crochet rug

I crocheted my first rug.  I LOVE it.  It's so pretty!!!  I can guarantee this is not the last rug I will be making.

A Week Full Of Gifts

 Things around my house have been busy lately.  Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week and I enjoy making a small gift to give each day during that week.  This year we had Madi's teacher and 3 Middle School teachers for Ben to make things for.  To kick off the week we gave these M&M filled jars.

 On Tuesday we gave decorated Starbucks treats followed up on Wednesday with juiced up Hershey Kisses.

 Thursday we gave a healthier treat...an apple.  For Friday a yummy orange creamsicle cookies all tagged and bagged but I don't have a photo.

I would like to know who chose to have Nurse's Week the same week as Teacher's Week?  Madi has the sweetest nurses that help her with her Diabetes during school hours.  So I made them each a bag of "scabs and pus".

Californias Katrina - A vision of Sacramento Flooding

Napa Valley

 Yesterday we enjoyed a beautiful drive through Napa Valley.  It was warm with the famous California blue skies...I just loved it.  We don't drink wine but had fun taking in the beauty of all the wineries.

 All you have to do is drive around...it's amazing!!!

 All this is only an hour and a half from my house.  I think we will be going back.

East Coast Vacation 2010

It's hard to believe that it was almost two years ago we took this vacation.  It was one of the most fun things we have done.  When we were stationed down in Atlanta, Georgia and just before PSCing to Seoul, Korea we took two weeks to drive up the whole east coast of the United States.  We saw so many of our great American landmarks.  I had this framed art made to hang in our house so we can remember the good times every time we see this.  

University Of California - Berkeley

This weekend we enjoyed being together and hanging out in summer weather over in Berkeley.  Berkeley is absolutely beautiful!!!  Look at the buildings.

 The campus has lots of trail winding through redwood trees.  I just loved it.

 We enjoyed some college baseball...Cal/Utah.

 There is my sweet Madi sitting on the grass.  It was so hot.  We all got quite a bit of sun.

 My little Georgia Bulldogs were dressed as California Bears for the day.

 Saturday was California's Spring Football game.  We don't know a lot of there players but Steve and the kids like #8.

 It was a good game...21-20.

Now this guy is who we have been wanting to see.  It's Avery.  Remember when we were renting out house in Georgia out and Avery's parents came to look at it.  Avery was born in Ohio but spent many years in Georgia.  He was recruited by LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, Stanford, Cal and a few others and he picked Cal.  Steve use to watch Avery play in High School when we lived in Georgia. Avery went to Union Grove and ELCA in Henry Co. So we have really been looking forward to meeting up with this Bear.  He is such a nice kid.  We were all giggling that they may look like Bears on the outside but they bleed red and black.

Frankfurt, San Francisco, Seoul

When I put away our Easter decorations I enjoyed setting out some things in a new way on the furniture under the tv.  

Before moving here I knew I wanted to hang clocks with different times ticking from places we have lived.  Both kids were born in St. Louis.  We were stationed at Scott AFB for 2.5 years just long enough for me two pop out our two kiddos.  But when Madi was 6 weeks old we left for Germany.  Last summer we moved here to CA from Seoul, Korea.  I wanted to label the clocks with cities that the kids have lived near or in.  I am so thrilled over the way they turned out.   

Ben and Steve lucked out finding $10 tickets to the Sacramento Kings/OKC Thunder so they are out enjoying some NBA tonight.  Madi and I enjoyed staying home cleaning up the house and watching movies.

Zig Zag Quilt

AAAAAA I am thrilled I finished my zig zag quilt. I just love it. Plus what a great feeling it is to finish a quilt. Of course when you finish one you start another....
The quilt top has been done for a few weeks but I could not decide on a binding. Finally I was happy with this gray and white polka-dot. Earlier today I finished hand sewing the binding on. I am so happy with it. Madi likes it too. I think one for Ben in different colors would be nice...I got my wheels turning. Happy quilting!

Follow Your Nose To The Stinking Rose

WE WENT TO THE STINKING ROSE!!! I have been wanting to go there so bad. It's a garlic restaurant located in the North Beach (Little Italy) area of San Francisco.

90% of garlic is grown right here in California. Christopher Ranch is the largest producer of garlic too. I buy everything Christopher Ranch...all kinds of garlic and pesto. Christopher Ranch is located in the valley just a few hours south of me in Gilroy. I want to go to Gilroy in July for the Garlic Festival. So it's Christopher Ranch who supplies the 3,000 pounds of garlic used each month to The Stinking Rose. See the connection?

We wanted to make sure we found The Stinking Rose and Parking before our reservations...we found it easy and got easy parking too. So we walked around parts of China Town and Little Italy.




Mr. Garlic?

This was the most fun place to eat.

If you are in San Francisco I highly recommend The Stinking Rose. All you have to do is follow your nose to The Stinking Rose!

The Golden Gate Bridge

Steve and I had a great time. You know the is a such thing as family romance. We had a wonderful weekend being together as a family. While we were walking around the Golden Gate Bridge and talking Steve and I both agreed that the Golden Gate Bridge just might be our favorite American Landmark. This family photo was taken on Ft. Baker just north below the Golden Gate.

We drove to the Golden Gate coming down from the north on 101 so we had to park on the west side of the bridge. I have been to the Golden Gate more than a dozen times and I have never parked on the west side before. So to get to the walking lane going across the bridge we had to follow a little trail under the bridge. It's weird under there, loud and you can see straight down.






Steve and I enjoyed walking across the bridge with Ben and Madi rode their scooters. It was so fun.

After we walked across the bridge we drove up Marin Highlands to enjoy a different view of the Bridge and San Francisco. We saw The Karate Kid up there.

OMGosh....Steve totally embarrassed the kids...he brought his Georgia flag. It was SOOOOO funny. The kids wouldn't even get out of the van. Like they are any better. They were in the van yelling BBQ sandwiches at us. Steve reminds of a dog...he is marking his spot with his Georgia flag...I guess people do this all around the world. I remember in Iraq they did it.

Sausalito, California

Yesterday was my birthday. Steve is so nice. He came up with this plan to go spend my birthday weekend in the San Francisco Bay. I LOVE San Francisco!!! Our hotel was on the N. side of the Golden Gate Bridge in the town a few miles north on 101...Sausalito. This is where George Lucas (Star Wars) lives. MMM can't you tell why...look at this place. I think this may be the most beautiful town I have been to. We walked down the city streets and enjoyed eating along the way.

Sausalito over looks the San Francisco Bay and to the south it San Francisco. Here we are in Sausalito and you can see the city of San Francisco out there and the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz and Treasure Island.

Check out the view looking down the main street. See our van parked on the right side. The blue van under the green light. I think that's funny.

I thought Boston Harbor had a lot of sailboats...Sausalito might have more. I have a feeling Sausalito hasn't seen the last of this family.

UGA/UT

Steve found this picture last week...it's his favorite. We had driven up to Knoxville, TN for the Georgia game. It was October in the Smokey Mountains and hotter than Haiti. Look at Madi growling...it was HOT and heck getting a headache from all that god awful orange. I need to print this out for Steve and frame it for his desk at work.

Look at these YUMMY green grapes. I saw the recipe online...roll your grapes in lime jello powder and freeze. We ate a few pounds of grapes in one night.