Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem means "Seize the Day" in Latin and that is what we did on Sunday! Instead of waiting for the most convenient time or the best part of the day, we packed up the car with beach toys, beach towels, sunscreen, water and kids and headed two miles west to the beach!

California found a pet rock to keep him company! It was hard to part with him when we had to go home :(



It was unusally warm in Los Angeles/Santa Monica. The thermometer in the car read 93 degrees on the way there and 91 degrees at the beach! It is usually quite breezy down by the ocean but there wasn't a breeze to be had on Sunday. You can see the effect of the heat on Tennessee's face. RED HOT!



This is what we enjoyed on a hot Sunday afternoon right at naptime for California. We figured since we only lived two miles away, we could zip home in an instant!



It was 91 degrees on the beach but the sand was hotter...approximately 182 degrees by my estimation. In the midst of seizing the day, Tennessee forgot his flip flops. So a dip in the ocean was a must.



California decided it was time for his nap and was very unhappy about the heat, so we went home after being there for about 45 minutes. As we left, a surfer,in a brand new luxury SUV, asked if we would give him our $7.00 parking pass so he could park for free. How tacky is that??!! It would never cross my mind in a million years to ask a stranger, much less a friend, for a parking pass that I have the responsibility to pay for!

Our Beautiful Backyard

It was 83 today, so we decided to play in the backyard. We live in a condo and our backyard is HUGE. We walked two miles to get there. You may have heard of it; it is called the Pacific Ocean :) We stopped at the Coffee Bean on the way to take a break. L.A. Mama got a Mocha Latte and Tennessee & California got a cookie to keep their blood sugar levels high enough to make it to the beach. Then we stopped at the Third Street Promenade to go to Barnes and Noble to get some books and magazines. We finally made it there and found the most beautiful tree.





Look closely! That is the Pacific Ocean in the background.






Here is a better picture of our beautiful backyard.



California passed out on the way back home.



...and then we got a mid day snack at Earth Wind & Flour before coming home to slather aloe vera on our faces!

Southern California Storms

We went for a Sunday drive today just as the THIRD California storm began to roll in off the Pacific Ocean. We live 2 miles from the ocean and this is what we saw on our drive...









...and here is a pic of California right before he passed out in his carseat for a power nap. He didn't know it, but a ladybug crawled all over him during his slumber. He has officially been blessed with good luck:)