FELIZ NAVIDAD!

 DOES THIS FAMILY KNOW HOW TO KEEP CELEBRATING

OR WHAT?

WE CASHED IN OUR CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM MIKE, JENNY, AND THE KIDS TODAY, WITH BRUNCH AT EL TORITO.    SAM REMINDED ME THAT HE WAS GLAD IT WASN'T TUESDAY NIGHT.  FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T HEARD THIS,  WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER, WE WENT TO EL TORITO FOR DINNER ON A TUESDAY NIGHT, AND HE THOUGHT HE COULD GET SUNDAY BRUNCH.  I REMEMBER JENNY EXPLAINING TO HIM THAT IT WASN'T SUNDAY AND IT WAS DINNER TIME.  HE WAS SO UPSET, HE WENT AND SAT OUTSIDE UNTIL HE DECIDED HE'D BETTER COME BACK IN IF HE WANTED DINNER.  DEFINITELY A STORY HE'LL NEVER LIVE DOWN.

THANKS FOR THE WONDERFUL BRUNCH!

I THINK WE SHOULD ADD THIS TO OUR

CHRISTMAS TRADITION LIST.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

 EVEN MY FAVORITE HORSE MADE THEM.

I WONDER IF HE'S DOING BETTER THAN I AM AT KEEPING THEM.

A DOUBLE HEADER TODAY

 IT STARTED  WITH SOPHIA'S INDOOR SOCCER GAME

SHE STARTED OUT PLAYING IN THE FIELD

WITH LOTS OF GREAT KICKS.

WATCH OUT FOR THAT GIRL IN THE ORANGE SHOES,

SHE'S AFTER YOU SOPH!

SECOND HALF SHE WAS GOALIE,
A BORING SPOT TO BE WHEN YOU'RE ON SUCH A GOOD TEAM.

ONCE IN A WHILE SHE GOT A CHANCE TO SAVE THE BALL,
AND THROW IT BACK TO HER TEAM THAT WON
 WITH A SCORE OF 6 TO 1.

 NEXT WE WERE OFF TO SAM'S  BASKETBALL GAME.

I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE HIM AS POETRY IN MOTION,

WITH HIS CURLY HAIR FLYING, AS HE RAN
BACK AND FORTH ON THE COURT.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO GET MANY
CLEAR PICTURES THIS YEAR.

 

 HIS TEAM LOST THE GAME, BUT HERE, SAM (barely showing in the far left of photo)

MADE ONE OF THE FEW POINTS THEY SCORED WITH HIS FREE THROW.

IT WAS AN EXCITING GAME
IN SPITE OF THE LOSS.
BETTER LUCK NEXT WEEK SAM,
I CAN FEEL IT IN MY BONES!

AND THE CELEBRATING GOES ON!

YESTERDAY WAS WITH A BIRTHDAY DINNER

AT THE GRANDAUGHTER THREE'S

WHEN WE ARRIVED, THE HOUSE WAS A BUZZ
WITH ACTIVITY.

OLIVIA HAS BECOME QUITE THE SEAMSTRESS,
AND WAS SEWING HERSELF A PAIR OF PJ'S.

WHEN SHE WAS SHOOED FROM THE TABLE,
SO IT COULD BE SET FOR DINNER, SHE REVERTED TO
WORKING ON HER PROJECT ABOUT THE BOOK
WIN DIXIE, THAT'S DUE NEXT WEEK.

ROXANNE WAS BUSY PUTTING TOGETHER
HER SCIENCE PROJECT.
(IT'S DUE TODAY!)

BEING THE PERFECTIONIST SHE IS, I'M BETTING
SHE WAS UP PRETTY LATE LAST NIGHT,
GETTING IT JUST RIGHT.

SYDNEY WAS BUSY TAKING PAPA FOR A RIDE, SHOWING HIM
HOW GOOD SHE'S GOT AT DRIVING HER MANUAL SHIFT JEEP.
THE FAMILY IS LUCKY TO HAVE HER AS THEIR RUN AROUND GIRL.
SHE HAD TO PICK UP PROPANE FOR CRAIG'S BBQing , AND PAPER
FOR ROXANNE'S SCIENCE PROJECT.

CRAIG WAS THE CHIEF COOK, PATTI THE SALAD MAKER,
AND CHIEF CLEANER UPPER.
WE HAD MELT IN YOUR MOUTH BBQed SALMON, HIS FAMOUS 
ROSEMARY POTATOES, GARLIC BREAD, AND SALAD.
YUM!!!

AND IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH,
CRAIG MADE THIS WONDERFUL
CHOCOLATE BOBKA CAKE.

IT WAS AS DELICIOUS AS IT LOOKS!
IT WARMS MY HEART TO SEE HOW THIS FAMILY CAN 
EACH WORK INDEPENDENTLY, BUT HELPING EACH OTHER,
WHILE THE WHOLE EVENING COMES TOGETHER
LIKE A FINE TUNED CLOCK.

THANKS GUYS, FOR
ANOTHER WONDERFUL EVENING!!!

WE SPENT THE NIGHT IN MONTEREY,
THIS WATERFALL ALWAYS REMINDS ME OF
MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, WHEN ABBEY DECIDED TO
SEND HER LITTLE BEAR INTO IT, FROM THE THIRD FLOOR,
SO IT COULD TAKE A SWIM.

A NICE WALK ALONG THE WATER TODAY,

AND AN EARLY DINNER AT ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SPOT'S.
 (I'M SURE YOU RECOGNIZE IT FROM PREVIOUS BLOGS)

 AND IT WAS TIME TO HEAD FOR HOME.

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS!

IN DARYL'S WORLD, ANYWAY.

SINCE WE DIDN'T COOK THANKSGIVING THIS YEAR, DARYL MISSED THE DAYS OF ENDLESS LEFTOVER TURKEY IN THE FRIDG. (CAN'T SAY I DID)   YESTERDAY I ROASTED A TURKEY, STUFFING AND ALL.  HE'S IN HIS GLORY WITH THAT TURKEY SANDWICH BEFORE HE WENT TO BED LAST NIGHT, AND AGAIN FOR BREAKFAST TODAY.      IT LOOKS LIKE I'D BETTER COOK A BIGGER BIRD NEST TIME.

 NOTE TO SELF:    IT TAKES JUST AS MUCH ENERGY TO COOK A 12 LB. TURKEY AS IT DOES TO COOK A 23 LB. ONE.

IF MY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION WAS TO LOOSE 5 POUNDS

 AFTER TODAY'S TRIP, IT'S PROBABLY CLOSER TO 10.

WE VENTURED UP NORTH TO HAVE DINNER IN OCCIDENTAL, BUT NOT BEFORE A LITTLE NOSTALGIA,  GOING THROUGH RUSSIAN RIVER AND SEEING THE 

MC ALPINE'S FAVORITE DRINKING HOLE, THE PINK ELEPHANT.  DARYL SAYS IN THE 50'S, THE ADULTS WOULD HANG OUT HERE WHILE THE KIDS WERE AT THE RIVER.  WISH IT WERE STILL OPEN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FUN TO HAVE STOPPED IN FOR A COCKTAIL. 

THE UNION HOTEL
WE'VE BEEN HERE A FEW TIMES OVER THE LAST 50+ YEARS,
AND IT NEVER DISAPPOINTS! 

WE DECIDED SINCE IT WAS A NOSTALGIC TRIP, WE WOULD HAVE THE FAMILY STYLE DINNER, THE KIND WE HAD SO MANY YEARS AGO.

IT STARTS WITH SOUP AND ANTIPASTO,
AND OF COURSE, LOTS OF FRENCH BREAD. 

NEXT THE SALAD,

AND THEN THE RAVIOLIS.
THEY WERE SO DELICIOUS,
I ALMOST FORGOT TO TAKE THE PICTURE.

AND AFTER ALL THAT,
THE MAIN COURSE!
YOU HAVE YOUR CHOICE OF STEAK OR HALF OF A ROASTED CHICKEN,WE CHOSE THE CHICKEN.  IT CAME WITH ROASTED VEGGIES AND NEW POTATOES.
THERE'S DESSERT, IF YOU WANT IT,
BUT WE COULDN'T EAT ANOTHER THING.
A CUP OF COFFEE, AND WE WERE HAPPY.

NOW, DID I MAKE YOU HUNGRY?
YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO GO TO OCCIDENTAL
AND EAT AT THE UNION HOTEL.
GO FOR IT,
YOU CAN LOOSE THOSE 5 POUNDS LATER!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 WE BROUGHT THE NEW YEAR IN, WITH OUR TRADITIONAL FONDUE  DINNER

 AT MIKE AND JENNY'S.  

LET THE CELEBRATION BEGIN!!

THE POPPERS ARE READY!

SAM AND PAPA ARE READY!

GABE AND COUSIN ETHAN LOOK LIKE MAYBE SOMEONE
 SPIKED THEIR CIDER. 

SOPHIA CAN'T WAIT !

THE CLOCK STRIKES MIDNIGHT,
AND A NEW YEAR BEGINS.

GABE, ETHAN, AND GRANDMA DOLORES GO CRAZY WITH THE POPPERS.

GABE IS JUST PLAIN CRAZY!

SAM, GETS HIS CRAZY ON TOO!

COULD IT BE THAT IT WAS LATE, OR IS THIS WHAT THEIR
PARENTS HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO  FOR
THE NEXT YEAR?

WISHING YOU A NEW YEAR
THAT'S HAPPY, AND HEALTHY,
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF CRAZINESS THROWN IN TOO!!!