The Long Road Home

Wow. Yesterday was a really long day. I get tired just thinking about it!

Gus and I (and Gus' mom) were up at 4:30am to get ready and load the car. We woke the kids up, and were on the road by 5. We got to the airport in Long Beach a little bit before 6am, and were finally able to breathe once the bags were checked. The kids were so sleepy that they weren't much help. Carrying them in addition to all the luggage? Not so much fun! But we made it, and had a little time to relax before our flight left a little bit after 7.

But wait! There's more! We didn't have a direct flight coming back, so we had to fly to San Francisco first. That's only a one-hour flight, so it went by very quickly and without incident. Once we got off the plane at SFO, we started looking for the gate for our next flight... only to find that it was the very same gate we had just come out of. So... we saw very little of the airport! We were there for about two and a half hours. Everyone used the bathroom at some point, and the kids were highly entertained by the moving walkway (which I used as an opportunity to run them around a bit). Maya and I talked to another mom and her six-month-old baby girl, who Maya was infatuated with. It went by pretty quickly.

Then we got on the plane. The kids did great! About an hour into the flight, they both conked out...

Nikos slept for an hour, and Maya for closer to two. It was very peaceful. I watched a marathon of the show "Moonshiners" on the Discovery Channel (and kept watching it with one earbud in, even when she was awake). I had never heard of it before, but now I am sort of hooked. haha! I wonder what that stuff tastes like? Those guys sure get a lot of money for it!

We got into Boston right on time, and made our way down to the baggage claim. Gus was looking at his watch, and hoping our luggage would come out quickly so we could make the next bus. While we waited for the carousel to start moving, we asked the kids if they needed to use the bathroom. Nikos said yes, so he went. Maya didn't have to go. This all becomes relevant, trust me!

By some miracle, all three of our checked bags came out within the first few minutes. Hallelujah! We hauled booty over to the bus stop, where we learned that the bus hadn't come yet. Perfect! We were all set. And then... Maya had to go potty. Nooooooo!! I ran (literally. As fast as I could.) with her to the nearest bathroom, and ran back. I was sweating. And, of course, we missed the bus. Of course! I would like to say that it was no big deal, but I was tired. And MAD. But... we had no choice. We waited half an hour for the next one. It arrived a little after 8:30pm. I couldn't wait to get back to the bus station, get into our car, and go HOME!

The ride back to the station was uneventful. We got there, paid for our parking, and Gus went to pull the car up closer to the building (it was below freezing outside). Aaaand... the car wouldn't start. It was a combination of sitting for two weeks, combined with the cold temperatures. It just needed a jump start, but that meant waiting for a tow truck for 40 minutes. But it worked. We finally got home at 11pm. The kids went straight to bed, and I followed as soon as my body would let me. Longest day EVER!!!!

This morning, I didn't know what to expect. But both kids were up and eating breakfast by 7:30. I had a ton of errands to run (like getting groceries), and was really hoping they would be able to make it to preschool. And they did! Not only that, but it was warm enough outside that they got to play on the snow-covered playground. Which is pretty awesome when you're a kid! This was the scene when I went to pick them up (Maya is on the far right in the background). Proof that Nikos had a blast-- and that we are DEFINITELY not in California anymore, haha!

Last Day

Gus' dad took the day off today, wanting to spend more time with the kids. We started off by going to the mall so the kids could ride the merry-go-round. It had been switched out to be Christmas-themed, and was right next to where Santa was set up. Have I mentioned that my children are terrified of Santa??? Yeah... It wasn't so bad, until Santa had some free time and stood right up against the rail as we went around in circles. The kids weren't fans! They did like the merry-go-round, though, especially Maya-- she rode it twice!

We went out to lunch at McDonald's, then drove to ANOTHER McDonald's that had a play area, since that's what the kids really wanted to do. I shudder thinking about the germs (ick!), but they both had nice long baths tonight. I think they have been appropriately disinfected. And they had a blast! They made fast friends with a little boy there, and had a great time. And Maya liked her ice cream cone. Everyone was happy!

Gus' sister came by after work again, and we all had dinner together. Gus and I packed the suitcases. We still have a few things to squeeze in there in the morning, and I reeeeeally hope it will all fit. I honestly don't know! We can always mail it, if it doesn't fit, but I am feeling optimistic. Tomorrow is a long day of travel for us-- please keep us (and our sanity) in your thoughts! It has been amazing to be back in California these past two weeks, but it will also be good to get back into our daily routine. And see our pets again!

Back in The O.C.

Sunday afternoon was a quiet one. We stayed home, and the kids played in the yard. Gus' sister came over shortly after we arrived, and stayed until the kids went to bed. It was fun, and uneventful!

The next day, we went to have lunch at Papou's restaurant-- a big hit, as always!

From there, we went to the nearby park, and then to the Fun Zone out at the end of the Balboa Peninsula.

Both kids had a great time playing the arcade games, especially skee ball!

And Gus wrote the ferris wheel with his favorite little girl!

Once Nikos had earned an adequate number of tickets for a "decent" prize (not the one he really wanted, but alas...) we took the ferry across to Balboa Island! I hadn't been there in a long time.

We walked around and checked out the crazy Christmas decorations, which were just starting to go up. The boat parade goes right by these houses, so they get all decked out. We all especially loved this one house-- and this was just one little piece of it! It was so elaborate!!

And that was pretty much our day! Gus' sister came by for dinner after she got off work, so the kids got more quality time with their theia. And Gus and I went to go see a movie. Fun!

Saturday and Sunday

So... I am on a blogging spree tonight... In my last post, I mentioned that my parents' house was very full, and that my brother and his wife were sleeping on the living room couch. This presented an interesting situation when all the kids (first ours, then Colton) woke up fairly early on Saturday morning. I could hear them through our bedroom wall, and I felt sorry for my parents. Usually, the kids go to the living room with my dad (who is also an early riser). But my parents had all three kids corralled in their bedroom with them (and without any toys!). So... I got up, went down to investigate, and found this. hahaha!!!

Eventually, they took over the living room. And I snapped the bottom picture, which reminded me of a very similar picture I took two years ago. Same spot on the couch... but they look so much older!

Anyway... it was a fun day! Our little family unit (me, Gus, and the kids) went to have brunch with Nikos' godparents, which was great. The kids were their hilarious, chatty selves, and it didn't hurt that they were spoiled with gifts (small ones, thankfully!). After brunch, we zipped back to my parents' house just minutes after my aunt and uncle arrived to visit. They had been invited for Thanksgiving, but already had plans. Instead, they came on Saturday to see us all. It was a fun visit, as always!

And SOMEONE was feeling especially silly in the evening. I love this little guy!!

------------------------------- Sunday morning was a quiet one. The kids played with their cousin, until he left, and then it was time for us to pack our bags and move on. The highlight was playing out in the back yard, especially when my mom started shaking the nectarine tree and making the leaves fall off. All three of them loved dancing around in it!

And, after dealing with one especially cranky Nikos, we were able to get a decent picture of all three kiddos together. It will do, right?

From that point, we drove back to Gus' parents' house for the remainder of our trip. Stay tuned!

Thanksgiving and Black Friday

So... Big surprise: I'm behind on blogging! I am going to attempt to play catch-up tonight, our last night in California. It would be great to have this all done before we get home... So bear with me! I have tons of pictures!

So... Thanksgiving was a relatively quiet event. Both kids were in rare (naughty) form, and that was kind of frustrating. But Gus and I ended up having a quiet and SUPER delicious meal with my parents, where I ate and drank far too much. It was soooo tasty, though, I couldn't help myself!

Earlier in the day, though, we had watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in its entirety. Maya sort of came and went and played with toys, but Nikos was captivated! It was the first time in years that I got to watch it without someone begging to change the channel! Nikos especially loved the Spider-Man and Sonic the Hedgehog balloons, as well as the Power Rangers performance.

The following day, commonly referred to as Black Friday, was spent avoiding just about every retail establishment, haha! We all went together to take the kids to the duck pond. The best part was actually the seagulls. They saw us tossing bread to the ducks, and would hover in the air above us, trying to dive in for the interception!

We did manage to actually feed some ducks, too:

At around lunch time, my mom and I bravely ventured out to a nearby big box store... only to find it no busier than any other day! I bought a few small things for Christmas, but that was it. Later in the afternoon, we took the kids to the park down the street. Nikos, who complains about walking there ("It's soooooo faaaaaar!") had no problem riding the old tricycle all the way down. haha!

And then, when it was just about time for dinner, my brother and his family arrived! The kids were beside themselves to play with Colton again (he seemed pretty happy, too). They picked right up where they left off in August. It was so fun to see them together! And then they all took a bath together, too. :)

After that, it was bedtime for the kids and, eventually, the adults. Such a full house! Nikos and Maya shared a room (two twin beds), Colton slept in the pack 'n play in the office, Gus and I had a room, my parents were in their room, and Grant and Melissa slept on the fold out couch in the living room. Which brings me to the first picture of my next post... in a few minutes!

Back "Home"

We went back to our old neighborhood today, since the kids have been begging to see Bonnie for months. MONTHS! Bonnie was our old next-door neighbor, and was the kids' daycare provider from the time I had to go back to work with each of them (around 10 weeks) until we moved away last year. For a while now, they have been telling me all the things they were going to say to her. And, wouldn't you know it? They clammed up. They would hardly say a word to her, until it was time for us to go! Crazy kids!!

Meanwhile, Gus and I had fun visiting with Bonnie and her husband, and she filled us in on the people who bought our old house. They ripped out a lot of the plants in the back yard, including all of the mature rosebushes and the huge fig tree. I think that's kind of crazy, but I have to keep reminding myself: it's not our house anymore! And I have tons of pictures of how it looked, and that is how I will continue to envision it in my mind. It's so weird to think about another family living there. They have a little boy, who was actually at Bonnie's house for daycare today. I wonder if he has Nikos' old room? On second thought, I don't want to know. Too weird!

Anyway... I took pictures of the kids with Bonnie before we left, and thought it was funny to look at the last photo they have with her-- from their last day of daycare. Maya still has those same jeans, but they are a few inches too SHORT! She has stretched out so much! Nikos, too, but Maya's growth is really apparent here. She looks so little in the top picture!

After that, we zipped over to a local McDonald's, where we met up with some of my old coworkers! It was kind of last-minute, and I am positive that I forgot to include some people in the email (OOPS!), but I'm glad we were able to see a few people, at least. Hopefully it won't take an entire year before we come back to visit again. But I have really missed seeing these faces every day! (and that tall kid on the far right? She is my coworker's daughter, and she was my student a few years ago. How they manage to keep GROWING just baffles me!!)

Anyway, it was a morning of lovely visits with some of the people we've missed. And we left just in time, as the freeway was starting to fill up with people getting away for the long weekend. We got back, the kids went to the park, and I baked the pie for tomorrow. A little boy I know is very excited to eat it! I can't wait!

Today

Both kids slept until about 6am! A personal best on this vacation, haha! After everyone was up and fed and dressed, we walked down the road to the neighborhood park. We hung out there for a while and watched the kids play, and I was surprised to discover that it was only 8:30am. So much earlier than I thought! I guess my body is still adjusting to the time change. Oh well, at least we're productive!

Once we got back, the kids decorated the Christmas tree. Yes, it's still early, but my parents wanted to let them do it while they're here. And I am pretty sure they will be doing the same thing at Gus' parents' house when we go back in a few days. I think it turned out pretty nicely!

Later on, the kids made sugar cookies with my mom, and played out in the yard quite a bit. And then, for dinner, the kids and I went to an old friend's house. She and her boys were there, along with another friend and her three kids. Both my friends were pregnant when we moved away, and this was my first chance to meet their baby boys (pictured below). They were both SO adorable! I got lots of baby snuggles!!!

And that was our day! The kids went to bed later than usual. Maya was asleep before I could even read her a bedtime story, and Nikos threw sort of a tantrum about not wanting to sleep... before he ultimately gave in and went peacefully. Here's hoping they sleep in again tomorrow!

Vacations within vacations...

Gus and I spent the last few days all by ourselves in lovely Del Mar, while the kids stayed with his parents. It was a win-win situation for everyone: he and I got to spend time together, which hasn't happened in forever (especially since he travels so often), and the kids got to spend quality time with their yiayia and papou (and theia, too). And, as anticipated, a great time was had by all!

They didn't go out and about a whole lot while we were gone, choosing instead to stay home and play there. But they did go to the zoo yesterday! Here are just a few pictures that I emailed myself from their phones. I think it's safe to say that they had fun!

Meanwhile... Gus and I drove about an hour away down to gorgeous Del Mar. Our hotel was literally ON the beach. GORGEOUS! The very first thing we did was go for a walk on the sand. Perfect!

Then we went for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, just a short walk from the hotel. Actually, we have celebrated our anniversary at this restaurant almost every year since we got married. Not this past year, obviously, since we moved across the country. But we chose to pretend it was our anniversary. We even shared some hula pie, just like we did on our honeymoon in Maui (when we went to another restaurant owned by the same company, with a similar menu). And yes, I took a picture of it. It was DELICIOUS! I just about exploded from all the good food, but it was worth it!

The next day, we decided to do something we rarely ever get to do: go see movies! We stopped and got a quick bite at Starbucks, and then went to see the new Twilight movie (which we both enjoyed more than we thought we would). Then we had lunch at In-N-Out. Soooooo gooooood! My tummy was very happy. I missed this!

After that, we went to see the new James Bond movie. I liked it, and Gus thought it dragged a bit. I can sort of see that, but I still enjoyed it. And let me tell you, it felt really luxurious to see two movies in the theater in the same day! That's about what we usually see in an entire year!

We drove back to the hotel just in time to watch the sun set. Gorgeous!

We sat on the deck and watched it sink below the horizon. The lady sitting by us had a glass of wine and a book. If we ever go back there, that will be me! It was a perfect spot to just sit and relax!

Later on, we went out to dinner, this time at a much more casual place. It was a lot of fun, though, and the food was great. And we got back just in time to watch The Amazing Race-- one of the few shows I actually follow! Whew!

This morning, we checked out, drove back to Gus' parents' house, ate lunch, and headed off to my parents' house for a few days. The fun continues!

Go back two posts, now look at this

Repeat after me: ahhhhhhh...

So, we are back in sunny Southern California. And while the snow has long since melted in Central Mass, it is still (to quote Maya) "a bit cold." Most days have been in the 40s, with the occasional dip into the 30s and a few days where it hit sixty. We are well on our way to winter, a season which really doesn't exist in California. Actually, most seasons don't really exist here. At least not in the way you think they might. Today was around 70 degrees and kind of tropical-feeling. Perfect, if you ask me!

Anyway... our big travel day was yesterday, and I am pleased to report that the kids did very well! Maya was a year older than the last time she flew on a plane, and it showed (thankfully!). She did chatter at me incessantly for four hours before suddenly conking out against my arm, but she wasn't disruptive to any other passengers (whew!). It was very late for us when we got to California, and she woke up in a bad mood when the plane landed, but both kids were loopy and giggly when we got into the car to drive home to Gus' parents' house. It was an interesting night for sleep, and both kids decided to start their days at 5am this morning, but Gus' mom was kind enough to get up with them and let us sleep in. And sleep in we did! We didn't get up until 7:30, which felt downright luxurious (10:30am, on Eastern time!). That was a really nice way to start our day!

We spent most of the day hanging out at home, before going to lunch at the family restaurant and then walking across the street from there to the beach (where that first photo was taken). The kids enjoyed getting reacquainted with Yiayia and Papou's back yard. Nikos even went and got the hose all by himself to fill the fountain. They were very happy to be back!

Just before dinner, Gus' sister came by, and the kids got to spend quality time with their Theia-- who they haven't seen since we moved! They were very happy to play with her and snuggle... It was so sweet!

The rest of our trip promises to be great, and I have high hopes that their sleep patterns will be a lot more normal after tonight. Fingers crossed!

Conversations With My Boy

Two random conversations with my boy from today. He says so many funny things, and I can never seem to remember the details! But they give you a little glimpse into his personality. He's got some strong opinions for a five-year-old!

Nikos: I don't like girls. They're icky!
Me: But I'm a girl. And so is your sister...
Nikos: I mean, I don't like girls who aren't in our family. I only like boys who aren't in our family.
Me: What about Chloe? You play with her all the time.
Nikos: Yeah...
Me: So do you like her? Is she your friend?
Nikos: Yeah, she's my friend. But I don't really like girls.

6:30am... Nikos comes and climbs into bed with me, like he's been doing lately. For the record, he actually thinks it's 6:00, since I changed the clock in his room to buy myself an extra 30 minutes of sleep. It apparently works!

Nikos: Mommy, what are we doing today?
Me: Go to sleep. I'm sleeping. Talk later.
Nikos: Oh, okay... (a few minutes pass) I had the funniest dream last night! I thought I was a Power Ranger! hehe!
Me: Tell me later. Go to sleep.
Nikos: I don't want to tell you later, I want to tell you now!
Me: Niko, don't you LIKE to sleep?
Nikos: No... Well, I like it a little bit in the night. But it takes soooooo loooong. It's so boring!
Me: I like sleep. I don't think it's boring at all.
Nikos: Well, I do. And... hey LOOK! It's seven-zero-zero on Daddy's clock! Time to get up!
Me: *sigh*

Snow Day

It wasn't technically a snow day for us-- but we made it one! The public schools had a two-hour delay, which meant that some of the preschool programs were cancelled. The morning preschool class was not, but it was left up to our discretion as to whether or not we brought our kids. But I already knew the answer-- the kids were DYING to go outside and play in the few inches of snow that had accumulated overnight. And I decided that, today, playing in the snow was the best possible thing they could do. I want them to be well-rounded, after all! Sometimes the best classroom is the one in your own back yard! :)

As soon as I had fueled myself with coffee, we got all our snow gear on and headed out. Because it was only a thin layer of powder, it wasn't very good for sledding. It was, however, EXCELLENT snow for construction! We built a fort, launched snowballs, and made one very impressive snowman. It was so much fun! We were outside for about an hour, and would have been out there much longer if it hadn't started raining. It was perfect weather for playing outside-- right around 32 degrees, so not as cold as it could have been. Sadly, most of the snow has now turned to slush, and our large snowman is a decapitated mess. Still, they had a total blast. And bonus: they were both so much better at getting their snow gear on this year! It wasn't nearly the production that it has been in the past. Which meant more time to enjoy the snow. Hooray!

First Snow!

It snowed all afternoon, and it's still going! We're only supposed to get a few inches, but I suppose we will know the truth in the morning. Here's hoping I don't need to clear the driveway! It sure is pretty, though. :)

Election Night!

Four years ago, I voted by myself on my way home from teaching. Nikos was only a year old, at daycare, and Maya was still only a few months in utero.

Today, I got to share the experience with BOTH my babies! They, especially Nikos, were so much more into it than I thought they would be. I had prepared them to stand in line for a while, since our town only has two polling locations, and I knew that ours had been crowded when my neighbor-friend had gone. And yet, it was practically empty when we went! We were in and out in only a few minutes, much to the disappointment of Nikos. Seriously-- he complained that "voting was way too short!"

On a more positive note, our polling place was the local library... and the children's librarian (who we all love) decided to set up a little polling area for the kids. So after I was done, we went to the table, they chose their ballots, and I told them which little bubble to fill in (yes, I manipulated the vote... haha!). It was such a silly little thing, but it sparked SUCH interest in Nikos. He kept asking all day if "our guy" was going to win. I took it as a teachable moment to explain very basic differences in platform between "our guy" and the other one. He was so funny... he tends to see things as very black and white. And he instantly decided that the other guy was a BAD guy. I had to explain that he just had different ideas, and that I didn't agree with those ideas... but that it didn't make him a "bad guy." I'm not sure how much of that he heard-- he was determined to make sure that our guy won!

I told him that we wouldn't know the winner until very, very late tonight (far later than we would on the West Coast!), but that we could find out together first thing in the morning. And the kid BEGGED to stay up. And watch the news!!!! Anyone who knows Nikos knows that he hates the news with a passion (and he considers any non-kid programming "the news"). We watched the news together for a bit before he went to bed, so he could see some of the early returns. And he was really into it! I was floored!

Anyway, results aside (since we don't know what they are), I was really proud of my little citizen today. Maya was great, too, but she's younger... she just wasn't as into it as Nikos was. But boy, was he excited about it! I really hope our guy DOES win, because I feel like our little guy will be devastated if he doesn't. At least he already won in our (very blue) state. :)

Halloween, Part 2

Tonight, we trick-or-treated in our own town! Caryn brought her kids over earlier, and she and I stuffed them with pizza before driving over to my friend Angela's house. Our town is very interesting... there are a lot of VERY old houses (like ours), and then there are these brand-spanking new developments. The town has had a huge population boom over the past ten years, so it makes sense. Anyway, Angela lives in one of the newer developments. The houses are a little closer together, there's a sidewalk, etc.-- it's pretty good for trick-or-treating, though it is hilly (like most of our town! I swear, everything here is a hill. Nothing is level!).

We got to Angela's house, and her boys were itching to get going! She has twins that are in kindergarten, and who were on Nikos' t-ball team this past year. Nikos adores the twins-- he was SO EXCITED to go trick-or-treating with them! And one of the twins even had the exact same costume as he did. So he was twins with a twin, haha!

At any rate... it was MUCH colder than Wednesday night was... just over 40 degrees out. BRRR! The kids had layers and layers underneath their costumes, but Maya still said she wanted her jacket. And they just didn't last as long as they did the other night-- partly, I think, because it was so cold, and partly because it was hilly. But they still had fun! We also encountered two other moms from Maya's dance class (who apparently live around the corner from Angela) and another mom friend from Nikos' t-ball team. It was the place to be, apparently! And the kids... there were so many of them! Nikos was scared of a few costumes, and didn't like some of the more elaborate Halloween decorations. I don't know what is up with him lately, but it seems like he is scared of everything! It's frustrating, but we just worked around it.

One thing that was really funny was "tired Maya." I think she was really tired-- maybe she didn't get enough sleep last night? But she would go up to a door with the group, say "trick or treat," get her candy, say thank you, and then... stand there. Everyone else would leave. But she would stand there looking inside people's houses, kind of in a daze! Poor, silly girl! Before too long, I was carrying her bucket and, eventually, her. Her little eyelids were drooping the minute we got in the car. I think she will sleep well tonight!

Anyway, I didn't take many pictures because it was so cold, and didn't get any group ones because we basically hit the ground running. But there were eight kids all total: a twelve-year-old, two six-year-olds, two five-year-olds, a three-year-old, a two-year-old, and a one-year-old. And we survived! The candy overload continues!

On one final note... I didn't get a picture, but Maya wanted to be Cinderella tonight instead of Minnie Mouse. So she got to wear the outfit my parents bought her for her birthday (here's an old pic). She was SO CUTE! I loved it!! Even under her jacket, haha!