A Simple Christmas

This is what I really needed this year....a simple Christmas.  And there were so many moments which were just that.  I loved seeing Charlie enjoying the season, having fun with his Grammie Merkel making cookies, doing crafts, eating nothing but sugar...what's better in life?  I also loved my Mom's gift to me of a box of mementos my Grandpa had saved over my 36 years of life.   Notes I'd written, cards, a lock of my hair and also some of the things that were SO my Grandpa, his harmonica, toothpicks, chapstick.  It was the best present I could have been given. As this was Max's first Christmas I just tried to soak in the cuddles and kisses with him.  There is something about a first Christmas with a little boy.  So much to savor and appreciate this year....  

We named him Ernie....

So the 'Elf on the Shelf' joined our family over the weekend.  An adorable book and fun magical idea for Charlie.  Charlie has LOVED having Ernie around, loves finding his new spot each morning, and is very into following the one elf rule 'You are not aloud to touch the elf'.   It does highlight Santa probably more than we were ready for around here but its still such a sweet and fun idea.  Check it out for your dreaming little ones!!   

Be prosperous and multiply...

Can you believe that one year ago this month, Charlie was the only member of this group under 30??  Our community group from our church has been very prosperous this year and blessed with many babies.  There are even a couple little boys Max's age missing from the photo who were napping or home with Grandparents.

We have so enjoyed this local group of friends which makes the trek into San Fran for church every week even more worth it!!

C & M

My favorite part of our tree this year is the capital C and capital M.  I bought them at Restoration Hardware last year after the season sale...for @ $2.  I bought the C obviously for 'Charlie' and the M, just in case we named our new little boy 'Max'. SO FUN to have sweet Max here this year in our family.  Love the boy and love the name.

Charlie is showing me his favorite ornament on the tree.  Which is the shell angel from Jeff and my honeymoon in Maui 1996.  We love having all our travel ornaments on the tree, so fun to reminisce each year.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

What a wonderfully festive weekend we had.  Burlingame welcomed in the holidays with Christmas fun! 

Of to the Burlingame train station to see Santa and his helpers on the train....

Max and his buddy Matthew were the most adorable little Santas around.

And then the Christmas parade down our Avenue.  
Here comes the parade!!!!

Santa came early....

With a new big boy bike for Charlie!!!

Since we are leaving for the midwest in 10 days and the weather has been so nice here lately, Santa decided to drop by early with Charlie's Christmas present.  Charlie found the bike by the tree after waking up from his afternoon nap.   Fun!!!

Sweet tooth

Charlie and I had fun making our holiday gingerbread house.  It is definitely not the prettiest, maybe even a little funny looking.  But we enjoyed being creative together.  At least we made more progress than last year.  And this year we had the best creative director ever...little Max!

Oh Christmas tree, O Christmas tree...

Have to say we did feel a bit like the Griswold's looking for the perfect spotlit tree.  And even more so, when we arrived home and our tree was about 2 feet too big for our ceiling.  Out with the power saw!!!  Finally the perfect tree.

Happy Turkey Day!

We are going here with some friends for a Thanksgiving brunch and overnight getaway.  SOO looking forward to it...We'll see how it goes taking all the little monkey's along too!!!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We are thankful for you.

When life brings you rain...

Life in Northern California generally means you don't have to plan your life around the weather.  Except for our family photo shot day in early November when it was a RAINY,WINDY,STORMY day....what??!!  We creatively improvised as you'll see from our up and coming Christmas cards.

Here's little sneak peak of sweet Max....

 

Well done, my good and faithful servant.

Patrick Henry Dennis
March 21, 1921- November 14, 2008

Nothing describes my Grandpa better than a good and faithful servant. We are all tearfully planning his funeral, wondering what words we can say to honor him, wondering how we will ever make it through a service without crying. But I realized here is a man who needs nothing said about him (although we'll have plenty to say). Anyone who knew him, KNEW him and was KNOWN by him. Grandpa connected with others, respected them immensely and found value in each person.

Heaven's gain.

It's a new day....

Randy Acorns Blog struck home for me.  I have such a strong belief in protecting the unborn and at the same time actively loving the women making these horribly difficult decisions to keep their pregnancies or not.  It always overrides most everything else I believe in politics.

So its a bit bittersweet thing to welcome Obama to the White House.   I do agree that's its time to to get behind our new president and show some good 'ol American support. 

Happy Pumpkin Day!

Some hanging out fun waiting for all the action of Trick or Treating...

Charlie thought he had his pumpkin of treats hid from Max...no such luck.

Some fun outside in between rain drops...



Max was festively dressed for the day...we knew he would be asleep in the carrier for the big night.

And off our little dragon goes...

Charlie and his buddy Jack

Charlie, Rebecca, Leo & Aidan hit the neigborhood...

Sugar HIGH, Sugar LOW

The evening ended with happy trick or treaters...

Sonoma Weekend

Columbus Visit

Chewing on the yummiest Midwest pumpkin Max could find...

Pop Pop and all his boys...

Max & Cody

Max is already jealous of Cody's gorgeous locks...

Happy 6th Birthday to big cousin Zach!

The Merkel Wedding

Pumpkin Fun

Happy 12 year Anniversary Jeff!

What do I know now that I didn't know on October 5th 1996?

Oh, just a few important things....

One..........sharing a chair and a half
Two..........chocolate pudding in coffee cups
Three........peanut butter and jelly baguettes on Old Brompton Road
Four..........around the world on another man's dollar
Five...........crossing the US in a Ryder truck
Six............70's parties and The Job Search
Seven........saturday coffees in Lincoln Park
Eight.........stay in town on a weekend...never!
Nine..........here comes Charlie
Ten...........let's take a walk in Holland Park
Eleven.......Hillgate Village & Plymouth Way
Twelve.......here comes Max

Can't wait for 12 more!