The Golden Gate Bridge & Coming Home

Saturday we went to the lookout over the Golden Gate Bridge. It was so windy and cold up there compared to the rest of the city. It was our warmest day in the city of our entire trip. Once we left the lookout we went into the city and to an art supply store called Flax. This store had everything one would need for painting, paper crafting, stationary, kids art supplies, ribbon, gift wrap and much more. We then went to Market Square, which is the downtown shopping district. Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Tiffany's, Saks 5th Ave., Bloomingdale's, and Barney's of NY are just a few of the stores that are there. Raymond tried on a $4,000 suit jacket at Neiman Marcus. It was one of the ugliest things I have ever seen.

I went to Britex Fabrics. It is 4 floors of fabric and sewing notions. I bought some fabric to make the girls a dress for this fall. We left Market Square and went down to another viewing area for the Golden Gate Bridge. This was at the bottom of it on the Bay. I was able to get some great pictures from here. We then went back up to the highway level of the bridge and walked out over the water. As we were leaving the fog was rolling in. On our way to the airport this morning the fog was like rain on the car window. Aunt Betty said it was not to think today.




Raymond at Flax

Through out the day Saturday about 6 or more groups of people asked Raymond to take their picture. Aunt Betty and I were about to open a photo station and charge people a dollar to take their pictures.

We once again got up at 3:30 to go to the airport to come home. When we came out of the airport terminal to get to baggage claim we saw our little girls wanting for us. Dennis and Leslie brought our girls to meet us. I was sooo happy to see them. Allie kept giggling and Abby had a huge smile on her face. They would not let us go. Allie told me that the next time we go on a plane she wants to go as well. When I asked Abby if she wanted to go on a plane she said no, I don't like planes, I like cars. She sure did like watching them take off and land.



I am in the process of uploading pictures to my blog so keep checking the posts below of pictures.







Raymond looking out over the Bay

Our Welcome Home Sign - made by our girls

The Wine Country

Today we drove to up to Napa Valley & Sonoma to see the Wine Country. We visited 4 winery's and took a tour and tasting at Cline. The weather there is very warm like at home. We went and had lunch at another winery. We saw houses today that I can not figure out how they were built into the side of the hills or how you would get to them. I have some vineyard pictures I will post when I get home. We went to Trader Joe's and picked up dinner. We need a Trader Joe's in Memphis.

Probably not the best wine country picture I have...

We saw California Redwoods as well today. We went up Mt. Tam thru the Redwoods and an area that was covered with so many trees that is was dark and had much cooler temps. The houses built there, once again, were built into the side of the mountain and one that was for sale was a mere million dollars!!!! The area had great views of Marin County and at times you could see the City.

This is one of many house built into the side of Mt. Tam. This is from the same rode that goes to the drive way of this house. The houses are all multi-story high and built among the giant Redwoods. These are all 2nd planted redwoods as the original ones where used to rebuild San Fransisco after the earthquake of 1906.

We stopped on the side of the road and Raymond picked a blackberry and to home we came.

Tomorrow we off back into the city for one more day before we head home on Sunday. I sure do miss my girls!

One of the houses we like right up from Aunt Betty's.

San Fransisco Day 2

Today we did alot of walking! We started the day off with a great breakfast by Marion, of strawberry pancakes and fried apples. (very yummy!) Then off went to the city, after a quick stop to see the Golden Gate Bridge, which was fogged in (we will try again Saturday), we entered the city. We went to the Palace of Fine Art to take some pictures around the outside and see more expensive houses. We saw the home of Danielle Steele, a house with stainless steel garage doors and entry door (I forgot the famous person who owns it), a few houses where Marion had done some remodeling work and the court house where Aunt Betty and Marion were married. We also the house where Francis Ford Coppola edited the Godfather movies as well as Lucas Film's post production location at the old Fort Presidio and some of the interesting buildings there. We had lunch at Mel's Dinner and off Chinatown we went. Chinatown was interesting. I bought the girls a pair of shoes that I will have to post when I get home. Also saw the dried fish market, I will never be able to eat fish again, not that I ate it now anyway. We rode a Cable Car down to Fisherman's Wharf, which had a cable trouble about half way there. After about a 20 minute wait we were back up and running. This was fun, but a little than what we see on TV, fun but different. Fisherman's Wharf was crowded today. We walked out to Forbes Island, a man made island that houses a restaurant, saw the sea lions laying around talking to each other and then over to Pier 39 and more shopping. I could have done so much more shopping here but Raymond was with me.... enough said. Anyway, they have a beautiful carousel that my girls would have loved to get on. It had 2 levels. After we left Pier 39 we went over to Ghardelli Square. It was not as impressive as I thought it would be. A little over priced chocolate and a few shops and that was it. There was a cupcake bakery there, a dozen cupcakes was $36. There was also an Ice Cream Fountain but it was packed! We left there and took a cab back to the parking garage and drove over to North Beach (Italian part of town) and had dinner at North Beach Pizza-YUMMO-and back home we came. I am again once again so sleepy.

Outside in front of the Palace of Fine Arts, which is a children's museum and has the exploritorium (sp). The lake is so pretty with all the landscaping.

China Town Entrance

Raymond's new golf buddy

2 friends I knew my girls would like to meet

The Sea Lions laying out in the sun

Forbes Island - a real floating restaurant - which I saw on Al Roker Weird Eats on Food Network before we left home.

Tomorrow we are going to Napa Valley or Sonoma and back into the City on Saturday.

San Fransisco Day 1

It is 9:45pm in San Fransisco. That means it is 11:45 pm in Memphis. I have been up since 3am this morning!! We traveled to Dallas and then on to San Fransisco today arriving around 12:15pm and we have already done so much: Seen the Pacific Ocean and realized it is COLD! Seen Lombard Street (the crooked street), Coit Tower, Seen the city from Twin Peaks (very cold and windy high above the city), seen houses that cost more than the most expensive house in Memphis would cost, rode across the Golden Gate Bridge, drove thru some really great neighborhoods, and ate dim sum for lunch (I will tell you more about this later).

I must go to bed now, I am so sleepy!! I am looking forward to tomorrow.


At the Pacific Ocean



Raymond with his Dim Sum. Which was interesting way to eat. Dim Sum is authentic Chinese food than we are use to. Here is Raymond's shrimp, head still on!! I liked the sugar donuts and the bbq pork rolls.


The Legion of Honor, I can not remember the artist, but is blown glass. pretty cool


View from Twin Peaks


Coit Tower

Diving

I've posted a video of Allie diving in the water and now I have one of Abby diving in the water. Problem is, I can not get the video to play once I download it to my computer. I am sure it is an easy fix and maybe in the few weeks I can figure it out. So these pictures will have to do. Abby is so proud that she can dive now. It is so cute to watch them both play in the water. They are so fearless.

This is Abby under water!!

Allie

Abby

It's 4:45pm - Do you know where your children are?

Here are where mine were at 4:45 pm this afternoon. After a melt down at 4 I made them sit away from each other. The next thing I knew it was really quite in my house, too quite... I guess the no nap for 4 days finally caught up with them.

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful that the girls have played so well together this morning (so far). Their imagination is just amazing. They have "rode a bus", went on a picnic, pretended to be kitty cats, played princesses and are now playing with their baby dolls all before 10. We got up early today, 6:30!!!!! They just closed their door so I am sure the room will be a total disaster in a minute. Here is what their room looked like yesterday. I went and looked at their floor and it is worse than yesterday....... oh well... at least they are playing happily for the moment.

Ribbon Jeans and Shirt

Here is the latest sewing project I have learned how to make. Thanks Allison for teaching me how to make these. I have to finish one side of the shirt and make another set for the girls. I also had to take my machine to be fixed because the tread was bunching up on the underside, so it will be at least a week and a half before I can get the other set made.


When I got the girls home this afternoon I went to pull out the jeans to show the girls and Abby asked me "what you make us?" At least she said us and not me.

Seven From Heaven

That is the title of the book written by Kenny & Bobbi McCaughey. They are the family from Iowa who had septuplets (7 babies). I had the pleasure of hearing her speak Monday night. She had a great message of faith in God and trusting Him in all things. I was able to get her to sign the book and under name she wrote Proverbs3:5 & 6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight."

Here is a picture that we took for our MOMC newsletter.

Thankful Thursday

My friend Abbie posted last Thursday on her blog, Thankful Thursday. She challenged all of her blogging friends to do the same. I never got around to it last Thursday but I will post it today.

I am Thankful for:

My healthy, happy children.

My husband, who works hard to let me stay at home with the girls.

I am thankful that he has developed really good handy man skills which saves us money in home repairs.

Our Family and Friends. My children's friends.

Our Church, Sunday School class and Reach Group.

A forgiving God.

Mother's Day Out!!!

I know there is much, much more that I am thankful for, but this is a good start. I hope to post every Thursday something that I am thankful for.

Ok, blogger friends, your turn, what are you thankful for?

2 Funny Stories

First funny story:

Abby & Allie were outside playing on the front porch Saturday while Raymond was painting. A few minutes later they come in whining. Abby looks at me and says, "I'm mad at Dad!"
Me: "why are you mad at dad?"
Abby: "He made us come inside."
Me: "why did he make you come inside?'
No response to this.....I wait a few minutes and she comes back to me and the conversation starts all over exactly the same way, except for...
Me "why did he make you come inside."
Abby "Allie broke the bunny."

Sure enough Allie chipped the nose on the outside garden bunny. I knew if I waited long enough someone would tell what happened.


Second Funny Story:
At 5:00 am this morning, Allie comes into our room and says she is tired. I get her back in bed. She is up again and a third time. By now I am done with this game. I tell her to go to bed and if she gets up again, she will get a spanking. I walk her to her room , she lays down and looks at me and says "It's too quite." It should be, it is 5:30am!! I turned on her music and off to sleep she went.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July. Today we went to Baker's for a morning on swimming and good company with some other couples from our Sunday School Class. Here are some pictures from today:

Allie getting ready to dive. I took a video but I thought she was not going to jump so I quit recording.

Abby - she did not spend much time in the water today. When I asked her about it she said she was afraid of the monster in the water. I am not sure what she was talking about.

This is only other picture I have of her in the water today.

Allie swimming

Popsicle time - Abby, Allie and Ammie

Allie & Ammie "playing" the Wii

I tried & tried to get Abby to sit down by Allie and take their picture together. Abby would have nothing of it. I have this great project I wanted to do with a picture of both the girls....I am not sure what picture I will use now. When I finished my project I will post it. It may be a while since I have to order the pictures from Shutterfly.

Here is what Abby was doing, (she is NOT sleeping!!)

Check out my friend Laurel's Blog - she has a video of the kids diving in the pool.

Summer Sayings

Abby:


"That is my favorite." Everything is her favorite- no matter what it is!

"I want chicken, fries, ketchup and a sprite."

"My friends be there?" - she is too young to worry about this.

"I have to....."

"I need a snack." Me-"What do snack do you want?" Abby-"I want some grapes"

"Momma, I do it."

I need a Sprite.

At bedtime, "I watch Wuzzby." or "we read stories"

Allie:



"Do that again."

While in the pool - "Mommy, I dive." and "I dunk mommy. Ready, hold your nose."

"Mommy, I watch Hairspray movie"

"More apple juice"

"Mommy, get up, suns up, mommy. I watch TV."

"I tired" to this I reply "just because the sun's up, does not mean you have to get up."

"Momma, I do it."

"I need Pepper drink." followed by "I get a straw."


I have more written down but these are the ones I have come up with our the past few days.

Dinner with Cinderella and Mickey

Tonight we went to the Perkins on Sycamore View to have dinner with Cinderella, the Fairy Godmother and Mickey Mouse. It was also Kids Eat Free Night.

The girls had a great time. Abby could not sit still. They both did really well going up to the characters for pictures.

Mickey greeted us at the door.

Followed by Cinderella

And the Fairy Godmother as well

There was also a balloon guy there....we could hardly keep Abby in her seat. We told her she had to eat her dinner before we could go see him. Here are the hats he made for the girls.

I guess we are ready for a Disney Character Breakfast/Lunch :)