China Camp State Park is right in our backyard and we often drive through it for Ollie’s morning nap. This time Ollie decided he wasn’t tired so we decided to park the car and do a little exploring. The park still offers access to a historic fishing village so we spent the morning walking around. Ollie preferred the rocks and guard rails while I found the old restaurant and fishing nets to be especially interesting. All in all it was a great way for both of us to spend the morning.
We met my mom for lunch in Tam Valley and went for a little stroll afterward. Oliver perfectly matched the closed up farm stand so we decided to take a couple of pictures. I love how adventurous he is and how he is always exploring. So far 12 months is my favorite age!
The California rain let up today so we ran out for coffee and croissants from Rustic Bakery. We decided to take advantage of our blossoming garden and ate breakfast under our citrus trees. Ollie enjoyed a few bites of croissant then was quickly distracted by leaves on the ground. Today served as a reminder to get outside and enjoy our surroundings more often!
Mister Ollie turned one this past weekend! The past year has been the hardest and most rewarding year ever. We had a few friends and our parents over to celebrate our little man and his biggest milestone to date. It was so wonderful to be surrounded by the people that have been apart of this journey so far and it reminded us to slow down and just enjoy the day to day. I will post his actual birthday photos soon, but in the meantime how awesome are the leftover balloons hanging out on our ceiling!
Kohlrabi and Romanesco
Buddha’s Hand and Carrots
The Marin County Farmers Market takes place every Thursday and Sunday. It happens to be one of my favorite weekend activities both with or without kids. Prior to having Ollie we used to bike from our house every weekend and then haul our bounty home in the basket on my bike. Now we opt for the stroller which has a nice size basket below, although I am anxiously awaiting family bike adventures in our future. Either way the farmers market is a great place to buy local produce and to better understand what fruit and vegetables are actually in season.
I always look for new or unusual fruit and veggies, this particular day I came across Kohlrabi and Romanesco also called Roman Caulifower which are both from the Brassica (or wild cabbage) family. I also found these beautiful Buddha’s hand which are citrus.
The Rainforest Exhibit
The California Coast Aquarium
The California Academy of Sciences is a wonderful experience albeit a popular tourist destination. We happened to beat the crowds by going later in the day (they close at 5PM and most exhibits start to shut down around 4PM so plan accordingly).
Mister Ollie isn’t quite walking so we brought our stroller, luckily it is very stroller friendly with ramps and elevators throughout. Ollie loved the “fishes” in the aquarium and also enjoyed the stuffed animals and penguins in the Safari section. He wasn’t too interested in the rainforest, but did enjoy looking over the railings to the aquarium below.
We were pleasantly surprised that he remained focused for over two hours and we will definitely be back in the near future.
Old Mill Park
Mill Valley is hands down one of my favorite towns and while it has changed quite a bit over the years it still holds a special place in my heart. The quaint downtown is now home to one of my favorite coffee shops and you will quickly learn that life in our house revolves around our morning coffee run.
This particular morning included my favorite Equator Coffee which also happens to sell one of the best croissants around, M&H Cardamom Knots. Mister Ollie enjoyed a bite of pastry while swinging on the swings at Old Mill Park. The river behind the park was actually flowing thanks to some recent rain and only added to our foggy morning in Mill Valley. We didn’t make it to the library (adjacent to Old Mill) since they do not open until noon on Fridays, but the library in Mill Valley is great for Kids and definitely worth a visit.
Mister Ollie and Me 