On Christmas Eve Mommy, Daddy, Emma and Ani went to visit a geyser, a petrified red wood forest and and old flour mill. We also attended church and the girls got to eat the Christmas cookies they had baked. Santa visited that night and let the girls know he had delivered their presents to our house because they would take up too much space in our suitcases.
On Christmas day, we all went to the beach as well as the red wood forest. We saw giant, 30-50 foot waves rushing in when we visited the beach. The girls collected a variety of teeth, shells and rocks. Daddy found a giant seaweed and wanted a picture with it. Mommy got ready to take the picture but neither Mommy nor Daddy was looking and a wave caught them off guard. Both Mommy and Daddy's shoes and pants were soaked. Good thing Mommy brought an extra pair of pants. We were also thankful that no one was washed out to sea. The posters on the beach were all warning about the waves pulling people back out. After the beach we headed to the peaceful red wood forest. In Mommy's opinion this was the best way to spend Christmas day. The sunlight filtering through the trees and the softened sounds in the forest made it feel like you were in fairyland.
We visited two wineries on Wednesday. The first winery had a gondola that we road to the top of a hill in. The second winery had a castle with farm animals. This location seemed like a tourist spot to bring kids. We walked around the outside of the castle but decided against the tour with this one. After wineries, Mommy and Daddy played frisbee golf for the first time with Sean. Mommy convinced Daddy and Sean to climb up this very large hill to see the sunset but little did she know that it was going to be very slippery on the way back down. No one got hurt but there were some close calls. That night the group went to In and Out Burger which is kind of like a McDonalds but higher quality ingredients.
The following day we went down town Napa and visited the outdoor market. Both girls got tooth fairy boxes. Emma lost a tooth the night before and was in need of a container for holding her tooth. When she arrived home to Minnesota, the tooth fairy swapped her tooth. Emma received $1.25 and learned about the concept of interest (which surprisingly she understood and could describe in great detail on her own). Usually the tooth fairy only brings a quarter so Emma was very pleased with new discovery. In the afternoon Becky and Sean took the girls to the Children's Museum and Mommy and Daddy got to go explore a park in the area. The girls loved the museum and probably wished they could have stayed longer.
On our final day we left Napa early and went to San Francisco for the morning. We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and walked around Golden Gate Park. We also visited the ocean one last time as well as a sandwich shop called Mr. Pickle. Then it was back to the airport where we waited in a long line to be checked in. When we finally made it back home we felt so lucky we had missed the ice storm. The ground was completely covered in ice and we couldn't get up the driveway. Everyone had to get out and walk up to the house.
As soon as we got home Daddy's body decided it was okay to relax and he ended up with an awful virus. New Years was pretty dull. Mommy took the girls out ice skating for the first time but unfortunately she fell on the ice (not at the rink but when walking back to the car) and bruised her tailbone. She is still trying to get over the pain two weeks later. We all were in bed by 9 p.m.
This is right before the "are we there yet" syndrome took effect
Cactus fruit growing in someone's yard (Mommy was amazed)
Gondola ride!
The drawbridge and portacullis (Emma is really into castles and their history)
In and Out Burger
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