Hanna's Birthday, Jacob, and preparing for Christmas

Hard to believe, but Hanna is 14!!! We had a wonderful day of hiking, eating, and even swimming!


Maggie shows off her cast.



Jacob's visit was so wonderful! We loved having him here with us.
Carl and Lily and Maggie put on a show of the Christmas story, getting excited about celebrating Jesus' birthday.

November 2011

We had such a special Thanksgiving with the Olah family and Jacob here. We played charades, ate, and made music to thank the Lord.

Delicious turkey!
Trey introduced Lily and Lily read about the first Thanksgiving.
Hanna did a wonderful job setting the table and decorating the house.

Hanna, Maggie, Jacob and I spent the day in San Francisco.

We started off at Marin Headlands...Japanese Tea Garden (before 10 so it was free)!
Maggie tried to catch a fish.



Lombard Street and Pier 39
Coit Tower

Down the Embarcadero and through downtown to Chinatown. Lunch was delicious at Great Eastern.
Cable Car Museum
Shopping in Chinatown as the sun set
The Palace of Fine Arts
The city at night
Maggie and the sailor
Soup in bread bowls in Corte Madera at Boudin
Hanna had her first concert in the Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Preparatory Orchestra
Lily and Carl made sock puppets and put on a show for us.

We took Jacob to the coast.


Beautiful Magdeline and Johanna
Sweet Carl and Lilyana
Endless play at Doran
Carl and 3 of the kids took Jacob to Armstrong Woods.
The first ice skating of the year
Maggie made a sweet birthday card:

When Carl was gone I came home from the gym and found the kids dressed and doing memory work on the couch...perfect!
We enjoyed time at Corte Madera and dinner at Boudin with the Hunts when they came out to San Francisco for Graham's sister's wedding.

I loved meditating on John 15...Jesus said,

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser...Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

John 15:1; 4-5; 9-10

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