Celebrating 34 in the City By the Bay

Todd tried to surprise me with a night in San Francisco for my birthday.  I say "tried" because I begged him to tell me what we were doing so I would know what to wear.  I have this thing about needing to know what to wear and it drives him nuts.  I am a challenge to surprise because of this :).  But he did a great job planning our little getaway and I had a wonderful birthday.  I think it was just great to get away from the kids, dress up and visit a restaurant that didn't have paper tablecloths and crayons! 
We spent the night at the Westin St. Francis in Union Square.  Our room was on the 28th floor with a view to die for.  And seriously, the Westin has the most amazing beds.  A little slice of heaven wrapped in sheets.  The view from our room:

Union Square

We then had dinner at Chaya in the Embarcadero. 

De-li-cious!!!  The salmon ceviche appetizer just about melted in my mouth.  I still fantasize about it!  Chaya's customer service was excellent by the way.  As much as I love SF, there can sometimes be an obnoxious level of snootiness.  For dessert they brought me this tasty number:



Molten Chocolate Cake

 Because the restaurant is located on the waterfront the view leaves little to be desired, even on a rainy night:

Sorry the photo is not super-crisp.  Couldn't exactly fit a tri-pod in my purse and had to hand-hold my camera at a slow shutter speed.  For those of you not familiar with SF, this is the Bay Bridge.  Looks great at night doesn't it?!
After dinner we had a night cap at the hotel bar.  That whole snootiness attitude I mentioned earlier?  Our bartender embodied it.  But I did try Oprah's favorite new drink, Moscow Mule.  Quite refreshing; great for a hot summer day. 
The following morning we had breakfast at Sears Fine Food.  It has been in SF for over 70 years and consistently has a line out the door.  Breakfast did not disappoint and since we ate at the counter we didn't have to wait in line.  Score!  Loooved the Eggs Benedict.  After all of the food I consumed during this birthday celebration poor Todd had to roll me home.

Outside Sears Fine Food. Todd's still smiling because he doesn't know he will have to roll my ass the home :)!

Look up and you will see the Sir Francis Drake

Operation Shock & Awe

This must what your house looks like after the cops conduct drug raid! WOW! It is amazing the mess five kids can make in the course of a few hours. Talk about leaving no stone unturned!

We had several friends and their kids over for dinner Sunday night and this was the wake of destruction that was left behind. In case your are wondering, this used to be Maddie's room. Now, I know her room is under here somewhere! I have to tell you, I don't really mind the mess. I know this is what happens when you get a gaggle of kids together. The way I see it, now that all of the toys have been unearthed I can go through and purge the ones that are never played with.

On Monday Todd and I went to San Francisco for the day. It was our first "date day" since the arrival of Luke. The funny this is, it took more effort to get doggie daycare than it did childcare. And while on our date we received a phone call. One of the phone calls all parents dread while out on a date. The kind that makes you think, "Oh crap! Do we have to cut our excursion short and rescue a child from immanent danger?!" Only this call was not for our child, it was for our DOG! Roman had to learn the hard way that it is best to leave bumble bees alone lest you get stung. Fortunately the little bugger was not allergic so we did not have to rush home.

As we were getting ready for date day, Todd and I began to think it was becoming more trouble than it was worth. Aside from arranging dog care and child care, we also had to load an arsenal of Luke supplies for Grandma and Grandpa. It felt like we were preparing for forty days and night on Noah's Ark!

Two outfits - check!

Four bottles - check!

Formula for four bottles - check!

Boatload of Diapers in case of multiple blowouts - check!

Toys for hours of entertainment and distraction - check!

Two binkies - check

Another binky in case first two fall on germ tainted floor - check!

Burp cloth - check!

Blanket - check!

Plethora of wipes to clean potential massive blowouts - check!

Baby Bjorn to rescue grandparents in case of hysterical meltdown - check!

List complete! Ready to load baby into car. SHIT!!! Forgot the porta-crib!!!

Dash into house with baby and carseat carrier in tow. Dismantle porta-crib and cram into bag.

Porta-crib - check!

Finally! We arrived in The City. I wanted to visit North Beach and take a self guided walking tour. Check out some places we have never been to and get some exercise. I cannot even begin to tell you what a phenomenal day it was in San Francisco! It was 91-friggin' degrees! 91!!! It never gets that hot in The City! I cannot remember the last time it was so hot that I broke a sweat in San Francisco. We had a delicious brunch at Cafe Divine. And it was divine! We hiked to Coit Tower and burned off our meals. That hill and stairs are brutal! My calves hurt just thinking about it. I had never been to the top of the actual tower. With the beautiful weather yesterday was a perfect visit to the top. AMAZING!!! A panoramic view of San Francisco and the bay. Moments like that make me stop and appreciate living in the Bay Area.

After Coit Tower we returned to North Beach and strolled down Columbus Avenue checking out shops and restaurants. We found the most charming candy store, Z Cioccolato. All kinds of candies from my childhood and my mother's childhood. They also make the most decadent fudge (which we sampled of course). The owners are a sweet married couple. Both were there with their six month old son. We spent some time chatting with them about babies, candy and chocolate covered bugs (don't ask!) After our purchase we were on our merry way again.

Next stop was the Transamerica Building. Unfortunately you can no longer visit the top for pure entertainment. You now have to conduct business in the building in order to ride to the top. No fair!We then stumbled upon the Wells Fargo museum and figured, "why not, we're here!" Mildly entertaining.

Before going home I purchased some clothes at the Old Navy flagship store on Market. It felt fabulous to actually look human in regular clothes again. I still have a long way to go before my body is back to normal (or at least as normal as it can be after two babies and c-sections, which let's face it, still leaves a lot to be desired!) But at least clothes FIT. This means I can now take some lighter fluid and a match to my maternity clothes!

Finally we arrived back at the Powell Street station and stumbled onto our train tired, sweaty, and fulfilled. All in all, a great date day in S.F.

Lemos Farm, Year 6

Oh what a day we had in Half Moon Bay! I loved every moment of it! When we left I had a huge, satisfied smile on my face. To me, few things top Half Moon Bay Family Day, especially during pumpkin patch season. Maddie was just as ecstatic as Mommy was. We let her pick two activities at the farm. This year she was all about the jumpy-house and feeding the goats (goats are always a hit.) We gave her a generous thirty minutes of bouncing around the jumpy-house. Todd and I figured if we let her get the "wiggles" out first thing, the rest of the time would be smooth sailing. Hypothesis proved correct! As always, Maddie loved feeding and petting the goats. Consequently the dogs were infatuated with the smell of our shoes when we got home. I have to admit, I love the goats as well. The babies are, of course, my favorite. Aside from finding the perfect pumpkin, we also took a photo that has great Christmas card potential. I am always on the lookout for these ever since I discovered how difficult they can be to come by (I have strict criteria: everyone looks "cute", we are all looking at the camera and smiling, clothes look good, pretty background.)

I wish I could pinpoint why I love this pumpkin patch and Half Moon Bay so much. Fall is my favorite season. The pumpkin patch is so incredibly festive it can put anyone in the mood to celebrate the wonder of Halloween. Plus there is the overcast sky and crisp coastal weather. The ground is coated with hay bails and a plethora of pumpkins. Children are running around with ear-to-ear smiles on their faces. The highway is lined with pumpkin patches, nurseries, and fruit/vegetable stands. Seriously, what is not to love?!?

After lunch at the Half Moon Bay Brewery we stopped by a couple of nurseries in search of new climbing rose bush. Aside from finding a pretty climber (Jacob's Coat), I discovered an orchid lover's dream! Next to Pastorino's nursery is a little nondescript orchid greenhouse. Oh! So many pretties inside! I know the moment we walked in and my glazed over Todd secretly cringed and thought, "Lord help me! We are going to be here all friggin' day!" Their prices were amazing! The last orchid dealer I visited (many, many years ago)averaged $40 and up. I bought an orchid on sale for $10, and most were under $25! I did happen to snap a few photos to share:
Yesterday Skip and Mary took us for a spin on the Delta in their Cabin Cruiser. What a beautiful boat they have. I can see why they spend so many weekends on it! We spent some time cruising around and then boated to a tasty dockside restaurant. It had just rained the night before so everything looked fresh and new again. The sky was a mix of bright blue and puffy white and grey clouds. Plus it was just so nice to spend the day with Skip and Mary, our second parents.

What a busy weekend thus far, and it is only Sunday! Before I forget, I have a yummy and easy-squeezy recipe. It makes a great light dinner. This recipe came from the show, "View From the Bay"http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/channel?section=view_from_the_bay&id=5755208

Lemony Chicken With Vegetables and Parmesan

1lb. chicken

2-3 tbs. minced garlic

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

2 tbs. Parmesan cheese

4 leaves fresh, chopped basil

pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put chicken, garlic, and veggies in baking dish. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Mix in salt and pepper. Top with Parmesan and herbs. Bake 15-20 minutes.

It is great with a long grain rice or fresh bread.

Such an easy meal after a late night at work, or when you just doing feel like applying a lot of effort into dinner, yet you want a tasty meal.

Tired With a Clean House

For the past two days we have been busy little worker bees cleaning our house. It was time for the deep clean in all of our nooks and crannies. Satisfying yet exhausting! Although it is hard work, I love how the house seems to sparkle and glisten afterwards. Now if we can just get Maddie and the dogs to not dirty it up....sigh, pipe dreams!

Tomorrow is the big day, Lemos Pumpkin Patch in Half Moon Bay! YA-HOO! I have waited all year and the time has finally arrived. May the rain gods be kind and not pour on us until we have safely arrived home. I guess we are sue for rain. The past two years have been scorching hot. Because we visit every year I have decided to make a Lemos Ranch scrapbook. A layout for every year. Then we can see how Maddie (and Lucas) has grown over the years. Here is a sneak peak at the photos:

Year 1

Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

I am excited to see what this year brings! Can't wait to make a lunch stop at the brewery. YUM! I guess the fish n'chips is out this year since the doc put a ban on seafood consumption during pregnancy.

Speaking of our little-one-on-the-way, he is just rockin' and rollin'! I cannot believe how active this little tyke is! Maddie was never mover like this. I swear he did a somersault in my belly last night. In fact, there are times he startles me and I jump because I am so caught off guard. Does this mean I am in for trouble when he is born?!? Lord help me keep up with this guy! If John and Kate can raise eight we can surely handle one, right?

The $420 Dog

Now, I know $420 does not sound like a lot when purchasing a dog, but it is a large pill to swallow when it comes to emergency vet care for your pooch on a Sunday morning! UGH... Both dogs decided to get into the chicken compost I was saving for our backyard. But to them it seemed much more fun to rip apart the bag, spread the "dirt" everywhere, and watch Mom clean it up! Of course Tilly (our pure white dog) decided to lay in it which resulted in a bath. Mischa decided it was better as an appetizer and ate it. These things always happen when Todd is not at home. I am not sure if you have ever bathed a husky, but it is no easy fete. All that hair... Mischa developed a vomiting problem due to what the vet called her "dietary indiscretion". Is that what you call eating chicken poo, dietary indiscretion? Fortunately Todd was home by the time the vomiting began. Unfortunately, she could not wait until Monday when a visit to our vet would have been considerably cheaper. We wound up with a vet fee, x-ray fee, IV fluid fee, and a an anti-nausea injection fee. All to the tune of $420. Damn it's a good thing she is so sweet and pretty! The trials and tribulations of dog ownership!

Todd and Steve flew to NYC last week to see one of the final Yankee games at Yankee Stadium. They had a blast! He was overjoyed to experience Yankee Stadium in person. Todd's dream is to visit all eight original baseball stadiums (apparently a big deal if you are a die-hard baseball fan!)

I was glad that they were able to have such a great trip. Seeing the game and stadium, taking in the NYC sights, visiting Ground Zero, and visiting as many bars and pubs as possible. It was tough for me while Todd was gone. Aside from the dog incident, I visited the doctor for heart palpitations and was laid up with severe back pain. Definitely missing the help that my loving husband provides around the house! But it was not all in vain. He came home with a lovely gift from Tiffany's! I mean, is a trip to NYC complete without a visit to the mother ship? Here is my pretty little bauble:

The ring is part of their brand new line, "Tiffany Notes". I have to admit I was quite giddy to receive a new little blue box. They are few and far between, and saved for special occassions only. Therefore I really appreciate them when one comes my way.

While Todd was gone I finally finished my cubes for our living room mantle. I think they came out pretty darn cute. Lord knows they took long enough to complete!