Living in America....... summer 2010!

[redflipflops]

So.... new thread.... please join me

introductions:

redflipflops - California (central Coast)

Hi everyone, sorry for posting once then disappearing, I am not rude I just had visitors for 9 weeks of the summer (two weeks after moving to Kansas!) then the PC broke etc etc etc. Glad to be back on!

The twins have started pre school and love it. I find it strange that in the UK they would have started proper school. How do the school systems compare? When we go back in three years will they be ahead/behind/the same? At least they are out of the house and making friends. I just need to make some myself now....from reading this thread it seems thats not easy. Most people I have met have lived here a long time and have all the friends they need. I have lots of transient meet ups but nothing thats lasting so far. People loose interest once they get past the accent. Don't think I am boring!

Looking forward to Halloween and not having eggs put through my letter box (not that I have one!

Halloween is really nice here rodeo as most people make a real effort, especially for young kids. Even some of the churches here have little festivals just as long as there are no scary costumes involved.

Wow, visitors for 9 weeks is amazing - I would have gone crazy! Your dts must be the same age as my little girl 4 1/2? Both of mine are in pre-school just two mornings a week and I love the break, being 20 weeks pregnant. I hope you find someone you can really get on with soon. I have just a few real friends here and others that I may see occasionally. I know how you feel!

Ds really enjoyed his birthday and loved his presents. He opened his presents at the breakfast table and got so excited about his new camera he weed himself! It was so funny.

Hi Rodeo Welcome back! Whether kids will be behind or not probably depends on individual schools and age/personality of the child. They do start school later here and Kindergarten is mostly play IME. Only start learning to read & write in 1st Grade - whereas UK schools put big emphasis on phonics from Reception (send books home daily etc..) so children start reading earlier. I'm sure they catch up to a similar level at around 8? (but not sure exactly from my limited experience). This also worries me as we plan to return to UK in a few years. Equivalent age kids in the UK are way ahead at the moment (age 6-7) but hopefully starting later means they learn faster and catch up.

tad am not great this week actually. Husband away with work and am feeling a bit lonely . Really missing having friends around.

Sorry you're feeling down red. That feeling of being able to bundle the kids in the car and popping to see your Mum or best friend etc is invaluable and something you really miss when you come abroad, isn't it? My dh tends to be away around my birthday a lot! He has, however, just sent me a lovely bunch of flowers from the last time he was away - hints to your dh?

Where are all the Mumsnetters who live in America? Everyone seems to have disappeared!

We have all disappeared down that slippery slope called soccer practice.

Yes, even mine do that at the ages of 4 and 3!

hi, just checking in. we don't do soccer - there's brownies, swim class & tennis to keep us busy. i'm so glad dd isn't into any team sports - they seem to take up 2 or 3 eves a week, and weekends.

i have been busy in the garden, hoping to get the autumn pack down finished this weekend. the temp is dropping from mid 80s to mid 40s over the next 2 days!! what a change!

It is beautiful here.

Nothing much of consequence to report. Mostly helping out at school and soccer practice X2. Caitlin's team is pretty bad, and she has the only goals so far on the team, and Colin's team was not pretty to look at during practice, but they've stepped it up for the games, and upset the best team in the league today, and beat them by 5 goals.

Tomorrow is our anniversary.

happy anniversary, dooney.

i've just spent most of the day hauling mulch. just another couple of hours to do tomorro, then there's 15 plants to put in!!
due to rain heavily all next week so having started the job, suddenly have a deadline to finish it by.

why does everything in america have to be so big? i use to have a back yard that i could completely relandscape in just a couple of hours!

Hope you have a lovely anniversary tomorrow dooney.

Someone in the house has been sick since August 29th! I am ready to be done with it :( Ds1 was just starting to feel better and now has had an allergic reaction to his antibiotic. He's covered in an itchy rash.

kickass, that's us, land of the big

Happy Anniversary Dooney. Hope you have a lovely day.

Jabberwocky - that is a long time to deal with illness. Hopefully good health will return to all of you soon.

All fine here. The school year schedule is well underway, and dd seems to be thriving. I'm doing lots of 'taxi' duties, but luckily my work schedule allows that flexibility.

We're going to NYC for Fall Break - got organised and booked airline tickets when they were on sale. We're fortunate to have access to a friend's (unoccupied) apartment, so don't have to think about astronomical hotel costs.

I lived and worked in the city for 10 years, and have barely been back since dd was born. As we're there a relatively short time, don't think we'll do the big tourist things this time (Empire State and Statue of Liberty). Top of dd's list? A trip to the American Girl store. .

Anyone else have Fall Break coming? What are your plans?

Also meant to say - I've lost a few posts on this thread. I write them, press 'post message' and then (maddeningly) get the notice that tech has shut the site down temporarily to do backup. Supremely frustrating.

That's my moan for the day!

earlybird, I always have to make a trip to Chinatown when in NYC. If Pearl River Market is still there that is always an interesting stop.

Fingers crossed we all get well soon. I have back to back business trips planned starting next weekend.

Hi, Mumsnetters in America :) I'm here at the hospital waiting for my best friend to give birth. It's been a long, harrowing wait. Keep me company! :)

jabber, it's horrid when that happens - i had strep throat & an ear infection on labour day weekend. i'm still on anti-biotics, though almost better, as the ear infection meant i had loads of fluid & couldn't hear for a couple of weeks!! it just gets so tiring when someone's always ill.

kickass, it has been really a bit of a nightmare. First ds2, then ds1, then me, then ds1 again! Of course all of this is following on the heels of my herniated disc drama of the summer and trying to get the new business through the first year afloat...

I want to go to a beach and drink things with lots of ice and an umbrella in the glass

Hope everyone's illnesses recover really soon. Cheerful, hope the birth didn't take too long and your friend is now basking in the glow of new motherhood.

It's beautiful here today and we're hoping to go up to the lakes while we still can. Last year it snowed at the beginning of October so need to make the most of it. Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday.

Which lakes, tadjenny? That does sound lovely; I live in Minnesota so we're all about the lakes here. :)

My friend is absolutely basking, Baby Grace made her appearance late last night :)

Oh, Jabber, I'm so sorry. I hope everyone gets better soon, and you have a much easier time of things since you got all of your sickness out of the way.

I'm giggling at Minnesota, Cheerful Yank. DH and I always joke about moving there. We're not making fun of it, in fact, I think it is quite lovely. He has a cousin that talked about moving there for years, making it sound like it was some sort of utopia, and finally decided to move there about 10 years after he started talking about it. He didn't even make it 100 miles, and got homesick and turned around and came home. About 2 years later, he decided to move there again, and made it, but decided it wasn't paradise, and came home again, but still threatens to move there. It is a good thing I'm not his wife, because I would have killed him.

I've been to Minnesota and liked it but too cold for me to live there. dooney, I would have throttled the man! And a jury of our peers would not convict

We are all somewhat better today but no one really feels completely well so periods of grumpiness are breaking out from time to time....

cheerful - we're all about the lakes, her as well. in fact, i've told dd she has to keep having swimming lessons until she is strong enough to swim in the sea - there is just so much water round here, so many people have boats & go out at weekends, she has to be able to swim.

The High Lakes in the Cascades Cheerful. We didn't make it to a lake as such but went to a river where the salmon are spawning and the bald eagles are hanging about. Really beautiful! Glad Baby Grace is doing well! The closest I've been to Minnesota (other than MSP airport!) is Wisconsin for a couple of summers. V pretty.

I'm glad things are improving in your household Jabber. Sickness in children is awful to cope with.

Hi everyone

weathers gone a bit too hot here, but I know I shouldn't complain.

Joined a PEP group and went to a bbq today. Had a lovely time, but now I don't want to go to work tomorrow.

cheerful: I love the name grace

Definitely a fall morning here. Really beautiful clear blue sky. I know what you mean about work. I would love to take the day off today!