Weekend Adventures

This is a delayed post as I never got to finish it.  A couple weekends ago we finally got a chance to visit my good friend Shirley, who had recently moved back to California with her husband.  It was also an opportunity to take Ella to the beach again.  She hasn't been since our trip to Hawaii, and I was excited to see how she would be with the sand and ocean now that she's a year older.

This picture melts my heart.  I forget that she's still such a little girl.  I love how she's looking up at her dad as they take in the beach together.

Ella loved standing in the surf and feeling the waves on her feet.  She wasn't happy when Adam pulled her out because the water was too cold and her feet were freezing.  Thankfully, she was content putting sand between her toes during the rest of our time there.  We're sure she's going to have a grand time when we go to Hawaii again this summer.

It was colder than we expected, but we enjoyed the beach nevertheless.

On Sunday we went to Griffith Park for some picnicking and horseback riding.  I wasn't sure if Ella would want to ride a horse, even though she loves playing horsey.  She seemed to really enjoy the  circular pony ride, but (after a 45 minute wait) cried the minute she got on the longer ride.  I think it was because she got scared that the horse was taking her away from Adam and she couldn't be certain where she was headed.  That, and the wait was just too long for her and we all got tired and hungry.  Hopefully next time will be more successful.

My parents used to take me here when I was Ella's age.  Hard to believe that 30 years later, I'm taking my own two kids!

She enjoyed this pony.  She waved and smiled every time she came around to us.

A quick picnic lunch.  She chose to lounge like her Dad.

My mother used to love taking us on this train ride.  Ella now thoroughly enjoys it, too.

Train ride antics.

Gavin slept most of the time, but got to enjoy the picnic a little with Grandma.

Later that evening, Adam and I got to enjoy a double date with our friends watching the Lakers game at the Staples Center.  I'm not a huge basketball fan, but it was some much needed adult time.  

The Lakers won, but I was bummed that I missed the dessert cart.