Back in LA-LA Land...

At least for a few more weeks.  We are back in Los Angeles until the end of September.  And by "we", I mean Ethan and me.  Husband is spending his weeks up north now, working for Super Cool Tech Company and flying home for the weekends.  

Ethan and I flew home today...on Southwest, one of the two Airlines I Swear I'll Never Fly Again (the other is Delta--shudder).  What is it about Southwest pilots that make them think their passengers want to be taken on a joy ride at 30,000 feet?  Because I don't.  So stop taking off at break-neck speeds only to be told by air traffic control to slow it down so you don't ram into the plane ahead of you on the flight path, mkay?  Because when I hear that engine slow down so much, and so fast,  and feel my body literally pitch forward a little bit, my brain starts reciting every Hebrew prayer it can recall, because it's sure that we are about to plummet to a fiery death. I am desperately trying not to pass my fear of flying onto Ethan, but every time I am subjected to Southwest's rogue pilots, I fear I am losing that battle and Ethan will be biting his nails and breathing into paper bags at take off by the time he's old enough to say, "Pass me a Xanax, Ma." 

So fine.  Southwest flight.  Bad.  BUT, in good news, we found a house.  Thank goodness the first weekend was a bust because the house we ended up with is eleventy billion times better and makes me kind of giggle at the idea that we almost ended up in a house with a refrigerator door that looks like the kitchen's cabinets.  I've never understood that trend--is the fridge supposed to be camoflaged?  Should people not know that I have a refrigerator in my kitchen?   Weird.  

New house--lovely.  White picket fence, living space that we can't possibly fill with what we currently own (IKEA, I've been dreaming about you....), a back yard with a two-tiered back deck and a mini-basketball court that the owners poured for their son when he was young.  The owners currently have two or three little tables set up, each with their own giant green umbrella.  I think Husband and I were drawn to it because it almost looks like they're running a Starbucks coffee out on their back porch.  Sadly, they are taking the tables, chairs and umbrellas with them.  Ethan will have his own play room next to the living room and I will have a double oven in my kitchen.  Of course, the second oven will probably be used as storage space every day of the year except Thanksgiving (and who are we kidding--the first one won't get too much use, either), but it's lovely to have the option to get my Barefoot Countessa on and whip up 5-course meals for my family. 

We are within walking distance of a park that has vast expanses of rolling grass, tons of stuff for Ethan to climb, a man-made lake (complete with fountains--that bubble blue, which is gross, but it's still a lake), and ducks.   Also within walking distance from our house?  Borders bookstore.  Fun for the whole family, I tell you.  

Some pictures---and yes, I took more of the hotel than of anything else.  It was cool.  

Ethan inspects the "steering wheel" on the back of the chair in our hotel room.

the whole wall was this serene nature image with something about poetry written across it.  Dreamy.

the lobby from our 3rd floor hallway

Ethan chilling in the hallway.  He later discovered that the side table next to him was a mirror. 

Making faces into it took up a lot of our time this weekend...

Ethan shows off the hotel's lobby decor---tree branch and glass table, anyone? 

When we weren't looking for houses or making faces into the mirror table, we were at the pool.

Give the boy some floaties and a noodle and he's pretty much all set. 

Me and Ethan, getting our hot-tub on.  The kid loves to go from the hot tub to the cold water.  It makes me want to pass out, but he digs it. 

Water-logged

Gelato with Daddy.

Our frat-boy-in-training.  Cold pizza for breakfast, in bed, in his underwear, watching cartoons.  So proud. 

Our new back deck.  Tell me you can't smell the coffee brewing.

And our new park...think he might like it there?