More Gualala Pictures

 

Gualala Getaway

After my work project finished up, we decided to spend three days in a house at Sea Ranch. We picked the house Kyuka which was almost on the water and near the rec center. The days alternated between warm sun and drenching rain showers, and we had enough good weather to walk along the beach, swim at the nearby pool, soak in the hot tub (twice), and enjoy champagne out on the deck. We saw whale spouts the first day we arrived, and ventured out one day to visit the Annapolis Winery 20 minutes outside of town. The wines were great and the winemaker was nice enough to answer all my junior winemaker questions (and even gave us an inter-winery discount for the wines we purchased.) Best of all from this vacation was spending so much time with Gina and the kids with no other agenda than to get wet some point during the day and fix a satisfying dinner before we all passed out.

Recent Julie quotes

"Happy (birthday) to meeee." - singing this afternoon, again and again.
"Mommeeee!" - her first and favorite word.
"Daddeeee!"
"Bubbles!"
"Hiii!" - whenever she enters the room.
"Bye!" - whenever she leaves the room.
"No." - her second word.
"I love you."
"Na(te)"
"mooo!" and "neeeiggh!" and "meow!"
And lots of mimicking of words and babbling where she thinks she's telling us how it is.

At the table

Julie and Nate are enjoying playing with each other more lately. In a typical morning, Julie is hitting the books and Nate is the conductor (thanks to Grandma Martin's "beautiful" model train). 

Spring time...

...finally, and a break in the rains give Julie and Nate chance to check out the flowers. 

Collection of Nate quotes

Nate: "I just need a job."

Nate: "I just need a beer."

Me: "Nate, please don't slam the closet door."
Nate: (in dejected voice while walking away) "Oh, man...."

Nate: "Let's talk about tuna fish."
Me: "People like to eat tuna fish, but my and your mommy's favorite is salmon."
Nate: "I don't eat salmon. I like to eat chocolate salmon."

More Google photos

This time about the food: SF Chronicle
Here's the article.

Managing the Crew

Uncle Dan and Uncle Dave putting in new sod at Grandmom Martin's house last Friday. Nate was anxious to get his lawnmower out on the grass...mom had to tell him to wait until the lawn was all there.

Redwood City Fire Station

Two weeks ago Gina took Nate and Julie for a firehouse station tour. Here he is practicing being a "firefighter guy". He was particularly excited about seeing the fire poles, which mom kept him a good 6ft away from. He also liked that there were 4 refrigerators and that each freezer had at least 3 cartons of ice cream. Julie liked sitting in moms arms up four flights of stairs. (p.s. mom wrote this, can you tell?)

Double rainbow above our house, Sunday

 

Busy block builders

Time Magazine

Their photos from Google: Life in the Googleplex

Delighted to see the beach

 

Dressed for success

 

Sunset on the Sonoma coast

 

Jellyfish at Monterey Bay Aquarium

Family portrait

At Horseshoe Lake. 

Julie's new walk

We remember Nate doing this too, around 15 months: walking like an old man with the hands clasped behind the back. 

First family hike

On Sunday we hiked around Horseshoe Lake off of Skyline Boulevard, our first family hike. Both Julie and Nate walked the entire 1.5 miles or so, stopping for numerous breaks of course. On the way home we swung by our new ice cream palor for a scoop of chocolate ice cream to celebrate. 

"Big steam engine......Toot! Toot!"

Boundless joy for one small boy (and his daddy). After we left the aquarium we were driving out of Monterey and spotted a park that we thought we'd drive by - but there was no driving by a big black Union Pacific steam engine right at the park entrance. Nate was in heaven. Dennis the Menace Park was amazing. Julie had fun in the sand, Nate on the train and the play structures, and all stomping along a great wobbly suspension bridge.

Entering the Aquarium

Gina looks for the bathroom, Nate looks at the divers in the kelp display, and Julie just looks worried. 

Sea Otter

Three otters played in the water, while this one had other ideas. 

Monterey Bay Aquarium

We braved the crowds heading to the PGA Tournament at Pebble Beach and did the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Saturday. The biggest hits (besides burning off some energy outside) were the divers feeding the fish, the sharks, jellyfish, and touching exhibits. Later we saw two train coaches on Cannery Row which had been converted to shops, which caused Nate to worry about the missing steam engine and tender. By coincidence and on a whim we stopped at a playground on our way out of town, only to find a huge steam train engine in the center of the park. "We FOUND it!" Nate cried out.

Movie: Julie's first fork

Here's Julie and her first attempt at using her fork. Not bad! But she won't be winning any speed eating contests anytime soon. (Taken on Jan 24, 2006)

Superbowl XL

We took exception to our "no commercial TV" rule for the kids, and let them watch the Superbowl on Sunday. Gina reacted to one of the first plays, and from then on Nate copied her. Whenever someone was tackled, Nate would exclaim "Oh, my GOSH!" Then during half time while the Rolling Stones played, Nate struck a pose holding a microphone then stabbed his finger in the air yelling "GINGERBREAD MAN!" (the only lyrics he decided worth singing). Julie even got into the action, gyrating her hips like Mick Jagger.

Another movie

Julia loves wrapping herself with small towels or clothes. She got ahold of her sweater recently and spent the next 20 minutes playing in the sunlight.

We're sick

Julie, Gina, Nate and I somehow managed to get sick all at the same time. Just the normal winter cold bug, with lots of runny noses and scratchy throats. We'll get through this, with a little help from our friends Tylenol and Kleenex.

Movie: Julie walking

Here's a short clip from last month as she was getting her "sea legs". Notice the proud smile.

Nate movie: 1 yr old

Here's an old video of Nate when we were at Montara beach, just north of Half Moon Bay.

Julie kept busy trying to head up the stairs which kept mom busy. Dad was busy chasing Nate who was chasing Chloe with balloons. All the kids, about a dozen in all, were kept busy with ladybug tossing, spotting, and cupcakes...ladybug cupcakes of course.

A Birthday Kiss for Chloe. Thanks to Aunt Regina and Uncle Alex who hosted a wonderful ladybug party for Chloe's big #3.

Wednesday went to the Oakland Zoo with Uncle David. Highlights were the giant tortoises, both real and not so real, the tigers up close and personal, floating and sinking alligators (!), giraffes, and of course, the elephants!

Was a big adventure week with the Uncles! Tuesday strolled around old stomping ground, West Portal, with Uncle Dan. Bought a birthday present for Chloe at one of our favorite toy stores, Ambassador Toys, and then had a great Mexican lunch (chicken buhreetoe!).

Piedmont Park fountain

 

Stairs, Piedmont Park

Julie never met a set of stairs she didn't like. She still tries to step down with both feet...at the same time, but can scurry up them as well as Nate. 

Friends, Food and Wine

Why do short weekends always seem the most eventful? We spent Saturday going to the library and hardware store, and then drove along the ocean where it was oddly sunny (and raining at home). I fixed the heater venting and fertilized the lawn in the afternoon. On Sunday we drove through Rockridge to Piedmont park, and then had a fantastic dinner with friends Kurt and Patty. Nate seemed to enjoy making green beans and mashed potatoes in the kitchen with Kurt 

SBC Park (continued)

 

Playground by the SBC Park marina

 

SBC Park

On Sunday we drove to San Francisco with the aim of taking Caltrain, but ended up enjoying the day around SBC Park. We had a nice, sunny lunch outside at a pizzeria, and then walked around the park and waterfront. The ball park, unused by the Giants during winter, had just hosted a monster truck show and was full of dirt. Me: "Nate, do you like the ballpark?" Nate: "No, it's too dirty." We ran into a couple of talkative SF Police motorcops who gave Nate and Julie stickers and then we played at the playground next to the marina. 

Profound conversations

Heard on a recent drive:

• Mom: "Nate, did you see the airplane?"
• Nate: "No, I cant see it! Where did it go?!"
  
• Julie: "No."
• Nate: "No Julie, no."
• Julie: "No."
• Nate: "No!"
• Julie: "No."
• Nate: "No! No! No! Nooooo!"
• Julie: "No."
• Nate: "Julie!"
• Julie: "No."
• Nate: (silence)
• Julie: "....no."