Disneyland!

Over pictures by this point and wants to get on the rides!

Leah started the week off well by getting to go to Disneyland on Wednesday.  We need to take advantage of our annual passes! My parents joined us, and of course, we had tons of fun. My mom agreed - an instant smile comes across your face the minute you pass through the gates. 

She doesn't look like she's having fun, but she's just too focused on her surroundings!

Having an annual pass is really nice when you have young kids. We got there, went on 4 rides, had lunch, and left. We didn't feel obligated to spend the whole day there to make up for the $87 1 day ticket price. After every ride, Leah clapped her hands! It was cute to watch, especially since some of those Fantasyland rides can be a little on the scary side. 

When we got on the Peter Pan ride, it actually ended up stopping! The lights went on, and they announced they were having technically difficulties. It was cool to see some of the behind-the-scenes work. Those clouds you see during the ride look like they're made out of trash bags! The staff were super nice and asked if we were okay. I was nervous Leah wouldn't be able to sit still that long, but she did great! After about 15 minutes, they had us safely back to the starting point. 

Grandpa celebrating the end of tax season with his granddaughter.

After we were done with the rides, we headed to Downtown Disney for lunch at Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria. The restaurant was super kid friendly, providing Leah with crayons, a small bowl of fruit , and milk in a cup with a lid. We headed home after lunch, and Leah passed out by the time I exited the parking lot. 

Did I mention how much I love Disneyland??? :)

The Weekend in iPhone Pics

My little monkey

I'm obsessed with pigtails.

This weekend was another blur spending time with another cousin from Hong Kong. Saturday, after the boys played golf, the family got together for dinner at Romano's Macaroni Grill.  I'm not always a fan of these big chain restaurants, but I must admit, they are usually awesome at creating a family-friendly environment. I have a new appreciation for crayons and table cloth made of paper. 

Spring Street Smoke House: This photo does not do this place justice

Sunday, the family came up to our house for lunch and to watch the Laker game, which was a big disappointment. I made shrimp tacos from this post, and it was so easy to make for a larger party! I don't think I can ever get tired of looking at these pics of Leah and my niece. They really have so much love for each other! Leah also tried to give lots of hugs to my baby nephew, but I was too busy making sure she wouldn't smash him that I wasn't able to get a photo. After the game, we headed to Spring Street Smoke House to give my cousin a taste of some BBQ. 

Monday, I dropped my cousin off at the airport, and Matt and I headed to Redondo Beach for the soft opening of Rita's Ice! I guess Rita's is a Philly favorite, and since Matt lived there for a few years, he was excited to hear about this opening. The combo of the ice and the custard is delicious! The tanginess  of the fruity ice is such a complement with the creaminess of the custard. 

And on a totally different note: Have you watched Fashion Star on NBC? I'm totally addicted and already bought two items.... oops. 

Kelly Reunion Part II

The Kelly Klan descended upon Los Angeles this past weekend. We started it off by eating dinner at Pizzeria Mozza Friday night with Fred's family. Dinner was incredible as always. We were all starving, so the minute the plates hit the table, we all devoured the food without any pics being snapped. Sorry! I'm craving the squash blossom, tomato, and burrata pizza and butterscotch budino as I type this. 

Saturday, we woke up early and headed to their hotel (Roosevelt Hotel) to hang out and swim in the pool. This was where Matt and I had our wedding reception, and the first time we brought Leah. It was surreal walking into the lobby now with Leah. We used to go here as a couple to hang out with friends by the pool, eat lunch, and grab a cocktail. Now we arrived with our baby, slathered on sunscreen, and made fun of the young crowd lounging and drinking a couple cocktails. ;) We headed back home to let Leah nap before the rest of the group arrived. 

Photo by Beverly Israely

When everyone arrived at the house, Leah was in heaven. She loved the attention, and she loved playing with the kids! They take such good care of her. She really is blessed to have such loving family members. 

Sunday, we met up one last time at the Hollywood Farmers Market to say our good-byes. We were sad to see our NY family members go and can't wait until the next time. What a fun couple of weekends! 

Family Reunion

Baby Crocs are the cutest!

Over the weekend, we drove down to San Diego for a little family reunion. Matt's brother's family is visiting for the week, so we had the whole Kelly family together. We stayed at the Hotel del Coronado, which has become our favorite hotel in SD. We stayed in a junior suite, which was perfect for our mobile toddler. Leah had plenty of room to run around and explore. There are so many other kids running around the resort which kept Leah throughly entertained. 

Leah could live on the beach if we let her. She was so fascinated with the sand and water that we couldn't get her to look up for a picture!

Photo by Beverly Israely

Photo by Beverly Israely

Photo by Beverly Israely

Sunday, we all hung out at the house for lunch. The cousins are the sweetest with Leah. The girl cousins spent the entire time hanging out with her. When I look at them all sitting next to each other, they actually all do look like they're related!

Leah had so much fun that she pretty much passed out the minute we got in the car to go home. FamilyReunion Part 2 coming up this weekend in Los Angeles!

Happy Friday!

Leah has been looking a lot like this lately with her molars coming in.

The weather has been gorgeous this week so we've been out and about on play dates. Leah got to see her best friend Ruby 4 days in a row! Lucky girl! Wednesday, our Gymboree group of mommies had lunch at Din Tai Fung for my favorite pork dumplings, and then we headed to the Santa Anita mall to let the kids play around in the little play gym inside. I must admit, I never used to think about going to the mall if I had no intentions of shopping, but this place is great for kids! This one had the following services for families:

• Family Lounge: a space to relax and recharge, featuring private nursing areas, baby changing-stations, family restrooms, play areas, toys and plasma TV
• Family Parking: convenient and close to Center entrances
• Family PlaySpace: a fun area designed just for kids
• Smarte Carte® strollers: strollers shaped like little cars

I hope everyone has a great weekend!