Another Carousel—and Hello Kitty

One of our favorite carousels is at none other than the Westfield Topanga Mall. The carousel, which we visited last summer, is cool for a couple of reasons. First, it's a two-tiered carousel, which makes it quite unusual. Second, it features an eclectic array of animals—such as a hummingbird, a triceratops, and a dragon. Oh, and it also has a spinning teacup. Sweet.

Sam and Charlie went on the carousel for a total of 11 times—spread out over two visits. They rode five times with Mommy during the first week of the trip, and then rode the rest of the time with Daddy during the second week of the trip. Mommy was glad to take a break during her and the girls' second visit to the mall—she sat with Grandma and ate a cookie.

During both visits to the mall, Sam and Charlie got some cute Hello Kitty toys (including compact mirrors and erasers shaped like toy food). Did they need these expensive, tiny items? Of course not. But the Sanrio store, which sells a slew of Hello Kitty items, is strategically located across from the carousel—within easy viewing distance of little ones' roving eyes.