Lucky Me

So, I approached this weekend with dismay because it was so jam-packed of to-do's. I was looking forward to all the fun things we had going on, but not the fact that because of all the fun things, my time was squeezed and I had very little time to do errands and all the stuff I have to cram into the weekend because it's virtuously impossible to get anything done during the work week.

The things I was looking forward to were my Friday night date with hubby, which consisted of Happy Feet massages followed by drinks, Saturday night get-together with the Goods and Sunday afternoon at the Jonathan Club beach to meet friends. I will take these events in turn.

Friday: Sadly, Bobby's massage wasn't as good this go around. Note to self: when booking, make sure to request female masseuse for husband. I, on the other hand, had a fantastic massage, mostly due to the fact that I have found a masseuse that I really like. So, I make sure to request him. After the massage, we headed to Bandera's for a bottle of wine. Definitely stayed up too late this night, particularly since I decided to be the one to get up with Cael Saturday a.m., and give Bobby a reprieve. While tired, it wasn't so bad.

Saturday: Caoilin's French class got canceled, so she tagged along on my errands run while Cael napped at home with Bobby. This was actually a blessing in the sense that I didn't feel so regimened by a schedule. We got to go dress shopping for Easter (which is also the same dress she is wearing for her all girls birthday luncheon on the 3rd). I was so happy that we found something that we both agreed upon, which can be tough. Caoilin also got to get her nails painted (as this was on my to-do list while she was in class). So her day was going pretty well, if you ask me. Lastly, we ran to Whole Foods to get some groceries and picked up some sushi for lunch, always a crowd pleaser. Bobby was cleaning up the outdoor living area when we got home (preparing for our get-together with the Goods), with Cael in tow. The weather was beautiful and we were looking forward to appetizers and cocktails al fresco before it got too chilly.

After lunch, the kids both napped and Caoilin slept for almost 3 hours! This break allowed me time to get everything prepped for dinner, including the innevitable kids group bath (for those of you with kids, you can appreciate the madness that these group baths can be). Cameras at the ready, of course (see pics above). The Goods showed up a little before Bobby returned from LA Country Club. We had apps and enjoyed some outdoor play before retiring inside to feed the kids. Cael went to bed fairly early, which was a good thing given we had to spring forward that night.

The kids then got to watch a movie and eat Kettle Corn while the adults ate Paella and salad. Mills brought a naughty cheesecake with raspberry sorbet for dessert. Deeee-lish! Scarlet proceeded to try on or move every pair of Caoilin's shoes before the night was over. Then it was bath time! Kids were treated to a spa bubble bath in the Master Bathroom. Followed by a shower rinse. Once that was complete, it was close to 10 pm. Thank God again for Caoilin's 3-hour nap! The Goods sadly said goodbye after a fun (and chaotic) night and Bobby and I passed out shortly thereafter.

Sunday: So, this was my favorite of all days, and the perfect finale to what turned out to be a great weekend. Both kids (and innevitably us) slept until almost 8am!!!! Aaaaagh... Typically, Cael then goes down for a nap, while I take Caoilin to swim class. But due to the time change, Cael wasn't even close to being tired. So, all 4 of us got to go watch Caoilin's first swim test. This is essentially where they throw her in the pool fully clothed to see if she can get herself to a calm back float position with head out. It's essentially a safety test, which if passed, allows her to move to the next level. She's been an orange cap (2nd level "Floater") since she started in January. Not surprisingly, she passed with flying colors and is now a green cap ("Kicker"). Even Lenny Krayzelburg himself was in attendance. It was such a special treat for all of us to get to be there for her first test. As a Kicker, she will now be working on her kick without a stroke. Arms will either be at her sides or straight out. Next level after this is Streamliners (White Cap) where arms will start to be introduced in a streamlined sort of way. I am so happy we found this school. Caoilin loves it and it's such a valuable skill set to have.

On our way home from swimming, we got a message that our friends had to cancel our play date at the JC. We decided, however, to go anyway. The weather was fantastic (beach pics will be posted towards the end of the month in my March distribution). We walked to the ocean and played around there for a bit and Cael monopolozed the baby swing for close to a 1/2 hour. Then we had lunch and headed home. Cael took a fantastic nap, which got him right on the new schedule. Caoilin took a short nap too. We then had to head to the Valley to inspect the condo, which will be up for lease again at the end of May. We had to take a look at what needs to be done to get it spiffy.

On the way back home, we were all getting hungry. We decided to check out this new pizza joint that opened up about a mile away and simultaneously test out our new bike trailer. So, we all clambered on (Cael in the Baby Seat, Caoilin in the bike trailer and Bobby and I each riding). It took less than 10 minutes to get there. They had a perfect parking place right in front.

We were so impressed with this new place, and it is definitely on the top of our list of family dinner spots. It's indoor/outdoor seating, but all open air with floor to ceiling garage doors. We opted for outdoors since it was still so nice out. You order at the counter and they bring the food out to you. They grow all their own herbs right on the premises. Essentially, the outdoor area is walled in by the planters. Bobby and I had an incredible antipasta salad followed by a nitrate-free pepperoni fire roasted pizza. Caoilin had just cheese followed by a chocolate chip cookie to celebrate her swim class advancement. The beauty of this place is that, even thought they sell beer & wine, they allow you to bring your own wine without corkage. Looking around, we marveled at how young, hip and family oriented (and eco-friendly) our hood is. We LOVE Mar Vista and are continuing to watch it grow into a fantastic place to live.

After a lovely relaxing feast, we biked home, bathed the kids and got them off to bed. Bobby and I relaxed, watched some boob tube and then headed to bed. All that anxioty for nothing. It turned out to be one of the best weekends I can remember. I hope to have more like it soon.