I Left My Heart...

...In San Francisco...AGAIN!! Really, it's Mama who keeps doing it, but I'm sure if we keep visiting like we have, it will be my second home, too. We kicked off our vacation in March with some of the best ice cream, ever. We were all too busy eating to take pictures, but Bi-Rite Creamery in the city is sooo delicious, and so worth the hour we waited in line. They have flavors like Earl Grey, Salted Caramel, Coffee Toffee... I could go on, but it wouldn't be fair to make you jealous!

We headed up to Santa Rosa - to Nana's, and were so excited to see the newlyweds - Walter and Mailie Pelen! Mailie is Mama's cousin. They live in Hawaii, and we NEVER see them, so it was really a treat to get to spend the week together! Dada was feeling at home in Wine Country and took us all to Jacuzzi Winery for a tasting. Auntie Rigi and Nana came, too. It was tasty... or so I hear.

To celebrate Walter and Mailie's new marriage, we took them to one of our favorite SF spots. The Cliff House has been a family favorite for generations. My Nana and Papa Linane (my great-grandparents) had their wedding reception here in 1942. An elegant crab dinner was 50 cents per head! The Cliff House offers great food in an amazing atmosphere. The restaurant has been in the same spot since 1863, although it has gone through a lot in that time! Check out their website. The history is very cool.

After a delicious lunch, Mama paused to snap this shot of the Cliff House and Seal Rocks. Nana and Papa used to swim in these frigid waters, and we have turn-of-the-century family pictures of men in suits and women in long dresses on this very beach. It's so cool to have roots in a place like this!

So, back to our day... we spent a few hours in Golden Gate Park, which is just down the road. It's full of museums, trails, trees and beauty!

My favorite part of the park was this bush that Dada kept pushing me into! I thought it was the greatest fun ever!

After a long day in the city, we were beat! So long, San Francisco...for now!

Before we made the road trip to Southern California, we stopped in Danville to visit my cousins Brian and Tyler. There really is never enough time together, especially when we live so far apart! We had fun spending a night all together and played at the park before we had to leave. We hope to be back to see our family soon!

Welcome, Grammy!

My Grammy just made the BIG move from San Rafael, California to Wichita, Kansas. Grammy had lived in California since she was 18, so I know it's a big adjustment for her. We are so excited to have her close by! It has been a treat to see her so often. I'm so glad I'll have more opportunities to get to know her now that she's just a few hours away!

Snow Day!

January in Oklahoma! Schools were closed, so I went out to play in the snow with my cousins!

We went sledding on a small hill near Uncle Marco's house. Boy! It was a blast! I was having such a fun time, I didn't mind freezing!

My first snow angel turned out perfectly!

Cutest little snow angel EVER!

White Christmas

Merry Christmas! Santa was very good to me. He brought me this big playhouse and lots of cars! Just what I wanted!

Our Christmas festivities began Christmas Eve with a blizzard! Mama was thankful to be home safe, but Dada wasn't about to miss out on family tradition. Church was canceled, but we braved the elements and very carefully drove over to Uncle Marco's for Christmas Eve dinner. We saw lots of cars along the way that had slid off the icy roads. Yikes! Christmas morning, I woke up and found lots of treats in my stocking. We had breakfast and opened our gifts, then once again drove the icy roads to Uncle Marco's.

My cousins and I had so much fun in the snow! I don't have the proper gear, so my borrowed mittens kept falling off. I was loving the snowball fight until my red little fingers started throbbing. Yeow!

For dinner, all the Morrows headed over to Aunt Nunu's. We ate together, and I played with my cousins. Although Mama was extremely stressed about being out on the dangerous roads, we got home safely and were happy Mother Nature didn't ruin our Christmas celebrations!