Trains, Planes and Automobiles

I really hope your Holidays were as good as mine.  Jane's smile says it all.  We are exhausted though, having traveled from Here to There and Back Again.  We took nearly every mode of transportation possible, and the jet lag is still hanging on for dear life.

We flew out on Christmas Day, and returned New Year's Day...which were surprisingly pleasant days to travel on due to the lack of people out and about.  The airport/airline employees were actually quite jolly and fairly cheerful (at least on Christmas) and security was a breeze to slip through.

We arrived in a "slightly" sunny California, and the cool 54 degrees seemed downright warm compared to the single digits we had just come from.  One of my favorite parts of traveling to California during December (besides picking the-best-oranges-anyone's-ever-eaten off the tree in my in-law's back yard) is the chance to see green foliage again after about two months of seeing dead grass and brown, bare branches.

(Brothers at Breakfast)

It was great seeing family members that we hadn't seen in nearly 3 years.  Jane met her cousin Natalie for the first time, and the two (who are just under 2 years apart from each other in age) got along so well. 

They called each other 'friend'...

...made brownies together...

...and dressed up in their finest.

We traveled into San Francisco, which is a city I adore.  I always wish I had more time to spend there. As we drove across the Bay Bridge, the City was floating in a cloud of mist.  We could see nothing but fog until the bridge twisted into the center of the city, at which moment the clouds lifted and towering glass buildings leaned over us clinging onto the hillside.   

We took a boat out on the Bay and traveled to Sausalito where we ate lunch at a sidewalk cafe before heading back into the city.

Let's not forget to mention, of course, that we passed the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz on the way there.

Once we debarked, we walked from Pier 1...

...all the way down to Pier 39, and "Fisherman's Wharf", where we saw the infamous sea lions lounging lazily on their floating docks.  We rounded out our long day with a view of this beautiful sunset and a hearty Italian meal in "Little Italy."

The rest of the week was spent visiting old friends and spending quality time with Jane's grandparents; eating together, doing crafts, playing games and traveling to the Zoo...to name a few things.

The jet lag was definitely worth it!