Muir Woods

Today we set aside work and school for the day and played a little hooky from our obligations.  We were on a mission for Muir Woods. 

A Muir Woods hike has been on my to-do list for a couple of years.  On New Year's Day I draft a list of things I hope to do or see and each year this one item kept falling to the bottom of the list, only to be added again the very next year.  Well, we remedied all of that and talked our son into missing school (yes, talked him into it!) and took Highway One down to Muir Woods National Monument.

Steve selected the moderate to strenuous Dipsea Trail, which was approximately a four mile hike.  It felt like it was uphill almost the entire way, but I know that just can't be.  It sure did feel like it though.

We reached the top and had this breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean.  The day was warm and clear and the views were sweeping.  We even glimpsed the top of the Transamerica Tower in San Francisco.  We quickly gobbled our lunch and posed for a few photos.  We were on a mission to finish this hike in one piece (we all took turns stumbling along the way up and down the trail).

Steve planned the day, took charge and led us most of the way.  It was a fantastic experience and a worthwhile excurision.  It was an even better day as a family.

The guys humored me with a quick stop to the First Light Farm pumpkin patch in Petaluma.  They selected pumpkins nearest the car (ahem...) and posed for a few obligatory photos in the patch to make me happy.  I just love me a pumpkin patch photo shoot.

Grady had a string of half days at school for parent-teacher conferences this week.  Steve & Grady took the early release from school as an opportunity to hit the Rohnert Park Golf Course and I took the quiet afternoon and turned it into an outing to Occidental for the weekly farmers' market.

G topped off his Friday of fun by spending hours on end in his art studio creating origami Star Wars' creatures.  He was seriously fixated on this project and stayed out there until darkness had fully set in.

The books that spurred all of this origami folding was The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee.  And while I certainly don't understand any of this current fascination, it was nice to see him reading, researching and creating his version of the characters mentioned in this book.  He even made me a Mamoda.

Hot Legs

Steve put together the most awesome bench for our front deck.  He ordered hairpin legs online and affixed same to create this little piece of awesomeness!

I love when my man makes something with his very own hands for our family.  It's so personal and lovely.  A family heirloom.  Yes, indeed.

Our friend, Patty, is moving off the island that is Bodega Bay and heading to Belvedere in Marin County.  She invited us to join her in throwing back heaps of sea glass, abalone shells & sand dollars to Mother Ocean.  We laughed, reminisced and even had the good fortune to spot two whales right off coast.

It was a stellar way to start our weekend and wish our friend luck as she heads out to her very own new, uncharted waters.