So I started this post with the intention of telling you about the revelation I've had about all the awesome things and places we have right in our backyard here in San Fran, but, ironically, it also relates to a funny little story about our night, so I'll start there. How's that for a compound sentence?? I think I'm Queen of ridiculously long sentences...and stories. So there's a theme I suppose. Yes, I've also been told, more than once...or twice, that I could talk to a brick wall. But that's neither here nor there.
Anyway, our night was wrapping up around here and I realized that I forgot to return the movie that I rented on Sunday. I take great pride in renting from the box only when it is free and can't stand being late and actually having to pay. This is normally my wonderful hubby's fault, and I can give him lots of grief (yes, I am the cheap one). The fact that it was my fault just made paying $1.08 sting a little more. Yes, I'm THAT cheap. I grab my purse and try to escape out the door before being caught by my two little loves when I realize that I have no keys. Kayleigh comes bounding around the corner and sees my purse in hand. "Where are you going Mommy? I want to come." Ugh. I was caught and still had no keys. I go on a mad hunt for my keys with no luck. I have a very, very, VERY bad habit of losing things. I also lack patience and get very frustrated looking for them very quickly. I usually have to try to calm myself while calling my dear husband to come find the lost item for me. I have even tried to convince him that a lost remote was in fact a good enough reason for him to leave work and come home immediately to help me. See. I do seriously lack patience. Instead of helping me on my search, he grabs the movie and decides to just run to the store to return it. Literally. Run. That was unimaginable to me. I don't run, but he has been running every day, so off he went with Kayleigh protesting because she wanted to go TOO! Don't bother attempting to explain to a toddler why she can't
run to the store with Daddy. She will only tell you that she will just hold his hand and make your heart melt, and trust me. She will not understand any more than when you started.
Though I lack patience, God gave me a whole heap of tenacity. So, I continue on my search when I remember that after ballet (which went ok...better but not great for those of you wondering...all three of you) we went straight from the car to the back patio. I did my Bible study homework while the girls played. While studying, Campbell,
of course, got into my purse. I quickly checked that all my medicine was there and went back to studying. I was deep in thought in my study, so I continued on after taking my purse out of her dirty, mischievous fingers. Now that I realized I had no keys, the ONLY set of keys, to my car, I remember her quest through my purse. I ask Kayleigh who is honest to a fault if she or Campbell had my keys. Campbell is totally unreliable as she will answer yes to anything. ANYTHING. Well, unless it is me telling her to do something. So Kayleigh tells me that Campbell had the keys outside under the tree. So me and the little munchkins head outside with a flashlight at 8 o'clock at night looking for my keys. I searched for a few minutes until I remember the bear sighting in our neighborhood and totally freaked myself out, so I called my neighbor, who happens to be Brett's boss's wife, to see if she would just stand outside with me. You know... in case of a bear attack. A few minutes later, Brett's boss comes trudging outside to help me look. I would be mortified at this point, except that they know me and in fact they have helped me search for keys in the grass before. We all search for almost an hour. In case you are wondering, Brett did not take that long to run to the store. He came home to a scene in the backyard and he may be embarrassed, but he joined in on the search. I decide to look in the car for the third time, and what do I find? Yes...the keys...in Campbell's carseat...where I put them when I unbuckled her. Talk about embarrassing. I would like to say that I learned my lesson, but I'm sure it will happen again. Probably soon. It has only reinforced my belief that I should just give up immediately and let me husband do the searching. He would have found it the first time he looked.
So on the the real story of the day...I got an email about local discounts for military during Fleet Week next week. It reminded me of all the places and things that we've been wanting to see and do but haven't. I thought about the short year and half we have left here, and all the things we MUST start doing. It being my birthday week and all, I think I am going to use that to convince Brett to knock a few things off our list. I am dying to go
here,
here and
here and I really want to go to Golden Gate park a million more times before we leave. After reading my newest Sunset magazine, I am also dying to take a quick trip to Chico to let the girls play at Bidwell Park and more importantly take a few pictures at
this AMAZING bridge. I
think I might have gasped and squealed when I saw it in the magazine. I immediately showed it to Brett and for some reason, he lacked the same enthusiasm. I think it sounds like a perfect plan for this Saturday. Unfortunately, my husband never reads my blog. If he did, I would tell him that I need a tripod and a remote for my camera to take a family pic or two.
This one and
this one would be just fine. Thanks.
I am now on a mission to explore and enjoy this amazing area before our short time left here is gone. Lord knows I will be over the moon when we leave this station, but I do want to enjoy it this awesome city while we are here. Get out and enjoy the place you live along with me, even if you've lived there forever. I'll try not to be jealous of your roots.
P.S. If you so feel inclined, you are certainly welcome to share this blog with anyone you like, especially if his name is Brett and he should be planning a fabulous birthday for his amazing wife.
Brett and I celebrated our 6th anniversary this past Sunday. We had a perfect day. The first few years of our marriage we did a lot of growing. A lot. Like a lot, a lot. ;) We are both very passionate and very stubborn, and we don't always think things through, especially the big decision anyway (a bit counter-intuitive huh?). We just go with our gut and our heart. We were engaged just 3 months after we started dating and married just 9 months later. We have gone through our life together since them much the same way. We make a decision and make it work. Doesn't work for everyone, but it works for us. Making the decision to marry that Coastie that lived a few states away who wouldn't stop calling me was the best decision I ever made. We've made it through some rough patches, and we've had a lot of amazing blessings and some unforgettable memories too. 
We spent the day in Napa and Sonoma just driving around and stopping whenever we saw something fun. We had the girls with it, and it was a perfect family day complete with window shopping, playground fun in the Sonoma town square, duck watching, driving and enjoying the sights, and even a visit to a vineyard V. Sattui is very, very family friendly if you wanted to know. There is perfect picnic areas, a self-guided tour and a nice variety of food and gifts. They even have a cookout on the weekends with BBQ oysters. Yum! We ventured home to beat the Nascar race traffic (and let little monster get a nap). We had one of our favorite, quick, easy meals for dinner and just relaxed in the backyard for the rest of the day. (If you've never tried lemon garlic pasta, do it now. It is heavenly. And more importantly easily.)
One
last little story for you before I need to get dinner ready (and by
that I mean pull out the leftovers...poor husband). I went to the
bathroom last night before going to sleep to take out my contacts. I
notice Campbell's door wide open, so I start to look for her. She is no
where in her room... no where in her sister's room...I start to panic. I
wake Brett up to help me find her. I hear him laughing in Kayleigh's
room, and he is looking under Kayleigh's bed at little Campbell curled
up on the hardwood floors in Lily's favorite spot. She was being very
sneaky and quiet and gave Brett a big smile when he found her. This was a
10 o'clock at night...2 hours after she had gone to bed. We might have
to watch out for her, oh for say the next 15 years. She has also decided
that she doesn't like naps, so she pitches a fit...unless you put her
pillow on the floor and she can nap there on her rug. I guess she's a
minimalist. Whatever works right? 
