Stan Lee's Comikaze 2013

On Friday my friend Vanessa and her family visited STAN LEE'S COMIKAZE EXPO 2013.  She sent me a picture of the Ecto-1 which was on display at the expo.  When I saw this picture I knew we had to take JD to see it!  So, on Sunday we headed to the Expo at Los Angeles Convention Center with our little Ghostbuster!

When we arrived JD was told he needed to have his weapon checked!  I thought it was so cool that the staff treated him like he was a real Ghostbuster.
Once we were through the door we headed straight to the Ecto-1!

During our visit JD got to meet so many of his favorite characters.  Many of them actually came up and asked if they could take a picture with him, which was totally cool!

We all had a great time, we can't wait to go back next year!

Halloween 2013: Who You Gonna Call?

Ghostbusters is one of JD's favorite movies, he knows every scene by heart.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times hubby and I have watched this movie with him, although I'm still trying to figure out who allowed our toddler to watch Ghostbusters in the first place...hubby!  So, when we asked JD what he wanted to be this Halloween, he proudly announced he wanted to be a Ghostbuster (as an 80's kid, I really could not be prouder)!
JD's favorite Ghostbuster is Dr. Egon Spengler, we think it may have something to do with his glasses and the fact that JD finds the Twinkie scene so hilarious! 

I'll admit that putting this costume together was not easy (but well worth it), and I have to thank my brilliant dad for all his help, especially for building JD's amazing proton pack and gun!

Needless to say JD loved his costume, and had a blast fighting off ghosts, zombies and monsters! 

Stay tuned for more of JD's ghost busting adventures!

Wordless Wednesday

DIY Toddler Closet Update

Early this year I posted JD's new and improved closet, you can see it here.  Since then I've made a few updates and added some color!  The closet was originally painted in flat paint which tends to get very dirty, so I decided to repaint the entire closet in semi-gloss.  I thought it would also be fun to add some color while I was at it, and allowed JD to pick the color (Behr New Green)!

We Love Reptiles!

I’m always amazed at how many interesting people I meet through blogging and Instagram!  A little over a month ago I posted a picture on Instagram of JD visiting a leopard gecko (he really wants a lizard) at our local pet store.  This picture led to some really informative and fun Instagram conversations with Erik from Geckotropolis, a local leopard gecko breeder, member of S.C.H.A.&R . (Southern California Herpetology Association & Rescue) and fellow coffee enthusiast.  Erik was kind enough to mention that the North American Reptile Breeders Conference was coming to Anaheim, and that he and his group S.C.H.A.&R .  would be there also.  So, last weekend we headed to Anaheim for the convention.  We really had a great time, I don’t know who enjoyed it more JD or me!  Thanks Erik!

Grand Park Los Angeles

A couple weeks ago when summer finally arrived to Southern California we needed to find a place to beat the heat, and hubby had a great place in mind!  We headed to Downtown LA, and after a quick stop at Wurstküche in the Arts District for lunch, we made our way to Grand Park.  The park opened about a year ago, but this was our first time visiting it.  It really is a beautiful park and the fountain and wading pool will keep any child (or adult) cool and happy for hours.  Although the park is free and open to the public, the parking can be a little pricey in DTLA, but we are happy to report that parking is available at the Cathedral for $5 all day on Saturdays and Sundays (the park is about two blocks away), or you can take the Metro Red Line! 

About Grand Park

A city’s urban heart is an expression of its people, its diversity, its interests, and its passions.  The new Grand Park, with its majestic views extending from the Music Center to City Hall, provides Angelenos of all walks of life a place where they can come together to celebrate, reflect, and shape the future, in one central gathering place.  Throughout Grand Park, open spaces are available not only for casual sitting and leisurely strolling, but also for civic gatherings.  Grand Park has four distinct areas featuring amenities ranging from a restored historic Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain with a new wade-able membrane pool, a small intimate performance lawn, a community terrace planted with drought tolerant specimen plants representing the diverse cultural make-up of Los Angeles itself, and a grand event lawn.  The new Grand Park allows for a strong visual and physical connection from Grand Avenue via a series of stairs, accessible ramps and sloped walks as well as a new elevator to invite more pedestrians into a vibrant garden environment, a place to come together in a welcoming and distinctly urban oasis.

200 N Grand Ave, Los Angeles, California

JD's 1st Day of Preschool

It's been a few months since my last post, and I have to admit "I really do miss blogging!" So, I'm hoping that I can get back on track and I'll start by sharing JD's 1st day of preschool pictures.  JD has attended preschool for 2 years now, but this year he is officially in the "Pre-K" class, better known as the Monkey Class (fitting, don't you think).  We are so very proud of our little monkey and can't wait to see what this year has in store for him.

I took these pictures in about 10-15 minutes with my Nikon D5000 at about 7 a.m the first day of preschool.  Thanks to Pic Monkey (a free photo editing site) I was able to make a super cute collage in just a few minutes and post it the very same day!

JD is Playing T-Ball

JD is turning 4 in a couple weeks and will no longer be considered a toddler!  This new milestone will bring new responsibilities, some of which he has already begun to work on.  He brushes his own teeth, wipes his own butt (woohoo), dresses and undresses himself, and picks his own outfits.  He also helps around the house; collecting trash cans on trash day, helping feed the dogs, separate the laundry, and keeping his room tidy.

Now that he’s becoming more independent, we thought it would be a good idea to get him involved in sports too.  So, a couple weeks ago we signed him up for T-Ball.  T-Ball leagues are great because there are no winners or losers (little kids get pretty emotional when they lose), but young children still learn the fundamentals of baseball; they learn teamwork, discipline, and it’s a great form of exercise!

JD is the smallest kid on the team, but he’s had no problems adjusting (we can thank 2 years of pre-school for that), and all the other players are super nice to him, even when he cuts them in line to bat!  I love watching him on the field keeping up with the big boys, and watching hubby getting involved and helping the coach and the kids makes me so proud!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday: Aba & Abu

Legoland California Hotel

Although our family has not had the privilege of visiting LEGOLAND California (yet), I am super excited about the new LEGOLAND Hotel opening tomorrow, April 5th.  Why, you ask?!  Well, this year we are skipping the birthday party and surprising our birthday boy with a 2 day trip to LEGOLAND, and we’ll be staying at the new LEGOLAND Hotel!

The LEGOLAND Hotel is located right at the main entrance of LEGOLAND California.  All 250 guest rooms are themed, so your family can choose from one of three popular LEGO lines – Pirate, Kingdom, or Adventure; we chose a pirate themed room.  Rooms include two separate sleeping areas, with a queen-size bed for grown-ups and a separate area for up to three little ones, complete with a bunk bed, pull-out trundle bed, and their very own TV!  As a special privilege, LEGOLAND Hotel guests will get entry to select LEGOLAND rides and attractions before the park officially opens.  We booked our room during their spring special, so JD gets to stay, play and eat for free!

We can’t wait to surprise him, especially since he is obsessed with Ninjago (Lego Ninjas) at the moment.  We even managed to find a bakery that will deliver a very special birthday cake to the LEGOLAND Hotel to make his birthday celebration complete! Stay tuned for pictures and a review in May.

Weekend Find: Camera Earrings

Have you ever come across something you just had to have, but didn’t know existed until the very moment you saw it?  Ya, well that happens to me all the time… just ask my hubby!  So this weekend I came across these adorable Lauren Conrad Silver Tone Camera Earrings at KHOL'S and I just had to have them.  I almost bought them in every color available (40% off = $7.20 each), but decided on gray and mint green.  They’re currently sold out online, but available in-store for all you camera jewelry lovers out there!

Wordless Wednesday: Monsters, Inc.