Really Important Stuff and stuff..

Wow-what an emotionally crazy trip! We got home late last night. It was a whirlwind of information and activity. As I flew into LA, I looked out of the plane window and saw SO MANY LIGHTS. I had a moment of-"Please tell me this is a dream. Please tell me I'm just coming here to visit."

The plane trip was pretty crazy. My baby decided that she was the can't-stop-moving-pooping-spitting up-crying-hyper-no sleep-baby. I kept thinking, -how old am I? Didn't I do this 4 other times? How can one baby be so much work on a plane? Who is this baby and where is Kate?

" I want to touch THIS! No wait, THIS! Oh look at THIS! I want to JUMP! I want to touch guy #1's glasses! I've almost got ...them! No mom? I'm going to cry then! Ha I'm crying! Now I'm JUMPing! Now I'm arching my back so I'm upside down! Weeee!"

I lost her binkie somewhere between the front airport doors and the gate. I had packed two bottles, but would she take them? NO WAY. She just wanted to nurse, which was a little impossible since there was a guy (guy#1) about 5 inches away and an aisle with another guy (guy #2) on the other side. Everyone was looking, because she was crying and I just couldn't bring myself to ask guy #1 if he could move his arm a touch so I could nurse. AWKWARD!!

Finally, after 20 minutes, I was able to move to the back empty row and nurse away. She was so darn hyper and by the time I got to California, I thankfully handed her to Brett. Brett by the way, looks like a different person. Maybe I'm not seeing him enough. He is losing weight daily, so when I go a week and see him, he looks different every time. I thought, who is that young dimple-cheeked guy over there waving at me? He looks so....tan.....and...happy. I'm happy for him.

Brett's company had a cool feel to it. I liked every person I met there. They are very casual-jeans, etc.- and everyone seemed really relaxed and happy. There were tons of before and after pictures all over the walls and people walking on a track around the offices. It just seemed like a fun place to be. That was good.

(this is a movie set right next to where Brett works. It looks like a little town in there,

ready to be torn down and built up again.)

Well, the next two days were spent driving driving driving all over LA looking for a town that fit us. I dropped Brett off in the morning, and then had to make my directions-impaired self navigate huge, confusing LA. Gulp. The two areas we have narrowed it down to are the Canejo Valley towns of Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, and Oak Park, which is north and a bit east of Santa Monica (just up a little canyon from Malibu)....and La Canada which is by Pasadena east in the hills above LA. I am getting closer to knowing.

The big news is that after this trip, I have really turned a corner. Not only can my family do this, but it will be fun! I went to the beach twice. These towns are very family oriented, felt super safe, lots of kid activities, and really good schools. In Oak Park, the church where my kids would go to early morning seminary at 6:30 daily is just a block from the high school and a few blocks from the middle school. The number of youth in the wards in that area and in La Canada are similar to my ward here. People were walking, riding bikes, lots of sports going on, a little lake with sailing boats and kayaks and lots of horseback riding lessons.

I started to see us there for the first time. Most homes I looked at had a room (guest room hint hint) and private bath on the main floor and then the rest of the rooms upstairs together. Think of the privacy of those coming to stay with us. Your own bathroom! Your own space in our home. Most had pools too! Think of coming, waking up, and going for a little swim with us! I'll take you to the best cupcake shop ever called Susie Cakes in Calabasas or to the quaint restaurant DISH in La Canada.

Kate eating a little breakfast at the DISH. I had apple oat cakes, she had applesauce.

Which leads me to my new segment called:

HO HUM! STAR SIGHTINGS-BORRRING!

In Calabasas, I was at a stop light next to Eric Clapton. I'm not kidding. Not 5 minutes later, Portia DeRossi -married to Ellen DeGeneres- was turning left in front of me. My relocation person said that she sees Dick VanDyke every time she goes to Costco. If I go to that Costco, I will take my box of chalks for sure in case I see him. For the first time, I could really see how people in the entertainment business go into LA to work and want to go home like everyone else, especially if they have kids, and have a normal life. For the most part, people who live there don't care and leave them alone.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE TRIP

One night, we walked down the 3rd street promenade in Santa Monica. The best part of that place is that the road is closed off and there are street performers, singers, every 6 shops or so. They are GOOD. The first one we walked past was named Kevin Hammond. His voice was crazy good. Everyone was just walking past! I hate that no one has time to stop and listen to music-live. I thought, you know, it doesn't matter how good someone is, no one would stop. Anyway, Brett and Kate were a block ahead of me and I went over to the guy. He had a CD I could have bought but had no money. I listed to one song and was amazed at how good his voice was. I thought, I'm going to hear about him again.

So, go on itunes and search for Kevin Hammond. His song Maybe is the one he was singing. Do it right now. Ok. Am I right? He was singing just like that!! I should have stopped and listened for longer. I am kicking myself. Next time.

Well, so there it is. I will be back there next weekend with all of the kids this time and see what their take is. Oh shoot, that means another plane trip with Kate, most hyper baby on the planet.

on the long plane ride home :)

She's literally trying to fly above the seats. That is not a pose.