Life is good: September 2009

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Preschool and Soccer

Adam was so excited to start both preschool and soccer this week. I don't have any preschool pix yet, but he seems to be adapting well after he got used to the fact that it's not at moms' houses like last year. :) Thank goodness for the class pets (even a chinchilla!), which are definitely what finally won him over.

He's also really loving soccer. He was pretty apprehensive before we started because he was well-aware of the fact that he "didn't much know" how to really play. But we've had two practices so far and he thinks it's great. I love it too! It's at a park that's really close to our house, so we just bike/rollerblade over. I bring a blanket and just hang out, waiting to be entertained. And entertaining it is! Have you ever had the privilege of watching 4&5-year-olds play soccer?! One or two are actually kinda good. The rest are much more clueless, and it's those cuties who I keep my eye on for a good laugh now and then. It's awesome. Can't wait for their first game next week! Adam's actually better than I was expecting (phew!), and I'm glad he enjoys it. Seems to be getting a little more confident.

Goal!

What's he doing? Bored already? Practice is only 30 minutes. Tired? He comes to me frequently for water breaks. He told me later that he was just "pullin' the grass". Of course.

Those practices are killer.

Cast off!

1 week in a sling followed by 3 weeks in a bright green cast, and it's finally off! He was actually a really good sport about it the whole time. I don't recall even one complaint about the cast. I guess maybe if the break was worse and he had to have it on for 6 weeks or something, that'd be another story. :) He was very excited to get it off that day, and just amazed at all the little things he could do now that it was off. Like swim, jump on the tramp, play more at the playground, ...and bathe. (Yeah, oops... I don't think he got as many baths as he should've while that cast was on... such a pain! Definitely inquiring about those waterproof ones if there's ever a next time:)

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

California dreamin'...

We were able to take a family trip down to Cali last month and had such a great time! With family in the area, we've been coming down here ever since I can remember. The first order of business is ALWAYS to drive straight to Balboa Island! Sure it's beautiful and lots of fun things to do there, but let's be honest. I go there for the food! "Dad's" frozen bananas, to be exact (don't be fooled by the competitors a few doors down... Dad's is the way to go). If you've never had the pleasure of experiencing this, I highly recommend it. Here's how it works:

Choose your size of banana, from small to x-large. And just a little note: on your last day here when you swing by to get one last banana for the road (you've been coming daily, of course)... and think you want to get the biggest one possible because who knows when you'll get another one... don't! As delicious as this banana treat is, you must exercise caution when considering ordering an XL or you might end up feeling sick the whole drive home. **I guess you could choose another frozen treat for the dipping like a balboa bar (ice cream) or frozen cheesecake on a stick, but why?
Choose your topping. If memory serves me correctly, you may have chocolate sprinkles, butter brickle, almonds, peanuts, crushed oreos, cinnamon crunch, plain (?!), or my personal favorite: rainbow sprinkles. I really am not a fan of rainbow sprinkles per se, but somehow they become a delicacy when paired with a frozen banana dipped in chocolate. Why choose anything else when you've had the best? Heaven!
Then they'll dip your frozen banana in a silky smooth, magical dipping sauce and quickly roll it in your topping of choice before it hardens. They'll serve it to you in a cheap little hot dog paper bowl thingy and you get to go enjoy it as you walk along the shops. Or, if you're too focused to casually nibble along the way, pick a park bench right there and devour the thing. Watch for brain freeze and be sure to catch extra sprinkles and chocolate in your paper bowl thingy so they don't fall and become some pigeon's treat.

Well, if you've made it this far and humored me in my banana indulgence, feel free to check out some pix in somewhat random order.

I was so proud when Adam chose rainbow sprinkles too. He later reported to Guy, "I love frozen bananas more than Mom!" After asking about it, he clarified that he loves them more than I DO... not necessarily more than he loves me. Either way, I don't care much. Who could blame him? I mean, really. It was a proud moment.

Guy's choice is Oreo. As much as I love Oreos... they just don't do it for me on a frozen banana.

The above 2 pix are on our ferris wheel ride. I don't recall ever going on this ride before (as I mentioned, I really only come for one thing), but having a 4-year-old made it harder to pass up. The top pic is Guy and Adam "scared" when we were at the top...

Big Corona beach... beautiful, but a little crowded. Our favorite is usually Little Corona... fun to explore the rocks and find seashells.

Um, Guy made me take this pic. While waiting in line for the ferris wheel, a little girl (8-ish?) and her father/uncle/? sat down on some steps and he pulled out his guitar. She jumped right in and started belting out "Our Lips are Sealed". She had a great voice and we were impressed. They left after that song, but we saw them later at a different location, singing the same song. Then when we were on the ferry back over, we found them again... singing the same song. Must be a one-act team so they have to keep moving. :) Guy wanted me to secretly tape her, but I thought it was a little too creepy. I took this pic instead... she's in a green shirt and her...guitarist...there in black. Funny.

Of course we stopped by the sunglasses spot... Adam and I each got new sunglasses (2 for $12:)...his were cooler than mine, though. They were the "bad spiderman" sunglasses as he calls it.