Thanksgiving Traditions

We had a very relaxing thanksgiving weekend.

We spent Thanksgiving day with my family and THe Watsons! So nice to catch up...










We posed for some family pictures...




We decorated inside and out. Putting ornaments on this tree is becoming my favorite part of the season. When I was growing up, my mom bought a special ornament for me each year. I'm doing the same for Sara. This year, I could not help but think what a story our tree tells. We reminisced about the different ornaments while picking out the perfect branch to hang them on.




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St Jude's Give thanks. Walk

We participated in St. Jude's Give Thanks. Walk at the San Francisco Zoo this weekend. It was a beautiful morning. We were prepared for cold and foggy. But, it was bright and beautiful! we drove across the new Bay Bridge:







We got checked in and hung out for a bit before things got started. Sara loved the trees and picking flowers from the grass!



Brian and I are both so thankful for the JOY that Sara brings to our lives. While her Autism diagnosis and chromosome disorders surprised us and shook us to our core, I was reminded that it didn't come as a surprise our Heavenly Father. A walker ahead of us had a T-shirt on with the Psalm 139 verse "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."



Just as He knows the number of curly hairs on her head, he choose to place the chromosomes in her body. Sara is wonderfully made by our Father, who does not make mistakes. Brian and I were chosen, specially, to be Sara's parents. We are blessed to call her ours. For she is the child for whom we prayed for so fiercly...


And we're off and walking...




Since we were at the zoo, we stopped and checked out the animals along the way. Sara spotted the flamingos:






And she's off and running....she didn't get the memo that it's a walk!


Photo ops...









After the walk was over, we checked out more of the zoo and the carousel. She was so happy riding the bunny! She laughed and said "bunny....hop hop hop...weeeeee" the entire ride. And she did great getting off! I was so proud of her!





All tuckered out on the way home!




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Front Porch Railing: Project #2,092

I've been wanting to add a railing to our porch for a while now. A lot of the neighbors have done it and it really finishes the porch, in my opinion.




However, I wasn't in love with the traditional look. I wanted something a bit more contemporary and natural. I really wanted copper tubing, but have you seen the prices of copper lately?!??!

In talking about my idea with my dad, he mentioned he had he some laying around and wasn't able to use it for the project he picked it up for. After some measurements and layout ideas, he went home to cut the lengths. He basically got us set up with a DIY kit....thanks, dad! I painted yesterday and Brian installed today! I love it...







we can't wait to get our bronze house numbers so we can get rid of the ugly green ones!

Oh, and just for fun....our ugly duckling on moving day....it's come a long way, baby!



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Napa Wine Train Get-away

We did the wine train this weekend and had a much needed overnight getaway.

The Wine Train was beautiful and had a fabulous lunch on board. My parents gave us the tickets last year for Christmas and we never had a chance to use them until now. I'm glad we wanted until the fall because the vineyards were just beautiful. We enjoyed appetizers on the way up the valley and then we're seated for lunch on the return trip. The 4 course lunch put us into a total food coma....but it was delish!















After the train, We wandered around the Oxbow Market . We ended up running into my cousin Patty and her husband Les. So much has changed in Napa since the last time we were there. I'm not sure why we don't go over more often....it's a short 40 minutes from our house. I think afternoon runs to Gotts and ThreeTwins Icecream is in our future!

We spent the night in Calastoga. We walked to dinner and enjoy a couple of cocktails after while watching the Saints run over the cowboys in Sunday night football.

Our room had a little patio and fountain. It was too cool to enjoy breakfast out there....but it was nice to look out on.



We did enjoy the fireplace.


On the way home, we drove down Silverado Trail....simply breathtaking!













It was nice to get away and have some time to ourselves. Sleeping in after 8am was decadent! This was the 2nd time Brian and I had gotten way together without Sara. We vowed to do it more often.

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Mulch, anyone?

We had 5 yards of mulch delivered yesterday. So, today we spent most of the morning getting it spread out. Amazing what a little mulch will do.

Shovel and shovel and shovel some more!


Sara was in seventh heavan! She played in the mulch, dirt, and rocks!








Planter boxes are all cleaned out...





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