Finn

Just some quick cute photos of baby Finn from tonights wonderful dinner with Stian's family.






Grandma and Finn hanging out in the blanket I made for him.
















Hanging out in the blanket













Reading with Uncle Stian

Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo

A quick trip squeezed in before I head on out to Hawaii tomorrow. This post is short as officially I am packing (unofficially i'm watching a movie.....but should be packing).

We headed out to Santa Cruz on Friday afternoon. Stian was a great tour guide, did the quick tour around the university, the seafront, beaches, walked around town then ended the tour with some arcade games on the broadwalk. Needless to say, arcade games have somewhat advanced since either of us last played and we failed miserably at all, even the pin ball!

On Saturday we kept on going south to San Luis Obispo to visit some of Stian's high school and college friends. Had a burrito lunch, a nice walk and even some bowling in the evening - really fun. This morning we then met up with Kelly, Dave and little Lance for breakfast and a walk around the town, then back to Oakland for dinner with Stian's family.

Both places were a lot of fun and i'm so glad I got to see a little more of both California and Stian's past stomping grounds. Thanks for taking me baby!

Tomorrow 8.30am I'm off to Hawaii. Guess I better pack huh.....








Santa Cruz broadwalk














San Luis Obispo











San Luis Obispo pelican











Stian, Kelly, Lance and Dave












High school and college friends reunite.....with a few "new" extras in there too....

A name...

Ruby Erica Phillips........very cute....congrats again to Jamie, Rachel and big sister Lauren.

pps.....

.......Baby Phillips is STILL baby no-name........by New Years maybe????

Merry Christmas!

A day late, but there we go - just shows I have in fact been relaxing enough not to check my email and computer every five seconds - and as everyone who knows me will know, thats a total miracle in itself.

Had a wonderful day with Stian and family, hope you all had good ones too!

(Carlo and Bella entertaining us after some present opening).

And......

.....come on baby Phillips.......kick mum and dad into giving you a name before christmas huh......

Golden Gate, Muir Woods and Sausalito

Yesterday we did a tourist day. Originally the plan was to go into San Fran for a wander around, but the weather was so nice we decided to go up to Muir Woods instead - good call Stian! My beloved sherpa drove me over the Golden Gate Bridge, stopped to take photos and walk a little on the bridge, then on to see the giant redwoods. This was the one place i wanted to go this December and I have to say, although most of the trails were closed, it did not dissapoint.

Though less than an hour away from SF, to be amongst the giant trees, the smell of the outdoors and more than anything else just the quiet (i'd forgotten how much noisier living in a city is.....guess I'll just have to get used to that one in Honolulu huh....) was just amazing. To look at the giant Coastal Redwoods that have been standing many tens of feet high since way before my great grandparents were born puts a perspective on life and is really the crux of why I love the outdoors and really need those visits often.

I usually spend my time running around in the car, many hours reading and writing email, talking on the phone, getting stressed about running late, missing appointments, getting the latest gadget or not making enough money. Yet amongst those giant trees it reminded me that slowing down is not the end of life and that you really don't need all those things to survive. Here is a tree that has lived in the same way for a thousand years, going at the same pace, no new fangled way to take up those nutrients, just the same pace of life that it's parents had and in fact since time began. Not that I don't appreciate progress, I just feel sometimes that we've gone on way too far out the other end and need to start migrating back to a simpler, and so hopefully longer and happier, life. Thats my plan anyway.

The Golden Gate Bridge, my first "real" sighting, as every other time i've been to SF, it's always been obscured by fog....










Stian was trying to teach me the finer points of taking the self portrate.......well I still chopped the top off the Golden Gate.....













On the bridge...













In the trees.......ever the scientist....Stian for scale.....

Just hanging out...

Just hanging out in Oakland, ahhhh. Last night we went to Stian's parents christmas party which was fun, other than that just went for some low-key shopping in the afternoon. This morning Nicola, Lala, Finn and I have been hanging out while Mike and Stian painted the house. After looking at photos of Riley (I miss you Riley!) and playing with my new phone we played with playdough (god I love playdough) and now it's nap time. Who knows what is up for the afternoon, there is a sense of lethargy around.

So here is Lala and I (taken by Nicola), talking to each other on my two phones. And wearing a pair of Emma's pink trousers (which Emma grew out of) that made me miss the Shank family today too...:0(


AND PS - Baby Phillips still has no name....come on guys!

Babies everywhere!

Babies babies everywhere!

I just found out today that my friends Diane and Dan had their wee one last week - Dahlia Maribella (and soooooo adorable she is too) - congrats guys - AS WELL - as early this week my cousins Jamie and Rachel had their baby girl (as yet no-name) - congrats guys, and as well to Lauren on being a big sister!

Back from Tahoe...

We up and left for a long (looooonnnnggg) weekend up in Tahoe. Stians family have a condo up there, so we went up and hung out for five days and although we were somewhat lazy (well very lazy), still had a great time just relaxing, recouping and watching movies. To me that is probably the most snow i've seen in a really long time, to Stian it was just a mere sprinkling. Somewhat appropriate though - I just heard today the Cape is snowed in with a storm and WHOI had a day off work!

On sunday we went out to Northstar resort to do some skiing. I had my second ever ski lesson and in the afternoon met up with Stian, went up a ski lift and reminded myself that I really can't ski, and have the bruises to prove it. Monday was a chill out at home day, did some catching up on work, books, went for a wander around Truckee, took the scenic route home. Tuesday we had a lazy morning, then went for a cross country ski in the afternoon - that was alot of fun, though I again reminded myself that coming downhill on skis is not (yet) my forte. Weds we then headed back into San Fran after a West Wing watching morning while tidying up the condo. Some pics from the short trip....





Stian in style.....just before he got ran into and taken down.......









Kings Beach, on the shore of Lake Tahoe.....look snow!








Awwww........

Finn

LaLa's baby brother arrived yesterday - Finnian Luca - 7lb 13oz - all doing well, totally adorable and came home from the hospital today. Congrats to Nicola & Mike & Lala too!

LaLa was so excited when she found out last night (while staying at grandma and nonno's house) "Uncle Stian, Uncle Stian....my baby sister is a boy!".......


Uncle Stian with his new nephew.....who is indeed a boy.....

Ahhhhh......

...a sigh of relief maybe. I'm here, i've finished packing and i've started chilling, which is really nice. I'm not as much of a mess as I thought I would be either, I guess I was just a mess while packing and it's lifted now i'm finally at that point.

So i'm now in Oakland, staying with Stians sisters family and having a fabulous time. Their baby has not yet appeared, due date was yesterday, but he/she is still holding out. I've been hanging out with Lala who has been playing her guitar, showing me all the things for her new little sister/brother and being as cute as usual.

Today Stian is over in Berkely dealing with opticians, so i'm hanging out with the girls, and we're about to go out on a play date. Nothing quite like hanging out with kids to make you chill.....:0)

....how to keep a 3 yr old entertained? PhotoBooth on the Mac of course.....:0)