Marin County

On our last day together we decided to spend some time on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge.  I know I already have plenty of pictures of the bridge, but I can't seem to stop taking them.

In the morning we drove around Sausalito for a little bit before heading back to the apartment to do a little work.  The afternoon was the highlight of the day though.  Even though we had walked a lot yesterday, we decided to do the 3.5 mile hike round trip to Tennessee Beach. As mentioned by our host, this black sand beach was pretty quiet and devoid of tourists.

We sat on the beach for about an hour, feet in the sand and watching and listening to the waves. It was nice and relaxing...and much better than snow. The water was pretty cold on my feet though.  Since I only had one water bottle, I stuck to the path and didn't head for the Oregon border.

A Stroll Around the City by the Bay

Today we walked and saw a lot. The apartment that we're staying in is located in the Marina District, so it's within walking distance of many notable things in the city.  We first walked a few blocks to the water and found a bunch of people running a 5k around Marina Green.  A couple blocks over we checked out a farmer's market in the old Fort Mason Historic area, and then had lunch at In and Out Burger near Fisherman's Wharf. Along the way we met some very cute baby skunks at the park.  From that area we were able to take a few good pictures of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

We stopped back at the apartment for a short break before heading over to The Palace of Fine Arts and the Presidio (and the National Cemetery located there). We made sure to find the site of the old Letterman Army Hospital where I was born in the Presidio.  I sent my Mom a picture of me standing in front of the building - it is Mother's Day after all.  The Army hospital and surrounding buildings had been torn down and rebuilt, but the location was the same. It's now a digital arts campus and houses Lucasfilm in one of the buildings nearby.

Thinking back over the years, this is probably the third time I've spent a day or two in this area. I obviously enjoy the area but that's because it's very pretty and there is a lot to see.

Golden Gate Bridge

Our flight in on Friday night went well.  We arrived after bedtime, so we decided to stay Friday night in a hotel next to the airport.  The next morning we woke up and met Stacey's brothers for coffee.  Coincidentally, Matt was down from Seattle visiting Pat on the same weekend. We were the only Caucasians in that Starbucks in South San Francisco, which was a good opportunity to use the phrase, "we're not next to Kansas anymore". As a related side note, this place truly does get visitors from all over the world.  We've heard many different languages spoken.

After coffee we walked across the bridge and back. It was fun, but the traffic noise was so loud it made it hard to have a conversation and unnecessarily tiresome. The bridge itself was obviously impressive and it was worth doing once in my life. Personally, I like the views from the Marin County side better than the San Francisco side. It was very pretty, especially considering the temperatures and snow scheduled at home the next day!

I think Stacey enjoyed the walk too, although I can't be sure now that I see the middle picture...

Julia's Dance Rehersal

We ended up missing Julia's dance recital because of our trip to San Francisco. However, she had a rehearsal a few days before that we were able to attend. I'm sure it wasn't the same, but it was pretty close. In fact, they ran through the number twice, so we may have seen more than if we would have attended the recital. She was very excited about getting to wear makeup with her dancing outfit.

Julia has been going to class every Wednesday after school with her friends and classmates Emma, Evie, and Avery. Emma and Evie's mom takes them home after school and then to class. Julia really likes dance, so it's possible she'll continue longer than just this session.  She's obviously growing up and maturing, since she had no problem being on stage with the rest of her group.  She said she was a little nervous, and you could tell she was, but overall she did great.

Grandpa and grandma took her to the actual recital. We made sure to get it on DVD and to have a bouquet of flowers waiting for her after the show.

Little Competitor

Stacey took Jonathan to the park the other day. Another kid showed up on his bike. Jonathan's new friend followed him around for a little bit while Jonathan rode his scooter.  After while of sizing each other up, both boys gave each other the look equivalent to revving your engine at a stop light.  The paced gradually quickened until it was "race on".  When the race began Jonathan put his head down and "dropped the hammer".  Apparently, his burst of speed was quite impressive, leaving the larger kid in the dust. The other boy's grandpa wanted to know how old Jonathan was.

I heard all about the race against the "kid with the yellow bike" when I got home. Jonathan was very proud that he won. It's really funny to hear things like this and to watch him around the house with Julia. He hates losing, and loves racing.  When the kids chase each other around the house, he gets this look on his face and clenches his teeth, until he is able to wrap his arms around his sister and take her to the floor. He's definitely got a competitive, strong-willed streak.  That will be great going forward, as long as we can channel it in a positive way.

Julia's Notes

Thank you for moving to a new house
Can we watch Looney Tunes?



What Julia wrote at school using the words "give" and "little"
Julia's to-do list at grandpa and grandma's: Take a walk, go in the hot tub, watch Frozen, make Easter baskets

Party Planner

Julia decided that for my birthday she was going to throw me a party. She called grandma on the phone, in secret, to discuss the details of the celebration while I was at work.

One my birthday Stacey and I went to a movie while the kids decorated, set up, and made/wrapped my presents.  When we arrived Julia kept things moving, as if we had a schedule to maintain in order to get through the cake, presents, and pictures. The kids assisted with opening their drawings that they had wrapped.

It was a big party.  So much so that Jonathan and Julia fell asleep in the car on the way home. We all think Julia had just as much fun throwing a party for me as having one herself.

First Race

My parents took the kids the weekend we closed and moved into our new house. My Dad had a race on Sunday, and when they arrived Julia decided she wanted to run the half-mile version.  It wasn't planned. For those close to the situation it's obvious from the pictures, since she is wearing her pajamas! My parents registered Julia and she ran the entire distance by herself. She's definitely trying more and more things as she grows in confidence and independence.

Once Jonathan saw his sister participating he wanted a piece of the action too.  My Mom and he planned on walking it together, but his competitive side kicked in. Check out the concentration on his face. Since the half-mile race was held before the main race, there was a crowd watching. When Jonathan turned the corner and saw grandpa at the finish line, he took off sprinting to the roar of the crowd.  He was the star of the show.

Julia had the idea to make signs to cheer grandpa on. Because of the running and sign making, grandpa and both kids got their own article in the local paper. It was really cool to see both kids participating in an event like this, especially considering their history with shyness and medical issues.