You take the good, you take the bad...

/
We are a few short weeks away from trading in this California paradise for the humidity, bugs, and snow that make the Midwest so charming. I am very excited to go, and am feeling very optimistic about the changes we are about to face. But in light of all these changes, I thought I'd make a little list to help make it easier to go (and because a girl can never have too many lists. I know, you get that I love lists. Tough.)

Things I will not miss when I leave California:
  • May Gray (the annoying phenomenon that occurs every year in which the sun does not come out for the entire month of May - and can sometimes stretch into what the locals call "June Gloom." Yes, I know you don't feel sorry for me, but still. Gray is gray, no matter what else you get all year long).
  • Having my kids bump the doors of the Bentley parked next to us at the grocery store (accidentally, of course) and then running like mad when the alarm goes off. (WHY spend that much money on a car? WHY? I just don't get it).
  • House hunting for tiny shoe-box houses that cost a million dollars.
  • Living in this rental condo.
  • Having no yard in which to send the children out to.
  • Govehnuh Ahnold on the t.v. commercials shouting exuberantly while flashing his big, toothy grin, "Welcome to Caleeeefohnya."
  • Living within the jurisdiction of the Governor Terminator. Seriously.
  • Hanging out with all the Spanish nannies at the park.
  • The ridiculously high gas prices (we're about the highest in the nation on average, and I just grit my teeth every time I fill up my big, gas-guzzling SUV).
  • The massive amount of money I spend on sunscreen (especially great given that the elementary school does not contain an indoor cafeteria. Something I never knew existed. The kids eat lunch outside. Every day. All year long.)
  • Picking my husband up at the airport late Friday night with sleepy kids in the backseat.
  • Dropping my husband off at the airport Sunday afternoon and counting the seconds until he's back again.

Things I will greatly miss here in Caleeeefohnya:

  • The beach (did I mention that we live about three minutes from the ocean? Did I? Sigh.)
  • All that lovely year-round sunshine (except for May and June obviously).
  • Sea World and The Zoo. Seriously just the best.
  • Cheap pedicures.
  • All the friends we've made.
  • Sbicca in Del Mar (one of my favorite restaurants here).
  • Outdoor shopping malls. Yes, in which you can walk and shop outside all year long. Yet another thing I never knew existed until we moved here.
  • Absolutely fantastic Mexican food.
  • In-N-Out Burger.
  • Fresh avocados at roadside farm stands (20 avocados for two bucks - I'm not kidding).
  • The beach.
  • Not shoveling snow all winter.
  • Not even owning a single snow boot, mitten, or winter hat. (Because I gleefully threw them all out when we left Boston).
  • Swimming in our outdoor pool in January. And loving it.
  • The beach.
  • The beach.
  • Calling our landlord when something breaks and letting it be THEIR problem.
  • Perfectly, gloriously, boring weather in which it is 75 every day and sunny (almost - curse that MAY GRAY).
  • The palm trees. I just never got over them. They are so cool.

We have made some wonderful memories. It's been a fantastic year and we will truly miss it here. But, adventure calls us elsewhere. Thanks for a great year Caleeeefohnya. WE'LL BE BACK (at least to visit, for sure).

my great vocal talents

/
I was driving in the car with Hannah today. We were running some errands and she asked me to turn on some "nuusic," as she calls it (I totally love it that she still says some words wrong). I asked her what she wanted to listen to, and her request was "the Christine nuusic," (for those of you that don't speak Hannah fluently, it means the Phantom of the Opera). So I put the CD on for her. After a few minutes, I'm getting my Phantom groove on and I start singing along - fairly loud and enthusiastically, I might add.

She had been singing as well, but stopped suddenly and said, "You can just turn it off now. I don't like it when you sing."

Christie through the years

/
My Dad (or who shall now be called He Who Gets No Presents Because He Emails Bad Pictures) sent me some classic moments in my history. And I am nothing, if not totally into making fun of myself. So indulge me, dear internets, on a little look back through time:


A girl can dream, can't she? Little did I know that it would take several years and thousands of dollars in plastic surgery before I'd fill one of those out. Sad, sad, sad.

"Me likey these super cool green goggles. They go so well with my ruffled peasant shirt and my sporty reversible vest. These will look super good when I go out at recess with my friends and we do handstands on the back fence in our dresses." (Yes, that is what I did. We always loved it when the truck drivers would honk. YIKES).

"I don't get why all the girls my age want to dress up for Halloween and be dumb princesses or fairies. I think one can best draw positive attention by cross dressing as a homeless person. That is a surefire way NOT to get teased in the easily-forgiven world that is fifth grade."

"Oh my gawsh. Like how much longer do I like have to spend with my FAMILY looking at these stupid airplanes? I like SOOO have to get out of here and get home cause maybe a Boy called and like I might miss it. Plus, I've totally got this new Erasure tape that I can't wait to put in my boom box and listen to while I think about ways to make my hair like more bigger and more crunchier. Plus, all this like fresh air is like totally making my bangs go FLAT."

"Man, it only took me two hours in the bathroom to get my hair this big and I am lovin' it. And I am so glad I figured out that wearing a sofa pattern as a shirt is like so RAD. I mean, big, floral prints don't make you look wide at all. Wait! Don't take the picture yet. I don't have enough lipstick on. Somebody hand me some Wet-n-Wild, STAT! Okay. I'm ready. Hurry, okay? Cause like 90210 starts in like 30 minutes and I so need to find out if Donna and David are finally going to do it."

So there you have it...me in my finest moments. I share these with you only to illustrate JUST HOW ATTRACTIVE I AM NOW, people. I have come a long way. And no, I don't do handstands in dresses anymore. And I do spend a lot of time in the bathroom, only it's making sure my hair is neither big, nor crunchy.

And yes, I still think I'm like totally awesome.


Bring it on

/
It is true. I got in. To this.

Again.

I did it in 2004 and for some reason (that reason being my brothers, Daniel and Matt) I am going for round two. It will be awesome to get to that place where I get in the running zone, feel my body push beyond what it wants to do, and cross that finish line with success. Last time we did it in 5 hours and 7 minutes. I finished a tenth of a second ahead of my brother. We were nearing the finish line and I just started sprinting for it, leaving him in the dust. I was exhausted and beat up, and needed to be done. Not to be left behind, Daniel picked up the pace as well, but my shoe tag crossed before his. Just BARELY before.

Our goal this year? 4 hours and 30 minutes is my target. Truthfully, I'll be happy with anything as long as it's faster than last time.

Daniel has already warned me that I WILL NOT be finishing ahead of him. He's booking it once we have the finish line in sight. Bring it on, bruthah. Game ON!