Living in America 2013

[smartieknickers]

Howdy y'all! I was a long time lurker on the Living in America 2012 thread and in the spirit of my new year's resolution to 'get involved in more stuff' I thought I'd start a new thread, what with it being a month into 2013 and all that... So who's with me?

Link to previous thread

Brief introduction: I initially moved from Scotland to Houston, TX with my DH and DS (now 2) in 2011, but we moved to Dallas in September last year. We never really felt quite at home in Houston but for some reason we really like life in Dallas, even though it's pretty similar in a lot of ways. We have just today finally dispatched with the last of our Christmas visitors (we've had parents and in-laws here back-to-back for 5 solid weeks!!) so I'm feeling like I deserve a large and a medal

and sometime would be excellent.

Just off to Planet Rock in Pontiac - another good place to visit - to pick up DD2 who practically lives there.

A meet up would be great. I shall message you both my details and hopefully get coffee sorted.

Happy Labor Day everyone. We did a joint birthday and christening party on Saturday. We had 20 kids aged 2mths to 6yrs old running over our house like ants!

Wait, there are other MI people? I thought it was just me and Natasha Bee. I live just the other side of Ann Arbor, about 40 mins from Bloomington. I never realized there are so many of us.

I have never met a mner in rl before. How do you know each other at a meet up? Do you all wear a red carnation, or the mn scarf?

Sorry, Bloomfield. Bloomington is in Indiana, and dh keeps working there. So easy to get them confused.

I have to go to bed soon, first day of school tomorrow.

I did wonder how we would identify ourselves.......I have plenty of scarves, but none like that which appears on the top of the site. Perhaps we could meet at a coffee shop somewhere, with a copy of a predetermined book by which we could recognised. And also wear a scarf.....

Kids back to school today here, I don't know whether I miss them or am relieved to have some peace and quiet. long days without them at the moment as they have sports practice until 5.30/6.00 every night (high schoolers).

How far is Bloomfield from 12 Oaks?

It's about 1/2 an hour - went there on Saturday to add another Cheesecake factory location to our list of visits. 'twas yummy, although we were there when it opened and it took us 45 mins to get seated. Shockingly slow, although the food came out quite quickly after it was ordered.

Cheesecake Factory, mmmmm.

But don't look at the number of calories in a meal - portions are huge, and I think they invented a way to make the air fattening. Still, a LOT close than Chicago, which used to be our nearest one.

I'm not a fan of Cheesecake Factory. I must have been to some dodgy ones as I've never had a good meal there.

Anyway, on a totally other subject, have any of you taken the Real Estate licensing exams? Just wondering how you found them?

Cheesecake is my go-to with the DC's when I am on my own as they are great at helping me with the kids. In April I was there (DS was 6wks and DD was 21mths) when I got really sick and couldn't stop throwing up. The waitress looked after the kids while I was in the bathroom and she knew a customer was a doctor so asked her to find me in the bathroom. They have an awesome menu - skinnilicious and the kiddie menu is what I order from. Everything on their skinnilicous menu is 500 calories or less.

Natasha Don't try their burger there unless you like them greasy.

I have a friend who got a real estate license (not in MI) for the express purpose of selling her house as she didn't want to pay the realtor's fees. I don't think it was difficult, from what she said.

Btw, has anybody seen the Newcastle Brown adverts? I'm just watching Jon Stewart and one's popped up. I can't believe they can get away with having 'no bollocks' flashing up on the screen. Do Americans not know what bollocks are?

Peppermint, that's genius of your friend! Would save a fortune!!

Most have heard the word but it doesn't have the same emotional impact. The same for wanker. We moved here just after Bono and Chris Martin had a slanging match and one called the other a wanker. Dd was 5 and the local music station kept saying the word. I was thinking nooooooo my precious little 5 year old can't start saying wanker.

But then her first word after mummy and daddy was bollocks.

I think you can sit the real estate exam just from studying books or online, although classes might be easier. You still have to pay the fee to the other agent for your buyer if you sell, so you would save around 5% not the full amount.

Hello busy America thread!

We leave for LA on Monday - assuming California hasn't entirely gone up in smoke by then. The heatwave sounds ridiculous

Does anyone feed (or has anyone fed) their baby formula out there? any recommendations? DD is 10.5mo and still drinks a lot of milk. We use Hipp here but not available there. Considering smuggling an 8 week supply in

Thanks Natasha. DH has a Costco card on MIL's account, I'm pretty sure. I love Costco

Any thoughts on brand? they all look dreadful

Ok, thanks Natasha stuffs suitcase with Hipp

Dd used the Costco brand formula, worked just fine for her and it was nice and easy to mix, I found some of them got really clumpy in the bottle and took a lot of shaking.

Thanks Squinkies, will give Sam's club and Costco own a go. Am not averse to own brand - spose all the packaging and bumf is so alien. Am packing some Hipp to get DD though the first weeks, it's so hot there at the mo and she won't drink water, I need to know she'll take her milk

OMG Natasha you have struck gold.

For formula, we found similiac sensitive worked really well for DD. DS throws everything up so we save our money and give him costco own. It is half the price. We tried the other stuff but it's all the same.

Diapers - BJ's has pampers. Costco has the best wipes and their own brand diapers are huggies.