Keep your fingers crossed for more mild weather! :)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Almost Done!
The house is moving right along and it nearly finished. We're getting so excited. Trees! Trees! Trees! We cannot wait to move where we don't have to live on top of our neighbors.
Keep your fingers crossed for more mild weather! :)
Keep your fingers crossed for more mild weather! :)
San Francisco!
The last month flew by me. We went to San Francisco, had a company picnic, celebrated b-days and our 7th Anniversary. That sums it up. If you were just wondering what we've been doing, you can stop here. The details below:
San Francisco was absolutely amazing. We arrived on a Saturday, just before lunch, and had a few issues getting to our hotel from the airport. Once we made it, we checked into the Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf. The food there is not that great, but the room was nicely decorated, comfortable and clean. The staff was very friendly and helpful.
We walked down to Fisherman's Wharf and had lunch next to seal pier. It was stinky! They are cute, but boy do they smell.
On our first night out, we had dinner at The Stinking Rose, which is known for its garlicky menu. Overall I found it to be very overrated and would probably not recommend it. After dinner, we took a stroll, is there such a thing there, up and down the hilly streets and meandered into Chinatown. The Republic of China was celebrating its anniversary and the streets were decorated and we saw a dragon dance. I had a great time visiting the little shops and enjoying the nice weather. It turned out to be the warmest night of the entire trip.
I thought my legs would be sore the next day from all the uphill/downhill action, but they weren't. I'd like to also mention that we saw not only a lot of foot traffic on the streets, but a lot of biking as well. Kudos to the locals!
We decided to rent a car for the day and drive down the coast. We visited Seal Cove, Half Moon Bay, Monterey and Carmel. We made lots of stops along the way that included 17 Mile Drive/Pebble Beach Golf Course, Half Moon Bay Brewery, Hogs Breath Inn and lots of little shops. It was overcast and foggy for much of the day, but I didn't care. It was a lovely drive with my sweetie and he was so nice to do ALL of the driving.
The next day was probably one of my favorites of the whole trip. It was pampering and fun the entire day! No, girls, there were no facials or pedicures. It was eat, eat, eat and play, play, play. We started our morning by racing to the pier to catch the ferry to Alcatraz. What an amazing experience! Alcatraz was every bit as cool as I thought it would be and the audio guided tour was very well done.
After Alcatraz, we had a few hours to kill and I had been dying to get to Hog Island Oyster Company. Tyler Florence did a bit on ‘The Best Thing I Ever Ate’ a while back and raved about it. Having never had a raw oyster I thought it would be the perfect place to try them. They were amazing! Tyler was right and I thoroughly enjoyed that very expensive treat! I had a half dozen (Kumamoto and ???) and an iced tea that totaled $33! Marc just watched.
Oh yes! The Ferry Building is a must visit for foodies. I could have spent an entire morning in there. There are lots of restaurant type shops, but there were also fruit stands, artisan bread and cheese shops, wine stores, etc. Amazing! Oh yes, gelato too! YUM! Yep, I ate ALL day!
We raced to the hotel to freshen up and take a twenty minute nap. Then, we headed to the San Francisco Electric Tour Company for our Segway tour. I was terrified once I discovered they weren’t driven using the handlebars and that there wasn’t a stop button or brake. Something about rolling through the busy streets of San Francisco on something you do not know how to drive seemed scary to me. Hmm. I’m a sissy though so, I forged ahead. I didn’t breathe or move for the first thirty minutes at least. Once I got the hang of things, I don’t think I stopped smiling once, except maybe when Marc fell off. Then, I just laughed hysterically!
We turned in the Segways and headed to Scoma’s for dinner. Our table provided a nice view of the harbor and Ghirardelli Square. It took quite a while for our bodies to thaw. Yes, it was freezing cold. Who would’ve guessed? I had the most amazing meal there. It was so delicious (lobster bisque, scallops on a bed of swiss chard and fingerling potatoes and tiramisu). MMMMMMM! It is a little hole in the wall, but the locals swear by it and now, I know why.
On the way back to the hotel we picked up coats from a street vendor. Yes, coats. The weather was seriously fickle there. At any given point, I could be in one layer or another. I did see some really ridiculous tourists walking around in mini skirts and shorts. Seriously?! I could see my breath in the night air. Ding dongs!
It was hard to get up early the next morning after all the fun we’d had the night before. It was even more difficult for Marc, who wasn’t looking forward to some of the day’s events (i.e. wine country). We had breakfast at a little bread shop across from the tour company (ham and cheese croissant and a latte for me). The bread display there was picture perfect.
The tour company that ran our tour that day SUCKED SUCKED SUCKED! Seriously and totally sucked. I would never book with them EVER again. If I could remember their name right now, I would blast them all over the internet, but that will have to wait. Putting all of that aside, we had a wonderful day!
First stop, albeit very brief, was Muir Woods. I cannot even begin to describe it. It was amazing and you just have to go. I could have easily spent the entire day there. In fact, one day, I’d like to go back and do just that.
Next stop, Sausalito. We could have easily spent another day there touring the shops and hanging out by the water. It was a cute little spot and the birds there are NOT shy.
Final leg of the day was the wine tour and Marc’s least anticipated part. Marc doesn’t drink wine, but played along and indulged me. Turns out, he didn’t have such an awful time and he even tried a wine he liked! Holy crap! I bought it on the spot.
I had never been on a wine tasting tour before. We visited three wineries in Sonoma:Homewood, Jacuzzi and Viansa. Of the three, I think Viansa was my favorite. Jacuzzi also specializes in olive oils and it was a treat to taste several of those as well. By the end of the trip, I was getting the hang of it. I could actually pick out flavors in a few of the wines and I wasn’t drunk. Now, being the rare drinker and lightweight I am, I thought that was an accomplishment.
So, in a nutshell, that was our trip. We had such a wonderful time and I loved that city!
I would love to post photos, but Blogger is being a pain the butt today. So, you'll have to check them out on Facebook.
San Francisco was absolutely amazing. We arrived on a Saturday, just before lunch, and had a few issues getting to our hotel from the airport. Once we made it, we checked into the Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf. The food there is not that great, but the room was nicely decorated, comfortable and clean. The staff was very friendly and helpful.
We walked down to Fisherman's Wharf and had lunch next to seal pier. It was stinky! They are cute, but boy do they smell.
On our first night out, we had dinner at The Stinking Rose, which is known for its garlicky menu. Overall I found it to be very overrated and would probably not recommend it. After dinner, we took a stroll, is there such a thing there, up and down the hilly streets and meandered into Chinatown. The Republic of China was celebrating its anniversary and the streets were decorated and we saw a dragon dance. I had a great time visiting the little shops and enjoying the nice weather. It turned out to be the warmest night of the entire trip.
I thought my legs would be sore the next day from all the uphill/downhill action, but they weren't. I'd like to also mention that we saw not only a lot of foot traffic on the streets, but a lot of biking as well. Kudos to the locals!
We decided to rent a car for the day and drive down the coast. We visited Seal Cove, Half Moon Bay, Monterey and Carmel. We made lots of stops along the way that included 17 Mile Drive/Pebble Beach Golf Course, Half Moon Bay Brewery, Hogs Breath Inn and lots of little shops. It was overcast and foggy for much of the day, but I didn't care. It was a lovely drive with my sweetie and he was so nice to do ALL of the driving.
The next day was probably one of my favorites of the whole trip. It was pampering and fun the entire day! No, girls, there were no facials or pedicures. It was eat, eat, eat and play, play, play. We started our morning by racing to the pier to catch the ferry to Alcatraz. What an amazing experience! Alcatraz was every bit as cool as I thought it would be and the audio guided tour was very well done.
After Alcatraz, we had a few hours to kill and I had been dying to get to Hog Island Oyster Company. Tyler Florence did a bit on ‘The Best Thing I Ever Ate’ a while back and raved about it. Having never had a raw oyster I thought it would be the perfect place to try them. They were amazing! Tyler was right and I thoroughly enjoyed that very expensive treat! I had a half dozen (Kumamoto and ???) and an iced tea that totaled $33! Marc just watched.
Oh yes! The Ferry Building is a must visit for foodies. I could have spent an entire morning in there. There are lots of restaurant type shops, but there were also fruit stands, artisan bread and cheese shops, wine stores, etc. Amazing! Oh yes, gelato too! YUM! Yep, I ate ALL day!
We raced to the hotel to freshen up and take a twenty minute nap. Then, we headed to the San Francisco Electric Tour Company for our Segway tour. I was terrified once I discovered they weren’t driven using the handlebars and that there wasn’t a stop button or brake. Something about rolling through the busy streets of San Francisco on something you do not know how to drive seemed scary to me. Hmm. I’m a sissy though so, I forged ahead. I didn’t breathe or move for the first thirty minutes at least. Once I got the hang of things, I don’t think I stopped smiling once, except maybe when Marc fell off. Then, I just laughed hysterically!
We turned in the Segways and headed to Scoma’s for dinner. Our table provided a nice view of the harbor and Ghirardelli Square. It took quite a while for our bodies to thaw. Yes, it was freezing cold. Who would’ve guessed? I had the most amazing meal there. It was so delicious (lobster bisque, scallops on a bed of swiss chard and fingerling potatoes and tiramisu). MMMMMMM! It is a little hole in the wall, but the locals swear by it and now, I know why.
On the way back to the hotel we picked up coats from a street vendor. Yes, coats. The weather was seriously fickle there. At any given point, I could be in one layer or another. I did see some really ridiculous tourists walking around in mini skirts and shorts. Seriously?! I could see my breath in the night air. Ding dongs!
It was hard to get up early the next morning after all the fun we’d had the night before. It was even more difficult for Marc, who wasn’t looking forward to some of the day’s events (i.e. wine country). We had breakfast at a little bread shop across from the tour company (ham and cheese croissant and a latte for me). The bread display there was picture perfect.
The tour company that ran our tour that day SUCKED SUCKED SUCKED! Seriously and totally sucked. I would never book with them EVER again. If I could remember their name right now, I would blast them all over the internet, but that will have to wait. Putting all of that aside, we had a wonderful day!
First stop, albeit very brief, was Muir Woods. I cannot even begin to describe it. It was amazing and you just have to go. I could have easily spent the entire day there. In fact, one day, I’d like to go back and do just that.
Next stop, Sausalito. We could have easily spent another day there touring the shops and hanging out by the water. It was a cute little spot and the birds there are NOT shy.
Final leg of the day was the wine tour and Marc’s least anticipated part. Marc doesn’t drink wine, but played along and indulged me. Turns out, he didn’t have such an awful time and he even tried a wine he liked! Holy crap! I bought it on the spot.
I had never been on a wine tasting tour before. We visited three wineries in Sonoma:Homewood, Jacuzzi and Viansa. Of the three, I think Viansa was my favorite. Jacuzzi also specializes in olive oils and it was a treat to taste several of those as well. By the end of the trip, I was getting the hang of it. I could actually pick out flavors in a few of the wines and I wasn’t drunk. Now, being the rare drinker and lightweight I am, I thought that was an accomplishment.
So, in a nutshell, that was our trip. We had such a wonderful time and I loved that city!
I would love to post photos, but Blogger is being a pain the butt today. So, you'll have to check them out on Facebook.
Friday, September 18, 2009
San Francisco Here We Come!
Marc and I are escaping for a much needed vacation tomorrow morning. We are taking this one on our own. We will surely miss the babes, but it will be nice to have some time for just us.
Have a great week!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Super Nanny, Nanny 911 and Doctor Whoever, What Now?!
We had a very long evening last night. Thank you, Sydney Elaine. We've had trouble getting Sydney to go to bed each night for a while, but it really kicked in to high gear last week and hit a peak (I hope) last night. She is adamant about not staying in her room. After trying all the "tricks" suggested, we are at our wits end. We know it is a phase, but we are tired and left without a plan.
Step 1: Establish a routine. Yeah yeah yeah. We've had the same routine since she was a little less than a year. It has only varied slightly with the birth of Nathan and, of course, during vacations and visits to the homes of others. (CHECK!)
Step 2: Eliminate sugary snacks and caffeine before bed. Seriously? My kid is four. She doesn't eat a lot of candy and she definitely doesn't drink caffeine, unless of course you count the two cups of coffee she drinks before school. NOT! (DUH and CHECK!)
Step 3: If the protest, return them to bed over and over. We've done this one a hundred million times. One night, I did it with ipod earbuds in so that I wouldn't get ticked after 1.5 HOURS! NEXT!
Step 4: Sit in the hall and return the child. It goes with Step 3, is just as useless, but at least I get to read a little.
Step 5: Create rewards for good behavior. Great. Sydney is interested in the computer. So, we bought the same educational game the school has and created a reward system that enabled her to earn time on the computer each weekend. It worked for two weeks. Then, she told me she didn't care. Perfect!
Step 6: If they are scared, eliminate the "bad." So, she decided a while back that there were porcupine bunnies in the house. So, mom made a "trap" for them out of a plastic basket and a recorder. Nothing caught and nothing gained.
Step 7: Take away privileges. We've taken away fruit snacks and other junk I cannot recall right now. "Take 'em!" She says.
Step 7: Take away her toys. Her room is now empty.
Step 8: "Spank her butt and that'll fix it!" Some have said. Yep, we tried that too. It didn't work and now we feel bad about it. Thanks!
Step 9: ________________?????????????????????? I have no idea what goes here.
I need help. Ideas please! I really don't know what to do.
Step 1: Establish a routine. Yeah yeah yeah. We've had the same routine since she was a little less than a year. It has only varied slightly with the birth of Nathan and, of course, during vacations and visits to the homes of others. (CHECK!)
Step 2: Eliminate sugary snacks and caffeine before bed. Seriously? My kid is four. She doesn't eat a lot of candy and she definitely doesn't drink caffeine, unless of course you count the two cups of coffee she drinks before school. NOT! (DUH and CHECK!)
Step 3: If the protest, return them to bed over and over. We've done this one a hundred million times. One night, I did it with ipod earbuds in so that I wouldn't get ticked after 1.5 HOURS! NEXT!
Step 4: Sit in the hall and return the child. It goes with Step 3, is just as useless, but at least I get to read a little.
Step 5: Create rewards for good behavior. Great. Sydney is interested in the computer. So, we bought the same educational game the school has and created a reward system that enabled her to earn time on the computer each weekend. It worked for two weeks. Then, she told me she didn't care. Perfect!
Step 6: If they are scared, eliminate the "bad." So, she decided a while back that there were porcupine bunnies in the house. So, mom made a "trap" for them out of a plastic basket and a recorder. Nothing caught and nothing gained.
Step 7: Take away privileges. We've taken away fruit snacks and other junk I cannot recall right now. "Take 'em!" She says.
Step 7: Take away her toys. Her room is now empty.
Step 8: "Spank her butt and that'll fix it!" Some have said. Yep, we tried that too. It didn't work and now we feel bad about it. Thanks!
Step 9: ________________?????????????????????? I have no idea what goes here.
I need help. Ideas please! I really don't know what to do.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Big News!
Some of you already knew and many of you found out yesterday on Facebook, but I'm moving! We are moving back to Fredericksburg to be closer to family. The biggest news of all is that I am going to be a SAHM for a few years.
Just a very short two years ago, I wrote an irate post to Anonymous about school, etc. While I still believe in that post, several things have happened over the last few years that have made us stop and think about the value of family, our time together and how FLEETING it really can be. While I want to teach my children the value of pursuing whatever you desire, we find it equally important to teach them to stop and appreciate what is around them. Now, I am and have been extremely thankful for all I have, but we were faced with, what feels like, a golden opportunity: to strengthen our family bonds and provide our children with a familial community.
I've struggled with this for a while, hold off on school and stay home or tough it out. As much as I wanted to tough it out, and attempted to for a bit, I found two obstacles: the LSAT and my heart. I took the LSAT twice. I cancelled my scores the first time and the second time, I blew it. I have crazy test anxiety and while practice tests would be acceptable, the real deal would throw me into a volcano of emotion. So, I've gone around the bushes, over the hill and through the woods to get to the simple conclusion that I likely have my whole life to continue my education or perhaps not. What I do know is that, where my kids are concerned, I don't want regrets.
So, for now, school is on continued pause and I'm gearing up for a new adventure. I'm excited to spend more time with my children and family. I'm thrilled that we will not be living directly on top of our neighbors and that my kids will have their aunts, grandparents and great grandparents close. I'm terrified, but hopeful that I will be okay at this difficult job.
Please wish us luck, health and happiness! *Crossing fingers, eyes and toes*
Just a very short two years ago, I wrote an irate post to Anonymous about school, etc. While I still believe in that post, several things have happened over the last few years that have made us stop and think about the value of family, our time together and how FLEETING it really can be. While I want to teach my children the value of pursuing whatever you desire, we find it equally important to teach them to stop and appreciate what is around them. Now, I am and have been extremely thankful for all I have, but we were faced with, what feels like, a golden opportunity: to strengthen our family bonds and provide our children with a familial community.
I've struggled with this for a while, hold off on school and stay home or tough it out. As much as I wanted to tough it out, and attempted to for a bit, I found two obstacles: the LSAT and my heart. I took the LSAT twice. I cancelled my scores the first time and the second time, I blew it. I have crazy test anxiety and while practice tests would be acceptable, the real deal would throw me into a volcano of emotion. So, I've gone around the bushes, over the hill and through the woods to get to the simple conclusion that I likely have my whole life to continue my education or perhaps not. What I do know is that, where my kids are concerned, I don't want regrets.
So, for now, school is on continued pause and I'm gearing up for a new adventure. I'm excited to spend more time with my children and family. I'm thrilled that we will not be living directly on top of our neighbors and that my kids will have their aunts, grandparents and great grandparents close. I'm terrified, but hopeful that I will be okay at this difficult job.
Please wish us luck, health and happiness! *Crossing fingers, eyes and toes*
Friday, August 28, 2009
Still Around
It has been a few weeks since my last post and I'm still around. We're keeping quite busy this summer and trying to enjoy every minute.
This month, we visited my Dad's and Marc learned how to change the brakes on the truck. Yay! That was a blessing. Thanks again, Dad. Dad and Jenn also celebrated an anniversary. Happy Anniversary!
We went on our second camping trip with Rachel and Matt. This time we headed back to Deep Creek Lake. Marc and I hadn't been in ten years and it was quite different. The campsites are very close and the area in general has grown too much for our liking. We did have a great time, despite losing sleep because of rude neighboring campers. So rude and loud, in fact, we had to call the Rangers twice to get them to stuff it.
My photography class is over. I cannot believe it. It was a blink. I'm more familiar with my camera, but still terrible at taking pictures. I'll keep practicing. Ha ha! Didn't expect to run out and shoot a cover of Vogue. Although, it would have been nice eh?
We had to cancel our third camping trip this past weekend due to inclement weather. What a great call! It poured. What a relief! I usually like to push those things and take a "wait and see" approach. I would have been so sorry and WET! We went bowling instead.
We have our fourth and, most likely, final camping trip coming up next weekend. We're looking forward to it. We're going camping with Aunt Lois and Uncle Robert. I went camping with them a ton when I was a kid so, I'm really looking forward to the "blast from the past."
So, we have an official date night tonight. Woo hoo! Our last date night was a few months back. We had originally made reservations at Charlie Palmer, but it is gross and I'm tired. So, we're going old school tonight: The Outback! That's right. I'm going to stuff my face with cheese fries and a bloomin' onion. Then, we might hit a movie. I can tell you we WON'T go see 'Julie and Julia,' which I have been dying to see, because Marc would NEVER! Boo! Oh well.
The kids are shooting up like little weeds. Sydney has been ultra sassy the last few weeks, but this week has been lovely. It was a nice reprieve. In fact, yesterday, I took an impromptu day off work, picked up Sydney and went to meet Ashley, Shenan, Mom and Granny Joyce for a birthday lunch. Granny Joyce had a great birthday and I was glad I got to spend the afternoon with her.
Well, that is the update. I'm looking forward to the weekend. I hope you guys have a great weekend!
This month, we visited my Dad's and Marc learned how to change the brakes on the truck. Yay! That was a blessing. Thanks again, Dad. Dad and Jenn also celebrated an anniversary. Happy Anniversary!
We went on our second camping trip with Rachel and Matt. This time we headed back to Deep Creek Lake. Marc and I hadn't been in ten years and it was quite different. The campsites are very close and the area in general has grown too much for our liking. We did have a great time, despite losing sleep because of rude neighboring campers. So rude and loud, in fact, we had to call the Rangers twice to get them to stuff it.
My photography class is over. I cannot believe it. It was a blink. I'm more familiar with my camera, but still terrible at taking pictures. I'll keep practicing. Ha ha! Didn't expect to run out and shoot a cover of Vogue. Although, it would have been nice eh?
We had to cancel our third camping trip this past weekend due to inclement weather. What a great call! It poured. What a relief! I usually like to push those things and take a "wait and see" approach. I would have been so sorry and WET! We went bowling instead.
We have our fourth and, most likely, final camping trip coming up next weekend. We're looking forward to it. We're going camping with Aunt Lois and Uncle Robert. I went camping with them a ton when I was a kid so, I'm really looking forward to the "blast from the past."
So, we have an official date night tonight. Woo hoo! Our last date night was a few months back. We had originally made reservations at Charlie Palmer, but it is gross and I'm tired. So, we're going old school tonight: The Outback! That's right. I'm going to stuff my face with cheese fries and a bloomin' onion. Then, we might hit a movie. I can tell you we WON'T go see 'Julie and Julia,' which I have been dying to see, because Marc would NEVER! Boo! Oh well.
The kids are shooting up like little weeds. Sydney has been ultra sassy the last few weeks, but this week has been lovely. It was a nice reprieve. In fact, yesterday, I took an impromptu day off work, picked up Sydney and went to meet Ashley, Shenan, Mom and Granny Joyce for a birthday lunch. Granny Joyce had a great birthday and I was glad I got to spend the afternoon with her.
Well, that is the update. I'm looking forward to the weekend. I hope you guys have a great weekend!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Not the Mama!
Last night, we were having dinner and Syd was having a whining spell. Marc decided to tell Sydney that she would have to trade places with us, if she kept it up. She looked confused. Then he elaborated, "Tonight, you will give us a bath, read us stories and tuck us in. Tomorrow, you will go to work and we will go to school and play." I couldn't resist and joined in. We went on and on about how she'd have to take out the trash, clean the dishes, do the laundry and cook for us. Before we knew it, she was crying. We thought she was kidding at first, but when we realized she was actually crying, we stopped. "I don't want to be the mommy! We will change back." She said.
She told us that being the mommy and daddy is a lot of work. After dinner, she was happy to have bath and story time as usual. Hmmm...for a minute, Marc and I thought we had it made. :)
She told us that being the mommy and daddy is a lot of work. After dinner, she was happy to have bath and story time as usual. Hmmm...for a minute, Marc and I thought we had it made. :)
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