Our Sunday Fundays

Generally, Sundays are the best day around here, because it's typically my husband's only day off from work.

Last Sunday we went to a Giant's game, courtesy of my husband's company, and G behaved really well, despite it being during nap time. We all had a lot of fun, ate ballpark food, and danced/clapped along with the music. We had bleacher seats that worked out really well, since G could move around easier. (we went to mass the night before to make the morning go more smoothly)

Yesterday we had a "lazy" day at home after going to mass (G behaved very well, except towards the end, but she's been crabby in general, due to canine teeth that are causing her a world of pain). Our lazy day included going through G's baby clothes and pulling out all the gender neutral things (we had a lot of since we waited to find out her sex at birth). I also organized everything and straightened up. My husband worked on fixing his computer that has a yucky virus (do people seriously have nothing better to do with their time!!! leave us be!)...

and G colored a lot, played in her tent, ate snacks, and whined a substantial amount because she wasn't the absolute center of attention (and her teeth hurt).

so you're wondering why there are 4? G, Daddy, Baby Boy, Momma ;-)

We all got a nice reward for our hard work--and had FroYo for dinner (although G and I both had snacks later on) :-) (I had done a lot of house cleaning on Saturday, so all that was left for Sunday was laundry)

It was lovely to have such a day of "relaxation" with all the hustle and bustle of moving going on around here.

Tales from our roadtrip, day 3

Or.... "The one in which we see the most beautiful spot on Earth"

Literally. I think that the views from high up on the mountain road, looking down upon Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, is seriously the most beautiful spot on Earth. At least that I've ever seen.

Lake Tahoe 2012

The best views are seen while you are driving, or you could precariously pull over on a teeny tiny strip of pavement to take a photo. We decided to stop for photographs at a nice, mostly-safe, vista point. It, however, has trees blocking some of the best views. It's still pretty. Do an Internet search of Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe photos and you'll see what I'm talking about. Just imagine seeing it in person, though, it's 10x better.

Tales from Our Roadtrip, day two

Or, "The one in which we get attacked by bee like insects and I win 22 dollars."

As I stated in part I, we did not sleep well at all the first night. We also got up earlier than normal for G on Thursday morning. We needed to get up by 7:50 ish, and we were up at 7:20. Boo.

it fits!

Our first adventure was a minimally-nutritious (but fitting of a vacation) breakfast in bed. G absolutely LOVED her first taste of donut, but still ate some cheerios and grapes. We got ready for a morning aboard a water ski boat and headed down to the lake.

Tales from our roadtrip, day one {image heavy}

I wanted to title this "The one in which G foils my plan and screams for 2 hours, then falls asleep 10 miles from our destination" but it seemed pretty long. You now have a summary of day one of our road trip vacation to Lake Tahoe.

happy during the first hour

We had wanted to go to Lake Tahoe since we moved to the area. It's a super beautiful place, only 3 hours from where we live...how could we not go? I finally got my husband to okay spending some cash to go on a mini-vacation, booked our hotels, planned a few 'excursions,' and waited until the end of August.

Seven Quick Takes Friday ...err Saturday

Better late than never???

1) G started saying 'no-no' yesterday. Geeerreat! I honestly hoped/planned to make it to kindergarten before she learned the word. She knows what 'no' means, and generally respects it....but apparently she gets to use it herself now! Prior to today, she would simply shake her head to indicate she didn't like or want to do something. I could handle that, it was silent :-)
I LOL'd the first time she said it because it was so darn cute--momma mistake, I know, because know she loves saying it!

2) We made a super cool ramp for the few cars and trucks G has. It was so fun and she squealed the first time we put the vehicles down it--I'm proud of myself for coming up with a great idea to recycle the big box her Mega Bloks learning table came in (post to come about all the awesome stuff the sent us). It's the simple things in life :-)

3) This week was not so kind to a pregnant momma. First, there are two private stressors I've been dealing with. Then G slept miserably one night (as in, took two hours of screaming and then me holding her hand through the crib rails and 'shushing' her for 30 minutes + woke up from 3 -5 am to repeat the same process). I guess it was related to the runny nose she had for two days--I imagine she might have had a sore throat prior to it appearing, as adults get too. She's working on canines, so that's fun. Then yesterday I woke up to a seriously, I'll spare you the details I shared on my facebook, gross vomit attack in her crib. Suffice it to say it was everywhere and she went straight to the bath tub. I guess I'm thankful for my strong stomach. Then I'm feeling all down today...It's a sunny Saturday, but I can't shake the mood. Thankfully I'm attempting a choco-pick-me-up. Prayers appreciated.

4) Big Announcement....We are moving back to Kansas-----PRAISE GOD. Not that I hate it here or anything, in fact; the Bay Area is quite lovely (albeit expensive), but I certainly can't wait:

• to get back closer to family + friends
• snow in the winter (I really would have missed that)
• my comfort zone with most things
• cheaper prices
• have my husband around more
• oh, and Hy-Vee + Aldi

What's the number one thing I'll miss about CA?? Our gym. Hilarious, right? That play center is to.die.for. G absolutely loves it, the girls there love her, I love them, she has a ball, ugh...sad day. I'm going to miss letting her play there for an hour a day, 5 days a week. She's going to miss it.
I won't miss much else. I feel like we have been-there-done-that, with the big things in the Bay Area, especially after our mini-vacation to Lake Tahoe next week. Oh, I did miss out on Wine Country...but can't help that, I'm pregnant.

5) That should explain my extreme absence this week, minus the sponsored post for Famous Footwear's B2S sale. We've been house hunting online & trying to get ducks in a row for buying our first home. WHAT? So exciting, I KNOW! Realtor, check. Lender, check. Favorites list, check. Flights/car/sleeping arrangements for our house hunting weekend over Labor Day, check. For all the negative things this week, one major positive. Rejoice!

6) My sister sent baby boy + G some awesome Carter's clothes this week. It was a TOTAL surprise, and I'm really shocked she could keep it that way for so long! She said she ordered them on August 8...so I'm really impressed with her secrecy! It was so fun to open packages of adorable little boy clothes--plus two shirts for G. I kept saying 'oh my goodness!' like I was on Ellen or something, lol... Thank you boo!!!!!

7) This morning on our way back from the grocery store, G briefly closed her eyes while at a stop light, all sprawled out.... exhibit a)

To see more quick takes, head over to ConversionDiary.com

Tilden Park, Bay Area's Best

In my humble (less than a year resident), Tilden Park is by far the cheapest, coolest thing for toddlers in the entire Bay Area.

Maybe it's just because we had such an AWESOME day yesterday, but we all absolutely loved the activities in Tilden Park. It's nestled in the hills between Berkeley and Orinda (so it's part of the northish East Bay).

If you are coming to the Bay Area for a vacation, or live in the area but haven't checked it out...do so ASAP!!

GGB with a toddler - The Fog in San Francisco

Fog! I guess it's just part of being such an odd climate near the Pacific Ocean. San Francisco's weather is so finicky! It was supposed to be sunny and warmish when we went down to the Golden Gate Bridge with my parents a few weeks ago, but because I've been there before and lived here for a few months, I knew to pack a light jacket for myself and G. My mom asked if she should bring one and I told her it was up to her, but that I probably wouldn't end up using mine anyway.

Wouldn't you know it was nearly freezing {with the wind chill} and pretty dreary looking above. In fact, we couldn't even see the whole bridge and I know I felt a few drops of either rain or some serious ocean spit. Seeing the bridge is something you have to do when in the Bay Area, because it's such an iconic picture opportunity. It just celebrated its 75th birthday this year. It may seem red, but it's technically orange--like a burnt orange. I think the views are wonderful from either side of it (I've seen it from both), but we've only ever taken pictures looking north (that is, from the south). The fog kind of gives pictures a gloomy look, but it's still cool, IMO.

Father's Day & G's First FroYo #WW #Linky

I know I'm a bit late on Father's Day...still catching up... but I just had to share this photo of my amazing husband and our little girl on his day.

I can't even begin to describe how great of a father he is to G. He shows her fun little tricks and teaches her things I wouldn't have ever thought to do with her. He doesn't mind getting into the dirt with her and plans to teach her to fish. They laugh and play together whenever he has time. Until recently, he was the sole bath giver / bed time get-her-ready-er. He changes diapers, even smelly ones. He cleans up messes and sits with her on the potty for 20 minutes. He pushes her in her pink stroller. He reads her stories and snuggles her on the couch. He will get up to soothe her in the middle of the night if I ask. And one of the best things he does for her...he drops everything the second he gets home to pick her up, hug her, and make her feel important. He doesn't ask for a minute to breathe, or act flustered by his long 12 hour day. He's a great dad because he puts her needs before his--and that's kind of rare in this day and age. I love him immensely for it.

Yosemite National Park with a toddler (in 26 hours)

My parents decided to come for a California visit, as you may have read, and that spawned a brief trip to Yosemite National Park. My mom was in town for two weeks, but my dad was only here for a week. We didn't want to spend a lot of money on lodging and we didn't want to use up all of his time here at Yosemite.

Thus, we settled on a one-night stay in the park--leaving early on the day of, and leaving kind of late on the day after. We departed our house before 9 am on Thursday and got home around 6 pm on Friday night. With a toddler and grandparents, those times are pretty decent. We spent a lot of time in our sport wagon (as I've affectionately called our Rendezvous, since learning of it's insurance classification), and that's never fun with a toddler. I packed plenty of car snacks and toys/books--and even had stuff on my iPhone as back up. Hell broke loose when she didn't nap as planned and my phone died mid-Super Why!

I remember the scenery being lovely and I am glad we went, but it certainly wasn't a 'vacation.' G screamed on much of the drive there, and a few of our stops within the park were cut short or cut-out completely because of her needs. I know that is part of going on a trip with a 15 month old, so I am not complaining. I would do it again--and my husband and I already want to go back for longer when our kids are older.

My first suggestion to those of you considering going to Yosemite National Park with a toddler would be to wait a few years, because going with a preschooler or older would be a lot nicer. Just being honest.

Now, if you can't wait...here is my advice for a short trip with toddler (we were in and out within 26 hours):

"I Don't Know!" #WW #Linky

G's cutest thing, according to my husband, is when she says "I Don't Know!"
On Saturday, she was chasing some birds at the Discovery Museum, and when they went away from her, she let us know..."I don't know where they are going!"

If you have a Wordless Wednesday blog post, please link up below!

Surprise Visitors {photos}

We has surprise visitors last week--thus my lack of pre-scheduled blog posts to cover my absence while playing hostess.

My grandpa, his wife, and daughter (my half-aunt who is several years younger than me) have been on a cross-country road trip for well over a week now. Last Wednesday they called me from 3 hours away, wondering if they could stop by for a visit. Thankfully, my mom had given me some clue that this might happen...so I wasn't completely thrown off guard. I also have a clean-house complex that kept me from having to run around making my house presentable right before they walked in.

It was lovely to spend time with family, and G reallllllyyyy enjoyed hamming it up for her new friends. She's met them a few times before, but not in her recent memory. My husband didn't get any time off work, but he did spend the evenings with us. I took them into the city on Friday and we saw the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf.
Here are the highlight photos (taken with my new camera):

Contra Loma Reservoir Regional Park #WW #linky

On Sunday, we headed out for a little walk in nature. There's a great hiking area near us called Black Diamond Mines Regional Park, but we opted for the less-intimidating-sounding-but-also-nearby park that features a trail around a public water supply reservoir. Contra means opposite and Loma means hill...so as you might imagine, there were some beautiful rolling hills around us.

very peaceful

Our Rainy Saturday in San Francisco

A few weekends ago the weather was dreary, but we decided to head to the city anyways. We had been wanting to do some sightseeing and we weren't going to let a little rain stop us (because it had the previous weekend).

Driving down Hyde Street toward the bay, following a trolley car...in the rain

We attempted to see the Golden Gate Bridge...

I guess there's quite a bit of construction going on around the GGB right now, but we were unaware of that before heading out. I had planned to take us to Fort Point, because it's got great views and wouldn't require us to drive over the bridge (and therefore have to pay to toll to get back into San Francisco). First, there is no good way to get through the city to the Pacific Ocean. The peninsula is super populated, and the prime real estate seems to be between the Bay Bridge and the GGB. We had to cross the Bay Bridge (paying $4/weekday $5/weekend toll to get into the city) and then drive through plenty of unique residential and shopping areas. It was urban-scenic and a fun adventure. When we got close to the GGB and found the exit for Fort Point, we were unprepared for the large amount of people who would still be sight seeing despite the weather. There were several tour buses and loads of cars. We couldn't find a spot to park and my husband kind of got us lost while looping around. G started crying because she was getting hungry, so we just scrapped the plan. We saw the Golden Gate Bridge and kept on driving....

We sipped a seriously strong Irish Coffee at Buena Vista.

So when we decided to head to the city in the rain, I googled 'things to do in San Francisco when it rains' and luckily found a list of free ideas. Now, many  'free' things in the Bay Area aren't really free because there are a lot of stipulations (such as being a resident, or going on specific days), so a lot of those didn't work for us. I did read about a little cafe that is home to the first American Irish Coffee. It's called The Buena Vista and has a great back story. My husband and I love coffee, and have a certain affinity for the Irish (including an occasional whiskey), so I knew this was the perfect stop for us! After the bridge fiasco, we headed back toward Fisherman's Wharf. We lucked out with a cheap-ish street parking spot near the cafe, which is literally a hole in the wall. The place was packed so we walked back and forth trying to find a seat. Finally a little-old-lady waitress told me that people just share seats all the time, so find a spot and sit down. My husband has a small anxiety with people, as in, he doesn't like being around a lot of people, especially ones he doesn't know in a small space. I, on the other hand, don't mind asking personal questions of people I just met. This obviously meant I would be the one to find our table-sharing victims.
I saw a young couple (probably early 30s) at a corner table, who were sitting on the inside chairs and empty plates. I politely asked them if we could share their table and the woman said sure. I apologized but stated that a waitress had told us people do that kind of thing when it's packed. The couple said they had been in our position before, and it was fine, they were even about to leave. We chatted with them for a bit and they recommended the Irish Coffee but said the food, for the price, was only so-so. They were locals who lived just a few blocks up (so I'm sure they are paying a pretty penny for that location) with their dog and had a few suggestions for us since we were new to the area.
After they left we ordered our Irish Coffees, which were delicious, but so strong I couldn't finish mine. The cream on top was the best part because it was so thick that the liquid slipped right underneath (bring a bit of cream with it) as you took a sip. My husband and I took imaginary bets on how much the drink would cost while G smiled and waved at the passerbyers, since our seat was at a perfect window for people watching. We were right 'on the money' with our guesses at $7-8 a pop. They were $7.50. When you consider the famous location and amount of Irish Whiskey in the drink...it doesn't seem as much of a highway robbery.

We ate the most delicious/divine sundae at Ghirardelli Square.

Ghirardelli Square, in my choco-lover opinion, is a must-do experience in the Bay Area. The chocolate is no longer made on sight, but you can eat your cocoa heart out at a few different locations among the shops and restaurants that make up GS. It's right on the Bay and is within walking distance of a few museums and various piers. It's also just down the street from a street car boarding location.

On our way into the gift shop, we each got a sample of the Ghirardelli squares you can find in your local stores. We didn't really look around much because I had one goal in mind: a sundae. The woman at Buena Vista said if you like ice cream, you have to go to the GS ice cream parlor. She was right. We ordered a two scoop cookie sundae--and the cookie was made with Ghiradelli chocolate. The ice cream flavors we chose were Dark Chocolate and Cookie Dough. The sundae came covered in hot fudge, whip cream, and topped with a cherry. If heaven were in a glass bowl...this was it. Some might describe it as sinful...but it's better...it's divine.

They have a small, live-action display of how the chocolate is made.
 They use that chocolate in the parlor.

We walked along Hyde Street Pier.

There are a lot of piers to explore off the Embarcadero, but the weather was so crappy, we just walked down the one nearest GS and the Buena Vista. The Hyde Street Pier is next to the Maritime Museum (pretty much a bust the day we went), and has several ships you can pay ($5) to walk on. We stuck to the pier itself and traipsed along in the rain, with the baby on my back in the Beco. At the end of the pier we could see Alcatraz and with the rainy weather, the view was especially eery.

We ate lunch on the Bay.
We had worked up an appetite with all the rainy day adventures that the sundae just couldn't hold us over. We saw a place just off Hyde Pier that had "Kids Menu" as one of the writings on the windows. G was starving, and the place looked nice, so we chose it. The menu was a bit pricey for what it was, but I supposed Capurro's is a nice seafood restaurant with a decent location. Sadly, there isn't a great view of the Bay. While it's right off the water, there's an employee parking lot behind the building. I ordered the clam chowder in a bread bowl and it was very delicious and perfect for a rain day.

Seven Quick Takes vol 21 {+video}

1.

I suppose summer in our area of California has arrived. G got to wear shorts for the first time this summer on Sunday and I grabbed her two pairs of super cute Target shorts on clearance. Tell me she doesn't scream California summer in the ensemble seen in this video I took of her toddling around the park:

2.

There is a current news story going about a Catholic school teacher who is suing her former employer and the diocese. She claims she was fired for having in vitro fertility treatments.
First of all, according to this CNN article, her contract was simply 'not renewed.' It's not like she was abruptly fired in the middle of the school year.
Secondly, the diocese released a statement that according to the same article says, "...that teachers working in the diocese are required to 'have a knowledge and respect for the Catholic faith, and abide by the tenets of the Catholic Church.'" IVF is against the church's teachings. Whatever her personal belief about IVF is...she's a TEACHER (re: example) at a CATHOLIC school and has to lead her outward life as such.  I have encountered many Catholic women who used IVF, and don't pass judgement...so please don't think I'm anti-women, anti-family, or anything like that. God is the only one who can judge...but when you are employed by a private school, you have to make sure you follow their 'rules.' While I think it is kind of her fault for talking about having IVF (because she could have just kept that part to herself), at least she wasn't deceptive.

My big question is ... If a Catholic school teacher was found to use any type of birth control, would he or she be let go too? It's against the church teachings too. What about if a teacher was found to have cheated on her husband? What if a male teacher was found to be a pornography watcher?
I would hope the answer would be yes to all of the above because what good is sending your Catholic kid to a Catholic school if their teachers don't practice what the school/church teaches/believes.

G's first trip to a Zoo

I love going to zoos, although I don't think I've ever been to more than one (the St. Louis zoo, which is awesome and FREE) until a few days ago.

We took G to the San Francisco Zoo and she loved it, as did we.

She is currently on a big dog kick (almost any animal is 'daw-daw' and she knows 'wooooof' and can spot a dog in any book we read). We don't have any pets, but she LOVES dogs and cats, so I knew she'd enjoy the zoo. We went on the Monday after Easter, and it was very un-busy, sunny, not to cool or hot--so basically it was the perfect time to go. I will get around to writing a review of the SF zoo one of these days.

Here are some photos of our great day.

THE Full House house

This past weekend I fulfilled a personal 'bucket list' item. I found the Full House house. Growing up, I was truly addicted to the show. Before TV on DVD was a 'thing,' my nana recorded all the episodes for me onto VHS. In preschool, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I responded, "Michelle" (not the Olsen twins, I wanted to literally be Michelle, ouce cream and all).

I recently learned that the Full House house was not actually part of the famous Painted Ladies from the intro credits, as I had assumed. It was a seemingly random house at 1709 Broderick Street. The occupants of the house have since changed its front door to--I can only assume--throw off the swarms of pop culture fanatics looking to find the Tanner family.