Sunday, November 22, 2009

Yosemite in the Fall


This weekend we took a trip to Yosemite with some friends. It was GORGEOUS!


It was a little chilly, but we bundled up and warmed up by riding our bikes around the Yosemite Valley.

Here's our friend, Carol, on her classy cruiser.

Here's the hubby and daughter.


The local wildlife trying to ignore all the people staring and taking pictures of it.

This was my first time being in Yosemite in the Fall. I've only ever gone in the summer when it's jam-packed.

I loved all the Fall colors and hardly any people around!
The were 21 of total riding bikes that day. I hope we didn't scare the tourists!

Jay, our fearless leader, Jason and my son, Zach.


Family picture on a log.



Biggles had to stay back at the cabin.

The cabin was quite cozy. Zach found some extra space in the closet!

Another family pic in front of the cabin.


My sister, Lisa, and her boyfriend Rick.

What a great trip that was. Us Northern Californians tend to forget how lucky we are to live so close to the beauty of Yosemite. We saw busloads of tourists from other countries who came to see it!


Saturday, November 14, 2009

What About the Mother-Son Time?


With all the posts you see about my daughter, you've probably been wondering what my son, Zach, has been up to, and do I even HAVE a son??

Yes, I do! He's 15 years old and busy, busy, busy...here he is with neighbor friend Garrett. They are sewing. Yes, that's right SEWING. It was their Chemistry extra credit assignment for National Mole Day. Did you know there was a National Mole Day?? I didn't either.



Here's Zach's mole: "the Cinnamon Moll"
(kinda scary-I know)


Here is Garrett's mole: he was planning to glue a mini soccer ball in it's hands and call it a "Moalie" (instead of Goalie- get it?). Garrett messed up on sewing the correct pieces together so his mole ended up looking like a cross between a mole-fish-walrus thing. What do you think?



Sewing is not all these talented boys do. They also run cross-country. Here they are at the Folsom Invitational.


Garrett's the one in the middle.



Since they both worked so hard the week before the Fall break came, I decided to take them both to San Francisco the week after I went with my daughter. I wanted my husband to go too, but he had to work so it was just me and the boys!

I tell ya', a MUCH DIFFERENT experience than going with my daughter!



Here they are looking COOL in the new rain forest exhibit at the Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.


Here's the view looking down in the rain forest. It was gorgeous in there. Very green and lush.


Here's some poison dart tree frogs. So tiny and cute!


The boys taking some time out to catch up on their social life...Hahaha!


That's our reflection in the pendulum ball- every half hour it knocks one pin over.


There's me, the mom, figuring out my carbon footprint in the world.
It was surprisingly low.



Yes, that's us Americans!


We should all take a lesson from the Chinese and Brazilians.


The White Alligator. He coulda' been fake for all we knew. The thing didn't budge all day.


The Aquarium was quite nice.


Sitting in the Tunnel 'O Fish.


There's the mom again. Standing near the Bio Dome on the roof of the building.
After this we watched a space movie in the Planeterium IMAX theatre. Very cool!



The trip wasn't entirely educational...I did take them downtown for a couple of hours, where they spent almost the entire time in the Apple Store. Notice the giant iPhone in the background.



The boys playing with the gadgets...while they did this, I ran next door to the Container Store!

In the evening they did this: killed zombies on XBox.
We are very blessed to have a place to stay when in San Francisco. This is my parents' condo and it's decorated all in off-white creams...very relaxing. I love it. While the boys did this- I went in the bedroom and read a good book.


I was surprised that I enjoyed the time I spent with the boys, and honored that they didn't even mind hanging out with me!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Mother-Daughter Time in SF!

I haven't had a chance yet to post about
my little trip to San Francisco with my Little Princess.



We spent 2 days just eating, shopping,
and having fun. It's been awhile since we've
spent time together just the two of us,
so it was kinda special.



Our first night in S.F. we visited Japan Town
and looked for a nice Korean place to eat.


We found a place with a hibachi grill in our table.
Fun! You grill your own meat on it!
We had beef, shrimp and veggies...and many little
dishes of assorted Korean side dishes. It was all delish!


Okay, I admit it...the waiter put the first few
pieces of beef and shrimp on the grill and
then left for me to finish the rest.
I didn't know he wasn't going to come back
and cook the rest...

So the first few pieces got over-cooked...until I
figured out that I was supposed to take over
the cooking!
Told 'ya all I wasn't a born cook!


Then we did a little shopping. You can find
the cutest stuff in those J-Town stores for cheapo!
Here's a little lunch bag set. The utensil case even
has a set of little chopsticks!


The next day was our downtown shopping excursion.
First stop: Juicy Couture, of course!
...then to Bloomies, Pink, Abercrombie-
all just windowshopping of course!


Lunch at the Nordstrom Cafe where we had a
yummy chicken sandwich and dessert!


Summer spent all her hard-earned money,
but she got some great deals- that's my
little bargain hunter!


We cooked our own dinner at the condo so we
could go back to Japan Town for some of
this yummy-ness!


It's a fresh-made crepe with ice-cream,
whipped cream and kiwis!


Only a few small bites for lactose-intolerant Mommy.


The next morning was a little side trip on the
way home for Mommy.


It's a wonderful place called Building ReSources.
Yes, they sell architectural scrap and what not.
I was in Heaven!


Besides oodles and oodles of old doors, shutters, windows,
light fixtures,door knobs, handles, and drawer pulls etc
...they alsosell barrels of colored tempered glass....


old sinks, bathtubs and toilets!
Yah, I'll bet where you were wondering where you
can get your hands on an old toilet!

I just looked and drooled...then
made plans to bring my hubby back one day
so I can get an old beat-up door and
maybe some shutters.


Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Pumpkin Plaque Do-Over

Found this beauty at 'ole GW.
Now if you're the artist who originally painted
her, I'm not making fun of you...
she's jus' NOT my style, so I had plans for her...



Now, how do you like HER?


The white, smeary lines are glitter.
This picture does her no justice, but I promise you
she's cuter in person!

Have a happy Halloween Everyone!