Truffles with TUTU

On Sunday after I arrived home from the Bayside Women's Retreat, Diane (AKA grandma TuTu) was so nice to bring us dinner and for dessert there were truffles! Needless to say Makenna had quite a great time "making" or should I say eating the powdery chocolate goodness and had to go straight to the bath when she was finished-- what fun!!

Notice the concentration on her face-- chocolate is a serious business.

Yum . . . chocolate. I LOVE chocolate.
When she plays in her sandbox, or with water at the sink or with her little kitchen and I ask her what kind of muffin or cookie or cake she is making it is almost always CHOCOLATE. So you can see why she is so thrilled with the real thing. The picture says it all. Thanks Grandma TUTU-- you made my day!

River's End

In September Josh surprised me with a trip to Jenner, a tiny town on the Russian River where the river meets the sea. We had decided to go on a trip instead of exchanging gifts for our anniversary and I thought we wouldn't have time until November. He had me convinced we were going to a Green Building conference in Petaluma-- interesting but maybe not as fun a night away on the coast listening to the sea crash, hiking through the wild hills, and watching the sun set where the river and the ocean meet! Here's a butterfly Josh captured on a thisle as we were hiking.

Part of the view from our room-- Just amazing
The view as we hiked along on bluff above Jenner.
Some self portraits!
Not sure what to say about this one-- but it cracks me up! Yeah that's my husband. Love you honey.

Our house was a very, very, very fine house . . . I think they must have been built in the 30's or 40's and have been gradually remodelled -- kind of, but you can't beat the view and so peaceful with no distractions like TV or cell phones. Tiny but charming.
The herb garden below us that the restaurant used to make the most amazing herbal clam chouder.

going . . .going . . .
gone!

Bye Bye Jenner we'll come again.

Northstar Tree Farm

So the weekend after Thanksgiving we loaded up and headed out caravan style ( we tried to go green but it just didn't happen) so in true American fashion we arrived in the woods outside of Georgetown in about 4 vehicles! Here's Makenna and Uncle Jerod ready to find the perfect tree. We've come to this farm for a few years and just love the old time Christmas feel of traipsing through the pine covered trails and ending up sitting around the fire with cookies and cider in the end. And you can't beat the $20 trees!Tom and Mom having a little sustinance before we head out into the great unknown.Uncle Dennis and cousin Peyten don't look too sure about this whole thing??!! Here Grandpere you hold these pine needles for us!
Tom and Anna in AWE of the tree selection or is Tom looking a little skeptical about the choices.

Who is that tree with legs? Could it be Uncle Jerod with our perfect tree?

Makenna on the go, searching for our tree-- woohoo it is so much fun I can hardly stand it.
And here we are at the end sipping cider by the fire. What a fun day! Sad to say not everyone found their tree as they did not have many silver tips and nobles but it was a festive day and got us in spirit. And I am still in the spirit as I write this post in late January and our tree still looks great . . . I know, I know it's time but we just love looking at the lights. Josh wants to know if I'm aiming for February-- he humors me, at least I've stopped listening to Christmas music!