Random Rain!?!

It has been in the triple digits for about the last week here in L.A.
The weather man did call for considerably cooler weather this weekend, and either I wasn't listening very well... or he didn't foresee the little squall that kicked up here around noon today!

Liam and I were relaxing, watching TV, checking email when I heard what I thought was thunder... then snapping coming from outside ... i looked out, and sure enough... a little rain.

Perfect opportunity to test out the new ADORABLE pirate rain boots and umbrella that Liam got from his BFF Gavin for his birthday. Although it still is in the 80's, Liam insisted that he put on his "jacket for a rainy day"... and we pulled on the boots (all by himself - on the wrong feet) and put up the umbrella and went out in search of puddles to stomp!

We needed the rain - what a fun, welcome and refreshing surprise!

i heart santa barbara!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!
We didn't have any plans this weekend... in fact, we were slotted to visit family in Oregon, but that didn't materlialize the way we had anticipated that it would. So, here we were with a big fat holiday weekend OPEN! We have all been running around working so hard, we thought (for a minute) about staying home, but then thought that we really needed just a night away... just the three of us.
which was the best idea EVER!
SO.... we headed up the PCH to Santa Barbara for the night! It was just a short hour or so drive... we stopped at the Cold Spring Tavern along the way and took in some local music and some local smoked Santa Maria Tri-tip.. YUM! This was a super fun stop!

We stayed in a fun neighborhood and walked to dinner, ice cream and coffee in the am. Dinner was at "Derks" Ice Cream was at McConnells, and coffee at the Daily Grind... all excellent... Today we went to the Boat House and had some lunch and hung out at the beach... it was a gorgeous day!

After lunch we spent a little time at the Santa Barbara Zoo... .we are members there, so we pop in and pop out and didn't have to spend a bunch of time there... it was fun but crowded. The hightlight was seeing Liam transform into Bat Man!!

HAPPY HOLIDAY WEEKEND!!!

ahoy matey - Liam turned three - arrrgh!

I guess Liam had to have a significant milestone to get me back to the blog! (i've got lots of backlog to go... but couldn't miss the pirate wrap)

First of all, I can't believe he is three... but, on to party details.

It was all about pirates for Liam and his closest mateys this year :)

Treasure chests, buried treasure, digging for gold, sword fights, pirate tattoos, pirates booty and a pirate ship that washed ashore right in our backyard! A yo-ho-ho time was had by all the little swash-bucklers!

arrrrrrrgh.

As you enter the pirate zone:

pirates booty for the cutie bootie.

digging for buried treasure

the pirate ship (just a small one)

the view from Liam's room! all of his pals jumping around!

his bff Gavin (aka Cap'n Jack Sparrow)

time for happy bday and pirate cupcakes!

look at all the little blonde pirate boys!

a special ocean adventure delivery from cape cod! these fit right into the pirate decor! i think if the balloons hadn't been anchored down, they would have carried liam away!

tough work turning three it be!

so - i am serious about this... whoever hired the sky-writer to come and write THREE right over our house at three o'clock on party day... identify yourself! it's a mystery!

Radio Silence

Not that anyone really reads this blog... but for those few who do - I am sorry about the extended silence... my computer has been down and I just got it back TODAY!
lots of catching up to do :)
i will be actively blogging over the next couple of weeks to catch up.

lots of cool things to share around here!

xoxo

summer lovin

We're back from Cape Cod! Liam recovered well from the strep throat (so did i... that stinker gave it to me) We were both on antibiotics for some of the trip, but neither of us let it get in the way of having a wonderful time.

It was a great trip - I have about 1000 memories to go through and zero time to do it - so here is just a sneak peek at two highlights:

1) THE BEACH
the beaches in Cape Cod are NOT like the beaches in California! When the tide is low you can walk for miles... and the water is shallow and WARM. Perfect for 2 year olds who love to dig in the sand and find cape cod crabbys!

2) THE ROMANCE and GOOD OLD FASHIONED FUN!

Liam found himself a summer fling - he didn't waste much time getting acquainted with Miss Charlotte. She may be a second cousin... they didn't care!

This hug came after a successful session of throwing rocks in the swamp!

These two could have rolled down the hill together for hours!

All of that rolling on a hot humid day on The cape leads to sweaty-grassy kidd-os... neither of them had a problem with dropping trou (especially liam) to cool off together while running through the sprinkler!

...more to come

strep throat...

yep - Liam has it. (First time!)
BOO.

He got sent home with a 102.8 fever yesterday afternoon. He was sweet and not complaining - even saying he felt "good"... but he was all out of sorts... watery eyes, lethargic and zoney with no energy (he took a 4 hour nap when he got home!).
When he got up, I knew something was really wrong, so I scooped him up and zipped him over to the after hours pediatrician (we love this place) he saw Dr. Marshall who did all of the tests on him and got a positive strep culture. We are now two doses into a ten day cycle of amoxicillan (which he absolutely HATES) and he is already looking and feeling a little bit better (thank goodness!) I just sent Kurt back to the pharmacy to get the medicine re-flavored... Liam requested "Grape"... i hope it helps.

Feeling happy though that we nipped this in the bud and he should be back up to his zippy sparkly self before the BIG TRIP to Cape Cod next week.

all grown up - ashley's senior prom

We leave in about two and a half weeks for Cape Cod to watch our gorgeous grown up niece Ashley graduate as valedictorian of her class.. we are so proud and SO anxious!

Last weekend she attended her senior prom with her sweet boyfriend and looked absolutely stunning in a peacock blue sparkly princess dress with an intricate up-do (done my my talented sister-in-law) and to make this look even cooler - she wore crystal encrusted converse low tops (ok maybe they aren't actually "converse" but they look like chuck taylors and paired with this dress... are TOTALLY Ashley!) love this girl! (young woman!)

we got a call from her proud papa as he was driving her and her date to the prom, he was so proud of this knockout - look how sweet this moment is (wish i could have been there to see it in person!)

the shoes! how fun
(and smart... remember all of those formal dances with 6 inch heels, coming home with blisters and swearing off heels forever - or at least until the next dance?)

the adorable couple. i love how his tie matches her dress.

the ladies. ashley and her bffs. all of their dresses look great together too - love the jewel tones. i don't think i ever looked this good in high school!

i am amazed that this big group got together for the big day... thats a lot of planning and work (imagine the text strings and FB messages it took to make this happen!)

Ashley - we are so proud of you, and so happy you had such a nice time at your prom! Remember that night always.

Love you!