Lands End Hike

What's this you say?  Two posts in one week?  I know, I know.  Don't start getting all excited and your hopes up.  It's January and I always feel more motivated in the new year.  Plus, my friend Janet is inspiring me with her 5 posts a month goal.  I think my goal is one post a month, so I'm really outdoing myself :) I will admit that there is a part of me that is very turned off and resisting the whole idea of social media.  Even though facebook's headquarters are just a couple of blocks from my house and the house where it was launched in Palo Alto is a block from Jack's school I will confess I'm not a fan.  But, like many things in my life, maybe I just don't like it because I haven't given it a fair chance.  I am also convinced that I don't have time for it.  I should be a better friend, sister, daughter, granddaughter, mother and wife, but I think there are a myriad of better ways to do that than to facebook.  Sorry for the speech, but for now one of my smalls efforts of improving a few of those relationships will be to blog once a month.  You heard it here...now let's see if I can do it. 

Now, on to the show:

January 2nd: Lands End Hike (near the Cliff House and Sutro Baths)

 Whenever we have a Monday where Kent's not working, I'm not working, and the kids don't have school, we feel compelled to hit the road for some kind of adventure.  Thanks to Janet for letting us in on this great secret.  The views of the Golden Gate are fabulous from this vantage point.  

 We took a short detour off the trail that led us to the perfect beach. Small tide pools and the discovery of starfish after starfish and anemones kept everybody entertained. 

 Kent caught me having a "soaking it all in" moment. 

We finished off our great day by eating at In and Out.  Jack will now snarf down a double double with no problem.  By the way...I post these pictures hoping it will motivate some of my family to want to come visit. (hint, hint :)  Don't the waters call your name?  Our awesome apartment awaits you!

Catch-up

Jack played "after school hoops" during the fall.  He loved it and felt grown-up because he got to play with all the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. (he's in 1st)  Not that he's that good, he's just that big :)  On a more recent note, I had a good laugh watching him react to the recent 49ers win over the Saints.  He watched every second of that game.  He was cheering, coaching, calling plays, shouting, yelling, and commenting about everything.  I heard him yell, "come on, that was PI (pass interference)!"  He got SO in to it.  Needless to say, there were tears of sadness when the Saints scored with a minute thirty to go in the game.  Then tears of pure joy when Alex Smith and niners pulled out the win.  This kid loves sports.

 Jordan's first attempt at doing her hair all by herself.  I was actually pretty impressed, so I just let her keep it in and go to preschool.  If there is any word to describe my little miss Jordan it is "independent." 

 "Come on mom," "Let's go," are Ryan's favorite phrases these days.  He'll grab any pair of shoes he can find and head to the door.  Who cares if I'm just in a onsie :)  Ryan is also saying, "No, that way!" while we are driving.  Like he has Jack's internal GPS built in and he knows when we are going to the store and not to his friends house. 

 I swear, I did not teach her how to pose like this or the pose on our Christmas card.  This girl does not lack any spunk or personality at all. 

 We seem to not be able to get enough beach shots while living here in CA.  I'm beginning to wonder if I can ever leave it now that it feels such a part of me.

 Jumping waves never gets old. 

 My kids were not supposed to get wet on the this trip (we were there to have a picnic and take family pictures)  As you can see that didn't go as planned.  Also, not planned was Kent leaving all of the kids clothes on top of the minivan on the ride home.  Needless to say they weren't there when we got home.  Kent miraculously found them all later that night when he drove back and retraced the path we took home with emergency lights on, and driving on the shoulder...all because he loves me :)

 The breathtaking sunset we caught at Half Moon Bay back in October. 

 I know, I know, this was ages ago in the blogging world, but I had to get a few shots of the kids' Halloween costumes on here.  I'll admit, I had to pat myself on the back for making Ryan's owl costume.  The kids got plenty of chances to wear their costumes to school parties, the ward trunk-or-treat, a Harry Potter party at the city library, visiting a nursing home, and of course the actual night of Halloween.