Happy New Year!!

Let's just pretend that I didn't leave you hanging at the end of the year!  I caught the respiratory flu the week before Christmas and it took me DOWN!  Luckily, we were able to keep our Christmas plans - I finally felt like myself the night before we left!  Thank you!

We headed to DD's in Portland first.  Thanksgiving was so hectic, we stayed in a hotel next to my DS's family and felt that we didn't get much Grandkid time.  So we "avoided the rush" and went a day early ... along with 1/2 of the crowd that had the same idea!!!  There's no control group, but I feel that we still got there a little easier than past years.

There were games and baking and wrapping and peeking ... also some last minute-ish shopping by DH and myself!  Great fun.  We made chili for Christmas Eve dinner.  We had my DH's favorite side dish - cinnamon rolls! It was a MidWest favorite school lunch!



Miss P showing off her snowflake ornament made at school!

The dogs were interested in EVERYTHING.  Luckily my DD always gets a present for them, which they get to open first - which keeps them busy the rest of the day.  A new chew bone or Kong.



Mr M showing his new Jurassic Park Lego video - a cute game that follows the movie plot.

Here's the Christmas morning PJ picture.

We stayed in Portland until after opening the presents Christmas morning. And then headed for Medford to DS's house.

More traffic than usual on Christmas Day but still easy.

There is a game that the boys love to play with Papa, Dad or Mom (Nana can't do it!)  the boys run from the kitchen into the adults arms and everyone goes over backwards screaming and laughing!!  The boys can do this forever!!!! This picture is always blurry - even using the Nikon!!

Enjoy the "reset" it doesn't last long!!  The biggest surprise was when DS came roaring in after them!!  No, he didn't make Papa catch him, but everyone was hysterical with laughter!  Soon after that "scare" DS had to take over the 'catching' role.

DDIL always makes sugar cookies with the boys at Christmas, then everyone helps ice them.  For some reason, the gingerbread people always turn into super heroes!!  She's got that down pat!!

DS had made a roast for dinner and that was delish!  The boys are still young enough (probably the last year) that we can pretend that Christmas is the 26th.  So we got to have two Christmas Eves and two Christmas mornings!  It was great fun watching 2 and 4 year olds tear into presents!!  The pj pants were a big hit!

Christmas morning in Medford!

After the presents were ooohed and ahhhhed over, we headed for San Francisco!  Going over the Siskiyou pass was our favorite view of Winter!  Clear highway, beautiful fresh snow covered mountains out our windows!! Perfect!

We stay by Fishermen's Wharf; the first night we walked to Scoma's on the wharf. One of our favorite restaurants.  I've been 'researching' Lemon Drops this year - as in, who makes the best!!!  I don't drink very much - 3 drinks give me a hang-over ... I mean headache the next morning.  But the research must go on!  LOL!  I had a little surprise at Scoma's - the bartender rimmed the glass with salt, not sugar!!  Yeow!

He apologized, he'd thought he might have and was keeping an eye out ... and made me another one double quick!!  But, yeah, there's no mistaking that little error!  The rest of the meals went perfect after that!!

Our wedding anniversary is Dec 28, We celebrated 43 years by enjoying the city.  Two nights we dined in North Beach Italian restaurants.  YUM!  There was a chocolate raspberry dessert that I'm dreaming about!!




I L*O*V*E Britex Fabrics off of Union Square - there's a Notions FLOOR!  Love the button selection!

      

We got a 3 day pass for city transportation and rode cable cars, the trolly and buses for the rest of our stay.    The trolly driver was fast off the line and one hand on the horn at all times!  Except when he had to get off to rehook us to the cable!!! Pushed the limit on how fast he can take the corners!  And although the temperatures were reported to be in the 50s ... well, it was SF 50s - glove weather!!  It didn't rain on us; and we had great fun.  Love the cable cars even in cold weather! We rode all three lines - and one of the cable cars had decorated the ceiling for the Holidays!!

  

The chills; the hills; the thrills!!  The conductors were always in a good or entertaining mood.  I'll never forget the driver of the car, when it dawned on him he was trying to squeeze-in in front of a cable car!!  Deer in the Headlights personified!!

Other than some traffic problems outside of SF - our trip was picture-perfect.  Beautiful drive back up 101; stopped at Freddies to pick up milk, etc.  Pulled into the driveway and it started raining!  DH remarked, "Well, crap!  We're home!"  Brookings had 26 inches of rain in just December!  So, hopefully, the drought is over!

Next up - Year in Review!!  I promise!