All those in the US, sign here...

[mamama]

I see all these threads for Aussie people and thought we should have our own thread too. Not sure why, I just felt the need to make us feel special too!

So, who's stateside and where are you?

I'll start:

Mamama - in Chicago

I definitely won't be decorating. We have to spend waaaay too much on candy. We are at the very back of our subdivision, and even our street gets filled up with all of the cars of people who don't Trick or Treat around our house, but drive their kids to our neighborhood. 100 would be a much more manageable number than what we get.

Yeah, the neighbors across the street gave my 2 heavily "bibletized" candy. It cracks me up beyond belief how they're trying to spread religion on a day that has definite non-Christian roots.

I just read my post before the last one, and what I meant to say was people who don't trick or treat in their neighborhood, but drive them to ours to do so.

lol @ bible verses on Halloween

gads, bible candy...what next

Bible verse number plates

Bible verse signatures at the end of Mom's Club emails

Not in the US yet but heading to Florida next week - does it count

Ooo, mishmash, are you staying or just visiting? Details needed

Where has everyone gone?

Love the Tumbleweeds! Sadly, I've never seen the real thing. I didn't realise they were so big.

Love the pictures of your DS1 in the rain- what a happy chappy! Looks like he's dancing

Bit chilly here too. I had to rummage under my bed for the box containing socks. Took ages. I do like the autumn though. It smells so yummy

Well ladies, I took dd out looking for Halloween decorations earlier in the week, and there wasn't a thing either of us wanted to buy. There are some amazing displays appearing in front gardens, front steps etc - but don't know where people are shopping for/purchasing the items. Our house is looking very non-festive atm.

Not much else going on around here. I went makeup shopping with a pal yesterday (professional makeup artist transformed us). Afterward, we both looked very glam, but nearly fainted when I was told the cost was $300 for eye cream and moisturiser! They saw my face, and rushed to say that it should last a long time as only a little bit is needed at a time. It's been a long time since I've bought any of that sort of product - is that generally what "the good stuff" costs these days?

I have been lying down in a darkened room. I think the locals here in Ohio are turning me a bit mad.

A couple of nights ago I was invited to an evening social at Panera Bread (cafe type place for coffee, salads, bakery). So far so good. It's a girl at the local Mom's Club and she said it was women who met at her Church.

So I was warned.

First I am totally overdresed because I am wearing jeans/boots/jacket not jeans/trainers/orange pumpkin fleece.

Then it is all very 'Oh My Gosh' talk/gossip about people in the town, home-schooling and bloody Halloween. I am missing something here. Someone says something like 'Oh My Gosh, I have such a funny story to tell you, yesterday I got home and realized I forgot to turn the slow-cooker on and we had to have PBJ sandwiches instead' and they all laugh hysterically.

Then the girl who invited me pulls out gingerbread-shaped men cut out from sandpaper (yes, sandpaper) and reads a four page lecture on 'sandpaper people' who rub you up the wrong way but how you must love them anyway. I said I preferred to avoid them.

Have not heard anything since.

Just don't think I connect.

chocchipcookie - sounds awful. It's depressing/upsetting to make the effort to get out/reach out, only to end up feeling like a person from another planet. But tbh, those sound grim people. It's just so much harder to take things in stride, and put them in perspective when you're vulnerable.

How long have you been in Ohio?

EB--There's something out there called Creme De La Mer that is about that much. People swear by it. I've never been able to even think about justifying the price, and have found that out of everything I've tried, Burt's Bees is great.

For makeup, I'm big on high-quality mineral-based makeup. I get my powder and blush in that, and then go cheap on eyeshadow. I think it was around $100 for the blush and powder, but I got them 2 years ago, and still have quite a bit, and since they're mineral based, they don't get bacteria. They really do hide flaws (mine are big dark circles under my eyes) and feel really light on my face. I don't wear makeup every day, though.

I love Panera Bread. I wish there was one closer to me, but those ladies can stay there. I've found I have a really hard time when the conversation turns to home-schooling because I tend to . . . ZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

Took the kids to a pumpkin patch this week. They had lots of fun. I put a new pic in the profile from the day. The weather was supposed to be really bad, but we got rained on for 2 minutes, and then it stopped, and it was nice and waited until the ride home for it to really open up and pour down rain.

EB - thanks for your kind comments, four years and I have made friends in a bigger town near us so it is not all bad. These women are from my own, small town where I have been trying to get more connected. Maybe not!

Glad to lend an ear/shoulder chocchipcookie. I've learned (but sometimes need reminding) that certain social situations are best avoided. Good to know that you have a circle of other 'better' friends more on your wavelength that are reasonably accessible.

Good news for me. I had a mammogram a few weeks ago, and they called me for a re-screen. I went back on Friday, and they took pictures of both breasts on their new digital machine, which evidently gives a clearer picture. I waited about 30 minutes, and they called me in again for MORE pictures on the left side. I waited another 30 minutes.

I sat there thinking my life could be about to change in a radical and traumatic way. They finally decided all was OK. Huge relief, obviously. Oddly enough, certificates on the office wall identified the interpreting radiologist (who I never saw or spoke to) as the mother of a boy in dd's class.

Hey choc-chip. Where about in Ohio are you?
I will be living in Springboro, near Dayton/cinci as of Wednesday. Your evening out fills me with dread as to what I will encounter there! DH has been over there for about two months and says everyone is very friendly but I think its easier for him as he is working and also men seem able to bond with anyone if they are interested in sport!
Im really excited about seeing my dh again and our lovely new home but Im having a bit of a wobbly here at the moment saying goodbye to everyone and trying to pack the last things.
Also a bit worried as the shipping container with all our stuff is still in customs and there is no word of a delivery date!

Hope you find some more laid back people around you soon!

About half an hour from you! There are people on the same wavelength do not fear but I found you have to seek them out. I think the problem is that lots of people round here have never left the US or even spent much time at all outside Ohio. Those that have mostly went to a US military base overseas. So they grow up with the same group of people all through school, then go to uni locally, then settle close to home generally marrying someone from this area. It makes it v. insular. I put up a notice in my local library to start a book club and had not one single reply!
When I moved here I had a great first year. You are coming at the best time for the holidays! You will have a lot of fun and there are great kids activites. It was when the novelty wore off after that first year that I realized that I had no 'real' friends. I have made a lot more effort since then - some nights like the one I describe - but I have met other more stimulating people. I think as the outsiders we have to make the effort which I was not used to doing.

Oh, the thread has picked up again

Cali - love the tumbleweed story. I have a very funny mental picture of you wrestling it into your car, lol.

EB, not sure what to advise on the Halloween decorations. It seems I have just gathered mine along the way. I'm sure a year or two from now you will be equally festive! This year you could always just put a big pot out front on Halloween night with dry ice in it and dress up like a witch, stirring and cackling Performance art can always make up for lack of decorations.

The sandpaper people lunch sounds ghastly. I think there are lots of those type of women in my area too, but I have managed to avoid them for the most part.