Madeline can ride a Two-Wheeler!

Biking over the Golden Gate Bridge

   Last weekend we took the kids to bike across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fransisco! We had such a great time and recommend it to anyone who is up for an adventure!
  Usually the bridge is foggy and you can't see much, but Saturday was so beautiful there were tons of people out on the bridge and down at Chrissy fields where we biked to.  Adam got to pull the bike trailer, which was fine over the bridge and to the park, but coming back was a steep hill and with an extra 70 lbs it can be tough!
  This picture was taken by a Civil War re-enactor who was all dressed up and doing a reenactment at the Fort Point under the bridge.  He was so nice, in his full grey beard and uniform, and he invited Adam to come and PARTICIPATE in the reenactment in May down in Santa Cruz!  He said he would send Adam a DVD that would teach him what to do.  I totally want to.  He also thought it was quite scandalous that I was from South Carolina!

 The kiddos.  I can't believe we got a shot of Joseph not crying.  He was so cranky from no nap.  But we kept calm and carried on.

 Cute butt.

 We let the kids out for a break, and looked out over the bridge.  There were hundreds of sailboats in the bay.  It was beautiful!  And I was surprised there was no net or anything to keep one from jumping/falling off the side of the bridge.  And that's when two frantic people  came over asking if we knew whose bike the blue beach cruiser was! They were the suicide watch and were afraid someone had jumped!  We told them it was my bike that I left it to tend the kids for a minute.  I guess people jump off the bridge all the time, so they have volunteers who walk up and down the bridge to try and help talk people out of committing suicide.  Crazy.

 Madeline wore her Rapunzel dress the entire day.  So cute!  I love this girl.

 MJ making some international friends on the Pier.  We rode down to Chrissy Fields and played.

Finally asleep.  

Madeline was a great big sister and sung Joseph's favorite song to him every time he started crying.

Then... as if we weren't tired enough... 

The best dad ever wanted to take his princess to Chuckee Cheese because she had been such a good girl that day.  P.S.  I was there too, I promise, I just take the pictures.  And although these pictures don't give me any credit, when I wasn't snapping pictures, Adam was playing Sudoku on his phone and I was playing with MJ.  So now imagine one of these collages with Madeline and me!

Christmas 2011

Better late than never, here are some pics from Christmas 2011.

 MJ skating with Dad on fake ice. 

Three beauties!

Mom and Nana came out to visit for a pre-Christmas treat!  We spent the day going to Sausalito Island.  Walking, shopping, dinner (I discovered a love for raw oysters) and we even caught the boat light parade on our way back!

 The cousins stopped by to spend the night on their way to the Heder family Christmas!

Christmas Morning:

   We love big family Christmases!  Every year we debate whether traveling is worth it.  But we always end up going, and we always end up loving it.  You just can't beat spending the holiday we love the most with people we love the most.  The faces in these pictures says it all.  I don't know when and if we'll stop, but I'm sure if we do, I will cry a little bit come Christmas morning.
   Thank you Shorts for hosting us all!