Glasses, Pokemon and Slime, Oh My!

Violet let me know a few weeks ago that she was having trouble seeing the board at the front of the class, so we had her eyes checked Thursday morning. Sure enough, she's near-sighted, like her mama, and will be getting glasses.

Nice choice!

 After the appointment, we turned it into a mommy-daughter date with a cookie and a trip to visit the animals at Hart Park. The park has new alpacas. I'm so thankful to have these moments with my little one, while she's still little enough to enjoy visiting animals!

 Later that afternoon, we met up with Sue and Sophia at the Ice Station. (The big girls were too busy skating to be in my photo!)

That evening, at swim practice, Cora's classmate Oliver asked Violet if she'd like his collection of Pokemon cards. Um, YES, PLEASE!  That's one happy girl there!

Sometimes, it's awesome being the little sister, when big sister's friends outgrow things you're still into.

On Friday, Cooper and Wylie came over to watch Marvel movies with Cora, and we also had over Kat, to play with Violet. Violet was thrilled to finally have a playdate with a school friend. The girls made slime - very cool process!

Special Treats

Aunt Patty and Uncle Bill came into town, and we took advantage by making a family trip to APL, Melanie's new restaurant in Hollywood.

It's a lovely, fancy restaurant that is generally "above our pay grade," but we certainly enjoyed our special night out.

Chef Adam Perry Lang was gracious and friendly, and showed his server's nieces around the kitchen. Talk about the special treatment!

Then, another treat! Cora had mentioned to Uncle Nick that she'd like to explore the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Nick was all too happy to oblige. He handed over his entire collection of Marvel films - 18 to be exact. 

Summer Bucket List: Set!

Uncle Bill and Aunt Patty spent Tuesday with us, and we escaped our horrible SClarita heat at the coast. We spent the afternoon on "their" beach, the one we walked to from their old Ventura house for the four years they lived there.

That evening, Violet and Patty made cookies in a mug, in the microwave. Perfect treat for a too-hot-for-the-oven evening, especially when topped with ice cream.

It was so good to have Aunt Patty and Uncle Bill with us! 

Imagine Dragons!

 Here was an experience to remember - Cora's first big-time concert, at a major L.A. venue, with girlfriends!
Elaine and I bought tickets for Imagine Dragons a few months ago, and we took Cora, Vivian and Sophia to the Forum to see their favorite band Sunday.

Dinner was McDonalds drive-thru - they'll never be too big for Happy Meals!

 We went all out, even buying t-shirts for the girls from the roadside vendors.

 The girls were so excited - and Elaine and I were, too. Imagine Dragons have put out a lot of huge songs the last few years. They were great live, too.

The lead singer performed in just a pair of shorts and tennis shoes - and he looked just fine. I think he might work out a little.

It was a wonderful night - even if we weren't home until after midnight!

Week in Review

 After returning from Hawaii very late Sunday night, we spent most of Monday doing nothing but resting.

On Tuesday, Stace returned to work, and we took Cora to a private aerial class with her instructor's house, so that Sue and Gord could see Cora in action. They loved watching her!

After Cora's class, we met up with my friends Christina and Tiffany and their kids at International House of Pancakes, which was having a special free pancake special. It was great catching up with them.

I think Spencer didn't want Nan and Pop to leave! At least they got to take home reminders of him and Seb, by way of the cat fur.

Cora and I took Sue and Gord to the airport Wednesday, after a lovely 2-plus weeks together. It's always wonderful having them with us!

Later on Wednesday, Cora and I did some back-to-school shopping for her. For the first time, she's showing an interest in clothes, and starting to be curious about makeup and other girly things. It's an interesting change!

On Thursday, we went to Long Beach for the official grand opening of the wedding studio where Melanie is doing her wedding floristry work.

Her workshop is adorable!

I'm so proud of my hard-working little sister! Such the entrepreneur.

We had a great evening, with snacks and drinks provided and games in the front lobby.

On Saturday, Cora had another swim meet.

Hawaii Tidbits

A few tidbits from our trip... Our home's owner graciously supplied us with a welcome basket, complete with a pineapple. It was delicious!

We'd heard great things about the food trucks, and had an outstanding lunch on one of our days.

All the yums.

The chickens! They're everywhere, and were happy to peck through any leftovers from the lunch crowd.

We took one last morning beach stroll Sunday, before finishing up packing and loading the van.

Snapshot from the airport waiting for our flight... this sweet girl used some of her Hawaii spending money to buy her mama a Hawaii bracelet. Thanks, my Violet!

What a great trip, full of memories we'll treasure!

Until next time, ALOHA!

Haleiwa Beach and Cruising

Saturday was our last full day, and I was in desperate need of some more beach! We ended up at a beach park in Haleiwa, and we had a great time boogie boarding and body surfing.

We cleaned up and drove around to the harbor, where we had booked an evening sunset cruise on a catamaran.

We had clouds on a good part of our trip, but thankfully Saturday evening cleared up just for us.

My dad and his good camera - he captured some lovely shots with us and the setting sun.

Our captain took a liking to Cora - she and Violet were the only children aboard - and let her steer us into the harbor, all the way up to our dock. Cora was a natural!

North Shore Fun

We spent our Friday closer to our home away from home, heading up the coast into the North Shore area. We stopped at a fruit stand for island delights, where Sue and Gord tried (and were less than impressed) with the juice of a green coconut.

The mango and kiwi were delicious, however, and the fresh cut sugar cane was an interesting thing to experience for the first time.

Stace and Gord are very familiar with the North Shore breaks, from the many surf films they've watched. This Waimea Bay beach is famous - funny that in the height of summer, the waves are practically nonexistent. We stopped at a beach not far from here for a dip and some more snorkeling.

A friend who frequents Hawaii said Teddy's Bigger Burgers in Haleiwa was a must-stop, and we were up for a big burger and beer. 

Yum!

Haleiwa (Holly-Eva) is a fabulous surf town. We all found shops to hold our interest - art, knick knacks, tourist stuff, surfboards and gear...

Waikiki

After leaving Pearl Harbor, (and after finding coffee - there are priorities!), we headed for famous Waikiki Beach.

We got a bite to eat in the shopping district and took it to the shorefront to enjoy near the sand. The girls ate quickly and jumped into the sea. 

We found the beach to be just gorgeous.

Before heading home, we did a little more shopping, and got a Dole Whip in an ABC Store. Only in Hawaii!