First Steps

Flights were ridiculously cheap this week (are those usually part of Cyber Monday sales?) so we booked a flight to visit our friends that moved to Seattle.  These are the friends we visited back in March  and hanging out with them is always such a treat.  Not only have we known them since college, our kids are almost the exact same ages and we all get along fabulously.  This is the first flight I can think of where we have traveled for the sole purpose of visiting friends (and not gone to a wedding or reunion or something else of that nature).  It feels really grown up.

 

But I guess the sole purpose isn't just to visit friends.  As I've mentioned once or twice (or a bajillion times), we have talked pretty seriously about moving out of California in order to live somewhere with a lower cost of living.  Almost anywhere we go would be cheaper than where we are now (at least judging by my preliminary research and online house hunting).  PJO plans to begin job searching early next year and at this point, the net will be cast far and wide.  We also have started planning trips to the cities that are at the top of our list to try and get a sense of whether we can see our family being happy there.

 

I'm not sure if this is true for everyone, or if it just seems like a bigger deal to me coming from southern California, but the weather is probably the biggest worry I have for any place we're considering.  The temperature here ranges from mid 50s to mid 80s and is almost always sunny.  We never deal with winter coats and my kids play outside probably 350 days a year.  No matter where we go from here, we will deal with either extreme heat, extreme cold, or lots of rain.  I swore seasonal affective disorder was a thing when I lived in New York City, but it also could have just been a New York City thing.  And I have no idea what to do with kids when the weather sucks...how will we all handle it?

 

Whenever I start doubting whether we would actually be able to enjoy living somewhere because of the weather, I catch myself and feel crazy because there are tons of people who live in each of these places that love it and if they can be happy in that city, why couldn't we?

 

I liked living in New York most of the time (but definitely tired of the big city lifestyle while working) and loved living in Madrid when I studied abroad in college, but other than those 5.5 years, I've lived in southern California my whole life.

 

I think ultimately, if we can have the change in lifestyle we're hoping for, that will outweigh any bad weather we have to put up with.  But tell me if you think I'm being naive. There are obviously other things that are important to us in a city (especially great schools, walkability, access to big city amenities (major airport, museums, shopping, restaurants) and lots of things to do and see).

 

We are heading back to New Jersey for Christmas in a few weeks, then again at the end of January for a wedding.  Our trip to Seattle is over President's day weekend in February.  I am thinking we have time for one other trip in March before I should stay put because of my May due date.  Where should we go?

Pregnant

Big news.  Baby #3 is on his or her way.  I'm due in May and we are excited (and simultaneously asking ourselves what have we done?).  We have told family but not yet the world. 

 

Can I just acknowledge that this pregnancy is kicking my ass?  My first was a walk in the park.  My second was incredibly easy but I felt it a bit more.  This time, I thought I might die.  Exhausted doesn't begin to cover it.  I felt like I had the flu for weeks on end.  I am starting to feel less nauseous and able to keep my eyes open after 8pm, so hopefully it will get easier.

 

Since we moved, I have a new OB and the new OB has super fancy, high tech ultrasound equipment.  I was asked last week whether I wanted to know the gender.  I paused for a moment at the irony because I would have killed for that opportunity so early on with each of my first two pregnancies.  This time, I said "No thank you.  We don't want to know" and the tech moved on to looking at the feet and arms.  I feel so fortunate to be carrying a healthy baby and I honestly will be equally happy with a boy or girl.  Besides the fact that knowing the gender won't make the slightest difference in how we prepare for this baby (because we won't really be preparing other than buying small diapers), I am excited to have PJO be the one to tell me boy or girl and to have that surprise to look forward to at delivery.

 

I'm pretty sure this will be our last so I'm trying to enjoy the pregnancy and the anticipation.  Relatively unsuccessfully so far.

God is Mormon

Back in June, a group of friends and I spent a few days exchanging emails and texts trying to coordinate dates, times and logistics so we could all go together to see the Book of Mormon when it came to Hollywood in the fall.   I have been looking forward to seeing this show since then.  Avenue Q was one of my favorite Broadway shows and I had heard equally great reviews about the Book of Mormon. We had tickets for the 6:30 show last night and planned to meet up with friends at a restaurant near the theater at 4:30.  My mom arrived to watch the kids at 3 and PJO and I set out shortly after 3:30.

 

We started talking about how we regretted buying my car (an American car) because we've had so many problems with it (mostly minor, all covered by warranty, but still annoying) and how we should have bought a foreign car because his Volkswagen hasn't had any problems in 4 years.  (NOTE TO SELF: don't ever tempt fate like that again).  Approximately 3 minutes later (when we were a grand total of 15 miles from home and still 30 miles from our destination), the check engine light flashed on and he felt like the engine was jerking.  We started pulling off the freeway and by the time we were on the off-ramp, the car was noticeably shaking and I could smell something burning.  By the time we were able to park in a shopping center parking lot, I saw thick, gray smoke coming out of the exhaust.

 

Fuck.  All I could think about was how I would be so bummed to miss this show (and forfeit our pricey tickets).  After unsuccessfully attempting to troubleshoot based on the owner's manual, we called Geico (which has roadside assistance).  We figured out where the nearest dealership was and arranged for the tow truck to take it there.  We found the only rental car company open on a Sunday evening and we were lucky enough to have a good friend come pick us up and take us there.  The first thing PJO said when our friend answered the phone was "I'm pretty sure God is Mormon.  Listen to this..." 

 

We missed dinner but managed to make it to the show only 10 minutes late and the theater still sat us right away (I guess they're used to rude Los Angelenos being late to everything).  The show was hilarious and the actors fabulous.  I think the songs were slightly less memorable than those from Avenue Q, but catchy nonetheless.

 

PJO talked to the dealership this morning and they said that now, his car wouldn't even start.  We still don't know what the problem is.  I'm guessing it's a classic case of shitisgoingtocostawholelotofmoneyandtakeaweektofix.  He also needs new tires.  I think I only want to lease cars in the future.

 

I'm really glad this happened when our kids weren't in the car and that it didn't blow up or stall out in the middle of the 12 lane freeway.  I'm also glad it didn't happen when I drive it to Arizona in two weeks for a friend's baby shower.  But I'm still a little peeved that it happened.  Not the best start to PJO's birthday week.