It’s been over a year since the boys and I touched down in LA and called this sunny place home. My, have we grown in the past 12 months! We’ve enjoyed many wonders of Southern California, and we’ve happily paid the “good weather tax” and yet, we miss our family and friends not less, but more in every way possible.

Here’s a brief recap of what we’ve each learned and experienced in the past 365:

Ethan:

• With a year of Montessori preschool under his belt, this kiddo has shown tremendous improvement scholastically.
• He truly excelled in his new environment and has made several new friends.
• Ethan could only count to 20 erroneously last July…now his counting is boundless, he can spell and is starting to read!
• He’s recently started addition and subtraction.
• Ethan loves to swim, play tennis and soccer, watch Netflix cartoons and play his favorite video game: Skylanders.
• He’s still taking piano lessons (tho hates to practice).
• Although he was riding in a double-wide stroller with his brother when we first moved, he’s now used to walking and hiking on foot.
• He loves the farmer’s market and the beach – particularly jumping in the surf. (He’s asked when he can start surf lessons.)
• He does not like walking the dog every night.
• He misses his family, STL friends and a yard.

Jenny:

• SoCal residents are very international and extremely friendly — if you actually stop to say hi.
• “Angelinos” are very into their dogs…I get more comments about Bailey than I do the boys when we’re out walking.
• Families are the minority
• Life is very fast-paced
• People will determine where they shop based on parking availability
• Due to street parking, I’m now a skilled parallel parker
• While I love the beach, the mountains are my favorite.
• I fill up my gas tank less in CA than I did in Missouri.
• I’ve adopted organic healthy eating, yoga, juicing side of SoCal with open arms.
• Friends are easy to make and hard to anger when you have a few things in common including being far away from “home,” husbands that work a lot and kiddos of similar age.
• California is an absolutely beautiful state, but the best part of being away is having friends and family come visit.

Eric:

• He’s really set on taking his workouts outdoors since it’s almost always nice
• Each child is different
• The traffic problem isn’t as monumental as we originally thought since we primarily stay near Santa Monica
• Being able to walk to different places is a welcome change
• Eric prefers to see the beach from the mountains
• Says LA is a great place to live…if you’re young and single

Max:

• Climbing out of his crib
• Jumping
• Running
• Playing iPad games
• Likes to sit inside of vessels of all types
• Playing chef in his kitchen
• Loves froyo, the library, playground, beach (but not the ocean), hiking
• Really enjoys his big brother