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October 31, 2016

Halloween Season - 2016

So I've been extremely busy with life and as a result am terrible at updating our blog.  I'm hoping to make some improvements over the next few months.

Here is a look at our Halloween Season... first up Del Osso Farms in Lathrop.  We were a little disappointed this year - they started charging general admission so it was $18/person just to walk through the door.  When we could get away with paying $20 or so for Drew to do a few things plus the pumpkin canons.

Well we made the best of an expensive situation...

Mom & Dad on the Hay Ride

Drew on Hay Ride

Drew on the Zip Line

Brave Kid

Dad at the Pumpkin Canons

Then on Halloween, I finally took the day off so I could watch his school parade and help in the classroom.  Normally I could sneak away during the workday just to catch a peek at the parade, but life has been busy and complicated, so the only way it was going to happen this year is if I took the entire day off.  It was worth every moment!


And they predicted rain by 7pm, so we tried to get our trick or treating in early!

Kylo Ren - Star Wars the Force Awakens

Thankfully it didn't rain - well a few sprinkles don't count.  We made our rounds with our trick or treat buddies - and the Moms were smart again and traveled with some treats of our own -- wine!  We called it quits when the kids could no longer carry their candy.

September 12, 2016

Mommy's Birthday Letter to Drew - Age 9

Dear Drew,

It's the last year in the "single digits" as you have excitedly been reminding me of.  Before long, you won't want Mom to read to you at night, you won't want to fill me in on your day-to-day activities and you'll look at me as if I have two heads.

But for now I'm going to cherish the way you still play with your toys - mostly the broken Spider-Man and the Minecraft Mini Figures - full of imagination.  Whether it's to have them run through whatever video you're watching on the iPad, building battle scenes or reading with you - I love that you're still so into all things small and continue to use that imagination of yours.  Life is still so full of wonder for you - I love your innocence about it all.  I wish we could bottle up the innocence forever for you - to shelter you from the world we live in.

Third grade - now the oldest in your class, you're starting out the year so very excited about what this means for you.  I hope you work to be the leader I know you can be.  Continue to stand up for others, but don't let them bully or take advantage of you.  I love the words you use and how you use them - continue to use them for good.

You've always been a sensational child, but now I'm experiencing life through your eyes and seeing how sensational life can be.  It brings me such joy to have our chats, hear your perspective on things and hear your political views.  You have so much to offer all of those whose lives you touch.  Just remember not everything is perfect and there are good days mixed with the bad.  Work on overreacting less and being grateful for what you have.

Wishing you a wonderful final year in the single digits!

Love you my punkin!
Mom

February 6, 2016

Super Bowl 50 Comes to Town

Last weekend we enjoyed the opening of Super Bowl City in San Francisco.  Santa Clara is hosting Super Bowl 50 this year, but the pre-game fun is in SF.  We planned to give the free Super Bowl City a shot first and if that didn't excite us we were going to head to Moscone - home of the NFL Experience ($$$$).

Well 10 minutes inside SB City, we fell in love.  We spent the better part of the day cruising the fun and booths.  Like the Bud Light Booth...

Football and hand is made out of cans

Another from the Bud Light booth
Since we were in the beer booth, of course Dave and I had to start the "pregame fun" with a beer.  Mind you, it was maybe 11am at this point. 

So we continued our walk around and spotted a line - the first of many.  And we decided to get a fun picture of Drew as a Denver Bronco.

Bronco/Raider Rivalry lives on
While in line to take a picture as a Bronco (yes they had a Carolina Panther there also) Drew spotted a zip-line activity.  We told him we'd check it out and that could be the one event he did while we were there - expecting it to be an overpriced attraction.  SURPRISE!! IT'S FREE!!! 

We simply needed to head to a different tent to sign up for a time slot and sign the waivers.  On the way over I snapped a pretty shot of the Ferry Building all decorated.  The skies were so clear and blue on this day which was a treat after a bunch of rain earlier in the week.
Ferry Building
Another shot looking to our left of the CBS Sports area that we would hit up next.


Once we got our time slot (3pm - about 3 hours to kill) we headed over to see what the CBS Sports field was all about.  Who knew there were more activities!?  We were really in awe about all the fun that was to be had.

Drew/McFadden on the 50 Yard Line

The big activity - yes another line - was to run down Lombard Street (San Francisco's famous crooked street) and try and catch a football at the end.  We'll go with the fact that Drew caught the ball... since this photo - yes we got a free souvenir of the "catch" - looks like he might have actually caught it.
Drew's first catch attempt




Dave tried his Lombard Run... and he was showing off for the camera, and jumped out of frame.

Dave's Lombard Catch

After hanging out in CBS Sports area, we decided to walk and see what else there was to find...

More Beer :)
By this point Drew was starving so we decided to pick up up a pizza at Boudin - a ridiculous wait for just a small pizza.  but then we snapped a few more photos after the child was fed.

The boys staring at the large painted building
While I was in line for Drew's lunch, the boys stood in line to get the family shot in front of the big 5-0.  I got a text while waiting for the pizza that I needed to get out there quick for our photo.  It worked out - we got the big picture.






After eating, it was time for Drew to report to the Zip Line!  It was supposed to be a Father/Son event however Dave weighed in 5 lbs too heavy and had to stay back.  So Drew braved it alone.  No Fear!

Ready for the Zip Line

And he's off!!!








Here is the GoPro Video that we got as a souvenir - again FREE!


I have to say Super Bowl City more than blew me away.  There was still so much more to do but we didn't take part in due to the lines.  Drew had enough by that point and so we let him burn off some additional steam at the playground before we decided to call it quits for the night.  The crowds were getting heavier and it was getting colder.  While we missed the Chris Issak concert and the fireworks/bridge lighting, we had an absolute blast!  And it was entirely free!  (Not the beer or Drew's pizza however).