Spring Break Gone Wild

This week began the local kids' two-week spring break. Yesterday, Little S and I accompanied Chanel, her three girls, and my friend Cass and her two boys to the La Brea Tar Pits in downtown LA (more of Chanel's quality spring break activities are documented on her blog).

The kids had a great time - highlights according to the kids were the atrium area with coi fish and turtles wandering around (did we really drive that far for the kids to look at some fish?) and the big wolly-mammoth and saber toothed cat on display.

We had lunch at an old local favorite, Andre's Italian, and walked across the street to the Farmer's Market for dessert at another local institution, Bob's Doughnuts - loved the dinosaur-shaped doughnuts.

Chanel and I ventured on to Anaheim to stop at a fabric store (totally out of the way, but we were on a roll) and then got stuck in HORRIBLE traffic on the way home - 1 hour to go 8 miles!!! A lot of time in the car, but still a fun day.

Our little monkeys posing in the tree


Little S and Colin discussing the mammoths


Trying our hand at stirring tar


Observing the turtles in the atrium

Easter Weekend

For the past three Easters, our good friends Chris and Nicole have invited us to their family Easter festivities in Palm Springs. Nicole's grandparents have a beautiful home in the desert oasis and the weekend was filled with golf, swimming and Easter brunch. Life is good in Palm Springs!

*Since my mother has requested more pictures of "other people" on my blog, I'll try to appease her with pics of the gang from this weekend.

One of the highlights of the weekend for Little S was riding to and from brunch in the golf cart - Craig even let her drive!


Family portrait next to the massive chocolate bunny


Whitney and Ryan (looking very professor-ish with his snappy bow tie)


Craig and Becky - always the lovely couple.


We enjoyed dyeing eggs on the patio and watching Little S find all the eggs we hid in the backyard during her nap.

San Diego Pictures

Last week Little S and I cruised around San Diego and Anaheim with my BFF Karrie and her two-year-old son, Jack. We had a full itinerary each day and we had a blast together.
The picture above was taken in La Jolla at the Scripps Aquarium. Jack loved the plastic starfish in the toddler play area.



Little S in Old Town San Diego.


D found an orphaned chick in the bushes while we were strolling through Balboa Park. The kids loved the chick and we searched for its mother - but never found her.


Little S and Jack rode the carousel, kiddie train, and these airplane/bug-things in Balboa Park. I think they enjoyed the Balboa Park rides as much and any at Disneyland...

San Diego

Little S and I have been in San Diego all week with my friend Karrie and her two-year-old son Jack - visiting from Utah. We hit all of the major sites within reason when you're carting around 2 toddlers - including Disneyland. Tonight I'll post pics from our adventures. (the pic above is not mine - I just pulled it off the web)

Wheatgrass

We've been growing it at our house this week - 10 pots of it! Little S has enjoyed watching the process from seed to sprout to full-blown grass (we planted some of the seeds in clear votive holders so she could see the roots growing). We delivered the planters to her friends yesterday and today along with treat bags and a few candies hidden in the grass - carefully placed by Little S. The candy I bought for the bags was becoming a major source of temper-tantrums in our house (she's got some obsessive behavior issues when it comes to sugar) and we had to get it delivered to the friends ASAP.

If you want an Easter centerpiece, here are my steps: I soaked the seeds in a bowl of water for 12 hours and then kept them covered in a dark corner of the kitchen for another 1 1/2 days, rinsing them every 12 hours. At that point the seeds had small sprouts and were ready to be planted. We planted them in the dirt last Saturday night and kept the pots covered for another day until the sprouts poked through the dirt. Then, it was just plenty of sunshine and daily watering - the grass grew 8 inches in 4-5 days!

Office Art

I've been looking for some unique but subtle art for D's office (there will be NO inspirational "teamwork" posters in his office). I showed D the work of photo phenom Rodney Smith. Many if the images are a bit too whimsical for the "serious" office so I'm posting them here, instead.


*I posted the above image for my art history pals out there - hoping you guys appreciate the Fragonard reference :)

All things French

Since we're on a French theme, I thought I'd mention that Audrey Tautou (of Da Vinci Code and Amelie fame - pictured below) is starring as the lead in a new film about the early life of Coco Chanel.

Movie night

Last night we watched La Vie en Rose. Whew, it was a much heavier drama than I was expecting - but still, a FANTASTIC film! The story is not of the idyllic Parisian life many of us presume. Rather, the hard, dirty details of Edith Piaf's life and career are laid before the audience with severe, at times haunting, intensity.

Story time

Our local library is just a few blocks away - it's a great old building with stained glass windows, arched ceilings and marble sculptures on wood pedestals. We try to make it to story time each week (we often end up driving instead of walking those few blocks because I'm behind schedule).

After story time the kids and parents loiter outside enjoying the fountains at the Lincoln Shrine adjacent to the library. It makes for a great morning activity that Little S anticipates each week.