Things I Miss

I can not express how happy we are to be back in Ohio, in our own home. It's been three months now (in case you missed how long I haven't posted). I could carry on about all of the things we missed. But there are a few things I miss about our time in California

A Good Morning - it's a breakfast and lunch place that is absolutely yummy. They had a machine that makes fresh squeezed orange juice. The omelets were divine. Chris loved their eggs benedict. There were Mickey Mouse pancakes for the kids. It was just fabulous. Except for the fact that it was a little small and crowded. We usually timed it right to not end up waiting for a table but by the end of our meal there would be a people lined up next to the door waiting for seats.

Squirrels - we don't have any squirrels here in our Ohio neighborhood. It's something I've always had around growing up and it feels weird not to look out and see a couple racing across the yard. For all of the rotten things about the house we rented in California, it did have some nice wildlife. Of course there were also rats and snakes and we once found a dead vole, but I once found a half eaten rabbit in our yard here. Anyway, the hummingbirds and squirrels were nice while we were there. The squirrels were particularly entertaining because it quickly became clear that it was gray squirrels versus black squirrels. There was chasing and leaping and chattering.

The Gym - since I didn't work (with the exception of tutoring over Skype during naptime) I didn't have much to do. We eventually developed a routine to our week and part of that routine was going to the gym. There was a kids room there with someone to watch over the kids while I worked out. Xander and Josie loved Jasmine and asked about her several times when we left. There was a plethora of cardio and lifting equipment. After some trial and error, we ended up going in the mornings three times a week. Two of those days I would attend Body Pump and the last day I would attend Zumba if there was a different instructor than the regular. The regular instructor drove me nuts. Some days I'd even go sit in the jacuzzi and relax. Between the pregnancy and not going to the gym, I feel like I've really regressed with my health since we've come back.

The Car Wash - I know there are plenty of car washes here, but they are all automatic with no one to work it. It was a little more expensive (okay, let's face it, everything was a little more expensive) but it was fun going to a fully manned car wash and seeing everyone doing their part. The penny horse for the kids and the free popcorn also added to the experience.

The Parks - while there were no parks close enough to walk to, there were many small parks with playgrounds in driving distance that I could probably spend a month going to them all. Part of our weekly routine was going to the park two or three afternoons a week. At first I was annoyed because they all had sand which would get into pockets and shoes and make a mess in the car and at home but I adjusted. It was rare for there not to be other kids and their mom/grandmother/nanny playing, so there was always someone to have a little chat with. We even met one family that we became good friends with at one of the playgrounds. The weather rarely became bad enough to stay home and since our house was so small it was nice to get out.