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

[redflipflops]

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

introductions:

redflipflops - California (central Coast)

DH is from Indiana. V proud of that fact too, despite my determination to tell everyone he's from "near Chicago" - which technically he is, but only american's have heard of Mishiwaka

Americans, sheesh

As always I've lost my place but will catch up when bored at work (so pretty soon then)

We've just got back from the Grand Canyon (again). This time the weather was stunning and there was a smattering of snow around which added to the magic. It was pretty quiet, so is a great time of year to go (if the weather is good). Did the helicopter ride as well, as was quiet didn't need to pre-book. A few of the cafe's were shut, but there are plenty of services around. Also a bus doesn't run the main route (hermits rest) so you can drive yourself down the road, which is a lot less phaff than the bus. Also you can just stop in random places.

Staying another day in Vegas then will head back. Hopefully DD will get to sleep sometime soon.

Hello everyone - belated Happy New Year to all!

We had a lovely holiday break. DD returned to school 2 weeks ago, though this past week she was out of school a few days due to big snow - and will be out again on Monday for MLK holiday.

Currently staring at the computer screen and feel a bit cross-eyed. I'm testing out new contact lenses, and my eyes haven't got accustomed to them yet.

PenguinArmy - had no idea that the Grand Canyon could be visited in winter. Was it absolutely frigid? Bet it was lovely no matter how cold.

I am planning a spring break trip to California Disney, so that should be fun - we've been before, so know what to do/what to avoid.

Also looking into a London trip this summer. We didn't go last year, and I don't fancy going the summer of 2012 due to the inevitable Olympic madness.

DD away at a sleepover tonight, so the house seems very quiet....

ooo I feel a bit funny about the mention of you eyes Earlybird. No it wasn't that cold at all. Just wore a jumper, but there was no wind today and the sun was pounding down. So I think provided the weather looks good it's fine.

We spent Xmas day at California Disney as our UK flights got cancelled. It was only 2 ours away. Plus we got a significant amount of free room service due to a glitch with the room at the Hilton. Our rearranged flights to the UK are on the 3rd Feb.

Right I think DD is asleep so I'm going to risk sleeping myself.

Hi Oscar I've been in CA for 6 months and the plan is for us to be here for 2 years also. We haven't bothered with driving licenses, but we only have a car for trips away. I don't know what visa I'm on but DH and DD are my dependents and like RED said, he can apply to work now he's out here. I think my visa is different from the common one. When we got our visa it said not to turn up until a certain time, however in reality we got there on time but everyone else had got there early so we were practically the last people out. In hindsight we should have taken the baby to get the sympathy vote through quicker. Although I enjoyed expressing in their bathroom .

complete change of topic - does anyone know what happened/is happening with the lady who came over to visit family, but then her waters broke & they were keeping her in hospital?

i keep worrying about her!

She's got to 31 weeks now! This is the link if I can get it to work: southsea's thread

thanks

Hello, hope everyone is well. I'm still pregnant and hoping to get past tomorrow night when I start teaching my German class again! I hope the dcs sleep well tonight so I am rested as energy is in short supply at the moment!

Hope you all had a lovely MLK day!

Where has everyone gone?! Just posting to keep this on my active threads in case I go into labour at any moment!

hi,

i'm busy - just had a job interview today! went very well & they want me back to teach a lesson for them to observe.

it's for maternity cover from mid march to end of school year.

Hi everyone,
I have just moved to Pelham, NY with a 6yr and 8yr girls. We have only been here three weeks and the girls are enjoying school, I just need to meet some people!! It's so cold that at school noone hangs around for a chat so it's more difficult than I was expecting. Good to see there are so many MNetters over here!

Hello croissants and welcome!

Well done kickass - hope your lesson goes excellently!

hello, Somehow only just managed to find this thread

We're in Foster City, CA moved here from Wiltshire last September with DH employer.

Its bloody lovely

Hello everyone and welcome to the newbies!

Wow tad are you getting close to arrival day?

Good luck with job interview kickass. Doing a maternity cover sounds like a good way to get back in the saddle! Are your UK teaching qualifications valid here? or did you need to do extra courses?

If these pains are anything to go by, it can't be far off, red! Hello to all newbies, we're a friendly bunch on here.

hi, newbies.
croissants, it can feel a bit hard to get to know people at first, i found a lot of parents volunteer at the school, that's where you get to know them, if you have the chance.

flipflops - it's a private school, they're taking my word on my qualifications. currently i'm STILL waiting to get the paperwork sorted to teach in state schools - it's a long, slow and expensive process. i started doing this in august & still not there.

so this mat. cover would be great, give me something on the cv & some money. then i'm planning to sell cupcakes over the summer.

after that, who knows?

slightly - are you here for long? it's great that you sound so happy - i spent the entire first winter too scared to go outside.

hello tad - goood luck! hope its nice and quick and all goes well, how exciting

kickassangel Great name DH has taken a permanant job, so we've got 3yr visas with option to renew for another 3yrs. So we'll decide after that I think. TBH we were keen to get out of the UK with nightmare in-laws (on both sides) and living in a crappy area amongst other things (DH getting mugged for example) We've fallen on our feet (mostly by chance) by living in a lovely area, and have found a couple of good friends really quickly. Thats made all the difference I think. Don't want to UK-bash though, there are lots of things I miss.

Tarenath I was terrified about the driving - really felt sick with worry - but its fine, most cars seem to be automatic, and its so easy. I may never go back to manual

Hello! You've all been so busy - I tried to catch up but there were too many posts so I failed. Nice to see lots of new names on here. I am glad this thread is still going. When we first started these, it was one of the few things that kept me sane for a while.

Will try to catch up with thread later. Am home with concussion so not able to concentrate on much atm. Kickass - remember the cushy job thread? I defy ANYONE who tells me that teaching is not dangerous Congrats on interview

How did you get concussion grockle? That sounds painful. I've had some scary moments as a teacher, I must admit.

Glad you're settling in well slightly.

grockle - i wondered if the injury was work related. i DO remember that thread & thought that i was v restrained towards one poster, who was a bit of a doubting thomas (to give a charitable interpretation).

i noticed you bowed out - i don't blame you! i was forced to point out how 'special' your kids are, and how very special that made you.

DO remember that concussion can take a while & don't rush back. i used to work with someone who was a v good & energetic rugby player. trouble was, he didn't know when to stop. he often came to work on a monday with black eyes, broken fingers etc. even he took a few days off for concussion, so consider yourself 'well 'ard' if you only stay off the rest of this week!

actually, the one time i was concussed (v mildly) i was told to take a week off & i was only a student, hardly exerting myself.

Sorry to have dropped off the thread. Life pretty exhausting atm. Welcome to newbies and I shall try to at least lurk a bit.

Hello to all - old and new.

More snow here - it has been quite a winter. Luckily dd's school was open today, but many were closed. Dd was quite disappointed she had to go in!

Off shortly to play 'tooth fairy' as dd went to bed with a tooth and a long note under her pillow. Bless her, she's almost 10 and still fervently 'believes'.

Anyone making any interesting spring break travel plans?

Hello new people. Good to see you not-so-new people. We had a "no screen" week, and then we had to have our dog put to sleep, so I haven't felt up to much socializing.

We don't have any spring break plans, but next month DH and I are going on a trip by ourselves. We've only had 1 night away from the kids in over 7 years. We're going to go to Big Sur and Napa Valley. The IL's are coming up to watch the kids for a week. I'm excited and majorly slightly in a panic, because I really, really love MIL, but she's just really, scatterbrained and I'm afraid I'm going to have to rely on DS to take charge.

Hello
I am new to this thread and fairly new to mumsnet too!
My husband and I moved to Lawrenceville, NJ last April. We have been living in an avalon community apartment for a year lease while we got settled and found a house. Which we have now found, we close on Friday, but that has been one roller coaster ride, mainly due to the lack of credit history over here.
So next week we will be moving into the biggest house we ever have had, just outside of Lambertville!
So we have had a wonderful run in with the healthcare system over here when dd contracted MRSA-CA. I hope it's not an experience we will be repeating soon!
As for interesting spring break plans, I shall be flying home to Blighty at the end of May to go to my mums wedding!
Look forward to chatting to you all, anyone else in NJ?