Holiday Rewind

 It's the holiday season so naturally you can find me dancing around and singing Christmas tunes because it's just my favorite time of year. At one time Dad said it is also a time of a bit of sadness as you feel nostalgia. I watched some old home videos of Christmas growing up yesterday and sure did feel that. I love every memory with my family then and now of the holidays. I miss loved ones that have passed on and I remember such wonderful Christmas times with them. Anyway.. let's get on to lately because I am a bad blogger....

Rewind to Thanksgiving... We spent the day with our amazing neighbors. We had a chance to run home to Texas for a day, but after analyzing it, it seemed so crazy to fly in and out so quickly. I think looking back I could have made it work and just slept on the weekend so I'm feeling a bit regretful, but it all worked out. I cooked two pies as well as a sweet potato casserole and took it down to JP and Gail's. They made a crazy, yummy spread. We ate and watched football. It's hard spending any holiday away from family as you watch people enjoy the times with their loved ones, but it was a good day all in all.

After Thanksgiving it is time for Christmas. I mean, ya don't even give it a day! I hit the shopping right then and there!!! Walker totally loves decorations and lights. Who needs toys when you have lights?! So we decided to make a quick trip to San Francisco. Nick needed to visit the office and I had never been so I tagged along. It's a very neat city. We started with a trip to Union Square to just hang out. I had no idea how many hills there were in this city. I also didn't realize it is truly a concrete jungle. One of our friends showed us the ropes then she took us to Chinatown where she grew up. Kelly and another friend, Sarah, met us for dinner at a locals place. Kelly knew all the best things to order. She even got Nick to eat some garlic vegetable thing. We went to get boba tea for dessert. Then she took us to her apartment roof where you could see the entire city. It was so neat to hear the ins and outs from someone who knew the place so well.

Union Square

Boba Tea

Kelly, W, J, Nick & Sarah

Wednesday Nick had to work all day so I thought we were going to play all day, but the weather told me no. It rained all morning so Walkie and I were able to get some Nutella coffee then chill in the room for a bit. After it cleared we hit this neat museum at Golden Gate Park. We roamed around it looking at the aquarium, the rainforest, the penguins and other things. I was still feeling cold as if we just couldn't shake the weather! We walked to the Rose Garden where Walker played with some puppies and we roamed around a bit. It was a very beautiful area on a gloomy day! Chrissy wanted to show me one of her favorite places so we met her for dinner. Chrissy has lived in the area for a few years so it was neat to hear all of her stories, too. She is always so much fun and just so kind. We met her and her boyfriend at Palmer's Tavern on some famous street called Fillmore. When we finally got back to the hotel we watched Rudolph with Nick who had just gotten in from his fun day at work.

Walker stole this stick from a puppy.

Chrissy is blurry, but that's her and us.

Alcatraz blew my mind. It is a really spooky, neat place. We enjoyed it as we roamed around trying to put ourselves in the actual time and place. The history is overwhelming and I just don't ever want to be in prison because it's a crazy life. We love living pieces of history so Nick and I were both very into it. Walker would rather have run around and played in the cells.

So back to Vegas we go! We took Walker for some professional pictures because I wanted a background. I have a good eye and a good camera, but no backdrop... Bad idea. He sure didn't want to be posed or to sit still... It was a disaster. We got one really good photo out of it because we stuffed him in a chimney. So I threw on his Santa suit and he posed in the backyard for me. Boom, good pictures. Brat. Atleast he's cute.

We take nightly walks and are enjoying all of the lights. We are excited to go to Texas in two weeks to see our family and friends!!! The busy days of holiday surround us with excitement!