Yes, the Christmas season has officially begun and is already well-underway and we find ourselves with action-packed weekends all the way until the event itself. This past Saturday it was the local Parade of Lights which far surpassed anything we expected. The whole town turned out to line the streets as vehicle after vehicle drove by adorned with pretty, twinkling lights. We even had a live nativity and of course there was the not-unexpected giant illuminated RV pulling the not-unexpected giant illuminated cigarette boat which pretty much epitomises the mentality of the weird place in which we live (hellooooo, environment??).

It was actually a taster of what’s to come next week as the parade takes to the water- I really can’t wait for that one, it’s supposed to be an event that’s even more huge

As soon as the parade had passed our vantage point we hurried off and jumped in the car and headed down to the Peninsula to attend a holiday party. Yes, action-packed weekend. I worried at one point that it was going to be all too much for Baby Peach and that he would scream by the time we got there, but as always he was as good as gold.

I can’t believe he’s going to turn six months at the end of this week. Wow, the time has flown.

So it’s that time of year again when I find myself wracking my brains trying to think of a suitable present for The Man Who Wants Nothing And Has Everything, and that’s not just one gift to think of but two as the aforementioned also happens to have a birthday within two weeks of Christmas itself. Except this year that would be FOUR presents given that he now has a son and said son is too young to think up any gift ideas alone, let along shop for them. Four presents, seriously? I am so, so stuck here…

I myself am the opposite (although my husband would probably beg to differ). I am actually very easy to buy for as there is usually *always* something I can think of that I’d like. Note that I said “that I’d like” as to me that is what gift-giving is all about, giving something to somebody that they’d like, not necessarily what they need. It needn’t even be anything grand, it’s the thought that counts. If a surprise cup of latte brings a smile to someone’s face, then that’s a good gift in my eyes. But at the same time it’s nice to dream of the big things too- isn’t that part of what having a wish list is all about?

So, in case anyone (ahem) is wondering what might be on my wish list this year, here are some suggestions. Ok, ok, not all of them are exactly small but like I said, a girl can dream

1) DiorShow Black Out Mascara
2) Fortnum and Mason Hamper
3) The Pioneer Woman’s Cook Book
4) A selection of bath bombs from Lush
5) The Queen on Blu-ray
6) Canon G11 camera (although I’m happy to wait for the G12)
7) Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream
8) Bare Escentuals Smoky Eye Kit
9) Family History Journal by Graphic Image (*hint hint)
10) Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark
11) Chunky Fairisle Vest from American Eagle
12) Chroma Kimono Cardigan from Anthropologie (small)
13) Dr Hauschka Translucent Make-up (shade 01)
14) Wooden Tea Box (*hint)
15) Debrett’s New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners
16) Canon EOS 5D Mk II
17) Houses of the National Trust
18) Bootie slippers from Landsend (large) (*hint)
19) Starbucks Gift Certificate
20) Morning tea in bed

So those are just a couple of suggestions as to what I might like. That was easy enough. If only shopping for my husband were so simple…

So how about you? What’s on your wish list this year?

This is only my third one ever, no make that my fourth, but I think Thanksgiving might be my newest favourite holiday. I love that it’s on a Thursday so there’s a short working week, I love that Black Friday is the day after and everyone runs out to the sales, I love that after all the fun there’s still a weekend of relaxation making it a nice long holiday, and above all else I *LOVE* that when all the fun is over, there’s STILL THE EXCITEMENT CHRISTMAS TO COME! I love Christmas of course, but once Christmas Day is over with, the whole of Christmas is too…

This year we stayed local and went to visit friends in the city for a fabulous home-cooked dinner, *fabulous* being the word.

Turkey comas merged into deep sleep, and deep sleep led us into morning in San Francisco.

Morning football and morning play took us to a lazy late lunch in the mid afternoon.

And from lunch we went to Union Square where we waited in the cold…

…for this…

…to become THIS!

Followed by a trip around the sales (and a new outfit for Baby Peach), ending up on the seventh floor of Macys standing in line to meet Father Christmas.

All of that and there was still the weekend to go.

Yes, I love Thanksgiving.

Just when we think we’ve settled down into the swing of country life out here in the rural Bay Area and have discovered all that there is to discover, we find something else that makes us so happy that we have to pinch each other to make sure it’s real. Last weekend was another one of those examples.

Not ten minutes away from where we live is a lovely lake, surrounded by wilderness, with miles and miles of hiking trails. We stopped in our tracks to take it all in, yes, ten minutes away from where we live. Apparently this place is famous for its tarantulas, but we didn’t see any. That actually kind of made me glad. We looked at each other and smiled and agreed that we could not be happier with where we have moved to.

It was a big day for Baby Peach too- his first outing where he sat up in his stroller instead of lay down.

But then he fell asleep, so we reclined it all the way back down again.

He’ll get to enjoy it next time we walk there, we WILL be going back.

It’s just one of the many things around here that make me so happy that we moved xx

We like touchdowns. Unfortunately we don’t like how Michigan are playing the rest of the time though.

Finally after five nights of sleeping in the guest room so as not to keep the others awake with my coughing and night sweats, I return to the marital/family bed to find BOTH my husband AND child SNORING THEIR GUTS OUT.

Oh well. I probably won’t be getting much sleep anyway thanks to my third blocked duct in five days. At least it’s a different side tonight for a change but it’s proving to be a hard one to shift. Oliver and I worked together all day and I worked on it alone for two solid hours before turning in for the night but to no avail. Sigh. I’m now hoping that the sleep fairies will vanish it away by morning. But I suppose that can only happen IF THE BOYS IN THIS HOUSE WILL STOP SNORING. GAH!