Breaking the News September 18, 2009

When the Hubs and I found out we were pregnant, Mom was out-of-state visiting Sister in NYC while Hubs & I stayed home with Dad. Keeping it a secret was pretty easy and we loved having it be “our” secret. Eventually we decided it was time to tell our folks. As timing would have it, Mom would be home the week of Father’s Day so we decided Sunday, June 21st would be the day to share our wonderful news. We had plans to go out for a Father’s Day dinner celebration and figured we would tell them then but our excitement got the better of us. We opted to have Dad open his presents earlier in the day at home rather than later at the dinner.

To tell them the good news, I had purchased a cheesy t-shirt and hat that said “World’s Greatest Grandpa” across it. I wrapped it in a large box with a pretty bow along with some other gifts to open before the big one. Dad opened his movie tickets and then a gift certificate to one of his favorite restaurants. Time came to open the last large box. As Dad opened it, he was thoroughly confused and appeared not to be catching on. The Hubs and I looked at each and kept waiting. Then, Mom piped in and was like, “Is that a joke because that could really be mean.” Our reply was of course it’s not. Then Mom said, “well, the only way it wouldn’t be is if it means what it really means but it doesn’t.” To which we replied, “well it means what it means! We’re pregnant!” Mom & Dad were seriously confused and after a minute of letting the news sink in, they were beyond ecstatic.

Mom and Dad wanted to tell Sister right away so Mum took a picture of Dad holding up his Grandpa shirt on her cell and sent it to Sister. Sister calls and says, “What is that… did someone send that to Dad as a joke for Father’s Day?” Um, no! At this point Sister is on speaker phone so we all yell the good news to her which rendered her speechless for the first time in her life. Seriously, dead silence for 30 seconds and after we confirmed she was still on the line, she was like, “What? There’s a baby in your belly? You’re having a baby?!” Yes! Yes! Yes! To which congratulatory cheers were yelled and Sister got back to her crazy, chatty self.

After sharing the news with my family, we were on the phone to the Hub’s parents to continue our Father’s Day baby announcement. We were of course showered with more congratulatory wishes.

Dad has already decided we’re having a boy and corrects anyone who dares to call the baby a girl. It’s kind of funny and cute that he’s so keen on a boy. Maybe after having to deal with my Mom, Sister and I for so long, he’s ready to have a little buddy to pal around with for a while.

The Cat is Out of the Bag September 15, 2009

Since the news is circulating, I might as well make our big announcement here: my husband and I are expecting our first baby on February 23, 2010! See, didn’t I tell you I had more exciting news to share!

Hubby and I are going to be parents which is somewhat scary but oh so thrilling at the same time. We’re ready and while we have had a lot going on between packing up and moving from California to Boston, looking for a house to buy and now preparing for a baby, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Although, I wish the morning sickness would just disappear already. Seriously, I’m 17 weeks and I’m still sick EVERY. SINGLE. DAY., several times a day. I’m told it’s all worth it in the end, which, I’m sure it is. I guess it’s a small price to pay for a bundle of joy to call my own.

So there you go, that’s our “big” news and mostly the main reason I took a break from the blog. Between trying to pack for the move and dealing with the morning all day sickness, I was just too lethargic to blog. Now it’s time to get caught up as I’m hoping the worst is almost over. (Wishful thinking I’m sure).

Don’t worry, the baby won’t completely take over the blog but in the near future there might be a few more baby posts than normal. I’ll also blog about other fun stuff, too, because life is colorful and full of adventure. After all, I do like to keep a written log of my life and hope that one day this little bebe will have this blog to look back on and see how cool his/her parents were!

Road Trip September 9, 2009

After we said all of our goodbyes to our friends and family in California, it was time to hit the road. We loaded up our car with the essentials and left the rest behind in storage- to pick up and transport once we have purchased a house. For now, we are renting a furnished apartment so all of our stuff was not needed.

Armed with our trusty GPS, a few audio books for our listening pleasure and our snack bag full of road trip treats, we were on our merry way and ready to conquer the great open roads of the U.S. Of course, California didn’t disappoint without sending us off with one last major traffic jam to sit through. Despite the hour delay right off the bat, the rest of our trip went relatively smoothly. Although, come to think of it, every state we drove through was under construction thanks to The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Luckily, it didn’t cause too many delays. A few times during our drive, we had to outrun some nasty summer storms that were bearing down on our route, but all in all, we were treated to mostly sunny skies and smooth sailing… until we reached Massachusetts.

As a big welcome back to the Bay State, we were greeted with a tire blow out at dusk. We Hubs attempted to change our tire and did a great job until he got to the last center bolt… no matter what, it wouldn’t turn. Off I went to ring our insurance company for some mechanical support. After waiting an hour because the tow truck couldn’t find us, help arrived and by this time it was pitch dark. Turns out the reason Hubs couldn’t get the last bolt off was because it’s a security feature to prevent tire theft and can only be removed with a special part that gets attached to some high tech drill. After unpacking our ENTIRE car and scouring it for the magical attachment part, we couldn’t find it… even the mechanic tore our car apart and couldn’t find anything. At this point it was getting desperate and the mechanic said we were going to need a tow to a garage and wait it out overnight until we can get in to our car’s dealership for service. Of course, he’s telling us this isn’t covered by insurance anymore and we’re going to need four new tires and what not. Determined not to give up, Hubs took one more look in the trunk all the way in the back crack where the back seats and trunk meet. What do you know? There was the little bugger! Alleluia! Woo hoo! The magic attachment piece is put in to action, tire removed, dummy tire applied and off we went to our new home… driving no more than 50 miles an hour on the highway. Yes, everyone honked at us and probably cursed us out even if we were in the slow lane. Hey, it’s not my fault you can’t go more than 50 mph on our spare tire. We arrived after 10pm to our new home and crashed. We finally made it. The next morning, we were up early to replace all four tires. So glad my super duper car service I had done BEFORE we left California helped us avoid our blow out… pft!  I even asked them if our tires would be okay, do we need new ones, etc… “Oh no, they’re fine. You’ll make it there no problems.”

In any event, driving across country was fun and it was amazing to see the changing landscapes and talk with people along the way. Driving through the middle of the country, it seems like such a different world, a different way of life compared to the lifestyles and environments on the coasts. Yes, there was lots of corn… fields and fields of corn for most of our journey but still, it struck me at how beautiful each state is in its own way.  I especially enjoyed Iowa- the gentle rolling green hills, small farms dotting the countryside, it was just beautiful and almost makes me want to move there and run my own farm. Driving across country is something I think everyone should do at some point in their life. I consider myself lucky we had the opportunity.

Without further delay, some photos from our road trip:

35 Years On August 31, 2009

Today Mom and Dad celebrate 35 years of marriage. I consider myself lucky to have parents that have been together so long and weathered the many ups and downs that come with marriage. I think it’s even more impressive when you consider they met on a blind date. We’ve all heard about or had our own blind date horror stories but lucky for Mom and Dad, they were meant to be.

Their first date happened the day after Christmas in 1971. Mom and Dad were set up by their mutual friends, Diane and Kenny, and they all met at a piano bar at a hotel in Somerville, Massachusetts. Originally Mom didn’t want to meet Dad because the first date was scheduled for New Year’s Eve and involved a stay over in a hotel. Mom being the good Catholic girl that she is said NO WAY! After some hounding from her friend, Mom agreed to join the three of them at the piano bar where they all spent 10 hours singing songs and enjoying the evening. As the saying goes, the rest is history and 35 years later, Mom and Dad have two lovely daughters (if I do say so myself) and built a fantastic life together.

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad. We love you!

Catching Up August 26, 2009

It just might be time to start getting back in to the blogging thing, again. I’ve been on a bit of a self-imposed hiatus because really, things were just so crazy with everything going on and unfortunately, I just just didn’t have the extra time or effort. Something had to give… the blog it was.

And, it’s not that things have totally calmed down at all. In fact, I think they’re only going to get even more crazy but hopefully I’ll have a little more energy and time to devote to the blog because I really do love keeping a written history, so-to-speak. Of course there are you, my loyal readers, who have been checking on the blog and wondering what’s going on. So, without further delay, I’ll slowly start filling you in on some of the going ons in our life… one blog entry at a time.

One of the “big” bit of news is that the Hubs and I have permanently returned to my home state of Massachusetts. After much deliberation and taking into account my Dad’s health situation, it just made sense to make Boston our home. In an ideal world, Mom & Dad will sell the California house and return to Boston to be closer to family, friends, good hospitals and doctors. The market being what it is right now, the move for them might have to wait, but hopefully good fortune will be upon them and things will move along sooner rather than later. The hubs and I spent 14 months living with Mom and Dad to help caregive but the time had come for the Hubs and I to get back to us. As hard as it was to say goodbye and the stress and worry if they’re going to be okay can be overwhelming at times, we take comfort in knowing we’ll always be there for my parents- no matter the distance or any obstacles. I thank my lucky stars that I have married a special man that has the patience, respect and good nature to deal with such a difficult situation and all that it entails… but that’s a post for another time.

Another reason to move to Boston, to be honest, is because we were looking for a city that would provide us with a similar lifestyle to what we once had in Sydney.  In order for that to happen, the city had to have charm and history, be near the water, have good public transportation, be considered walkable, have its share of mom and pop corner stores and cafes to frequent, have close proximity to arts and culture and have a lovely neighborhood/community feel. We thought about Seattle, New York City and Chicago for instance, but in the end, we came back to Boston. We know Boston is not going to be exactly like Sydney, but for American cities, I think it’s probably the closest match up and the best we’re going to get without returning to our beloved Sydney.

You see, when we lived in Sydney, we did not have a car for over three years. We took public transport everywhere and walked everywhere. We had Sydney Harbour literally right out our front door and cute little clothing boutiques, locally owned specialty food markets and cafes, a fish & chiper, a produce market, a butcher, a baker and a fish monger, a farmer’s market, a chemist, a book store, postal office and more at our fingertips. It was so ideal and such a smart way to plan a neighborhood around walking and local businesses. We really miss not having this in the US. Instead it’s strip malls and Walmarts and massive developments that make you drive everywhere and sit on the highway for hours stuck in traffic. The little guy is being driven out and frankly, I think it’s a bit sad. Fortunately, I think we can find some of Sydney in Boston.

So now the hunt is on for the right area of Boston, the right neighborhood and ultimately, the right house to buy. Purchasing our first home is exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. It’s such a huge investment, a major commitment and ultimately, it will shape the next several years of our lives. Added to all that is a bit of stress and wonder of how the Hubs will like Boston. Being a California guy, he has never lived in Boston or anywhere that experiences cold winters. He has never had to deal with a negative windchill factor, ice storms, the flurry of snow storms and all it horrible glory like shoveling, de-icing the car and dealing with the grocery store madness as everyone rushes to stock up on groceries because of an impending storm- all thanks to the left over fear from the Blizzard of ‘78. Yes, it’s fun times ahead and hopefully the novelty of freezing, bitter cold and snow leaves the Hubs all giddy with excitement like a 5 year old kid experiencing their first White Christmas.

Well, that’s the long and the short for now. There’s much more to come including our across country adventure, weddings, family camping trips and another “big” bit of news. See, I keep you wanting for more!

Don’t Worry… August 21, 2009

I’m alive! It’s been just about one month since my last blog entry. I swear, I’ll be getting back to the blogging scene real soon- maybe even next week- with exciting news and fun updates. Right now it’s just been crazy busy among other things so the blog has been put on the back burner. Don’t fret, there’s lots to catch up on.

I promise, it’s worth the wait… so stay tuned!

She’s Here! July 22, 2009

Sister arrived safe and sound today after holidaying in New Zealand. We’ve been catching up about her trip, gossiping about our hometown goss and filling our bellies with delicious pizza! I must say, there is certainly nothing better than having the whole family together again. So, sorry to quickly post and run but quality time with Sis and the fam is top priority!

Less Blogging July 15, 2009

For those that follow this blog, you may have noticed that I haven’t been blogging as much. Well, it’s true. I’m slacking in my blogging duties but it’s not for a lack of good reasons. Reasons that will eventually come to light in the very near future. Until then, I will keep you all in suspense and maybe I’ll even do a few updates here and there… just to keep you coming back for more.

Happy Independence Day July 4, 2009

A very happy 4th of July to all.

May your day be filled with family, friends, BBQ’s and fireworks.

Happy Birthday, America.

Die Hard = Awesome Wife June 29, 2009

To escape the obscene 115 degree heat yesterday, the Husband and I resorted to staying cool indoors by watching 80’s movies on the tele. Little did I know that watching Die Hard (1988) would lead to a surprising realization by the Hubs.

As we were watching Die Hard, our conversation went down something like this:

Me: Don’t you just love Christmas movies in the heat of the summer. It makes me forget how hot it actually is outside.

Hubs: Wow, you’re an awesome wife.

Me: Well, yes I am but where did that come from?

Hubs: You’re an awesome wife because you think Die Hard is a Christmas movie.

There you go girls… come Christmas, think about suggesting Die Hard as your holiday pick. Your husband will love you for it!