Granmommy and Grandaddy come for a visit!

Heather and Bob spent nearly a week with us, and we just enjoyed showing them our routine and life in Santa Monica.

They made the rounds w/ Hank and Levi morning and night

Hung out and watched the waves

They even took care of Levi for a couple of days to really experience our daily routine (well Levi's)

We visited the coolest Harvest Festival about an hour outside of LA...complete with all kind of kid-friendly activities

It was quality time, well spent with two of our most favorite people... Levi loved it, as did JWG, Hanky, & I!

London -> Dubai -> LA

One of our favorite couples that we became friends with in London (Hussain & Amy) the very 1st week we moved there, left us for Dubai. However, they've now landed in LA for 6 months and we finally got to introduce Georgia and Levi and log in some quality time!

Getting to know one another

Definite highlight was Georgia's playhouse

Georgia and Levi saying goodbye

A Birthday Surf

Cousin Brian's birthday is coming up, and this year he received a snuggly NEW wetsuit and a surfboard (nice job MK). So the boys hit the surf w/ friend Liz while the rest of us held fort on the beach...gorgeous early Sunday morning...

I really have come to appreciate living near water again...and love that my little Levi gets to grow up seeing the beach everyday!

A weekend in Santa Monica

We finally had a low-key weekend at home that included a visit to Santa Monica pier, a long walk in the wagon, and hanging w/ the So Cal Holmes at their garage sale!

Penelope and Levi on the carousel

Levi enjoying one of the finer things in life...a chocolate malt

Headed out on family walk

So Cal Holmes garage sale...MK closed her hair salon, so it was a beauty parlor on the front lawn

Hazel and her best friend Paul

iPad air hockey (very 2010)

Local handymen & a baby

LHG hanging w/ the big kids

A Love for London

It felt good to be back, almost like we'd been on an extended holiday and had just returned. We were able to pick up right where we left off w/ all of our dear friends. Time was short, so we didn't get to see everyone, but we absolutely made the most of it!

We spent many hours in Paddington Park, Hanks old stomping ground

A perfect (enclosed) area for Levi to run and be free

We biked through Hyde Park

On a side note, London installed bikes all around the city just as Paris did a few years ago, which is so brilliant

Visited the Flower Boys new shop

and caught up w/ boys themselves! Simon (one of the flower boys) is recovering from a 2 heart attacks this year...so we just felt lucky to hug him

We people watched

and took time out to relax from all the walking we did

We enjoyed the black cabs, which is such a treat in comparison to US taxis

We even got to celebrate Ulrik's birthday and one of London's yummiest restaurants

I was able to spend quite a bit of time w/ Maureen and Kristi, which was a definite highlight

We took full advantage of rickshaws

We managed to squeeze in a night of drinks w/ old friends, which was just easy and fun (Helen who helped me survive my early MySpace days in London made a cameo)

Our dear friend Carmela and her beau Darren made it (who's not featured)

Ulrik and his other half Maureen, joined by Ben 'the best trainer in London' and his lovely wife Rebecca popped by

One of the greatest highlights was visiting w/ Mama Manjola, who began watching Levi when he was just 8 weeks old (oh how we miss her)

A special treat was meeting her new baby (#4)

It wouldn't be a visit to London, with out seeing the White Family

Freddie kept Levi entertained

for quite some time!

All in all, it was just so amazing to be back in the city where we began our adventures of being married and had little Levi