looking back, Halloween

I've been being nostalgic today, looking at pictures of Scout's first Halloween and comparing them to this year. Here's my favorite pumpkin patch picture from Halloween 2008. This was taken at the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm, where we also used to get our Christmas trees every year. We loved taking this trip with family to the little farm and seeing the animals, finding the pumpkins, and bouncing along on the hayrides. 

And here is my favorite shot from this year's pumpkin patch. Scout and I drove up with friends Jennifer and Cashel to visit this farm just outside of Los Angeles. It was a gorgeous day, and the kids had so much fun. I was worried that we were going to have to take her to one of those sad little pumpkin patches they put in a parking lot. Thank goodness for good friends who know the secrets about raising kids in the city, and day trips to outside the city.

One of those perfect L.A. days

Had to laugh at all the "Los Angeles" in my life today:

Driving to the grocery store and passing the Star Home Tours bus. 

Text from Jay about seeing a guy with a cut from Sons of Anarchy on the Santa Monica Promenade. 

Driving down Avenue of Stars to get to a play date at Roxbury Park.

Buying tickets to the Galaxy play offs for next week. 

Text from Jay: "heading to the playboy studio...should be interesting."(add that to text messages you don't ever want to get from your hubby. jk. they were looking at the studio space. uh-huh, sure.) 

The sun is shining, and it's 70 degrees. Meanwhile, my family in Texas are inches deep in snow. 

LED Billboards everywhere advertising every movie that is coming out for the next two months, t.v. shows and Bijan watches. 

Beautiful day, actually. 

BIG news.

If you haven't heard through various social media outlets yet....we are moving! Jay and his company have been "in talks" about a move to the Los Angeles area for about four months now, and we've made it official! We move...next month! Ah! April 15th, you'll find us living it up (or pulling our hair out, trying to find a permanent place to reside) in sunny SoCal! More specifically, we're headed to Santa Monica.

How are we doing? Oh, we are losing our minds with excitement. But at the same time, it all seems bittersweet and surreal. We've always talked about a move and said "no, we could never leave Austin. We love it so much." But at the same time, we've always been open to the idea should the situation present itself. We will miss our friends and family most of all. And how.

So, in the next few weeks I'm going to be interviewing moving companies, resigning from my job, packing a month's worth of belongings for three into my Santa Fe and driving West.

It's amazing. It's ridiculous. It's scary. It's exciting.

It's happening.

Things I'm going to do after April 15th.....

*take scout to the beach
*tour houses with amazing views
*be cut/colour model for free @ Vidal Sassoon
*wear sundresses galore
*get some shades
*take scout to the parks
*teach scout to read
*teach scout to tie her shoes
*hike in the palisades
*Cali baby
*call family everyday
*cry a little
*rejoice in the new/now/familiar/strange
*teach scout to ride a bike