A Very Busy December!!

December started out with a wonderful holiday concert by Aidan's band at school.

He plays the trombone, and we have enjoyed watching his interest in music grow!!

(Doesn't he look so grown up?)

Next, we celebrated Camille's 2nd birthday with a Dora Party!! Grandma and Papa Taylor came to help celebrate.
Camille knew just how to blow out candles and open presents. She had a great time!
Then there was the persimmon harvest.

Some of you may know that my(Staci's) favorite fruit is the Fuyu Persimmon, which is the delicious, firm variety. I have always felt that a home is not a home without a Fuyu Persimmon tree in the yard!! So I waited patiently for the landscaping to be completed to plant the best of all fruit trees. The landscaper brought a tree labeled Fuyu Persimmon, planted it, and we(I) waited patiently again for it to fruit.

Here it is!!

If you know anything about persimmons, you know that this is NOT a Fuyu Persimmon, but the other variety "that which must not be named". It is in fact a large, soft, fleshy fruit. I thought this might be true early in the season as the small fruit appeared on the tree. They were curiously tear drop in shape. I tried to remain positive, but at last I had to admit that I did not have a Fuyu Persimmon tree. Due to my dislike for this variety, I have googled recipes for jam. I will try to make the best of a bad situation. (I already have a spot picked out in the yard for my next Fuyu Persimmon tree!!!)

CHRISTMAS!!

We had a great Christmas! The kids woke up early to open their stockings. Santa is always so good to the kids! Camille wins the prize for the best bed head (we often sing My Hair Had a Party Last Night when we see her in the morning!) Then Grandma and Papa Taylor came by for breakfast and to open gifts. They went home for lunch with uncle Terry and Tori, but brought Tori back for Christmas dinner that evening. We celebrated Feliz Navidad with tamales and street tacos, it was delicious!!

SAN FRANCISCO!!

We planned before Christmas to take the kids to the San Francisco Zoo on the 27th, but the zoo was closed because of the recent tiger mauling. So, we went to Pier 39 and the Aquarium on the Bay. The kids touched sea life in the tidal pools (including sharks). We also walked through tubes underneath the fish tanks that surrounded us with the sea creatures you would actually encounter if you were diving in the bay!

Elise is feeling a sea cucumber!

Everyone got in on the action!!

Out on a pier, we posed for a picture. The bay is behind us, with Angel Island in the background. We had such a fun day!

We had a very busy and fun December!!

We Fish You a Merry Christmas!!

After two years of vandalism with Jack and Sally (The Nightmare Before Christmas), we have decided to change the the theme of our yard display.

This Year Santa is fishing!!
The Boat Santa has chosen is a Stiper just like our boat!

He has landed a marlin, while a sea lion looks on from atop a bouy. There is also an old pier post with a holiday greeting for the other boaters and passers by.

On the smaller side of the yard is our christmas card(most of the neighborhood has these), and a more traditional north pole scene. We also have a window scene with a snow scene including Mr. & Mrs. Claus, a Christmas tree and sledding snowmen in the garage window.

Merry Christmas!!

Halloween!!

Aidan decided to be a hobo for Halloween. I think he thought he could just throw on his dad's old jacket and call it a costume, but Brian had other ideas. In the end he had black smudges on his face and a garbage bag on a pole. I guess he still had to work for his candy!!Elise dressed up as an indian. We made her costume, and she looked so cute!
Isaac was a dinosaur again this year!

He loves this costume and wears it for dress-up year round. I think he wore it last year, and Elise wore it a few years ago, so we have certainly gotten our money out of this costume!!

Camille was the cutest pumpkin ever!! She loved dressing up, and wanted to wear her costume all day. She also enjoyed trick-or-treating and eating candy!!

We hope your Halloween was as great as ours!!