One of the unexpected byproducts of having five children (other than, obviously, joy and laundry in both equal and unrelenting measure) – is that if I suggest to anyone that I have some news they look at me with terror and disbelief as they wait to hear a(nother) baby announcement.
I have some news! (It’s not a baby)
No new babies on the way in this house. Although it is perpetually tempting, look how cute this latest one is
We are heading into a new mum-mom phase. Island life has been good to us for the last few years.
Island life, illustrated.
But we are trading out the Canadian-mom life for the US-mom life, and we’re relocating to California in March.
(A deadpan delivery, because I did originally finish that sentence with an exclamation point, but it felt a little, you know, like I was announcing a California Spring-Break!! — especially as we are, indeed, moving during Spring break.)
This might be my first ever US spring break reference point. Apologies to Matthew Perry for this screenshot of a gif- timed impeccably, like all bad connection Skype calls, to freeze his face mid-grimace.
So yes, California. But not California!
My other California! reference point, a 1980s edition of The Babysitters Club, ‘California Girls!’ that I saved all these years for my then-future children to enjoy. I may have lost my degree certificates but I know exactly where these well -thumbed tomes are.
Beloved to the extent that I wrote my name in it twice, for safety.
Lots of reasons for the move, but primarily to generate new and exciting blog content for you – oh and also for mr tMatM to embark on some really meaningful and exciting work. I’ll let you decide which of these reasons carried more weight in the decision making.
Hence the silence here, while we waited to break the news to the children and before I could write anything particularly open and hashtag authentic.
In any case, the cat is out of the bag now; the children are excited – with a hefty dollop of trepidation of course.
Still a west coast life just…a different sort of west coast life
And, for serious blog content – it just gets better – but no there really is no new baby – we are going to try homeschooling for a while.
A proper post on the homeschooling part of this decision to follow soon… but I am, of course, perpetually researching homeschool structure and content right now, so would love some input if you have any helpful tips… otherwise hold on to your seats.
House move, 2016 edition
Sure! Just a casual international house move and new life in the Bay Area homeschooling five children. We’re ready for you, 2020.
tMatM xx