Julian's Big Boy Bike

Abu and Aba bought JD his very first big boy bike last weekend. Since hubby was off yesterday and it was such a beautiful sunny day here in Southern California; we decided to take JD for bike ride. We drove out to the Angel's Gate Park in San Pedro, it is a breathtaking park overlooking the coastline and home to the Korean Friendship Bell, and let Julian ride around to his heart's content!

Wordless Wednesday

Our Bedroom: Layout

I rearranged our bedroom a couple weeks ago and it's working out great. I don't know why we didn’t place our furniture this way to begin with! I'm pretty sure hubby was thinking the same thing since he was the one who went under the house to re-wire our cable last week...thanks babe!

The tall dresser is the only new (previously owned) piece of furniture in the room and the wood sunburst mirror hanging over our dresser is my latest HomeGoods find ($59.99).  Our wing-back chair has to be one of my favorite pieces of furniture in the room. I purchased it at Habitat for Humanity a couple years ago for $25; I remember hubby thinking I was crazy for buying it. We had just started escrow on the house and I kept it in the middle of our apartment living room for over month, I was convinced we'd find a place for it in our new home.

I recently purchased a shag fox fire rug for the room, I can't wait to roll it out; but first we need to paint. We also want need a new TV, our current one looks pretty comical on the dresser. I'm also hoping to add lighting above the chair in a couple weeks and eventually we will add crown moulding to the room.  After two years of of starring at this boring room, we are finally making some progress!

Julian's Dinosaur Party at the Natural History Museum

Like most boys his age, JD loves dinosaurs but we can honestly only credit this love for dinosaurs to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles! We began visiting the museum with him in 2010 and became members soon after; we haven’t stopped visiting it since. When the Dinosaur Hall opened last year JD became completely fascinated with dinosaurs and fossils. There isn't a week that goes by that he doesn't ask to go to the “Dino Museum.” So, when the time came to plan his 3rd birthday party we knew dinosaurs would be the theme. When we found out the NHM of Los Angeles had a birthday party program, we didn’t have to think twice about the location.

The Natural History Museum's birthday party program is really great! They provide everything you need to throw an amazing dinosaur party, everything but the food and cake! The program even provides event assistants (really awesome assistants) to help you run your party and direct all the activities and games. All your party guests also get admission to the museum for the day!

Julian had no idea his 3^rd birthday party was going to be at his favorite museum, when he arrived and saw the balloons and decorations, the expression on his face was priceless! JD and his friends had such a great time. They played "Tyrannosaurus Says", Pin the Horn on the Triceratops, they made dinosaur masks and their very own fossils.  I have to admit that this party was amazingly stress free thanks to the help of our very supportive family, the wonderful staff at the Natural History Museum, and especially Kersti Kooiman.  Kersti not only helped me decorate, but she is also the incredible photographer behind these amazing pictures of JD and his dinosaur party!

Photography: Kersti Kooiman
Kraft Bags: Little Horse Bakery
Kraft tags & birthday banner supplies: Retro Rox Vintage
Muslin bags: Urban Homesteaders
Julian's Carnivore Shirt: Vicarious Clothing
Invitations, cupcake stand, cupcake decorations, cake decorations, plant arrangements, gift bags, dinosaur egg bags, fossil cookies &  chocolate dinosaurs: Quaintly Garcia