rest of the kids 'napped'!  I think its a time will tell kind of thing.

I have got my driving teat tomorrow, am verrry nervous.  Its not that I can't do, I feel perfectly competent driving round every day but under pressure I feel sure I'm going to do something daft.  Everyone keeps telling me how easy it is which doesn't really make things any easier. Have also got 'well care' checks for both the kids tomorrow afternoon, and as I fear they are just going to tell me about all the jabs the children need (America and England differ greatly on immunisations!) am not especially looking forward to that either!

Although it has been 3 weeks since I updated this I don't feel there is a great more to say.  I am quite sadly looking forward to next week when Amercian Masterchef hosted by Gordon Ramsey starts!  And brand 'new' X factor with Mr Cowell starts in the fall, as we're now on our umpteeth series am feeling America is a bit behind the times!

The kids in general seem a bit happier.  Tommy is going through the 2 and half stage.  He looks like an angel. Bright white hair and brown as a berry however he is acting a bit more like a devil child.  Nothing is good enough and every sentence starts with 'I want!'  However little old ladies do cross the street to talk to him (and his tow head?).  Sophia is ok although I think if she could have an afternoon at Frasers or Brodens or Indis or Jessicas house it would make all the difference.  2 year olds are easily adaptable, 4 year olds are not!  She did have a lovely afternoon this week playing with a little boy called Ben (whos English!) but she still needs a few more friends.  I know it will happen (and for all of us) bit I'm not a very patient person so its still hard work!

Facebook is great but it does also inform you about all the things you are missing!  Love to everyone back in England, we miss you all so much xx

A week in the life of....

Tuesday 3rd May
Its boiling outside, and I know I should be doing the all American thing of letting the kids run through water sprinklers in some park, but quite frankly I can't be arsed!  The kids are happily watching some god awful American version of Thomas, where the fat controller (or Sir Topham Hat as he's called here, the fat controller is obviously not pc enough!) has a dreadful heavy northern accent but everyone else has an American accent.  Its just not right!  Still the kids don't seem to care much.

Last week was a hard one.  Was feeling very homesick and was starting to grow a bit of tired of 'meeting people' - is hard to be completely at ease when meeting up with people you don't know.  However all the people I've met have been lovely and as long as we keep going to things it should hopefully get easier and easier.  What's been even harder though is Sophia has suddenly starting talking loads about home and all the people and things she is missing.  She is seeming very bored with life and even said that she missed Morrisons!  So desperate to get her into preschool and making some of her own friends although am really hoping she will actually do this and not sit in a corner and draw!  Sophia and I have finally come to an agreement about which preschool she should attend (she wanted to go to one where the average age of the women that ran it must have been about 100! but it was quite similar in looks to Little Hands so she wasn't prepared to consider anything else!)  So we kept looking and have seen a fair few and have decided on a place called the Wonder Years.  Its quite formal in that there is maths lesson, english lesson, art lesson and drama lesson every morning (its more like school than school if you know what I mean!) but the people there seem nice and she can have her lunch and be picked up at 1 before the dreaded afternoon sleep!  She'll go 4 mornings a week and she'll start on May 17th.  She has agreed to go to this preschool over the other one because it has a metal tortoise statue outside the front!  Am really hoping that it will mark a turning point for her as if I'm really honest I don't think I will be able to feel settled until she is.

Wednesday 4th May
My favourite thing about California so far is the beautiful evenings and the 'holiday' smell of palm trees, suntan cream and sweet flowers that fills the air.  Even in our built up residential area you still get a whiff of this and I'm really enjoying going for a jog in the late afternoon sunshine when Ste gets home from work.  Its really beautiful.  Another really nice thing about our area is how well they 'keep' it.  The grass is always mowed, there are flowers everywhere, there's no rubbish anywhere.  They must spend a fortune of it (which is possibly why the Californian schools are in a right state!) still it is very lovely.
One of my least favourite things about California so far is the driving.  It is actually far easier than I thought but the the rules of the road are just very different from home. The situations in which they give up their right of way are completely different so I never really know if I'm doing the right thing! I also dislike very much the fact that we have to retake our tests.  I've actually done my written one now which was bizzare to say the least.
'The kids are squabbling in the back.  Do you:-'
a) lean over from the driving seat and give them a slap
b) pull the car over, stop, then lean into the back and give them a slap
c) ignore them and keep your eyes on the road
Ok, this wasn't actually a question but some of them were very like this.  One the answers to my questions was 'because it annoys people' which I thought was very weird for a formal test!  Still all passed and now I've got the joys of the real driving test in a couple of weeks, which I've been reliably informed that only an idiot could fail, so no pressure then!  Ste's social security number has now come through so he's taking his written test on Friday.  Will be good to get it all out of the way.

Sunday 8th May
It is taking me an age to write this post and so I am actually going to press publish instead of save at the end of this mini installment.  We've had a lovely weekend.  Ste passed his written driving test getting none wrong, the geek!  Granny has arrived, hurray!  The kids are loving her being here, especially Sophia, she is so bored of me!  Ste and I went to Santa Cruz last to have a bit of time for ourselves which was lovely and very needed.  We all took Granny to the 'dragon' park yesterday which is now a very firm favourite of the kids (There are some photos on my facebook page via mum, can't wait till we get our camera back!)  Its Mother's Day again here today so I have got some lovely flowers, two mother's days a year can't be bad!
Our ship with all our stuff is due in on Tuesday so it could be only another week or so (it has to go through customs) until we get our hands on it.  I think I speak for us all when I say, WE CAN'T WAIT!!.  Life without furniture and things is very hard.

Anyway I really have run out of things to say so will update soon.  Miss you lots of everyone in England reading this xx