San Francisco

On Thursday night, we went to dinner with our good friends, Ken and Emily Sim. Chris and Ken gave Emily and I envelopes with a travel itinerary for a trip to San Francisco, leaving the next afternoon! Emily and I are both type A’s, so we weren’t sure what to think of this at first, but we had a great time! Thanks guys!

We hiked to the top of the hill and saw Coit Tower. Unfortunately, the stairs were closed and the elevator was being renovated, so we didn’t make it to the top of the tower, but the view from the hill was still great…

Then we walked across the city to the next biggest hill and saw…

Lombard Street, aka the crookedest street.

The houses were adorable

The view was great. See the tower there in the distance?

This was the view from our hotel room window. Hadden has not ceased to be full of questions about Alcatraz!

Ghirardelli Square. Mmmmm, chocolate.

The view of the Golden Gate from the end of the pier.

We ate at Boudin’s every day. It was SO YUMMY! There is a big glass window where you can watch this lady (she was there every day!) make these…

So cute!

The next day it rained and then it POURED! We were soaked…

Then we came home to our thoughtful husbands and our cute kiddos…

Who loved their turtle bread!

Thankful

We spent Thanksgiving at home this year and my family was able to come up and join us.  It was so fun to have everyone together and to eat yummy food.  I am thankful for many things, but here are just a few:

Pretty centerpieces from favorite food blogs.

If you ever make these, soak them for 3 days, not just over night.  SO YUMMY!

Cousins!

Kids who love books.

My beautiful kids and hard-working hubby! (notice I did not mention snow)

Enough food.  (Specifically, enough of Grandma’s rolls.  I think I finally mastered the recipe.  SO, SO, SO yummy!)

That my kids are finally old enough to sit through dinner, mostly.

Sweet, little babies!  Nick and I hit it off this time.  We’re pals forever now.

Little girls who love babies.

This is pretty much all she wanted to do all weekend.

And, finally, the start of the best season of the year.  I’m trying really hard this year to supress the retail grinch and celebrate each day with these two cuties as as season of CHRISTmas.  Happy Holidays!

Boo!

Halloween was fun, and rainy this year. Thankfully no one was sick (last year Hadden spent the evening in bed with a fever). So, a little rain wasn’t too bad. Here’s the only shots we have of the kiddos in costume:

Thanks to Grandma Nancy and Pabo for this amazing astronaut suit!

Homecoming Parade

The day after Hadden’s Birthday was the homecoming parade. His choir group got to ride on a float and sing the Aggie Fight Song. Very fun.

Calla was very cute, and VERY excited waiting for the parade and the candy to begin.

Tyler was a little chilly.

Waiting, and waiting (we were at the very end of the parade route).

Some random soldier walked by and let Tyler wear his hat for a minute.

Finally came the singers! Hadden’s on the back row in the red hat.

Hadden, and Jack.

I added this picture after I created and published the post in Window's Live Writer (which has changed my life, I tell you!). That explains why it's bigger and I can't get it to move left. But, it's hilarious, none the less. The kids spent the rest of that Saturday playing at home. Uncle Kelly is really Dad of the year, and also makes a great table if you happen to be in need of one!

Catch-up Hadden’s Birthday

I should have named this “The post of a billion pictures”…

Hadden did turn 6, even if I forgot to mention it until now.  He had a friend party on his birthday afternoon, during which there was much decorating of pumpkins…

The finished products

And then, there was eating of donuts…

This is my favorite!

Then, they got to introduce themselves and their costumes.

And go trick-or-treating around the basement.

And eating of birthday cake.

And receiving of presents.

And spooky food.  Monster fingers.

And Monster Mouths.

And Rotten Apple Punch.

And much crepe paper, because we are decoration challenged.

Hungry Kiddos.

Birthday dinner, that evening.  Hadden also got to bring home the class show and tell bear, Mr. Bear for the whole birthday weekend.  How fun!  Happy Birthday, Hadden.