Christmas 2011

Christmas was so fun this year, we stayed at home working until the 23rd of December before driving down to my parents. While counting down the days to go be with family Hank kept me busy and KC kept people healthy at his chiropractic office. Hank likes to wake up and immediately point outside to my neighbors house with all the toys. I am lucky the weather is so nice most days so he can just run around outside. However I am still trying to convince him that the street is dangerous and the cars don't stop. 

We drove Hank up to the temple to see all the lights but when we got there he would not wake up, even when we shook him. He missed it this year, but the lights at the Oakland temple are always amazing. I also swung by Thompson Lane in Alameda real quick one night while KC was at work. Hank loved the house with the light show, but thought all the cardboard characters were real and real scary.

 

After driving down to my parent's house in a bit of traffic we made it just in time to go to Barnes and Noble and the food court at Fashion Island, a Christmas tradition. I got a book about logos and KC got a book about baseball- pretty true to form. The next day we played tennis before going down to the Brown's for Christmas Eve festivities and I think we actually started sweating from the warm weather.

 Merry Christmas Eve!

 Waking up Christmas Morning before church- Hank gets to sleep in the bunk bed room

At church, although I missed of what I am told was the best music number in church (an awesome freestyle organ solo by a musician from the LA Disney Concert Hall) I did sit in front of Marie Osmond who said Hank's hair was amazing and that he was a doll. I assume looked like a doll rather than behaved like one.  

Grandpa strapping Hank into his high chair to eat a pile of eggs

opening Christmas presents after church

Recreating a picture that took place when we were little

 playing with Christmas toys, KC wearing his My Oh My Seattle shirt, Martha got him

One of the best things about my parent's house is the view and the people/dog watching from our porch. Hank likes to point out all the "ruff ruffs." We also saw this wind sailer- if that is what you call it.

For Christmas my parents planned for the siblings that were in town to go down to San Diego for a day and a half to check out Legoland, the USS Midway and the Mormon Battalion Historical Site. We also went to the best BBQ place one night where Hank was a bit of a headache, however KC scored by ending up with leftover ribs for breakfast.

 Hank stealing a seat in a strangers rental stroller

Hank digging the little kids, lego duplo village

locked in jail (I spy Josie in the back of the picture)

 Kc was playing with Hank, and unknowingly taught him how to pick his nose- he loves it and so does Eric it seems. Josie got a few shots of  it too.

LEGO tree

Family Shot, Hank picked an ornament off of a tree and a little girl kept telling KC to have him put it back, haha not until he is bored of it I said.

 LEGO San Fran- amazing

 Still rocking Hank to sleep in the stroller while taking a picture. 

Martha gives it two thumbs up!

Walking to breakfast in the morning

Denny's, also somewhat of a family tradition even though it is no longer famous for the $1.99 Grand Slam my Dad created back in the day

 

  

USS Midway

Hank too busy to take a picture as he is learning the art of tying and I am sure getting out of rope

Man walking through each doorway every 20 ft would get tiring especially under water while moving

Paying homage to KC's Dad who was on the USS Oriskany

Mormon Battalion

 

Hank getting restless from having to sit still in the museum

The scene of the crime, where my phone was stolen. However after plenty of iPhone tricks and a sleepless night KC and I tracked my phone down at a house in Santee, CA and felt pretty victorious when we reclaimed it.  

Thanksgiving 2011

For Thanksgiving my whole Christensen side of the family got together like old times when we were growing up. Our group has really expanded so we had to take over almost half of a floor at the Comfort Inn in St. George. Most of the relatives came from UT, TX, CO, ID and CA. It was a lot of fun, and like always too short of a trip.

Water fight in the jacuzzi

Jumping on the bed

Turkey Bowl 

Hank's play calling approach

My Dad, the birthday boy

Turkey Eating

5K post Thanksgiving Day

Crafting

Admiring our Grandma's Quilting

Painting pigs

Martha going through the temple

 

Sisterz

The couple responsible for our whole family

Group shot

Fieldtrip

One weekend in November I told Kc that I really wanted to go to Heath Ceramics headquarters in Sausalito. This is a brand I have admired for a while and if I hadn't named Hank, Hank I was really pushing for Heath, but that one got shot down and was too associated with Heath Ledger. I have been eying this company since I got married and finally set aside a weekend to go check the store out.

Let's just say KC didn't really want to go and would rather watch football. Obviously this is a normal reaction from a man, but I really wanted him to take a field trip with the fam. If Hank was a little less rambunctious we could have gone on the tour and shopped together, but KC ended up watching Hank while I went on a tour. Not the field trip I had in mind, but to satisfy KC we stopped by the Berkeley Vivarium on the way home for the boys to see some turtles, snakes and other creatures.

The outside of the factory and store in chilly Sausalito, somehow it can be 60 in the East Bay and when you get to the Marin/Sausalito area it drops 10 degrees.

There were all these stations in the factory where a lady would attach mug handles and spin the slip into molds. Or another guy with the title, "senior jigmaster" would mold and spin hand made bowls, or the lady who sanded plates, and lastly the guy that applied paint. I would love to work at this factory in return for ceramics and to wear that t-shirt and crocs to work daily.

A line up of some of there Homeware

Tour guide pointing out the kiln 

Wishlist!!

Oh these too, please!!

Hank and KC at the Vivarium looking at turtles

We will see if we can make Hank enjoy both of our interests.