Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Christmas is not complete without a picture with Santa Claus.  Since Scott and I don't have human children yet we decided to take our furry four-legged daughter to PetSmart to see Santa.  It seemed like a great idea...she loves going to PetSmart, she loves getting her picture taken, and she loves people...perfect Sunday outing right?  Wrong!  For a brief moment I could sympathize with mothers everywhere.  I felt like we had a toddler dressed in a festive outfit throwing a temper tantrum by Santa's feet.  Ok maybe I am being a little dramatic but it was definitely not what I expected.  We have finally encountered a person that Dora did not feel compelled to jump up and lick on the face.  In fact she did not want to get within 3 feet of him.  Finally with the help of a treat we were able to get a couple of good pictures.

Merry Christmas From the Aldrich Family!

Tis the Season

The holiday season is upon us and I am loving it.  Everywhere I look there are Christmas lights, Christmas trees, and poinsettias.  Local radio stations are playing Christmas music nonstop and the local shops are filled with shoppers....thanks to a cold front it even feels like Christmas in Miami.  As we prepare for the upcoming holidays I have been flooded with memories of Christmases passed.

Growing up Christmas was always a production.  Shortly after Thanksgiving my Mom covered every square inch of our house in garland, Santa figurines, red and green candles, and other holiday decor.  She would spend countless hours shopping for gifts and coordinating efforts with Santa while at the mall.  The house smelled of cookies and hot cocoa at all times.  On Christmas Eve we would pile in the car and drive around town looking at Christmas lights.  Before bed I would leave a huge plate of cookies out for Santa and then  try to sleep as I anxiously awaited his arrival.  I would awake every hour and ask my grandma if it was time to get up yet.  Eventually she would agree and wake up my parents.  There was always a pile of presents to open.  Everyone would sleepily open presents and then return to bed for a midmorning nap.  Later in the day we would have a huge feast and watch Christmas movies.  I am grateful for the way my parents sacrificed time, money and sleep to make us feel loved each Christmas.

Last year was the first year I did not spend Christmas with my family.  It was my first Christmas as a married woman and Scott and I spent Christmas in Dominica.  We chose to stay on the island for winter break  and enjoy the extra  time together...free of classes, exams and countless hours of studying.  We took advantage of the opportunity to explore our island home...but it was not your typical holiday.  We missed our family, friends and the usual holiday sights and sounds of the overly commercialized season.   I tried to make our apartment feel festive without traditional decorations...

Despite all of this we enjoyed Christmas very much.  We spent 2 nights at Fort Shirley, a hotel in the capital city Roseau where we hung out by the pool and watched movies.  We had a delicious Christmas Eve meal and enjoyed the decorations in the hotel.  

On Christmas day, after an unpleasant rental car incident, we called our loved ones and baked cookies together.  It was a memorable first Christmas.

This year I have been looking forward to our first American Christmas since at least July.  It did not bother me one bit to see Christmas decorations in stores before Halloween...in fact we watched the movie ELF while carving our jack o'lantern.  This is our second Christmas together but in many ways it feels like our first.  This year we are able to enjoy the typical sights and sounds and even start our own family traditions.  Last weekend we purchased our first Christmas tree, a fresh cut Fraser Fir,  along with lights and decorations.  Dora inspected the new household addition with enthusiasm assuming it was a new toy.  We still have to keep an eye on her lest she try to eat the branches.  

Before

After

This year we will spend Christmas in Baton Rouge with Scott's Dad, Patti and his little brothers.  In all the bustle and excitement I am trying to stay focused on the reason we celebrate the holiday.  It is not about the lights, or the decorations, or the gifts...it is about a little baby boy born in a manger.  It is a time to celebrate the gift of salvation and the life that it brings.  

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'"  Luke 2:8-12

Our hope is that each of you finds peace and joy during this Christmas season.

Adventures in San Francisco

 Last month Scott and I traveled to San Francisco for a 5 day getaway.  We had a great time visiting my amazing sister-in-law and seeing the sights.  This was my first time visiting California and I loved it!  The weather was chilly but sunny...a welcome change from the Miami heat.  We were able to relax for the first time in months and just enjoy each other's company.   We arrived Monday night at 11pm or 2pm EST.  We were tired which actually made it easier to get over the jet lag.

On Tuesday we spent the day with Jen.  After a leisurely breakfast we headed to Golden Gate Park.  Our first stop was the Conservatory of Flowers.  We toured the greenhouse and enjoyed the tropical flowers and plants.

This flower reminded me of Alice in Wonderland

Next stop was the Science Museum.  We arrived in time to watch the feeding of the penguins, walk through the Rain forest exhibit  and see a show at the Planetarium.

We ended the day with dinner at the Anchor Oyster Bar.  The restaurant was quaint and the atmosphere was warm and inviting.  The food was amazing...as was the company!

Wednesday morning we dropped Jen off at the airport for her trip to Houston.  Later that morning Scott and I headed to Napa Valley for some relaxation.  Leaving San Francisco turned out to be quite an adventure.  We missed an exit and ended up circling downtown for 45 minutes.  We were a little frantic and afraid of being late for the couples massage we had booked at Mais Oui Spa.  Thankfully we arrived on time...unfortunately we had to skip lunch in the process.  The massages were awesome; after an hour and a half we headed to our hotel relaxed and hungry.  There are few quick restaurants in Napa but  we found a little Caesar's nearby and picked up a $5 pizza for lunch.  

Since neither of us had been to Napa, I spent a lot of time researching our trip. I used TripAdvisor because we have found the reviews helpful in the past.  Scott was a little skeptical when I suggested we stay at a Best Western.  I assured him it had excellent reviews and did not look like the typical motel.  I think we were both pleasantly surprised when we arrived.  The Best Western Elm House is actually a large B&B.  We stayed in the guesthouse out back and our room was huge.  It also had a jacuzzi tub which was the main draw.  The concierge was super nice and even gave us a coupon for a free appetizer at dinner.

That night we had reservations at Ristorante Allegria.  It is a favorite of tourists and we were very pleased with our meal.  I had the gnocchi with pesto sauce and Scott ordered a saffron pasta with seafood and pumpkin sauce.  Both meals were delicious and very filling...although we did leave room for some gelato.  

On Thursday we slept in but still managed to get up in time for breakfast.  We enjoyed  yummy homemade waffles and fresh fruit in the hotel dining room.  Then we checked out and headed to Domaine Chandon for a tour of the winery.  Driving through Napa was beautiful.  The grape harvest was over and the leaves on the grapevines were deep shades of red, orange, and purple.  We both enjoyed the tour.  This particular winery specializes in sparkling wine (part of the Moet family) so it was neat to learn about the different processes for fermenting and storing sparkling wine.

We had planned to stay for a tasting in the restaurant but got a special treat.  On our way out the tour guide wanted to know if we had scheduled a sit down tasting...we had not.  She asked us if we wanted to join in any way since they has 2 extra spots.. .an offer we could not refuse.  It was a fun group and we enjoyed both the wine and the company.

Before we left Napa we stopped for lunch at a BBQ place called The Bounty Hunter.  I had the brisket sandwich and Scott had the ribs.  This was the first time in a year or so that either of us had BBQ and it definitely hit the spot.  The restaurant had a very impressive wine list but we decided to pass on another tasting.  On the drive back to San Francisco I realized I was coming down with a cold.  I had a sore throat and felt achy.  We did not have anything planned for that evening so we decided to head back to Jen's place and order in some Chinese food.

Friday morning I woke up feeling much better...just in time for the Alcatraz tour.  Alcatraz island is part of Golden Gate Park.  Volunteers help maintain the grounds and have done a beautiful job. 

Friday night we went to see Beach Blanket Babylon; a comical musical review of current events.  The show was very entertaining and the perfect end to our visit.  Afterward we grabbed a quick bite to eat at a nearby restaurant.

On Saturday we returned to Miami...but not before we had breakfast at a diner called Breakfast at Tiffany's.  It's your typical diner with yummy, greasy food and fun atmosphere.  I think I can safely say this was our favorite vacation to date and I look forward to many years of traveling together.

In case you are wondering where Dora was while we were away.  Don't worry she had a little vacation of her own.  She stayed with our friends Mark and Christine..and their pup Mason.  She was treated like a princess and even allowed to nap on the couch.  She had a great time with her new friends  Mason and Kirby and was a little sad to return home.