When we arrived

So we arrived in Chicago on Feb 12th, a car was waiting to take us to our temporary corporate housing in Naperville. The flat had looked nice online, and was not a disappointment when we arrived. Nice, well decorated flat with a view over a golf course, near a few shops and restaurants. we felt lucky to have it for the first 8 weeks, and after about a week,  did actually consider staying there permanently as it had a gym and an outdoor pool and was in what seemed like a good location.

However, our opinion changed... despite the people below us having small kids, they would bang on the roof every time my 2 year old ran around or played. I became tearful and angry on more than one occasion! We were also up two flights of steps and i began dreading bringing the shopping home as I would have to make 3-4 trips down to the car!! Great workout though i suppose!

It was a nice flat, very nice, but for us, not a family place. No play areas for kids, not walking distance to any parks, huge road running in front of the complex and the nearby shops where mainly restaurants and spas. I didn't have my own car for 7 weeks, so shared Gareth's company car which meant everyone up at 6am to drive him to work and then ending any activity at 3pm so we could pick him up.

We also could not join any clubs for the kids as we had no idea where we would be living. We did join the children museum, which we have used 4 times in the 3 months we have been here and I believe will get our moneys worth out of it. We also joined a home school group in Plainfield as the kids couldn't join a school until we had a permanent residence and they needed to meet kids. This has been great as every Tuesday we go to the group and every second Thursday they would go roller skating with the group. We did attend the library for toddler time a couple of times but it was not my thing. The lady who reads the books and does the songs puts on a high pitched squeaky voice and is way over the top for me. I found it rather annoying.

We were lucky that a former coworker of my husbands who also moved with her husband and the same company told us to get in touch. I took her up on it and have really enjoyed that contact. For me it has made life so much more bearable. She introduced me to events and people and has been very kind. She also has a son the same age as mine and so we have common ground. I would like to think we are and will be real friends, but am not yet sure if it is just circumstance.

From the start it has been a busy life! Looking for homes, cars, furniture! Trying to keep 3 kids busy and as happy as possible without their friends and with little social contact. It has not been fun all the time... I learned to hate car shopping and furniture shopping for example although I thought that part would be really fun!
I have struggled with the foods which are all full of sugar and salt and no brands are the same! I am still struggling to accept the high taxes we pay when we still have to pay for garbage removal and health care and car tax and pay fees to go to school. It really is all about the money!!! But while I am being negative and depressing I should add:
Any second hand car with over 100,000 on the clock will have no warrantee or guarantee and you could walk off the lot with a lemon and nothing to protect your investment!
Having a trampoline or paddle pool is not simple either as many insurance companies require a fence and even if you have one and someone comes and uses them without permission and then  gets hurt you may still be liable... madness!!
Bills are more expensive here and when you first move you have zero credit even if you have great credit in the UK!!! Which means you start from scratch and the result is no-one wants to give you a phone contract, car insurance etc. so... my car insurance is stupidly high. Its frustrating.

But don't believe its all bad, there is lots of good too! The activities for kids are great, so much variety for all ages from Lego clubs, to baking and sewing and camera clubs as well as all the sport. Much more than in the UK.
The library has better services and groups for kids to join.
There are some lovely hikes and you don't have to pay for the privilege of viewing these natural occurrences like you often do in the UK.
People are generally happy to help and the moms forums will answer all questions you have in a much more helpful way than anything i found in the UK.
Petrol is much cheaper also and some food... but not organic, which is more widely available but costs more than it does in the UK by a lot!
The weather has been all over the place with snow one day and blazing sun the next, crazy storms followed by hot days. but I am told that is typical spring and soon summer will hit and it will be warm but humid most of the summer!! Can not wait, you can tell we are the British as every hint of warm we have been outside around the fire pit or BBQing.... unlike our neighbors in all directions who probably think we are mad, but even the cool evenings now are pretty UK summer like!

The kids have been very good, but its not been easy for them. Its not been easy for us! They miss their friends and my younger daughter has been wetting the bed, she is sad inside and her joyful nature seems somewhat less. She gets mad more easily and upset often. My older daughter is sometimes better as she had some bad influences and unkind people in her life before and being away from that has been a good thing, but she has times when she also cries for no reason or gets mad and she is always wanting to buy things... I think to make herself feel better! Its hard.

Anyhow after nearly 8 weeks in temporary accommodation we moved to Oswego, which we decided on as its got great schools but is also a bit cheaper than Plainfield and Naperville. The kids have met local kids. Lots of girls my younger daughters age on our block... not many my older daughters age... she still has not made friends. My younger daughter plays outside 2-3 times a week, but it is early days and no solid friendships have formed, no real bonding. I hope when school breaks up in 10 days or so that, that changes. That she play out often and makes great friends! I also hope my older daughter meets older kids. I will be signing them up to dance soon and swimming and again hope this means they will make friends! Its my biggest hope and my biggest worry!