Oh I am late. In fact the pictures we're even taken late because I was in Malibu when Mackenzie turned 6 months.
She is starting to sit up on her own. When she spits her soother out she can actually pick it up and put it back in. (hooray!!!) everything possible goes into her mouth. We've tried carrots and sweet potatoes. Carrots were an absolute disaster. She hated them. Sweet potatoes she's still torn on
For those avid readers of this blog, you may remember me talking about my mommy message board. Those ladies have been there for me, and for everyone else on the board whenever anything goes on. I could not have asked for a better group of e-friends. Seriously, words escape me.
Anyways, we started talking and decided we needed to get together on the West side of the country. Let's be honest, the states is way more exciting than Alberta. Finally, a destination was chosen and the rest of the planning commenced.
We were going to California. Specifically, Malibu.
This was amazing to me since I haven't really travelled much. Plus, it was a weekend away with the girls to relax, in a mansion.
September 7th arrived and we all congregated (Some had gone the day before, but I was going on the 7th.) in LA then Malibu.
We did not go to see the Hollywood sign, but luckily for me I did get to see it. While we were descending into LAX I saw it. I swear this is the Hollywood sign. I swear it people. lol. Yes, it's blurry, but it was zoomed in on my iPhone.
I thank heavens my fellow message board friend from Jasper was on the same flight. She was familiar with LAX, I would have wandered around like a lost puppy for a while.
Our ride to the rental house was a California Native with a 7 seater. We were the Kristin/Kristen Car. There were 3 Kristin/en's a Megan and Michelle.
On our way! Top and bottom left, the View while driving down the PCH, top right, Sunset Blvd, bottom right, view of the hills opposite PCH
The house!!! Top left - pulling in the driveway, middle left - the view from the dining room, bottom left - the view from the living room. Right - the view from the rooftop patio
Friday we all just hung around the house. It was crazy to see all these real life people I have talked to online for all these years. We lounged around the pool and hot tub for a few hours before getting ready to go for dinner.
We had an amazing dinner, and an even more amazing waiter. The margaritas were very dangerous.
Back to the house for more pool time, more drink time, and more talking.
I love the bottom left pic. What else do you expect a group of internet friends to do? Of course we were online.
Now the house, was beautiful. However slightly ecentric in the decorating. For example, Instagram Jesus (no, that is not an instagram filter used on the picture, that is the picture in all it's glory) and the random chandelier in the Movie room.
Now, let me tell you about dear Caroline. She is a bucket of Awesome. Lover of music and the best person to have around. Saturday morning she was one of the last ones sleeping. So we decided to wake her up in the best way ever. We sang to her:
Saturday we went to El Matador beach. It was beautiful. The waves were dangerous and nearly took some people out. We did lose a pair of sunglasses. Hope some sea creature is enjoying them.
But, it was nice to just sit on a beach, and only have the worry about the sand in your own butt crack, not that your kid is eating sand, oh look one is peeing on someone's beach towel, do not put your head in there.... ahhh It was glorious.
Top left - the view from the top of the cliff we had to scale down to get to the beach (oh yeah, and climb back up. ugh) Top right - My feet in the ocean!!!! Bottom Left, my view from the beach towel
After the beach we went to Neptune's net. A Biker Sea food bar. There was security in the parking lot. Not going to lie, was slightly scared. However, it was awesome. Loved the casual relaxed feel, and the non-seafood food was pretty good too. Then back to the house and back to more booze, conversation, and a slight bit of online stalking of Patrick Dempsey (who lived down the street from our rented house!!!) but he wouldn't come play with 25 random internet moms. What a party pooper. lol
I mean, who wouldn't want to come party with this:
Another highlight of our weekend were the most AH-MA-ZING cookies ever. They came from Salsa Sweets and seriously, the pics speak for themselves.
So, overall, an amazing weekend and I had the best time ever. There is already a malibooze being planned for 2013. Such a great and much needed getaway. I seriously love all the girls I met (and all the other's I've yet to meet, but it will happen I promise!) and this weekend will go down in history.
Left - the lineup of empty bottles saturday night. Sans 98% of the beer bottles. Top right - Saturday morning champagne and sorbet. Best way to start the day! Bottom right - Doing whip cream shots out of a mini cod pitcher. Super classy!
So, that is all I have for this post. But a post about Malibu just won't be complete without a final
That's right. School. WHAT?!?! Ok, sure it's preschool. But still. It's a backpack and learning and out of the house. It's a big deal! Plus if we were in Ontario still he would be starting school this year.
So, this year, is a busy freaking year. We enrolled Austin in a preschool. We paid our deposits, yadda yadda. Then, we find out he was accepted to the preschool program through the school down the road. (I mean I can see it out my window it's that close) We didn't get the acceptance to the second school until months after enrolling him with the first school. I didn't even know he was being considered actually. The one hr of play weekly at the school I signed him up for last year put him in the consideration.
Now, the pre-school at the public school does accept kids who have delays. I guess in my "perfect kid" mind I didn't even think that he would be accepted because of course he has no delays. (Plus I didn't think he would get into one of the few "non delay" spots they have) However, they did an assesement and thought maybe he had a bit of a speech delay. To say I was in shock when I found out that news is an understatement. I did get over it though and we went for meetings with specialists. He does have a mild speech delay. The specialist told me that he understands everything but he just has a hard time translating that into words.
Now that we were in 2 schools I had to figure out what to do. The second school is covered, it's just like he is going to regular junior kindergarten. We only have to pay the school fees. The first school is a pretty hefty monthly bill. I wasn't sold on pulling him out of the first school though. Then, it was like fate intervened for us. His church pre-school ran Tues, Thurs, Friday mornings. We found out the second school ran mon, tues, thurs, fri afternoons. It was going to work out. I am still crazy worried about if it's going to be too much for Austin, but so far I've been up front with both schools, they both know he's enrolled in another, and so far he's been doing ok with adjusting.
Without further ado, I present to you the first day of school pics!!!
This day took me by surprise. I thought it was just a come in and see your class type of day. Then I got there and it was an actual first day. I had such a hard time NOT crying. The teachers read the kids the book "the Kissing Hand" to try and help them not be sad when their Moms aren't around. I get trying to help the kids, but when Austin gave my hand a kiss I almost started bawling right there. Not cool teachers. lol. We did stay for the whole 45 minutes (ok, so not a true first day since it was only 45 minutes, but I was still not prepared)
Having a blast coloring his picture of Chester from the story above.
And this picture was from his actual first day at the church pre-school. This was after class. I dropped him off and he just ran off and didn't say goodbye. Let's be honest now. I made it to the car and halfway out of the parking lot before I started crying because he was gone to school and didn't care to say goodbye. When I went to pick him up though he was so excited to see me so it made up for it.
These 2 pictures were just before leaving for his first day at the school down the street. I can't believe how big he is! Sigh.
just a quick jump in here. Things have been busy. I have a few posts I started and didn't finish saved. Mainly ones about my vacation that turned out not to be at all what I expected, and while extremely sad for the loss of my grandma, extremely grateful that I was there. I don't know. There are a lot of feelings I still need to figure out and put down before finishing that post.
Then there is my fun girls weekend. I haven't even started a blog post about that. I've just barely unpacked from that.
And finishing it off is 1- a certain baby being 6 months, trying food now, and omg! sitting. And 2- Austin's first week of school.
Whew. I've been busy. I know, I know. Every bloggers excuse. I'm at a point where I have all these ideas but no idea how to start to put them down, or the time. This is just to let you know I'm not dead. However it is past midnight so I might die of exhaustion tomorrow if I don't get to bed now.
