Our last Disney trip in colorful pictures!

Spoiled little boy

Check out that SKY!

 The next two are from the Pizza Party George's class won by raising the most money for their school.  He was one of the Top Five "movers" at the move-a-thon.  Finally we can put that energy to WERK.

Count down.

Four huge bags packed, three casseroles in the oven for George while I'm away, two loads of laundry done, one bridesmaid's dress altered and another packed and zero people who need me right now.  Thats why its a good time to do this, update the rest of you on our last week or so.

Last week was a very social week for us.  Monday I spent the entire day with my friend Monica. Tuesday I worked in George's classroom (for the last time, which was of course sad) and had a playdate with several of his friends from school afterwards.  Wednesday I spent the entire day at Lauren's pool with Maynell and her two.

What can I say, we had fun…

Thursday we went to school and then had a playdate with Evie.  Look what George wore in front of the preachers daughter, no less!  Boots and underwear.  He's totally gonna hate this blog when he is 18!

 Friday we did not do much because, well, I was exhausted, thats why.  Today marked the end of our "due diligence" with the house we hope to live in when we move back to Raleigh.  I spent many hours on the phone this week with our realtor and the bank and the inspectors,etc.  Stressful but all is well.  We continue to move in the right direction.  To celebrate, we had our Pizza- Movie night and watched one of my personal favorites, 101 Dalmations.  Saturday we had a birthday party at Garfield Park and George made a new friend.  Its so hard because as much as I want to reach out to this woman and her sweet son who played so well with George, lets be honest, I will leave CA in less than a week and will not be back for a whole month and then I have to figure out a way to say goodbye to all the people I already feel like are my family.  I don't need one more heartbreak! After the birthday party our little family of three helped ourselves to the Cannon's pool since we were technically dog sitting for them.  We had salsa and chips and beers and just lazed around like we owned the place.  It was awesome. 

 We put little George down around 7 and big George went out for sushi for the two of us and we rented a movie on iTunes.  Sunday was one of the best days I've had in a while.  For starters, I had a great run.  Then church was simply amazing.  The sermon was "The Big Wedding".  I will try to remember to add a link to the sermon once it is posted.  It was that good!  

A friend joined me in church and I was thrilled to have her there.  The sermon really spoke to her as well.  After church big George decided that he must visit the campus of USC since his program is affiliated with the University.  He is a Trojan, and so we, his family are also Trojans.  Fight on.  We went to the gift store to get Georgie a jersey and I got a pair of sweatpants.  I love them but have not been able to wear them out of the house yet because they are maroon.   Its just weird, you know? I am not used to such a dark shade of cotton on my body.  I'm more of a light blue kinda girl….

Georgie took this photo! Good job buddy!

Fight on!

I've never seen this on UNC's campus!

My two cuties!

Then, we went to Chinatown and ate Chinese food.  Yes, friends and family that know me well, I ATE CHINESE FOOD!  A whole plate of it.  Started with vegetable dumplings, then a crazy chicken dish in a tortilla type "pancake" and then slippery shrimp which is fried shrimp with a honey sauce, sweet and hot, all over them.  This is a huge thing for me.  Maybe I will be able to explain a little better in a different post.  It was delicious.  My mom once told me, "Becca, you say you don't like Chinese food but its like saying you don't like Mexican food when you've only eaten at Taco Bell".  Wow, was she right.  She usually is.  Chinese food, done up right, is GOOD.  Dang good.  

Sunday night I went to a play with some friends from church.  One of our friends performed in Godspell with a bunch of college students. It was amazing.  She was amazing!  Other than the main character (the guy who played Jesus), she blew everyone else out of the water.  I was really proud and glad I decided to make an effort to come see her perform.  Everyone here is talented in some way.  If they are not singers, they are actors or artists, or all three!! 

This past week has been slightly less social.  Monday I cleaned the house- lets just say it was much needed.  Monday night George and I watched Evie so her parents could have a night out before their new baby arrives (due next week).  Tuesday we went to school and I watched Cole and Lena for an hour.  I was paid in strawberries, which you know is a perfectly fair trade if you know me.  They were the good kind too, you know, the ones that ACTUALLY  taste like strawberries! We spent the afternoon catching up with Lauren and Tac at the pirate park.  

Is he going to be a heartbreaker or WHAT?

I love this series of pictures.  He was quite high up and I was tempted to hold his hand or tell him to get down, but instead- out came the camera.  Good mom or bad mom…you be the judge.  

Wednesday we packed the car and headed to Anaheim for our last Disney trip!  Our yearly passes block us out in June.  Georgie didn't seem to mind, but I was on the verge of tears all day.  There were some special memories made at that place!  

Check back for some photos of our day!

A True American Hero

Or four of them to be exact. I will get to that later.

In the past few weeks we've been very busy!  Busy at Manhattan Beach with Stephanie, Christine, Paloma, Baz, and baby Hugo.  Busy at Disney, busy in Raleigh as we scoped out the new digs-just George, not me, busy on the phone with banks, realtors, and inspectors, busy at the pool (its been real hot), busy at Lacy Park, Eddie Park and Garfield Park, busy chowing down on Nachos with the Palmers, and burgers and dogs for Paloma's birthday….seems like I am forgetting something….OH YEAH- George was rescued from the locked car by Four American Heroes- Four Firemen I will NEVER EVER IN MY WHOLE LIFE forget.

It all happened so fast; I went to Lauren's to enjoy the pool on the hottest day we've had yet.  I clipped my keys on the bag I would take into the pool, texted Lauren to say that we were here so she could let me in the locked apartment complex, put my phone in my bag, opened the door, locked it and promptly shut it.  At that point, I might have uttered a few choice words because I realized immediately what I had done.  There are so many details to the next fifteen minutes but I will just say that thanks to the Lord, one really kind mail man and four amazing firemen, George was in my arms again.  Not only were they quick and calm, they were kind and compassionate.  They never acted as if I were a terrible mother, a forgetful, flaky mother or that I had wasted their time.  They encouraged me the whole time that I had done the right thing and that all would be fine.  When they unlocked the door I dove into the car to get George out and by the time I had my wits about me, they had all my bags (keys on top) and cooler pulled out of the car for me in a nice neat little pile and a fireman badge sticker for George.  They talked to him for a good ten minutes afterwards to make sure he felt safe.  They were all so larger-than-life, so stereotypically heroic and every bit as cool, calm, and collected as you would hope for in a rescuer.  They all gave George a high five before they pulled away in their big red fire engine, and even gave him a celebratory honk and quick siren as they waved goodbye like this was the best part of their day.  I felt so stupid and helpless and panicky before they arrived and after they left all I had were tears of joy.  There was no room for any of those other feelings as I held my hot little boy in my arms.  I can assure you, after about ten minutes in the pool, countless icy pops and lots of extra love, he was himself again.  I spent the entire next day in an attempt to find a key for the undercarriage of my car but to no avail.  Rest assured, I have found a solution to the problem but better not put it out there on the internet.  

So there's THAT.  I was almost embarrassed to include this but I did want to honor these men who saved George.  First the mailman who noticed my panic and let me in Lauren's building and stood with George near my car while I went inside to get Lauren's phone.  Next, the man on the end of the line at 911 who made me feel safe and like I had called the right number.  And finally, to the four true American Heroes- my saving grace that day.  And mostly to the Lord above who provided all these people to be in the right place at the right time and who put the kind, compassionate souls into the bodies of these wonderful people.  I am so blessed.

Never a dull moment around here!

Picture Perfect

The last post was so easy I decided to do it again! Here are some pictures from the Dodgers game that didn't make it into my previous Dodgers post.  

This is MY glove.  I caught him playing with the leather ties that I used to play with and chew on during games.  This picture is worth more to me than anyone could imagine.  I sure hope he wants to play baseball someday, that would make me one happy momma!

The view from the Dodgers Stadium parking lot of downtown LA

The above was taken after we all threw a ball to see how fast our "fastball" was.  I would like to report that I think it was broken because I only threw it 55mph.  I think I can do better than that!

This past weekend we decided to take the Metro to The Luggage Room (a pizza place three stops away).  The Palmer family joined us and we all had a really fun time.  The kids loved the train, the adults loved the pizza and we all enjoyed a (free) cookie (or two) from the cookie jar at the hostess stand!

The boys and their daddies on the train

Me and miss priss Lena

This was a treat to get a picture with this cutie!

The crew (minus the photographer, Maynell, and Lena)

Mothers day was GLORIOUS.  George told me not to expect a gift, but to spend the day how I pleased.  I made a bee-line for Intelligentsia Coffee at 7:00 am, then found this amazing spot in the pictures below.  Arlington Botanical Gardens. What an oasis in the middle of a large city!  I spent about an hour there as I prayed, meditated and just recharged my Mommy batteries.  I then went for a run and returned home for a quick shower.  We made it to church and then I talked the boys into a lunch at the gardens.  We came home to change for an afternoon at the beach, but before we knew it, we were all asleep! After a family walk, the boys went to their favorite burger place, Hi Life, and I went over to Maynell's for a glass of wine and a long talk.  Friends are great, friends down the street are greater, and Christian friends-down the street-with wine are the BEST.

I love this chair.  

Me on Mothers day, enjoying some peace

Prayer/Meditation labyrinth at Arlington Botanical Gardens

I love this chair

The reason I can enjoy mothers day is a boy who loves to wear cowboy boots, a superman cape and who, at any given moment, has three to six sticks in his immediate vicinity. He's the quintessential three-year old little boy.  I love this child.  He's special, he's mine, and he makes me who I am- a Mommy.  What on earth would I be without him?