Laguna Beach Beautiful

Pile o' puppies

Beach Towel Fort

Monday at the beach

I know you're smiling back at him. You can't help it.

Say "flores"

This was a totally cute shot until I said, "can I take your picture?"

Look Ma! Two hands!

Mr. Droolie

His passport shows a moonface little cherub, smiling a huge gummy smile, blueberry eyes shining. Huge droolspot front and center on his little striped shirt. Clean, new, green striped shirt. Fresh shirt.
This is his new look- droolspots on shirt, fist in mouth, fingers in mouth, toy in mouth, your shirt in mouth, red rash around mouth, it's all about that mouth. Wet, slimey, gooey little mouth.

Friendly Skies

Monsieur Homme's Last Dip

Little Mister's last dip in Lake Meech for this trip. It is still a little chilly in the water- we didn't have the heat that was last year (when I wanted to die from "morning" sickness). Instead, we've enjoyed perfect temperatures and afternoon drizzles breaking into evening sun. We've even enjoyed a few good thunderstorms. It's been a wet trip all around. Julian tried to avoid the water as best he could while letting his sister take center stage in the swimming department, but we weren't going to leave without getting his toes wet.

At Nicasio's

Because you have two young children shouldn't mean you can't go out to eat (as this blog must show) it just means that you need a few more hands than usual. (in addition to an early reservation, and a small restaurant with a family friendly outlook.) Everyone was very well behaved. They are going to grow up little gormands. Julian thinks the sauvignon blanc lacked a little citrus on the nose...

Make mine a double

No day at the lake is complete without a stop for ice cream. After a tough afternoon of lollygagging on the grass, and splashing in the water, daddy insisted on a mandatory stop at La Cigale- a down home ice cream shop in the tiny Gateneau town of Chelsea. This is no Baskin Robbins. Everything is home made right there in the shop with local, fresh ingredients. Our favorite was the strawberry sour cream, but blackberry sorbet, brownies & cream, and gingersnap chai all received high rankings.
As wonderful as the ice cream is, being able to savor it from an adirondak chair, on a grassy lawn next to flowerbeds in old town Chelsea makes it a classic summer treat.

A Chilly Swim

Warm lap.

Two little bugs in a rug

My sweaty, sleepy little cuties in Montreal

With Papu in Montreal

Julian finds his voice

Summer Rain

A small game of family soccer held among the puddles behind Marcia & Ted's Ottawa home. It has rained quite a lot on this trip- which is why this area is SO GREEN. The air is warm and wet; it rains and then the sun comes out, constantly feeding all the vines, grass, trees, hostas, lilies, morning glories, clematis, and flowers that cover every inch of space between the red brick buildings. The rain doesn't get us down- it never gets cold or too gloomy to enjoy being outdoors.