East vs. West (coasts, that is)

We're home, safe and sound from Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Mixed feelings coming home . . . it's always nice to be home again and sleep in your own bed, but it was so nice out west. sigh.

We always dream about moving when we're on vacation. Especially out west for some reason. Part of it is the "grass is greener" syndrome; everything seems like so much more fun when you're on vacation, but real life is probably pretty similar no matter where you live . . . school, work, grocery store, sports, daily routines.

I guess the real difference comes on the weekends and in what you can do in your free time. Where we live it's all about the city: museums, restaurants, movies, sightseeing downtown. We do escape to go camping, hiking, and kayaking every now and then, but it's harder here, and not many places to go. Out west, it's all about the outdoors. National parks, hikes, rivers, lakes, waterfalls. Kayaking, hiking, windsurfing, rock climbing, camping.

So when we vacation our there, we see the possibilities. We taste a little of what life could be like if we switched coasts. In the past, the kids have always been against moving, preferring the security of the known, but this time, coming home, at least two of them are open to moving. So who knows.

It's so easy to stay put. We like our life here. We have friends, activities, routines, jobs, schools, favorite places, all the things that make up a life. It's hard to think about starting over someplace new. Finding a new swim team and Tae Kwon Do studio. A new neighborhood and friends. New schools and a job. But it's also exciting to think about the possibilities. New recreation activities. New stores, restaurants, and coffee shops. Fun places to discover. New school experiences and people to meet.

Which will win out? The new or the old? Honestly, I don't know. It gets harder as the kids get older. But in two years, Kohler will graduate from 8th grade, Kaden will be going in to 7th, and Kieran will be starting 5th. It may be a good time to move. And it gives us two years to prepare and research new towns and neighborhoods. Top contendors right now?? Eugene or Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA, and Boulder, CO. Internationally--I'd love to live in Australia or Vancouver, Canada. For now, it's nice to dream.