All In A Good A Day's Play: The Weekend Edition.

This past weekend was a blur.

It all began Friday with a maddened trip into the valley to put a deposit down on a washer and dryer--finally! It took nearly all day, but we managed to frollic to a new valley park we had never foraged before and snuck over afterward to see an old friend that we hadn't seen in quite some time.

Saturday passed with a gray morning on the beach, followed by the unpacking of the last few boxes that were hiding in the back of the bedroom closet, all topped off with roasted chicken, heirloom potatoes, long beans and freshly squeezed lemonade.

Sunday buzzed by with an early afternoon at the Oxnard Strawberry Festival--where Noah slept nearly the entire time--despite the fact that Dean and I waited in line twice for the mini flying rockets just in the case that he'd wake before we left. All before zooming back into the valley to pick up the washer and dryer before sunset with the help of a super duper damsel devilishly disguised as a petite brunette named, Candice. Merci, mademoiselle York, Merci.

So far, today, Monday, has been super relaxing. Noah and I didn't get out of our pajamas until our evening bath. After which we put on some clean, fresh, new pajamas.

The Oxnard Strawberry Festival

Other snapshots from the weekend

I H e a r t Collages.

So, I still find myself with frightfully little time to sit down and write all about the adventures we have been having since the move almost a month ago now. And, we still have much to do--we are "moved in"--but still need to paint, hang shelves, buy odds and ends and get our outdoor spaces ready for summer. There are few visits from friends scheduled until late May when my dear little sis moves out this way and stops by for a nice long visit. So, I am hoping sometime between now and then that I am able to find myself with prolific fingers and a willingness to tinker on the keys, as well as, an urge to get the indoors picture perfect.

Until then, enjoy these collages chronicling our days with and without friends in and around our new home.

Going for a beach walk with friends after a Saturday afternoon birthday BBQ.

Whaling around at the Malibu Bluffs Park after story time.

Romping on the ranch before dinnertime with Asami, Kai & Pancake.

Noah + Owen = Double Trouble.

Noah HEARTS Pancake. And, I am pretty sure that Pancake loves him too.

Yoga, rock climbing and a little bubble blowing on Leo Carillo Beach.

Flowers picked fresh from the Ranch, a handmade Mother's Day greeting and breakfast in bed. My Mother's Day = perfection.

All In A Good A Day's Play: The Weekend Edition.

When time is too short to write, pictures speak a thousand words.

The weekend was busy and super productive--the place is beginning to look like home. With Dean back to work today after a long three-day weekend, Noah Finn and I have a bustling week ahead. Annaliisa and Owen are coming today to stay for a few days followed by a short little visit from Asami and Kai. We have storytime at the Bluffs on Thursday and hopefully another productive weekend to follow.

Though I have so much to say and tell, photos that we have been collecting over the last few days are going to have to explain it all for me, for now.

So, enjoy, and happy Monday!

Our first official meal--Garlic Grilled Shrimp With Corn & Potatoes: the recipe can be found on my Feeding Little Foodies blog at www.feedinglittlefoodies.com:

Pictures from some Friday and Sunday beachtime--Leo Carillo beach is the closest. It's 5 miles down the mountain from us. The road that we live just off of dead ends at its rocky shore:

Photos of some of our outdoor spaces and our dining room that has moved outdoors:

Noah H e a r t s Milagro.

He visits the horses each morning after breakfast.
He jumps on bales of hay in the feed barn.
He picks wildflowers for mama's vases.
He swings and slides on the sunny playground vista.
He naps with the sounds of the birds and the bees wafting through breezy open doors and windows.
He runs alongside of the Lab pups, Pancake and Marmalade, each afternoon.
He collects rocks in his Halloween pumpkin.
He harvests lemons and blood oranges from the little hillside orchard.
He climbs and plays and sits and ponders and runs and squawks.

Noah H E A R T S Milagro Ranch.

For more pictures from our move and 1.5 weeks at our new home, visit us on flickr.

Happy Friday.

Welcome To Milagro Ranch, Our Home Sweet Home.

Oie. Oie. Oie. The ups, the downs, the stress and then the release, of moving.

We had, hands down, the most magnificent, fabulous, fantastic and splendiferously excellent friends helping us before, during and after moving day--and I have to say that I have never had so much fun moving before. Many, many beautiful, gracious thanks are in order for the following near and dear marvelous movers: Asami, Atsushi, Gabe, John, Kathleen, Yuka, Mark, James, Candice and Cassidy. The topping on the moving cupcake was the great piano feat--many hours of strategizing and heavy lifting, straining and cussing later, the circa 1889 behemoth was moved in one piece from it's former bustling home mid-city, Los Angeles to it's current place of residence, Milagro Ranch, Malibu.

I have so much to tell, thus much to write, but few hours in which to devote to writing it all down for now. Dean is super busy unpacking at work leaving little time for him to aid me in my settling down efforts here at the home front. But, hark, there is light at the end of this dim tunnel. He is set to have a three day weekend beginning tomorrow. Not only will I delve into un-boxing and decorating our new cozy little cabin, but I will also try and chronicle our life here at Milagro Ranch so far--one and a half week in. All I can say is . . . it's heartstoppingly beautiful. I have to stop and ask myself at least once an hour if this is really home . . .

In the meantime, enjoy . . .

New Spaces And Fun Places: The Movie.

New Spaces And Fun Places.

It is funny how packing up a home is for most adults a daunting, dreaded and scattering task as all things important get boxed up and taped and stacked. But for kids, it seems, moving is as exciting as finding themselves in an entire new cardboard playground each and every day. As we shuffle and shift things, Noah Finn finds new places to play, hide and explore. While packing up the kitchen today, I moved some large mixing bowls that were stored under our island. Noah quickly replaced them with his presence and it has been a favorite hideout ever since. What new shall be discovered tomorrow?

Anniversaries And Birthdays And Moving, Oh My!

Talk about an eventful week--this week is the definition--it's a week chock full of events. Anniversary yesterday, my . . . ahem, choke, gasp . . . 31st birthday on Friday and moving day on Saturday. Sheesh, Calgon take me away. . .

Anniversary celebrations yesterday were just what the Doctor ordered (flowers like those of my wedding bouquet and a surprise dinner date topped with garlic ice cream) and the birthday will hopefully pass uneventfully unnoticed (what's 31, anyway, but a reminder of how close to the hill you are?!). And, moving, well so far so good, my friends. We are uncharacteristically organized during this grand packing event. Thanks to the help of beautiful friends this past weekend helping to entertain and contain our Noah Finn, we were able to pack up more than half of our place. I may even venture to suggest that having a child forces you to plan, prepare ahead of time and be organized in a way that being single lacks. With the assistance of more Noah wranglers this week and Dean taking Friday off for last minute preparations, we plan to box up the remaining baubles and bangles and get this moving to Malibu feat going already.

So with fingers crossed for beautiful weather and strong-muscled friends present to help on moving day, we trek along to the spot of our next California adventure. Wish us luck!

10 Years Of Love, 3 Years Of Marriage.

Happy Anniversary, my love.

These pictures from our wedding can be found here.

Wordless Wednesday.

More pictures from our week and Wednesday at flickr.