California Dreamin'

Hi Everyone!

We just got back from a trip to California! Mama had to go to the San Francisco area for training for her work and me and dada tagged along for the ride! I was a really good girl on the LONG airplane ride. When we left New Jersey it was snowy and 32 degrees, but when we landed in San Francisco it was sunny and 65! We had great weather all week! I got to do a lot of fun stuff with mama and dada. I'll tell you all about it as you look at my pictures! I hope you enjoy them! Love, Gracie.

Our only family picture -- at Half Moon Bay, CA

After we landed we went to Fisherman's Wharf and ate fresh seafood!

I saw lots of fishing boats. It made me think of Uncle Sonny.

Then we went to see the sea lions at Pier 39. They sounded like dogs.

Then I went on my VERY FIRST merry-go-round ride with mama! I chose the giraffe.

Then we walked up a really steep hill to see Lombard Street.

Dada pushed me all the way up the hill.

I got really tired from walking up all the hills.

Then we saw the golden gate bridge, except it was a little foggy.

I like fountains.

And then I watched some hippies roller skate.

And then dada took me to Stanford University and we saw lots of palm trees......

...and a really cool church right in the middle of campus.

Dada and I did a lot of walking around, and it made me really sleepy.

But then I woke up and made a new friend!!!!

And then I ate an apple.

I went to visit some trees! They were really big. (That's me and mama at the bottom)

Then we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium and I saw some colorful fish.....

......but my favorite was the jellyfish.

Then I got to see the Pacific Ocean!

Thanks for taking us to this beautiful park in San Francisco, Loren!

We saw a beautiful sunset in Santa Cruz!

Happy Birthday, Dada!!

Happy 30th Birthday to the best Dada in the world. Love, Gracie

11 MONTHS OLD

Happy 11 months, Grace! This was an unforgettable month. Celebrating Christmas with Grace was really special. She was a trooper seeing lots of family and friends. Grace got her seven tooth this month, had her first fever (we are lucky it took this long) and waves to everyone including Uncle Steve and strangers. She also points at everything, from Mickey on TV to every light in our house. Grace loves to play peekaboo and claps when she gets excited. She is a crawling machine and stands up holding on to anything in site. She also learned her first animal sound, the sheep says BaaBaa (well a dog, cat and cow also say Baa too).

We can't believe she is almost a year. As always we are so blessed to have a happy and healthy baby girl.

Love,
Ben, Tara and Grace

Playing in the snow

Not very happy at first...

Now I'm happy

Dada made me my first snowman

Christmas with the Schroeder's

My first Elmo doll

Kisses for George

I love my Howdy Cow from Uncle Josh

Pheobe looking pretty in her dress