SofiandNatalie.com

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, we all sometimes forget how fortunate we are to be able to enjoy the weather and all that the area has to offer. Four seasons are for other states, and we basically just get to enjoy two different types of summer – one with rain and one without. This year was made special with a few trips to Truckee, California (up near Lake Tahoe) where we got to see it snowing and see snow on the ground. Both really firsts for Sofi and Natalie, who have been in the snow before, but not in a way that they could either remember or play in it.
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No, no, no… not those chicks! I am talking about the chickens that Babi’s (their maternal grandmother) neighbor just got so that she could raise chickens. Sofi and Natalie got out to take a look and wow – a ton of excitement surrounded getting to hold them and enjoy their softness before they become chickens. I wish that we could have (and had time for) a bunch of chickens in San Jose, but this will have to do for now.

Papa

The holiday season is here, and I have more than most to be thankful for. So much, in fact, it’s almost impossible to put into words everything that is in my heart and mind. I have a beautiful, loving wife, two daughters that mean more to my very being than any words could ever express, good health, and more of life’s basics (clothing, food and shelter) than any one person deserves.  These blessings are with me throughtout the year, and thanks to my daughters the ones that really matter will be with me, in their words, too, “always and forever.” Read the rest of this entry »

With the new school year started, many of us have already seen our fair share of fundraisers, but I wanted to take a moment and encourage you to consider supporting Sofi and Braly Elementary in their effort to raise funds for special programs and materials that aren’t in their regular budget.  The school earns a large percentage of every dollar you spend, and, of course, Sofi has a chance to win some really great prizes.

Fortunately, with the power of the internet, you don’t even have to leave your home.  Simply go to www.cherrydale.com to see the exciting collection of gourmet chocolates, beautiful giftware and assorted gift wrap and accessories. If you like, you can buy or renew one of your favorite magazines too.  By clicking the above link all the school’s information should be entered automatically, but just in case the information you will need are as follows:

Student ID#: 61043
School ID#: 157806
www.cherrydale.com

This fundraiser will be running from September 25th through October 9 and your support is greatly appreciated!

Papa

I’m way behind in writing about some of our recent adventures, but thought that I would take a moment to catch everyone up on our recent New Brighton State Beach camping trip.  For those that haven’t heard of it or visited, it’s south of Santa Cruz and is touted as a beach-side campground, which is probably about as accurate as one can get.  You don’t get to sleep on the beach, but it’s a short walk from the campground and adds quite a bit of fun to what otherwise might just be a trip into the forest.  Hopefully the pictures and following story will share a little of the experience from our perspective.

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This past week was a blast -- going by way too quickly.  I can’t believe that there are only 5 more days until Christmas!  This past week we went to see the lights and fun at Christmas in the Park in downtown San Jose (pictures coming in a later post).  Mike, Lisa and Audrey joined us to enjoy this annual fun-fest.  Best of all, this year we got to see Santa!!  Check out the video for an idea of how much fun we had.

Papa

Lisa C Being a Great Sport with PJ's on Her Head!

It’s been a long time since Mama and I have had a party that didn’t include a princess related theme, more children than adults or a jumper, and I realized this morning (after yesterday’s party) that’s it been way too long.  Needless to say, we did a friendly potluck yesterday (with more adults than children) and it was awesome.  Thank you so much for everyone that joined in.  The food was fantastic, the weather was amazing (especially for November), the wine was divine, and the company cannot be matched.  Thank you to everyone that joined in, we appreciate it more than you know.

Of course, no good party would be great without some stories, a few pictures and maybe a video or two.  Fortunately for all, we got a few of each.  Don’t worry, nothing too embarrassing for anyone.

Many of our friends that came to this party were co-workers of Gina and their spouses and children.  It’s nice to see that most of the teachers have geeky husbands, and that similarity seemed to give everyone something to talk about.  John Ironmonger was in town for his daughter’s basketball game (University of Oregon vs. San Jose State) and was able to make it by for a snack and catch-up.  I’ve missed seeing John every day, and am very happy to know that he’s doing well, enjoying life and very, very happily married to his sweetie.  Carolyn and Carl are (finally) engaged, which added some additional celebration, and there was plenty of good food – for the meaties and the vegies – to go around.  Everyone brought along a bottle or two of wine and I think we consumed all but one.  That made for a very light afternoon, and at 6:00PM we were still sitting outside enjoy a 71 degree evening in November!

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I started reminiscing the other day about how quickly the girls are growing up.  It seems like every day they’re into something new, a little taller, or talking about what they did so many years ago.  Looking through our pictures – we have slightly over 27,000 in the last four and a half years – brought tears to my eyes from laughter and joy.  Seeing their faces and remembering is an amazing experience and one that I hope to relive over and over again.  Here, and in their gallery, I am sharing these photos for you in hopes that you will also get some of the joy and laughter from your own experience with these kids.

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There is something amazing about theme parks in general and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is no exception.  Sure, it’s not a DisneyLand or Six Flags, but the old-school rides, carnival food and gaudy atmosphere make this something special for old and young alike.  For me, the park is exciting for more than just rides.  It’s the proximity to the ocean that makes this place special for me and the fact that nearly every ride provides a view that is unmatched at the biggest parks.  For the children, it means that the excitement doesn’t end when the rides are done – there’s another world to explore, enjoy and share amongst friends.

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I like that Mama is only working outside the home half-time and more importantly that being a teacher allows her to take some time off over the summer.  I’m sure it’s not enough time for either her or the children, but it’s wonderful that they get to play this summer and I can really see in both Sofi and Natalie how much they appreciate getting to spend time with her.  Surprisingly, I am rarely jealous that they’re out having fun together and enjoying the weekdays without me.

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