Hello all– Finished a quilt for our lovable new grand-guy– baby Otto. Thought you might like to see it. I love stitching on a quilt, thinking about who’s going to wrap up in it, praying for them as it gets quilted together bit by bit.
And here’s that Otto with his pretty mom. Blessings on all your days ahead dear baby boy.
He’s here! Little Otto Acer, born on Monday, August 7th. We’ve been waiting for this new little grand-guy, praying for his safe arrival and here he is, welcomed by his fine parents and big sis Mae and big brother Eero. So so thankful for this new little life come into the big wide world. God bless you Baby Otto in all that lies ahead.
Bayside in Marin
Hello all– Back from 10 days in San Francisco with our kids– lot of kid cuddling, book reading, house visiting and a lively 4th of July! Hope you will be so kind as to indulge my little scrapbooking post with some favorite moments…
Celebrated Aaron’s birthday with some cake help from Mae & Eero …
Aaron talking through the photos with M & E from his new birthday book.
And then we headed north for a day away from the city–lunch on the deck, making s’mores, looking for ladybugs and Eero on the “porch swing!”
Back home Jessica & Mae started by making berry muffins and ended with morning kitchen hugs.
Then I moved over to stay with Ani & Brian. First stop– over to see the remodel progress on their house! Peeking out the back window– and Brian at the future front door!
On the 4th of July we crossed the bridge to Sausalito to watch Brian play with the Cal Alumni Band in the 4th of July parade–and Little Lois was a the flag waver with her Grandma Jackie!
And we had some great days out & about in the city– having fun in the local library, special lunch at Hook Fish Co., Super Duper Burger picnic in the park, “field trip” to Fort Point.
And a highlight was hanging out with Little Lois while her mom went to work for 3 days of our week. (She’s learning to creep & crawl!!)
Truly so thankful for sweet times with AA & Jessica, Mae & Eero, with Ani & Brian & Lois. Loved every moment!!
Morning fog across the hills at the old Fort Baker on the Bay (now a hotel, restaurant)
Hello friends–Just back from a trip up the coast with 3 girls in the backseat to San Francisco to hang out with their aunts, uncles and cousins. We had a lot of crazy kid centric fun– And stuck to our two rules– #1. No Grumping #2. One Ice Cream Every Day!! Here’s my favorite bits of the trip:
First stop, across the Golden Gate Bridge to the Discovery Museum, a wonderland for kids.
Ani & Brian treated three girls all dressed in their best to a fancy Tea Party!
We strolled down to Ocean Beach to take in a Corgi Fest!! Over 600 Corgis on the run across the sand and in the water!!
And there were plenty of picnics and playgrounds to round out the week! (This day we were at the west end of Golden Gate Park!)
And the sweetest for me is seeing those cousins–jump and laugh and color and play together. Big Hugs for Maryann, Charlotte, Jobay and Little Mae (and Eero back by the window!!).
Thanks once again Ani & Brian, AA & Jessica for the good times together. There’s nothing I love more than days with you all. It’s the best.
Hello friends– Sending off a little scrapbook of our Easter week in San Francisco. We stayed with all of our kids up there and spent out days talking, eating and playing with grand-kids. What could be better than that?
Good times catching up with Ani & Brian– including a yumcious fajita lunch around their table.
And loved the morning walk in the woods with Aaron, Jessica and baby Eero on board.
Mae told us her favorite museum in SF was the Discovery Museum across the bridge, so we spend an active morning there watching her and little Eero having a ball.
Larry and I took a restful woodsy trek downward through the Presidio and then found ourselves trudging up a set of city steps to make our way home.
And there were plenty of memorable meals out on the town (including Delfina Pizzeria). thanks Aaron, Jessica, Ani and Brian for a fine full week with you. It was the best!
Hi all– It was a grand grandkid time. If you some grandkids yourself, you know what I mean. We made a dash up to SF last weekend to talk and play and read books and eat with our kids. There were some sweet moments. Here’s my favorites…
Saturday morning we trekked north across the bridge to the old Fort Baker, historic military quarters, that have now been transformed into a lodge. We ate at the the Murray Circle restaurant there, overlooking the Bay and the Golden Gate. (pictures: Mae & her mom waiting for brunch, view from our table on the porch, chicken hash & eggs)
We took a blustery afternoon stroll down to Ocean Beach through the Sunset– blue skies and some good sand digging with our Mae. (pictures: Aaron & Grandpa with Mae, some good sandy digging, walk up from the beach).
And it was good to just kick back around the house and have some grand-kid time. (pictures: Grandpa and Eero having a “conversation,” opening some belated Christmas gifts together)
Sunday we ended up at Ani & Brian’s for for luscious lunch. It was the last day of their “vegetarian January” so we got in on butternut squash soup and a bright citrus salad! Love hanging out with them and, of course, that dog Harry. (pictures: warming soup! Bri & Ani, and out walking with that Harry.)
Thankful for a weekend with you all– thanks for the office tour AA, thanks for the time to talk at coffee Jessica–you know I love that, thanks for the hugs & books & smiles Eero and Mae, thanks for the beach walk & the beautiful lunch Ani & Bri. It was the best!
Aaron with his new little Eero (thanks for the photo, Jessica)
Hi Friends– We made a quick trip, up the interstate to San Francisco this past weekend to meet brand new baby Eero! So much cuddling and singing and studying that little guys sweet face. It was a joy. Plus we got to hang out with his big sister Mae and their fine parents, A + J. And good times, too with Ani and Brian. Here’s just a few pics:
We loved being at Aaron and Jessica’s– the chance to play with our grand-girl Mae and catch up with our kids and have a scrumptious Mother’s Day waffle breakfast around their table.
And we had some great Ani & Brian hang out time too– a snacky lunch at the Sunset Brewing Company and Ani’s yeasty waffles. Plus another momental hike down to the beach for coffee and back up through Golden Gate Park. It was grand.
So long for now little Eero. Hope to see you again real soon– God bless and keep you.
Hi friends– I’m not much of a Christmas crafter– No painted ornaments, no knitted stockings… But when we were up in SF over Thanksgiving, Jessica took us down to Studio Choo– for a morning wiring together Christmas wreaths– and it couldn’t have been more fun!
We got a quick lesson and then were left with bountiful buckets of greens and berries and the tools to go to work!…
It took us a while. And every wreath was individual– from Ani’s pinkish flowery wreath to Jessica’s asymmetrical berry laden one.
All around the studio, everything was beautifully organic.
So fun to watch how each wreath developed stem by stem wired around the ring.
Thanks Jessica for one of the best “Girls’ Day Out” ever!!
A view across the water to the Bay Bridge late one night in San Francisco.
Hi friends– If you have already read too many posts about SF on this blog, feel free to skip right on over this one– because here I go again. I just love, love time with our kids up there and want to remember all the sweet moments. I do read these things over and over to relive all the fun–my little bloggy scrapbook. So here is the “great eight” of my week in San Francisco:
#1. One sunny morning I set off alone on a 5 hour walk, down through the cozy houses of the Sunset, the length of Golden Gate Park, past Stowe lake, through wooded glens, up to the glass conservatory, then to Cole Valley for lunch and down bustling Irving Street with a stop for reading and a sweet blueberry mini pie.
#2. Ani’s day off, we headed downtown for a “girls’ day out–” Started off at the new Yelp offices where she’ll be working starting next week. The best taco lunch was followed by a stroll down to the Ferry Building for a little shopping. then we circled around to Samovar for tea and scones with terrific city views.
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#3. Loved the couple great meals at Bar Jules with Jessica, Aaron and baby Mae. I especially like it’s changing concise blackboard menu, the bowls of fresh produce on the counter, the cooking bustle in plain view. If I could start a restaurant (my secret day dream), it would look a lot like Bar Jules. Thanks AA & J.
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#4. If you know me, then you know one of the best parts of any trip to SF is cuddling our new baby Mae. She’s nearly three months old and we couldn’t love that girl more. I had my first chance to read her a book!! Now that was fun!
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#5. We had the happy coincidence of visiting SF the same week as Jessica’s sis and her family from New York. Great to catch up with Jaci and Dave, two of the dearest people around– and to spend an adventurous night out at the Exploritorium with their 2 boys.
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#6. Thursday Aaron, baby Mae and I drove over to Wise Sons Delicatessen for a quiet lunch, followed by a downhill walk, strollering Mae along the bay to watch the bobbing boats and kite surfers. Nothing better than a good walk & talk with one of my kids. Just what a mom loves.
#7. Ani, Brian, Harry the dog and I headed to Golden Gate Park with a stop on the way at the Wooly Pig Cafe to pick up super sandwiches and some bacon/maple taffy for dessert. Harry had big fun running to his heart’s content across the grass and we just sat and soaked up the sunshine.
#8. At the end of the week, Larry drove on up to join us. Saturday we walked down for coffee and just kept on walking to the ocean, along the cliffs, through neighborhoods and back across the park for home. Brian’s phone, which tracks his every step, told us our morning coffee walk ended up being 7.5 miles! Last photo, Harry ran ahead and waited for us at the front door. Welcome Home!
All in all, it was a marvelous, memorable week. Thanks Brian, Ani, Aaron, Jessica and baby Mae for all the good times together…
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Dinner at Aaron and Jessica’s house the night before they headed to the hospital.
Hi all– Waiting. It induces a lot of sighs and checking of cell phones. I’m not that good at it. And today is the happiest, but still hard, waiting– waiting for a baby!
This little bundle was due 9 days ago in San Francisco, so Larry and I hopped in the car early Saturday morning and trundled on up there to be ready to meet him/her first thing at the hospital. We had a lovely dinner at home with Aaron and Jessica, took a grand walk with Ani & Brian, met their foster dog Harry (adorable) and chatted with the parents-in-waiting at the hospital. And drove home late last night. No baby.
Almost done with the baby quilt!
Laurel said it best, “This baby is taking it’s sweet time.” She’s right. And it will be so very sweet when little baby-kins arrives. Hopefully today!
Hello all– I guess you know there’s few things a mom likes more than time with her kids. Ours are scattered far afield, but this past weekend we met up in Cambria for windy walks, good meals, a little touristing and some late night Trivial Pursuit. And stories. I could listen to them go forever. So here’s a few pics from our weekend away. It was grand.
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We joined the cluster of tourists trundling up the hills to Hearst Castle, built almost a century ago to contain the architectural and art collections of of William Randolph Hearst–at points imposing, other moments beautiful and surrounded by views of velvety hills and the sea.
And you know I sure did enjoy sitting down to eat pretty meals that I didn’t have to cook. We talked over plates of curry, baskets of sandwiches, servings of ham and eggs…
The shores of middle California are rockier, more wild than our sandy, busy beaches down south. We walked along the wooden boardwalk watching waves thunder in and joined the crowds peering down at the rows of lugubrious elephant seals. And our windy sunset walk sent us scurrying along the cliffs. So much beauty.
Thanks Old AA & Jessica, Ani & Brian and Laurel-Lu for making our weekend the best.
P.S. thanks Larry & Ani for the photos I stole–good ones!
The Thankful Heart 