Living in America 2012--Because It Is No Longer 2011

[MmeBucket]

This is what happens when I start threads--they get stupid titles. Someone else needs to start the next one. Hopefully we can get this one filled by 2013.

Link to old thread for reference

Not much happening here. The kids have been off school for 25 days. I am soooo looking forward to them starting school tomorrow. Except it is my day to help, so instead of getting a break from my two, I'll have 22 of them to deal with.

Flip I came accross this on our local message board. I can't remember how old your DC is but if they are 4 an opening has come up with Morrow preschool. This program is well regarded and the cost is low because it is run as a coop which means you need to get involved and help run it. If you are not working it is a great way to get out and meet people. Also, Morrow church is very well regarded by the locals here.

So has anyone found their lifestyles have changed since moving? I don't know if it's a California thing or about-to-hit-30 but I've become more active, eating better, signed up for a mammoth charity bike ride etc. quite the opposite of eating fast food and watching Riki Lake all day!

Oh yes definitely girl - I eat loads better in California! Really noticed it since being back in UK at the PIL's.

I drink a lot, lot less than I used to in the UK (and than friends still in the UK do - whenever I go home I'm always amazed and wasted at what they put away.

I don't exercise as much as I'd like but pregnancy makes me very tired and sore and unwilling to move much, so that's probably part of it. I'm overweight now compared to when I arrived 8 years ago, but I've been this heavy before (as an undergraduate). Again, I wonder if pregnancy and childbirth has done more than 'moving to america' did.

When I lived on Manhattan with a relatively respectable disposable income I ate out a LOT. Now we're in the 'burbs we eat out less, but we do cook things (thai food, especially) that I didn't cook in England.

Erm. Basically I'm not sure how much my lifestyle changes are to do with having moved in with DH and had a child, to be honest. But people in general are much more sporty and outdoorsy here.

I gained 40lbs when I moved over here. Thank heavens I was walking everywhere! I lost half of the weight but I think my body changed due to the change in diet. We eat at home just because most restaurant food around here is nothing special.

Like blackcurrants I don't drink much and I am surprised at the drinking culture back home. I am also surprised by how many women drink while pregnant in Europe. My SIL was put out that I didn't want any champagne last month.

I think the 'sporty weekend families' we see everywhere are due to living in a very naice well-to-do area, and the weather. People are out riding bikes and playing tennis and whatnot, because it's not pissing it down, basically. Even in the cold people run and bike, anything but wet.

That's certainly how the dog and I feel, after a week of rain (she does not approve) - we walk miles every morning, except when it's pishing it down (which is rare) - and then she pees on the street corner and drags me back inside with a look on her face of "are you mad? LOOK at this weather!" :)

Funny we see more people out and about running, biking in winter here. Even in the rain. Summer are just too hot for that unless you get up and go out at dawn, and some do so they can run year round. We are out more in winter, the boys always loved winter walks, puddles to jump in and carrying umbrellas.

Evening ladies

V interesting to hear about lifestyle/diet changes...

[Sweeping generalisation alert!] I think the US is harder to stay normal-sized in, mainly because "normal sized" tends to be overweight - all the soda, driving everywhere, huge portion sizes/drink sizes, high fructose corn syrup in everything, the mere existence of things like half & half makes it hard to not gain weight. Also portion sizes when eating out - must learn to eat half and take the rest home (even if I have no intention of eating it at home!).

I'm carrying a fair bit of extra weight (I blame 2 babies in 2 years!) and have started using the gym in the building here as I want to get fit and healthy and not end up obese. I've never been to California, but my sister lived in SF in the 90s (and her husband is from there) and it's where she became very fit and healthy. She's the one who always says to only eat half in restaurants!

Girlwiththemouseyhair congrats on passing your driving test! I'm going to take some lessons - I can drive but all these highways scare the living wits out of me. DH keeps telling me it's super easy but I'm not convinced yet! I think a month in Manhattan will be perfect for me - if I had been here pre-DC I'd have loved this place, but it's not much fun getting anywhere with a wriggly toddler in a buggy and a sweaty 6 month old in the sling (having said that, we took the PATH down to Jersey City to meet DH today and he bunked off early and we took a ferry back up to midtown, stopping at a cool Chelsea burger place for dinner, and I did love it!).

Want2Be Congrats on having a boy! Boys are fab (as are girls!). Your paediatrician sounds v funny . And thanks for that link! DS is 2 and a half, so looking to start him next Sept at 3 - Morrow is on the list though. I love the idea of a co-op (also looking at the one in Millburn). Though the Y is at the end of our road, so there's a good chance he'll end up there. I'm off to a preschool info session at the Maplewood Library in a few weeks and will check them out then and start registering/adding him to waiting lists etc.

Blackcurrants what great info! Bjs/Costco looks great and we may well end up with a membership. My MIL has kindly said we can borrow some useful stuff until our stuff arrives (we're off to see them on Sun and staying overnight as DH has Columbus Day off). We'll have to head to Ikea to kit DD out with a cot etc and it sounds like DS will be in heaven! Lands End looks v good though I think we'll have to head into a Hanna Anderson to try snow things on. I'm thinking we'll have to tackle potty training soon with DS (am holding off until we're properly moved though!) and maybe a snowsuit all-in-one would be faffy for that...it's terrible, my shopping so far has mainly been restricted to buying myself nice stuff in Uniqlo (in my defence their Orla Kiely stuff at the moment is gorgeous!). I was also thinking the other day how your name reminds me of how I associate blackcurrants so much with Britain & Ireland - can you even get blackcurrants in the US?

In other news, we've found a way to watch iplayer so I've caught up on the Great British Bake Off (thank the lord - was missing Mary Berry a lot!). I'm also loving NPR/WNYC's morning edition followed by the BBC World Service's news hour. Not quite R4 but close enough! We're also loving the fact that the US has bank holidays in the autumn/winter (Columbus Day and Veterans Day and then Thanksgiving - no longer will we have to slog through from the August bank holiday until Christmas!).

OK, sorry for yet another mammoth post!

:) great news, Flip! And I agree about the autumn holidays. DH got a monday off for Yom Kippur (he's a teacher) and as he'd had a hellishly busy start to the term, it was a great long weekend for him! I am looking forward to Hallooween (not for the time off, but for the lovely decorations in our town) and to Thanksgiving (because we don't have any traditions, so can eat whatever and laze about), it is nice having a holiday or two to break up the slide into winter! Spring is much harder, though - you do sort of expect the weather to improve by the end of Feb or mid March, but it can be 2c and snowing right up until April, if you're unlucky. Certainly most of the snow is Jan-March around here. And I see what you mean about the snowsuit and potty training situation - Didn't factor that in much, oops! you can get snow-pants in lots of places, but I like the Hanna ones because they're relatively lightweight, and not bulky, but still warm. I bought some carters ones and DS couldn't really move in them - too much padding!

You really can't get blackcurrants here - nor bramley apples (or any cooking apples!). It's a taste I really miss. When I first moved here my biggest pangs of homesickness were ribena-based!

Kind of excited for you all with the snow outfit buying! I'm hitting the online sales getting warm stuff sent to UK so we don't have to trek stuff back and forth from CA that we're not going to use here.

I really wanted to use coming out here as an opportunity to sort out my attitude to health and fitness and thanks to the 5:2 diet and living in a part of the world where health and outdoor activity is a big focus, I've managed to loose the baby weight and then some.

So DH and I got tattoes yesterday - I've already got one only back but got this new one on my wrist. In having a wobble about it just because it's so THERE. I love it but can't "forget" about it. I think having it done in such a obvious place is def a result of living in LA, everyone has tattoes, you're so used to seeing them, whereas at home they're all hidden away....so I suppose it also commemorates our time in LA

Girl I salute you for getting a tattoo. I am far too much of a wimp to get one let alone more! It is funny that body art is much more normal here compared to the UK.

I am trying to get DH to agree to go apple picking. He is off to Denmark and Germany for the last two weeks of the month so I want to do something halloweenie this weekend. We did the pumpkin patch thing last year and it was expensive.

I don't quite get what you DO at a pumpkin patch. I mean, you go and get a pumpkin, yeah I understand. But ... what's the point? I used to go to 'pick your own' farms back home for stawberries and stuff, but presumably you're only getting ONE pumpkin, so it can't take you that long. Why do people go to them? Is there other stuff?

All my friends are putting pictures of their toddlers next to huuge pumpkins and, while it's very cute, I sort of don't get it. I do like the idea of going 'back to the land' in a sort of month-long-harvest-festival-y mood (and I love autumn and it's lovely and crisp here now) but .... it leaves me feeling a bit 'huh?' - and I so want to understand! :)

I am too cowardly to get a tattoo, too - but I think some are absolutely beautiful. I imagine you see more skin for more of the year over in LA than in New Jersey (she says, pulling on a sweater).

The pumpkin patch we go to is huge, they cut the corn into a maze and it takes ages to get through, and all the way through they have little displays made by the local schools and kids clubs, with scarecrows and halloween themes. They also have a train ride and play area, games and pony rides and a petting zoo.
Last time we had so much fun we forgot to buy a pumpkin on the way out and had to stop in Safeway LOL

We didn't do the pictures with pumpkins but saw lots of other doing it. It was all a bit odd and I blame Anna Geddes! The corn maze was more of a test of the strength of our marriage and ability to carry a 4 month old while trying to get through the darn thing. I am thinking to go apple picking this time.

We're going on Friday with my parents and our Brit mum group. Still in the high 20's here so won't feel particularly autumnal!

Ooh, the maze and rides and things sounds fun. DS is about the perfect age to enjoy riding a toy train (or any train. Sometimes we take the train to the neighbouring town, a 4 minute ride, have an ice cream, then come home. Just because it TOTALLY makes his day!) so perhaps I will have to look up some nearby ones.

Girl The temperature's just plummeted recently - it's 7c now, and raining ... bloomin' charming! going to get back up to 21 on Wed but mainly grey and highs of 17 all week. This is after it being 26 on Saturday! We've just lifted in all the airconditioners and I am toying with running the heating for a teensy bit. "for DS" y'know ;)

Last year we went to the pumpkin patch in shorts ans tee shirts it was so hot. I hope it's cooler this time. We usually go this week while Dd is off school (fall break) but Dh is so busy we may have to brave the weekend.

Looking forward to getting home and stuck into fall, halloween & pumpkins etc. I've had a fun trip but ready for my own bed, routine & catching up with our friends now.

Aaah, there's nothing like your own bed, Vintage - one of life's unsung pleasures! :) I hope you have a good time resettling at home. We just endured a high quality 20 minutes of "noooo" from DS (2) who didn't fancy getting dressed. Tough luck, shortstuff - daycare don't accept nudists and Mum and Dad have got to go to work.

Here's what confuses me, though: why has he suddenly gone nudist now it's so bloomin chilly every morning?

blackcurrants I think Williams nursey has half priced hay rides this weekend. It shouldn't be too busy if you go early.

I can't believe all the rain. DH has been lazy about the a/c units. He brought in DD's a/c last night after I started to play around with the idea of lifting it myself. The obn has banned me from lifting anything heavier than 10lbs because I have sore ligaments. I am going to have to repeat the same moves for the rest of the week to get him to bring in the others. He is heading out to Denmark and Germany next week for two weeks. Rather pissed off because he is flying out on Thursday night so he can spend the weekend with his parents. He has already spent 7 weeks with them so far this year, and they are coming for 3 weeks over Christmas. I have CPA exams to prepare for and DD is only in daycare for 3 days week.

Thanks for the tip, I'll check them out :)

That does sound so hard - can you get more daycare cover while he's away?

They won't do split months unless you are continuing with extra cover. I have an interview tomorrow and find out on Thursday if I get the job. If I do then I will be moving her back to FT pronto.

Anyway DH got stuck on the parkway tonight and wasn't home until 7.30. He just got off the phone with his boss so off to coerce him into bringing in another unit tonight.

argh the parkway!

Small NJ hijack here, so apologise to those not in North NJ, but

ARGH! NJ roads! (I suspect they're not a lot worse than UK roads, in fact they may be less busy, but we all seem to commute so much farther here).

ARGH!

blackcurrants I think the problem is that there was a lack of planning as the population expanded. It is shocking that this continues to be a problem with regards to maintenance. I can't vote for our representative based on the fact that 280, 78 and the pulaski are all under construction at the same time. I understand they want to decrease unemployment but it is just too much. It shouldn't take me over an hour to get to Hoboken yet last Friday it took 85 minutes and I left the house at 10am!

The Pulaski skyway is a hideous abomination from hell! DH used to commute (when we lived in Hoboken) down to north-of-Edison and back, over the Pulaski. Drive that at 10pm and it's a 25 minute trip - he would regularly spend an hour and a half on the drive. One of the reasons we left that lovely town.
You're right, they haven't done much to expand the roads (OR other transit options) since the 50s, really. Terrible, terrible thinking.

Anyway, sorry for that detour everyone else. What are your children wearing for Halloween?