Thursday, July 21, 2011

Best of The Week Awards

We've been away this past week visiting our daughter and grandson in the eastern half of the US.  Even though I (well, actually The Professor) lugged my laptop through the airports, through security, into and out of the planes, I connected to the internet with it only once while I was gone.  I think that next trip, I won't bother.  However, the lack of easy, constant online access other than via my phone kept me from reading and commenting on many blogs.  I'm working to catch up now that we're home.  And here it is already, Friday, and time for my favorite post of the week:  Friday Fave Five, hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

A chance comment by my husband got me thinking about awards, specifically the "best of" kind.  My week held several "bests" to share.

1.  The Best Los Angeles Friend of the Year Award goes to our friend Kristie who still picked us up from LAX at 2:30AM after our flight was delayed leaving Minneapolis because of a mechanical problem with the plane.  Then she allowed us to crash in a freshly made bed until morning.  She's definitely No.1 Best LA Friend in our opinion!

2.  Best Grandson of the Year Award was an easy choice.  He's cute, he's three, he's our only one.


3.  Best Harry Potter Movie of the Year Award.  Again, it's the only Harry Potter Movie of 2011, but it was still great fun to see Deathly Hallows 2 with Kiti and her friend.  It was fitting that I was knitting the sleeves of a Weasley Sweater for Our Boy during the movie.

"You want me to sit here on the porch and have my picture taken in my new sweater?"


"Cheese!"


"Are we done yet?  I want to go back inside and play with my trains."


4.  After seven nights away, our own bed was given the Best Place to Sleep Award.  We love to travel and we especially love snuggling with Our Boy on the bed, but you know how it is--it's always wonderful to crawl back in to your own bed when you arrive home again.

5.  Finally, the Best Return to California Beach Walk Award--goes to Pt. Dume (DooMAY) Nature Preserve.  Wanting to put our feet firmly back on Coastal California sand after our truly lovely trip east of the Mississippi River, we stopped on the way home from Los Angeles along Pacific Coast Highway.  The last time I was at Pt. Dume State Beach was 12 hours before I went in to labor with my second child.  I was already a week overdue to birth our little girl and could barely waddle across the sand and certainly could not climb any rise or dune.  But waddle I did along the beach in the wet sand.  Fun memories.  Anyway, we decided to detour to the beach at the 'north' end of Malibu, found an easy place to park and hiked up to the Pt. Dume look out and then down to the beach.  Considering how crowded Zuma State Beach was, we were surprised at how deserted the tide pools at Dume were.  Of course, it's not easy to climb down the stairs to reach the beach and that certainly deters most beach goers.


Killer Stairs--they really are that steep


Pt. Dume Nature Preserve (and beach) is not for wimps. But until I become too old or too wimpish to climb these stairs, we'll be going back to enjoy the relative solitude of this wonderful beach.

This was Willow's Week in the Wild Wild West East.  How was your week?

23 comments:

Unknown said...

What a great list, eek to the stairs. Gorgeous Weasly sweater an scrumptious model, it suits him perfectly.

meg said...

Great sweater, great kid! The stairs are just like the ones at the Dunes up here--they go up, up, up, and up some more, but the views are great. Sounds like you are having a wonderful summer!

Tracy said...

WONDERFUL list this week, Willow... especially with cutie-boy goodness and Harry Potter! We just saw HP 7 Part 2 last night... oh, it was fabulous! Sad now this series is ending--but thank goodness for the books and films to watch again. ;o) Happy Days ((HUGS))

Anonymous said...

Yep! Those stairs are great. We have lots of them here in Mich leading down to the lovely beaches or up to wonderful views.
I think your grandson is going to be expecting one or two of those great sweaters every year. I really like the color. Mary P

Faith said...

I would love to do those stairs!! what a great work out...lol...seriously, compared to hiking in the ADK high peaks, those stairs are a cinch! and what an absolutely gorgeous beach!! You are blessed....great list of faves and your grandson is just adorable in his sweater!

Laura@OutnumberedMom said...

Your boy is so sweet looking and I just love his sweater!! What a beautiful beach. We'll have to look for it next time we get to CA. I'm sure you're enjoying your CA weather after the East's heat! I know what you mean about being home. Settle in and enjoy.

Susanne said...

Beautiful beach but you're right, those stairs look killer!

Cute grandson in a cute sweater.

Jerralea said...

I always enjoy reading about your adventures, and I learn so much about California!

Glad you had a wonderful week, and especially glad that you got to spend time with your grandson.

And sleeping in your own bed is the best. I'm in heaven now that I'm back home sleeping in mine!

Kathie said...

Whoah - those stairs!! I might have to look for the elevator :)

Cutest boy ever!! And love his sweater.

Yes....there's nothing like your OWN bed!!

Happy weekend!

Catherine said...

Oh, that sweater! It's fantastic!! (almost as cute as that darling boy wearing it!)

We have Harry Potter Fever, too. I WISH my kids weren't terminally cool tweens. They'd look so cute in matching Weasly sweaters!

I'm glad you have such a good friend - those are a precious commodity!

Mama Mia said...

Sweet boy! Miss him so much! Glad you had a good visit and that you have a such a great friend who'll pick you up at the airport at any time, day or night. :o)

Bethany said...

I love that sweater you knit for him! He's adorable and I see you in him every time I see a photo! We are having a wonderful week too on the opposite coast. I was thinking about you as we were hiking along, wondering if this is what it's like where you live. Glad you got home safely!

Jientje said...

I would LOVE to get down from those stairs and find a beach as lovely as this one is, you're blessed! Nothing better than your own bed, I agree! Your friends are the sweetest, they really deserve that award and your grandson looks so cute in his new sweater! I hope you'll have a great weekend Willow!

TXDidi said...

I LOVE the sweater, Willow. And what a handsome grandson. Glad that you had a safe trip out here and back. Hope you escaped a good part of the heat.

roxie said...

I'm just wallowing in your happiness! What a celebratory post!

Barbara H. said...

I don't think I could handle those stairs!

A friend of my mom's was named Zuma after the beach.

That's a cute sweater on a cute grandson!

It's great to have wonderful friends!

ellen b. said...

Love the shots of the dear boy! His new sweater is very cool. Katie and I went to see Deathly Hollows this past week...so sad to see it all end.
I'm afraid our walks and hikes have been non existent as Dear is still hobbling around with a cane...

nikkipolani said...

I love the way you've done this week's faves! How nice to have a friend who will get you in the middle of the night! Best friend indeed. Your week sounded very full of good things. Glad you're back safely, snuggly, and back online!

Valiant Noble said...

Your grandson is absolutely adorable!

aspiritofsimplicity said...

oh my goodness that boy looks cute in that sweater!! How could you resist taking him home with you. I would be walking the beach with the stairs till I'm an old lady too...love that kind of stuff. And, if you are walking all those stairs and the beach on a regular basis you will keep fit so that you will not be an old lady for a long, long time!

Dorothy said...

That grandson of yours is just plain adorable!!! Love the sweater too!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

I know how hard it is to get time on the computer while traveling and the poor connections in hotels. I bought an I Pad to see if that will help when I travel but I don't think I can blog using it as it doesn't support the Blogger platform. :(

New boy looks so cute in the sweater you made for him :)

Your LA friend certainly deserves the "friend of the year" award! She's a keeper!

I'd have no trouble walking down those steep beach steps...walking up would be another matter...lol

Have a great week, Willow!

Susan@FruitfulWords said...

How fun to have vivid memories of your last time to Pt. Dune. Lots of folks visited the beach this last week, wish I was one of them. Thanks for sharing your photos and description. That's the only way I'll be going any time soon.

What a sweet husband to carry your laptop for you through the airport. Maybe by the next vacation you'll have a netbook. I borrowed my sister's netbook when I went to New Zealand. Not very heavy but allowed me to dump my photos on there and get online a few times.

I like your "Best of" idea. I will try that sometime too.

The sweater and your grandson are W-A-Y cute.

Posting for the FFF is my favourite post of the week too.

Have another great week, willow.