Settling in...California Style

The Most Recent Happenings....

We have been traveling, weekend trips, which we included pics of...

Been checking out all the local playgrounds!

Riley is at a new preschool (toddlers & up)- various reasons, biggest one being our sweet boy was chomping on the babies at his home daycare... That horrified us, I nicknamed him Hannibal for about a month. Thankfully, he's stopped now.

Lo & I attended the GLAAD Awards in LA, it's like the Gay Oscars. It was lovely! Lots of famous faces...

Life is otherwise moving along & we are settling in to our lives back in California. Lo has joined the boards of two different organizations. I am not as ambitious & plan to avoid any formal committments by making time for surfing & goofing off as much as possible. Ri has been busy with play dates, teething & swim lessons.


THE LATEST PICS...


Mission Bay Playground is huge, right on the bay.



















Future horse rider? His Great Aunty Midge would love that!





















The boy loves his 'wooby' to sleep with, he was in heaven with a handfull of them.














More Playground fun..



















We joined our friends Em, Tammy & Teagan (Ri's bestbud) at the St. Patrick's Parade, which was the LONGEST parade I have ever seen.













It was standoff between Cosmo and Ri who got to play with mama Lo...



















St. Patrick's Parade..still going.















Me and Ri
















Ahh.. a boy and his dog.



















Is this not the sweetest? He was napping when went to the Borrego desert.













Popcorn isn't as good without alittle deck dust..mmm.. goodie.















SURF Dude! He was helping me wax my new board...




















Julian California has never been so cool.















So many places to see, so little time before he naps.




















MMMM..yogurt!



















Anza Borrego desert...good day mate!




















We stayed in this refurbed 50's hotel with kitchenettes, this was the only use for the sink we had. Ri loved it!



















I packed Ri into Hell's Canyon (Borrego Springs) for about an hour+, he wasn't thrilled to be carried- but he did really well and touched every safe plant we passed.
















Lo loves the desert even when it hit 95 degrees at noon.



















We hiked early in the morning, taking a short paved walk first to see how Ri did, mostly he wanted to touch all the cactus.... I showed him the plants that are 'ow-ee' plants, he learned quick.












Post family hike early morning Anza Borrego, Hell's Canyon.

















We spent the rest of the desert trip laying around the pool & staying cool.



















Me & Ri



















Lo & Ri on the groovy visitor's center- it's built into the ground.


















Teagan, Ri's best buddy, Hanging Ten on her mom's board.



















Tammy holding Riley after his Hang Ten experience left him soaking wet.


















Emma holding Ri as the water washes over his feet that are Hanging Ten on her board...Split second after this he slid off into the water! Brr!!

















Ri recovered from the water dunk & spent the rest of the time playing in the warm sand.














Teagan kissing Riley's head. She would exchange sand toys with him & then kiss him. It was great! She's a riot...




















Lois and the actress, Rachel (Something or another), who plays in the Showtime series The L Wards. Lois was thrilled to talk with her, she was gracious & friendly. The woman was tall!














The GLAAD awards gang! Our friends Dierdre and Bonnie, who have taken good care of us since we've been home again.











Riley's first ride a Carousel. He was so excited at first....















Then it all went down hill fast...Poor guy!














The fountain at Balboa Park, which Ri almost took a swim in when he saw ducks in it! He thought walking on the water was just fine, hey Jesus did it.


















This adorable little boy is Luke, one of my oldest friend's child. I love this pic... It just seems to capture his sweet little laid back personality.


















Ri was absorbed in watching the Carousel go round and round...


















Luke's Mom, Lea, and his sister Kiara Shea- who is a Merry Go Round veteran & all around fun playdate. I've known Lea since my early teens & as luck would have it she lives about 25 minutes away!











Now this was a ride that was more Riley's speed...

















Post Playdate with Lea & family... He was out the instant I put him in the car.



















Earth Day 2007 Balboa Park:
Our little gang- me holding Ri & Teagan, with Tammy on the left and Emma peeking over our heads on the right.











BONUS SECTION for this time around is an 'FYI'....

When taking a toddler to a Museum exhibit- MAKE SURE it's NOT an Annie Leibowitz photography exhibit. It was so quiet in there you'd have thought it was a funeral. Needless to say, Riley lasted about 2.5 minutes before losing his mind, screaming "NOOOOOoooo!" & running through several sections like he was on fire.

This marked the very FIRST event we have ever been kicked out of.... The Museum Guard asked us to leave...Ouch.

The good old days of quiet baby Riley are officially over.