Santa Barbara weekend

On the Friday before Thanksgiving we drove down to Santa Barbara with Shirley & Rich. My parents needed a new heater and Rich kindly made the trip to bring a new heater and he and Eric installed it. 

Josie enjoying the rocks on the porch. She brought in a few handfuls and I'm sure she tucked them away in secret spots around Gram and Papa's house. 

Gram & Gahaus relaxing while the guys work. 

Papa having fun with the girls while the guys work.

Josie & Katie relaxing in the tub.

 Reading before bed

Saturday afternoon after Josie and Katie were with their grandmas we went rock climbing. First we watched Katie zip up to the top in no time. 

Josie wanted to try. 

You're how old and about to climb???

Here she goes and she is a rock star.

Katie showing Josie the ropes. 

Climbing with Uncle Luke.

Saturday night dinner at Karen & Luke's and watching a great Stanford football game.

Gram knitting with a little helper on her lap.

Happy Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving at Shirley & Rich's along with 19 others. We had a nice afternoon of great food and fellowship. Unfortunately I didn't take many pics. The tables were elegantly set up in the nicest garage I've ever seen (that's still a working garage). Eric, Josie, and I shared a table with Uncle Hank and our neighbors Shuli & Satoshi.

Josie and cousin Paige having fun playing ring a round the rosie and then spinning. After dinner they ran around in the garage and under the tables and then relaxed watching a show.

On Friday we drove to Andy & Kay's in Hughson about 1:45 min drive. We had a nice relaxing lunch and then checked out the huge shop. 

Climbing a kiwi vine.

Picking kiwi. Delicious, fresh kiwi.

Josie & Grandma Kay

 Daddy and Josie driving the tractor.

Family tractor ride.

Goodbye to summer weather

Our friends and neighbors, Justin, Brigit, & Kaira, invited us to Gilroy Gardens with them last Sunday 11/4. What a gorgeous, sunny, hot day. We continued to have warm sunny weather for a few more days but it was basically our last summer-like weekend. What a great way to enjoy the great weather and great company. It's about an hour from home and we arrived at 11:00 right when it opened with lots of other people who had the same great idea. Kaira and Josie had fun the on the rides and enjoyed an ice cream treat. What a lovely place with pretty gardens all around. Here are some initial pics and more are coming.

 

 

 

This lively girl fell asleep as soon as we hit the freeway.

Coyote Point Oct 27 & 28

It was a gorgeous summer/fall day so Josie and I headed to the beach at Coyote Point. There was a baptism going on when we arrived and then we pretty much had the place to ourselves. We probably saw 30 or more planes flying above on the way to SFO. We also had a great view of SF - which is often rare to see so clearly.

mommy daughter pics on the iPhone.  

 

 Josie wanted to be elbow to elbow instead of cheek to cheek.

 

Josie stirring up her witch's brew.

We had so much fun we went back on Sunday. 

We couldn't get past the parking booth until 12 using our free pass and it was 11 so we went to downtown Burlingame and went to the Farmer's Market for tomatoes and spent a few minutes at the park. Back to Coyote Pt at noon. 

Insisted on carrying her towel and bucket with shoes inside on the way to the car. Slightly worn out from all her playing. We all took a family nap in our bed and then went to church for our evening service.

2 years 9 months

Another month passes and we're getting closer to Josie turning three. That seems so old. I measured her today and she's 35 3/4 inches and weighs 29lbs. She's so snugly and sweet but also has a very strong will and tests the boundaries regularly. She still loves to sing and always wants a song on in the car. She makes up songs with made up words. She loves to color and immediately wants to start coloring when she gets home. Not as much in coloring books but more free form. She loves to make pictures for daddy when he's at work. I'm including some cute things she's said recently;

"Mom, when I get bigger I'm going to get married and have a baby. I'm going to marry Jesus."

"Mom, when I grow up I want to be just like you.  But I can't b/c I don't know how."

"These flowers smell wonderful."

At bedtime:

"Mom, you forgot to pray about the scary things.  

"Witches are make believe and pretend. There's two different words."

"Mom, don't leave me here by myself. I'm scared of monsters."

Here are some pics over the last month. 

Baby doll washing: She loves to wash anything.

 

Breakfast on the deck

Who's sleeping in my bed?

 Farmer's Market in Redwood City. Green bean and strawberry in hand.

After reading books before bed she usually wants to read more books in bed. She doesn't always get to do it but I'm sure she'd stay up way past her bedtime reading.

Sharing a Jamba Juice together.

Jewelry girl (bracelets in JFoss store and rings from mom's ring box)

Redwood Shores Library

 Dinner out

Kaira came over today and we made smoothies