Thanksgiving/Christmas in San Fran

Thanksgiving 2010 found us in San Francisco--
back in June we decided to rent a house and be here for Morgan's pregnancy~~
but Matea wanted to give us another reason to be Thankful
and arrived 2 months early--

As our early Christmas present, we got to hold her
for the first time!!!

Grandpa Ron first,

and then Grandma Karen

3 generations

How we love this little pumpkin!

We rented the top two floors of this Victorian home...
so much fun!

parking for 4 cars was an adventure!

The stairs from the front door up to our floors...

the funky, small twisty stairs up to the top floor.

dining room, looking into the wonderful kitchen
(with a fireplace!)

Bathrooms were really nice,
one had a claw-foot tub

The formal living room--
actually a lot more comfortable than it looks!

master --one of 4 bedrooms

Upstairs bedroom for Michael and Jessica's family..
you can see into the turret (Rapunzel room)

painted mural in Rapunzel Room

Upstairs room--Steven and Meredith...

With a penthouse view of the city skyline!

views from their small balcony

Everyone arrived...
cross-country flights, airport delays, snow,
but finally.....all together
(except Matea, still in the NICU)

PIZZA

And celebrating Jessica's Birthday!

Thanksgiving morning, spending time
with aunts and uncles....
girls with Jacob

and Morgan

and Steven with Lucy

Before dinner, our family photo was taken by
Morgan and Jacob's friends
Laura, Radley and their little Jackson
thank you!

and now a complete Thanksgiving dinner!!

Afterwards, a stroll to walk off
the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes!

Jacob with Riley and Emma

Our house was an easy walk to the "painted ladies"

We knew them from the tv show
"full house"
but I guess now tourists come because of
the American Girl doll series!!

Jessica with Riley and Emma

Emma with us

After the walk...
now had room for the PIES!

Lucy is so trusting...
I think we have a photo of
Steven holding Riley and Emma the same way!

After the pies....
CHRISTMAS......
Yes, really...
stockings and wrapped presents!

love the joy on these faces!

Greatest Gift for Ron and I....
Our Children with their loving spouses and families!

Michael and Jessica

Steven and Meredith

Morgan and Jacob

Ron and I with Emma

Beautiful Riley
with Rapunzel!

ok, they seemed a lot "cooler" at the
Roslyn farmers market!
They will be "cabin shirts" for sure!!

A Christmas tradition...

Wrapped with LOVE

game night...

Riley and Emma playing
polly pockets with aunt Meredith

now reading time...

feeding time

bedtime in the Rapunzel tower

such a magical room!

It was a busy day...
family photos,
Thanksgiving and
Christmas...
Ron is tired!

so were the rest of us!

but still had energy for games!!

Friday:
getting ready to see the sights of San Francisco...
girls hangin' with Uncle Steven

First stop...or drive...

Lombardi Street...

Then Fisherman's Wharf ...

Beautiful view of Alcatraz

Lucy, bundled
and test-riding Matea's stroller!

Steven giving Meredith a boost to the Pier!

Decorated for Christmas....

Emma getting a free ride from Steven

The sea lions on the piers

Riley...such a sweetie

who loves to take photos...
and she does a great job!

Photo ops...

Lunch at the Boudin Sourdough bread restaurant..

Clam Chowder bread bowl

looking at the subs...

and another photo op.....
meredith

Jessica.....

and Riley.....can do it!

strolling to Ghirardelli Square...

For ice cream and hot chocolate...

a picture perfect family!

sunset over the bay

Saturday...
spending the day in jail....


Alcatraz!!!!

Emma waiting in line

TOGETHER!

raining when we got there...

Ron got us another fashionable poncho

(to add to our many others...)

A really cool self-guided headset tour!

behind bars....

"scary part".... gunshots!

Everyone liked it...even the little ones

Jacob and Morgan sharing a cell

outside views

getting ready to return to the boat

Jessica and Emma out on the boat deck..
looking in at us!

and now...
what we have all been waiting to do
going to the movies...
"Tangled"

Riley was so excited..
she had been sleeping in a Rapunzel tower
and now
she gets to see the movie!

Sunday...

put Steven and Meredith on their flight this morning...
then we decided to go for a hike along the coast....

Another beautiful day in San Francisco

One last game before
Michael and Jessica's family fly out...

relaxing and watching a movie...

After dropping them off for their 10 pm flight, found out it was delayed,
and almost had to divert to Seattle!!
But they made it home--safe and sound...

Ron started feeling sick during the hike,
felt worse as they day went on...
went to bed after taking them to the airport...

(i had to document it, because Ron so rarely gets sick)

So I cleaned the house,
packed up left-over for Morgan and Jacob
and then I went to say
"goodnight and goodbye" to Matea...

What an amazing beautiful
little girl she is!

one of the first times Matea took a bottle!!

Early next morning we caught our flight home...
was also told we might be diverted because of all the snowy weather in
the Tri-Cities...but we were able to land--safe and sound
We left beautiful sunny SF for COLD wintery home!

The holidays went by too fast...
whenever we are together the days fly by...
I'm so grateful for the time we have ....
and for a family that wants to be together..