Pumpkin photo shoot

At the request of my college friends back East, Sydney + Kara, I got some photos of pumpkin + me, not in action but you'll get the gist. Today, I was riding down Valencia Street on the way to school, the first of the 5 miles, and I heard, " JAN!" and who did I see but my honey waiting for a friend outside of Big Mouth Burger, though I had to remind him we're having hamburgers tonight for dinner. Lucky meeting, as I'd just had a thought as the blue sky was drifting away behind the clouds that I had no rain gear for Eli who is already skeptical of our rides. Art gallantly offered his coat, sweet guy huh? I had him snap the first photo. Later when I got to school I naively offered for Eli to ride with Leon/Naomi thinking he'd not want to but he did, and yes my feelings were hurt. After some back and forth we decided he'd ride part-way to Duboce Street Cafe, we'd meet, have a steamed milk/biscotti treat and then I'd scoop up the little guy. I beat the car by a good 6 minutes probably on the parking curve. Anyway, while enjoying our treat, we thought it'd be fun in the future for Naomi meet me at 15th/Valencia for me to take both boys home on the bike path while she has a student, something to work up to. p.s. the sky was blue the entire ride home though it is storming right now! These photos bring a smile to my face just looking at them, they're a bit ridiculous but boy is it fun! I just had to include the final photo for contrast of my and Eli's face.

just like my 5th birthday....NOT

We were fortunate to attend a fabulous birthday party for a litte friend in Eli's class, Nithan. Nat and Jib, his parents own Corriander, a Thai restaurant in the Bloomingsdale mall. Their business partners and best friends own a chain of amazing restaurants called Osha Thai, where they hosted the party. Let's just say we all went hungary as instructed and were greeted with an endless buffet of the most scrumptious dishes including my favorite pumpkin curry, the best children's magic show I've ever seen and the favorite parents. This was one cozy event on a chilly SF day. Both my children want their next birthday to be at Osha.

Bike + Byrne

I've always loved the Talking Heads and was so pleased to get up-close-and-personal with David Byrne's Journal. He is so cool, taking his collapsible bike around the world with him on his year-long tour. I think I'm going to have to get his book Bicycle Diaries out of the library, keeps me motivated to get on Pumpkin as much as possible.

Last week I was able to ride her to Golden Gate Park, meet a friend for a walk, spend an hour at the Amish Quilt Exhibit at the de Young Museum, ride to school and home with Eva on the back. I was a bit neurotic taking Pumpkin to the Park as our friends had two bike stollen there on Saturday at the Sciene Museum bike rack. The guard tole them that someone walks up, sprays liquid nitrogen on the lock and ride away minutes later. I took both my locks that came with the bike, one weighing at least 7 lbs. With the locks and 56 lb girl in tow, I got plenty of a workout. Not realizing how exhausted I was when I got home, I promptly fell asleep on the sofa and was in bed for the night at 8:30 p.m.

Post-church stroll at LandsEnd with hot chocolate

Church had become our Sunday ritual. Having the buddy system helps, Ed (of Row, Julias, Skyla) usually texts Art either Saturday night or Sunday morning. I'm not sure what they say but I imagine something along the line of CHURCH BOUND? with us2 following. The only complaint I have is that it takes over the day with lunch out and before you know it, it's time to head home with restless children to begin our weekly prep. In December we had a great solution, riding out bikes to Boogaloos for breakfast (1 mile) before church. This Sunday we decided to go hiking at Landsend directly after church which was facilitated by the fact they provide sandwiches to honor the volunteers of the Rececession Food Pantry (Art helped out a few times.) One probem, Art did not text Team-Fraunheim before so they turned up with only church clothes. Luckily the archeological layers of coat + hats in my car were enough to go around. It was a nippy, breezy day but the hike is so beautiful you'd never know were still in San Francisco proper. Art + Ed threw a football to quicken the pace, only pauseing above surfers far below the cliffs and to gather fennel seeds to nibble.  The promise of a hot chocolate at Louis' kept the momentum forward. We were hoping for a tradition to emerge, no such luck yet but there's still plenty of time for that.

Chocolate, Pumpkin, Bi-Rite therapy

Re-entry is always tough for me;I miss the holiday, sort of, I miss the children, really, I miss Virginia, why not, and then I come back sick, ready to clean/unpack alone. After my two-day marathon of house-readiness, really I mean it was not even at a functioning level, I was blue on Friday, not too bad but a fact. Things took a turn for the better when Naomi called and she came over for a quick cup of chocolate. This was not just hot chocolate but the most amazingly, creamy batch of goodness that she gave us for Christmas, Mariebelle from New York. I then hatched a plan all high on caffine that what I needed  was time on Pumpkin, even with a cold. How did I know? It all came together the minute I turned out of the garage on to Randall Street, even as a few rain drops started falling, I could not be stopped. After a nice grocery shop at an uncrowded Bi-Rite grocery, I rode home with contents to make beef stew in tow. Good bye blues.

First Christmas Eva in San Francisco

This was our first Christmas in San Francisco as a family. After Mom + Dad moved out of their home to Summit Square, going back toVA was looking different for me but I was willing to give it a try.After our visit this past summer Eva declared when we got home that she wanted to celebrate in SF this year. I was not sure but let it sit for the fall. I'm not ready to give up winter visits so we'd go after New Years. Our house is busy, like everyone's from Halloween through the new year, adding E+E's birthdays in there has me stepping up to "create" a new vision for every occasion, yes, I know that's my own fault. I could scale it down but would that be fun? I want to provide memories of the feeling, the sounds, the homemade love, not so much the presents but the thoughtfulness of the holiday. I tried this year to keep it in check, not letting it all take over which meant a few long nights of sewing instead of dragging it on and on. Art is a trooper but I know he tires of the sound of the machine long in to the night. I also missed just sitting around the tree sipping cider. Next year.

This year we took off on the 24th  on B.A.R.T. to the Embarcadero to see the snow villages in the Hilton, see the ice skaters, shop for food at the Ferry Building Marketplace and a few bits of last minute shoppping. This was our second year at the Hilton, the lobby is so festive with the gigantic miniature village covering the same square footage of our house. The mood in the Bender family was a bit more subdubed, I wonder how long this will remain a tradition. I'm thinking we'll keep going for a few more years at least, if not to at least ride the elevator up and down to the 11th floor, I even love this.

After a quick cold picnic outside with tasty salami sandwiches, we headed past the ice skating rink to the Ferry Plaza. As we passed, a woman gave the children a candy and invited them to see Santa. They each got a card and off we went. I made a comment to Art about the sign asking for donations to have photo taken with Santa. I did not hear this but evidently Eva wanted to know what I was saying, Art told her about the man wanting money. Poor sweet Eva, she went hysterical and started saying, "I want to go home." Once in the Ferry Building, I finally got it out of her that she was embarrassed because she'd told that man pretending to be Santa what she wanted for Christmas, she was looking around the room so distrusting of the people.I was so sad for her. I hugged her over and over and told her he could have been the real santa, I was not sure and just to look around us and see all the people happy to be celebrating Christmas together. She remained in the long line with me as I got the mussles for our dinner, she finally calmed down. I was heart broken as her innocence was shattered. I'm not certain it was for keeps, she picked up later and became enthusiastic,especially after her macaroon from Miette Bakery. We got bread from Acme, 24 oysters and were ready to head home.

I'm not up to telling another key event from this day,another posting. I will share that Uncle Randy arrived from L.A. David, Naomi, Leon and Marcel came for our dinner of raw oysters with Champagne-Vinegar Mingnonette, steamed mussels with orange fennel and garlic, and two delicious varieties of ravioli (ricotta/spinach, pumpkin) from a local shop. After some stories around the Christmas tree, E + E were ready for bed after a long day, they were asleep by 7:30.

Santa finished wrapping and installing by 10:30 much to my surprise.

Dicken's Fair converts

Eva has been begging to go the Dicken's Fair for three years, I truly had no interest in taking two small children to the Cow Palace with 100's of people. This year the Dicken's fever is rampant amongst the first grade girls.  Many girls came back after Thanksgiving weekend with hairdos and Eva was ready to shed her short locks for the chance to get her hair done. so Eva's birthday became the the turning point of my bending. As posted before she got the vintage red cape, pantaloons, and a dress that never arrived. The day before the event, we found a red dress someone found at a thrift store last year for us and with a little crinoline it was perfect. Our house was a flutter before the event, Eva dressing before the rest of us were out of bed, Eli wetting down his hair drying his pants in the dryer, Art looking through various closets to find his wedding vest and I pulling out every item that may pass as Victorian.

All said and done we were there from 11:00 - 7 pm with a total of 5 families from school, we watched performances, played the lemon game, rode the carousel, ate fish 'n chips, and danced for hours. It was completely enchanting (if you could get over the crowds + hot buttered rum helped!), good wholesome fun for the family. the actors were polite, engaging and highly entertaining. I think we're going to get a season pass next year!  oh no, does that mean the Renaissance Fair is next????

highlights: Eva getting a telegram from friends announced at the big Fezziwigs party including a note and a rose in a porcelain holder, getting her hair done in braids with adornments, being free to dance with her friends and the actors. Eli was mostly an observer until the very end. A woman came up and asked if he's like to dance and off he went, she asked if he could skip and told them they were doing the Polka, most children are excorted to the center to dance away from the massive moving crowds. evidently Eli just took off skipping and swinging is partner all around the floor, avoiding hitting other dancers and keeping up the pace for the entire dance. she asked if I could send her photos I did and this is what she wrote back..."

Thank you so much for sending these.  He's a real sweetheart and was a 
highlight of the day with his energy.  He's gonna break some hearts in a 
few years...  ;-)
   -Suzi

Saturday apple picking at Gabriel Family Farm