Golden Gate Park

A few weeks ago we spent our second Saturday in a row in the city and, once again, had a great day. I took the train in early in the morning and had a peaceful 2 hours at the farmer's market. A latte plus a chocolate pumpkin muffin plus a bookstore minus the kids is a winning equation! Corey arrived with the girls in the car and we headed to Golden Gate Park for the day. So much fun. The coolest playground we've ever seen and we've seen a fair number of cool playgrounds. Turns out, this was the first official children's playground in the U.S. Well, it was incredibly fun for all of us

We started off at the carousel. 

 I love this picture of Corey smiling at Audrey.

Then headed to the playground.  This is rumored to be the first public children's playground in the U.S.  I don't know if it was actually the first, but it's certainly one of the coolest playgrounds we've ever been to.  Sand, slides, swings, sculptures to climb on...this park has it all and then some. 

 Audrey loved the spinning seat the best

(I seriously almost got nauseous just pushing her in circles so many times).

 

  And Natalie must have gone down this concrete hillside slide 150 times.

 Her hair blowing in the breeze ought to convey how FAST this slide was. 

She went by cardboard and by fanny and loved it either way.

 I took Audrey down a few times and couldn't believe how slippery it was.

After the playground, we headed to the Conservatory of Flowers.  It reminded us of the Biltmore Estate.  The girls loved it and it was a nice place to warm up on a chilly fall day.

We have so much of this park and city to explore with the kids (and without them!) and that makes me smile!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We've had a great long weekend!  Aimee joined us for the holiday and it was so much fun showing her around our new town.  We ate lots of food, drank lots of coffee and stayed up way too late catching up...perfect!! And Corey had 4 days off.  In a row.  For the first time this year, I think.  That was nice.  Really nice.

 Our Thanksgiving placements were courtesy of Natalie and Audrey

(and all the beautiful leaves in our neighborhood!). 

We collected and dried leaves and then pressed them between 2 layers of clear contact paper. 

We made them as a Girl Scout project and just kept

making them because we had so many beautiful leaves. 

After 4 years without a traditional fall, we have been a little crazy about leaf collecting and pressing here in CA.  Our project is over but we still collect them every day.

 I think Aimee loves downtown Walnut Creek as much as we do!

What we're most thankful for!

 

Thanks, Aim, for making the trip!

Come back soon!

The Rain Has Arrived

All summer not a drop fell out of the sky here.  Not a single thunderstorm.  Once, in September, it cooled down and sprinkled a little bit but then the sky cleared.  We kept hearing about the rainy season ...that it starts sometime after Halloween and goes through February or March.  But for 5 months it was dry as a bone so it was hard to imagine soggy days ahead.  Well, it's not so hard to imagine anymore.  It's officially the rainy season.  And these recent desert transplants are thrilled. I love a rainy day.  And so do the girls.  Especially with their new rain boots and jackets. 

I told Natalie not to put her umbrella all the way up because we were just getting into the car in a minute, so that's why it looks like it's about to collapse on her head. 

I might not be saying this in 2 months time but, for now, bring on the rain!!

Nana and Papa Franc

Nana and Papa Franc were here for a whole week and we had a great visit.  Many thanks to both of you for picking about a zillion apples from our backyard tree and making it into LOADS and LOADS of applesause (our freezer is packed with it!) and a few pies! 

We took the train into San Francisco one day and witnessed one of the most beautiful weather days I've ever seen in that city!  Corey and Papa Franc toured Alcatraz and the big and little girls wandered the wharf. 

 We ate at Lori's Diner which I have great memories of as a kid. 

Not at all impressive as an adult.

Oh well.

 Have I mentioned how happy I am to be a quick train ride or drive from this city?

 Corey bought Natalie a sunflower at 8:30 am at what might be

the very best farmer's market I'veever witnessed. 

She carried this flower around ALL DAY. 

By the time it travelled with us on the train home at 5pm it was one droopy, sad looking sunflower. 

A few hours in a vase of water when we got home and it looks amazing days later.  Crazy.

 No visit to the wharf is complete without seeing the sea lions.

Insert happy sigh here.

Happy Halloween

We had a great Halloween this year.  We had a proud peacock and a little lamb.

 Nana and Papa Franc were in town and that was really fun for all of us.  Natalie had a super busy day...her kindergarten class had a costume parade and concert in the morning (adorable songs and lovely little voices), she had a Girl Scout meeting in the afternoon (where they celebrated the birthday of the founder of Girl Scouts) and then, of course, we all went trick or treating after dinner.

Audrey was a trooper.  I wasn't sure she'd wear her "fuzzy lamb" costume.  Every time I asked her to try it on prior to Halloween she'd say, "no, Mommy, it's not Halloween!"  Well, thankfully, on the right day, she humored me and put it on.  And I think she actually liked wearing it!!

Trick or treating was hilarious.  I haven't laughed that hard in a loooooong time.  We went with our cul-de-sac kid friends and they were an adorable little posse with Natalie (the oldest) at the head of the pack.  They would shout "Trick or Treat" in their loudest voices long before ringing the doorbell.  At many houses, Audrey would just walk right into the living room, greet the family's dog and then look for the candy bowl.  And if she didn't make it past the threshold and was offered the candy at the front stoop, she'd just keep grabbing handful after handful.  She turned on the charm with her "thank you" after every piece so people didn't really stop her until I stepped in and encouraged her out the door!  Her candy bag got so heavy (and she adamantly refused any help in carrying it) that she started to drag it behind her on the sidewalk.  She also insisted on walking even though Corey repeatedly offered to carry her.  So many steps behind the rest of the kids was this little lamb, huffing and puffing and dragging her bag behind her.  Priceless.  By the time we called it a night and arrived home, there were holes in the bottom of her bag.  Too funny.

It was a great night.