Mother's Day

Sunday was Mother's Day, and Sue and Gord came with us to church.
 

Love being her mom! And Cora's mom! Cora was home asleep, after her closing night of Percy and the cast party. (This was the first cast party I didn't pick her up from at BJs - so weird! This time, she was the one giving rides home.)

We took Sue and Gord to Santa Barbara for the afternoon. 

First, we stopped in Ventura and did some shopping on Main Street.

After getting bento boxes at Violet's favorite Japanese place at the marina, we found an artisan ice cream place near downtown that was giving away ice cream to moms. Perfect! 

It was a lovely Mother's Day!

Mother's Day

 Mother's Day! 

I was pleased to get these sweet cards and flowers from my family.

 Stace and the girls organized a brunch in Quigley Canyon, Stace's new favorite spot. The picnic tables were perfect, and no one was around. What a lovely setting!

After enjoying breakfast, we took a little walk. It was just perfect! Thanks, Stace!

 Later, we went over to my parents' to take gifts and hang out for a bit in the back yard.

This was the most interacting Cora has done with Ellie since she entered the world! Baby steps! Cora loves talking movies with Uncle Nick.

 We all painted a rock. Thanks, Mom! Happy Mother's Day! And to Melanie, her first one.

Weekend Fun

Stace was awarded four tickets plus parking to a Dodgers game, and we were able to take Kelly and Yass along with us on Saturday. It was so fun to have an official double-date without the kiddos, though I think they were a little put out that we were together and they were not!

(Cora was with my parents, helping Auntie Mel with a wedding, and Violet went with Liana and her family. Both girls had sleepovers!)

To thank us for having the boys over so often, Kelly and Yass took us out to eat first, at a fabulous Cuban restaurant not far from Dodger Stadium. Yass said it was the best Cuban he's had in his 20 years in L.A., and it was definitely delicious.

Dodger fun!
The Boys in Blue were winning most of the game, but then gave up too many runs in the eighth and ended up with a loss. (But, they have had an outstanding start to the year, with the best record in the National League, so I'm can't complain...)

Our seats were outstanding! I hope Stace can get them again this year. And what a gorgeous sunset we enjoyed! It was a great night with such fun friends.

We woke up kidless on Sunday, which happened to be Mother's Day. After church, we were all together again, and Violet gave me a gift she wrapped - such cute wrapping! It was a throw pillow that says, "World's Most Awesome Mom."

Cora, meanwhile, gave me a homemade scrub and this sweet card.

In the afternoon, we went to Reyes Winery in Agua Dulce with my parents, Stace and Violet. Cora was worn out and in need of some quiet time at home, so she rested there.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Stace packed a picnic lunch for us all. The winery's dogs were friendly - a little too friendly to Stace! But my dad loved them.

It was a nice afternoon, and always great being together.

Rocking Out for Mother's Day

After the sadness of the Thottapilly family memorial Friday afternoon, Stace and I had a great distraction to get our minds off it.

We met up with Jim and JT at the Greek Theater for a reunion with thousands of L.A. Brits at a show featuring Richard Ashcroft and Liam Gallagher.

But first, a beer. A smaller one for the smaller man,a big one for the big man.

Thought the skies were threatening and even drizzled a little - Brits, keep your weather in the UK! - it was a great night out.

Richard Ashcroft performed first, and started his set with just himself and an acoustic guitar. Then, another musician joined him, with an electric guitar. The highlights for me, of course, was his lower key version of Bittersweet Symphony, one of my favorite songs.

Liam Gallagher put on a rocking show, and apparently he was on better behavior than he sometimes has displayed.

We had a super late night, of course, and my Saturday morning was all the better when my Violet brought me breakfast in bed! It was Mother's Day weekend and she got a headstart on spoiling her mama.

Violet is continuing the family tradition and learning how to make crepes on her own.

I was up and out early for church, where I help in the nursery every other week. Stace and the girls joined me for second service, where a cute Mother's Day photo booth had a very long line. But we don't need a special backdrop when we have such special girlies, right?

At least one of my daughters was game for a kissing photo!

We went to Trader Joe's to pick up fun treats for a Mother's Day lunch, and I came home to a beautiful bouquet from our own garden. I also got a nice set of new jammies from Stace and the girls.

Later, we met up with my parents at a new place in Newhall, Brewery Draconum, which had a nice beer garden. We enjoyed some time together, and the girls played bowls.

Stace and the girls then went home, and I went with my mom and dad for a glass of wine at the Newhall Refinery. It was a lovely end to our Mother's Day.  

Mother's Day

I woke up on Mother's Day Sunday early, but lounged in bed so that Violet could bring me coffee and Cora could make me breakfast.

Cora, as I've reported here in the past, has become quite the cook. Crepes are her particular specialty, with a homemade banana sauce. This version came topped with homegrown (hyper-locally sourced) organic strawberries. Definitely a $10 breakfast out in the real world.

After breakfast, the girls got started fixing up our trampoline. The old base ripped months ago, and we've finally purchased a replacement, along with a new net for the sides.

Then, it was time for cards and gifts.

Awwwww!

(That was as close as Cora got to kissing me on the cheek. We were lucky she cooperated that much. Physical affection is decidedly not her love language.)

(*But she makes a mean breakfast!)

After we Skyped with Nan and Pop to wish Nan a happy birthday, I got ready to join friends and my parents on a day trip to the wineries up north.

The friends we were meeting up with all had their whole family with them, but I knew a long car ride wouldn't do Cora any good. Thankfully, Stace and the family were good with me heading off with my own mom - after all, it's her Mother's Day, too.

It was lovely hanging out with my mom, Audra, Sara and Lynnette in gorgeous Los Olivos. Audra and Luis are members at this particular tasting room - Zinke - so we all got a free tasting flight!

We then went with Sara and Tony to one more place, before heading off to have dinner together. It was a beautiful day - I cherish their friendship!

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for spending the day with me, and special thanks to Dad for driving all the way there and back.

Thanks also to Stace and the girls for being good with me taking off for the fun - I was very amused to read Violet's take on our weekend in her class.

A Full Friday - Muffins and Bingo

On Friday, I had my final, FINAL Muffins with Mom experience, as Violet participated in her bonus-year Mother's Day event as a first-grader.

The firsties watched as the kinders performed the traditional (adorable) Mother's Day songs. I was sure I wouldn't cry this time, since I used up all my tears last year when I thought it was my last Muffins with Mom.

Then, the firsties took the stage and read a beautiful poem in unison - almost; Violet was a half-beat ahead of everyone else.

And they then read out why they love their mamas - "You're a fantastic mother," Violet told me.

I nearly kept those tears in check!

Violet had all her classmates, and even our cats, sign her special card for me. And I received coupons good for breakfast in bed, "24 hours of pace," and a free lunch.

Yes, please, to all three!

Later that day, my friends and I put on the Bingo Night we've been organizing for the past few months. We set up the room after the noon dismissal, and then Cora and Violet went to Sophia's house for a party/playdate.

We returned in the evening to finish setting up, and by 6 p.m., we were off and running. We served an Italian meal to a near-capacity crowd of more than 140 students and families.

The bingo went well, we gave away a lot of prizes, and we raised a good amount of money for the school. All in all, it was a rousing success.

Here's (most of) the team - our Bingo caller, Jeremy; Maria, me, Jen, Rachael and Cathy. The friends next to me were amazing, and though I was nervous about chairing an event for the first time, they all helped it come together.

Getting Smart for Mother's Day

 Stace and I had an all-day date day on Saturday, at an event called the Smart Conference that I'd been looking forward to for six months.

It was a daylong seminar in downtown L.A. put on my Dave Ramsey, my favorite financial guru, with lots of speakers talking about all aspects of life - money, marriage, parenting, retirement planning, etc.

We had a great time and learned a lot - and on the way home, stopped in Pasadena to have dinner at La Grande Orange, with this lovely server! Stace wore his glasses to look "smarter" after the Smart Conference.

Sunday was Mother's Day, and we celebrated by taking a walk together in the canyon in the neighborhood behind our house.

 A scooter thief struck on our way back home. Stop, Thief!!!

 We returned home to find this "lovely" sign. I'm blessed to be their mother, especially on Mother's Day. I had a nice collection of handmade gifts and cards, too.

In the early afternoon, I went out with my parents to a winery in Agua Dulce, treating my own mama to some quality adult time together, and a wine tasting. Thanks, Dad, for driving!

Week in Review

It's coming to the end of our school year, and next week will be the final Mom2Mom and Pioneer Club.

This Wednesday, we joined a bunch of our parent friends from Pioneer Club for dinner and margaritas, since it was our last chance to do so this school year.

On Friday, the kindergarten classes showered us moms with love in advance of Mother's Day. We listened to a lovely collection of songs, and then had a treat of muffins.

We also received a special Mother's Day gift - a cookbook filled with a recipe from each student. Violet's recipe is for pasta: The ingredients include "6 sticks and a teaspoon of water."
"Put the sticks in the water. Put them on a plate. Eat them. Serves a family."

(Violet thinks the cookbook is real - when Cora wanted to make cookies, Violet suggested we get out her cookbook, because several classmates had written cookie recipes.)

Here is one of the half-dozen songs Violet's class performed. The whole thing was so sweet, and I'm sad that it's over!

The school recently had a spirit day, and the children were encouraged to wear sports-related clothing. On the same day, parents were invited to attend a Flag Assembly, with the whole school gathering to say the pledge and sing a patriotic song.

One student from each class was invited to lead their class's line and carry a flag. Both Cora and Violet were selected from their classes to carry a flag! I was one proud mama.