Jason's B-day Pics

Christopher helping his Dad unwrap presents!

December 22nd...25 years ago today...

JASON WAS BORN!!!

December 22nd was Jason's birthday. He'd been in finals that week and I was determined to make the 22nd his most awesome birthday...I'm not sure if it worked, but I think it came close.

Jason was at the lab very late on Thursday night...so Friday morning at 2AM he called me to ask me to come pick him up since BART had stopped running at midnight. I went into the city and picked him up and then drove by the 24hour Starbucks to start out celebrating his birthday! It was great! Then the next day his 2D Animation Final Project was due so he was out and in the city all day till late afternoon.

Jason's Aunt Lisa came over about 6:30 to watch Christopher for the evening so Jason and I could go out. This was the second time that we have gone out as a couple since Christopher was born! The first time was in June when Jason's parents visited and kept Christopher so we could go to a Holy Hour together.

For Jason's Birthday Date I planned the night...He enjoys Japanese food, so I found a really great Japanese Restaurant on Sutter and Taylor Street in the city. We took BART into San Francisco and walked up Powell Street - the major shopping street. It was decorated for Christmas and filled with shoppers.

The food was really awesome at the Japanese place. We got Teryaki and Tempura... I ate with chopsticks for the first time! The server kept offering me a fork though...so I'm not sure I did a very graceful job. lol

After our dinner we went back to Powell and walked around a few shops near Union Square. It was a beautiful time of year to "browse" though everything in that area of town was super $$$ priced.

About 9:50 we made a beeline to Westfield Mall and got Hagaan Daas Ice Cream near the foodcourt and then went to the top floor of the mall which has a dome and tables/chairs/couches. Since it was mostly deserted due to the late hour, Jason and I easily found a comfortable couch to enjoy our ice cream on. We had an awesome conversation about the past year...our favorite memories...worst memories...ways that we grew the most...want to grow the most...and much more. It was a memory I won't ever forget!

As we were getting ready to think about heading home the couch we were sitting on started shaking...as if someone was jumping on the other end! It lasted about 5 seconds and was gone. I asked Jason what it was and he told me I had experienced my first earthquake! It was only a 4.7...but an earthquake I won't soon forget.

All in all though...it was a perfect evening! I hope Jason enjoyed himself as much as I did. :)

2006 in review...

Manak Family Christmas Letter

2006

Dear Family and Friends,

2006 has been a busy and exciting year for our family! Starting out the year in Virginia, we’ve found ourselves in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina…a trip across the country and now California and the Pacific Ocean! Looking back over the year, Jason and I are blessed and humbled to see many ways that God has lead and guided our lives.

In March, Jason and I took a little vacation down to Tennessee to visit our friends the Fisher’s and then on to see my cute little niece, Shaelyn, and her mother Kim. It was awesome to visit with them! Then we traveled on to Savannah, Georgia…the city where Jason and I fell in love…and started dating. We visited with the Thigpen’s and saw many of the places Jason enjoyed including the cathedral and Fr. Clark, the priest Jason would write to me about and the Dojo and Sensei where Jason trained in Jujitsu. Then on our way back to Virginia we stopped in Charleston, South Carolina for a night and ate at a really good restaurant near the river. The next day, on our way home, we had lunch at an abandoned beach. It was a break we both needed and we returned ready to enjoy the coming of the new addition to our family.

The biggest highlight of our year was the birth of our firstborn son. Last year on September 23rd, we found out God had added a member to our family! The morning sickness was tough, but otherwise the pregnancy was healthy. It was such an awesome experience to feel our baby growing inside me. Even in the womb I could tell our baby was a very calm and loving child. On May 5th, we met our little son, Christopher Jason, for the first time! It was amazing for Jason and me to welcome our son into the world. I recovered quickly, but Christopher had to return to the hospital 5 days after his birth for some UV treatments over the next two days.

It was during the two days that Christopher was receiving his UV treatments that Jason was accepted to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California. It is the best school in the country for a Masters Degree in Computer Animation and quite an achievement to be accepted. After much prayer, we decided to go for the 2 year program. After the decision to go was made, God put everything else into place…literally. My friend, Shannon and two of her friends rented our townhouse and I was able to find a place online (thanks to Craigslist.com and God’s direction) for us to live in Pacifica, California, which is about 15 miles south of San Francisco City! American Life League also kept Jason employed even though he’d be working long distance while attending classes. It was so clear to us that this was where God was leading us!

In June, before the move, we went on the annual McCaffrey vacation to the beach! Mommom & Daddad, my Grandparents, rented a house in North Carolina on the Outer Banks for all of us to enjoy. It was Christopher’s first time on the beach! And he went right to sleep…which must have meant he loved it. Being together with family was such a joy and we created many wonderful memories that week.

In mid August, Jason drove across the country with his Dad while Christopher and I flew. We stopped in Denver, CO to visit Jason’s family and then continued to California. Our 2 bedroom apartment is about two blocks from Sharp Park Beach and overlooks Sharp Park Golf Course. It is so beautiful that it doesn’t really feel three thousand miles from our home in Stafford, Virginia…but more like a long vacation. Our Church is St. Dominic’s, a Dominican Monastery in the city of San Francisco. The priests are awesome and the choir is so beautiful. We are slowly meeting new people and making new friends.

Jason is really enjoying school at the Academy of Art. His teachers are amazing and so are his classmates and other contacts he is making. He met a couple of guys who worked on Cars, the newest film by Pixar, and a guy who worked at Disney for many years and helped make Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and the Lion King. Jason takes BART (the Bay Area Rapid Transit System – kinda like the metro) into the city 3-4 days a week. The school is located in the middle of the Financial District, which is one of the really nice areas in the city.

In October my brother, Duke, got married to a wonderful young woman, Amanda (Mandie). It was great to witness this joyful event! They went on their honeymoon to the Pocono Mountains and are now settled in Mount Jackson, Virginia. It was a lot of fun to go back to the East Coast and see family and friends.

This year for Thanksgiving, Jason’s family came out here as well as my friend, Shellie and her wonderful 8 year old daughter, Callie. It was so nice to see family and friends again…and to show off the surroundings of our new life. Thanksgiving weekend we went to Nevada to visit Grandpa Joe and Granmarie, Jason’s grandparents. It was an awesome visit and we even got to see snow over the Sierra’s on our way home!

Christmas we will be staying here…close to home…and enjoying our first Christmas as a small family! We are looking forward to getting our Christmas Tree on Gaudate Sunday and especially attending Midnight Mass at St. Dominic’s! Jason gets half of January off of school, so we are hoping to visit Lake Tahoe for a family weekend away in January!

We wish you all a very blessed and joyful Christmas and New Year! Please keep us in your prayers and may God bless you!

Love in Christ,Jason, Christen & Christopher Manak

Advent Pictures!

Here are a few pictures of the last couple weeks...especially Gaudate Sunday!

Our Christmas Tree! Without the bulbs...

Christ in the Manger!

No fireplace...guess the bookshelf will have to work!

Our Nativity Scene!


Christopher seeing the Christ Child! He gave him three kisses!

Christopher & garland!

Christopher and more garland. :)

You can almost see his two front teeth!

Our Advent Wreath...without the wreath!

This is our Advent Wreath this year. A funny story...I usually make the wreath from extra tree clippings...but our tree didn't have any extra this year, so we have a pretty modern Advent Wreath. :(

Gaudate Sunday!

Last Sunday was Gaudate Sunday...and we decorated for Christmas! It was a weird Sunday because Christopher was up all night Saturday night cutting his second tooth...so he has his two front teeth for Christmas! We ended up sleeping in late (till about 1PM!) with Christopher. When we got up we went and picked out our tree at Santa's Tree Farm in Half Moon Bay (South of us about 15 miles). Jason cut our perfect selected tree down and tied it to the top of our car. Christopher, still working on cutting that tooth, was not at all amused or comforted by the process. When we got home Jason pulled the tree up over the deck and into the living room. It was a bit bigger than we imagined it being while at the farm admist a forest of trees! But it is beautiful! Jason did a wonderful job putting the lights on the tree. We then went to the candle-light Mass at St. Dominic's! A Sunday of Joy indeed!

This week has been finals for Jason...and his last one is due today! Instead of final tests, he has final projects. His final in Miya, the 3D package he uses, was Tuesday. Then Wednesday was his final in computer animation and today his final 2D animation project is due! Today he also turns 25!!! He was at the labs very late tonight...so late that BART (the metro system) had stopped working! So, Christopher and I drove into the city to pick him up. I then drove by the 24 hour Starbucks to celebrate his birthday...that was at 2AM in the morning!

When we got home I couldn't wait...so Christopher and I gave him his presents...

It seems the pictures won't upload now...I'll try again later! Happy first day of winter everyone!

Christmas shopping = Romantic date?

Sounds strange...but...it was just that! Jason had me meet him after his class on Friday evening at the intesection of Powell and 5th Street in San Francisco! Christopher and I rode BART into the city (quite an experience with a stroller and baby) and then met Jason in the lower level of Westfield Mall. This is a new mall and quite a sight to see. It's about 6 stories high and very clean, beautiful and expensive! We ate dinner at the food court - it was almost like a gourmet restaurant! Dinner was served on glass plates with real silverware. Christopher slept through dinner which gave the night an added bonus on my checklist. :)

After dinner we walked around for awhile and "window shopped" since everything was SUPER expensive. It was great to just be together though, experiencing everyone shopping for those they loved. We went into a little shop and got a present for Jason's grandmother and my grandmother...can't mention what it is here in case they ever peek at this blog! :) I'll tell after the 25th! Just suffice it to say I think they will both love it very much!

On the way out of the mall I broke my diet and Jason and I got Ice cream! It was SO yummy! Jason got a Mint/Chocolate ic cream cup with crushed oreo cookies and whipped cream! I got a Mocha ice cream sundae. It was so yummy! Christopher even loved tasting it. Then we headed home...

Tonight we went to St. Dominic's Advent/Christmas party! It was a lot of fun! The party started at 6PM with food/drinks and good company! At 7:30 we went up into the Church and sang Christmas Carols with the choir. It was so beautiful! Fr. Francis dressed up as St. Nick and Christopher loved his outfit and beard! :)

I've almost finished the Christmas Cards! What a big project! Hopefully you'll all be getting them soon! Tomorrow I'm going into the city and meeting Jason after his class so we can all go to the mall in the city. Jason's been there for some meetings with his professor and says it's really nice. Hopefully that will wrap up Christmas shopping!

Saturday I'll be making Christmas cookies to give away as gifts. It should be fun! Sunday we are getting our tree and decorating it...YAY Gaudate Sunday! I'll post pictures soon...

New Pictures...new friends...first Christmas!

This past Sunday my friend Jane, her husband Christopher and their baby David came to visit us from Peteluma, CA! It was great to see them. Our families have SO much in common! :)

Here is a picture of Christopher and his new friend David!

Christopher has been so much fun lately. He's now (almost) sitting up by himself! It lasts for about 10 seconds...then he falls on his face in front! He's grabbing everything...eating bananas...chewing everything else! He gets up on his hands and knees, but no crawling yet. He likes his highchair and Jumpy Jump. :) He also loves swinging! The following are a few pictures of Christopher...worn out from jumping!

Some Pictures!

BOUDIN SOUR DOUGH BREAD FACTORY

These were pictures of our visit to the Sour Dough Bread Factory with Shellie and Callie. Our table where we had lunch overlooked Alcatrez Island...it was a beautiful, fun day!

FISHERMAN'S WHARF
The Fisherman's Wharf was a great way to end our day in the city...we decenced to the pier just as the sun was setting.

SAN FRANCISCO ZOO

On Friday Callie, Shellie, Christopher and I went to the Zoo...here are a few pics!

The past 6 weeks...

OK! I've definitely dropped the ball on this blog! Things have been really busy...but I'm gonna write a long post to try and update everyone. ;)

The end of October we went back to Virginia for my brother, Duke's, wedding. It was awesome to spend time with family and see friends again...and all just in time for the beautiful fall leaves! Christopher was so great on the flights (there were 4 of them in all)! Jason came for several days surrounding the wedding, but Christopher and I were on the east coast for almost 2 weeks. We had great visits with so many people! In the end though, Christopher and I were very happy to return home to find a handsome Daddy waiting for us.

The day after we returned from the east coast, Jason took me out to the Cliff House. It is an awesome place for a romantic dinner! We took Christopher...and he wasn't too interested in sitting still as soon as our food was brought ( go figure ) so Jason and I took turns eating and walking him around. It was awesome though! Then we headed over to St. Dominic's for the Sunday night Candle Mass. It was the perfect way to end a perfect date!

After our return from the East Coast, I joined 24 Hour Fitness in Pacifica. It has been so awesome to go to the gym every day! It was something I definitely needed and it's been really good for Jason to have some quality Daddy only time with Christopher. Working out has helped me stay more positive. :)

Jason has taken up surfing!!! He really enjoys putting on a wetsuit and heading out to ride the waves. I will probably have him teach me in February...after I've finished getting off the rest of the weight from Christopher's pregnancy. :) Here is a picture of the beach where Jason surfs...LindaMar Beach, which is only several miles down the coast from our house.


My friend Shellie and her daughter, Callie, came out from Virginia for Thanksgiving! It was so awesome to spend time with them...showing them around our new life! On Thanksgiving Tuesday we went to LindaMar beach to watch Jason surf while eating Round Table Pizza (the best pizza ever). Callie, who is 8, and I ended up having a water fight! It was SO much fun!

On Thanksgiving Wednesday we went to the Bouldin Sour Dough Bread Factory for lunch and then spent the evening at Fisherman's warf. We had such an awesome time and Christopher was so good! :) I will post a few pictures on the next post.

Thanksgiving Day was so beautiful! Shellie, Callie, Jason, Christopher and I went to Chit Chat Cafe - a cafe on the end of the pier here in Pacifica - for some morning coffee and then took a wonderful walk on the beach. We arrived back home to find glorious smells of roasted turkey! After having an awesome dinner, Jason, Christopher and I went over to Jason's grandmother's house for dessert. Jason's parents, sister, brother and brother-in-law were all there for the holiday as well! It was an awesome day...full of wonderful things to be thankful for.

On Thanksgiving Friday Shellie, Callie, Christopher and I went to the SF Zoo. It was so amazing to see all the animals. It's a huge zoo, but very clean and beautiful to look at. The landscaping was amazing! After the Zoo I dropped Shellie and Callie off at the airport...and Christopher and I headed home for a nap. :)

Thanksgiving Saturday we went with Jason's family to visit his other Grandmother in Nevada. I'll post a picture in the next post of our visit. Now Christopher has met all three sets of his Great Grandparents! Jason's grandmother, Grandmarie, has a beautiful Catholic home! It was so wonderful to visit with family. There were allot of good laughs...many stories...memories... Jessica was there and is just barely starting to show...she is now 12 weeks pregnant!

The weather out here has been SO beautiful!!! November is definitely the most beautiful month so far in Pacifica. It's not very foggy and many days are clear blue skies with warm sun and light breeze! Yesterday we had a picnic on the beach...Yeah, that's right! We had a picnic on the beach in DECEMBER!!! Awesome! Here is a picture of the Pacifica Beach.

Christopher has been doing very well lately. He's very quickly learning to sit up...get on his hands and knees...and he's cut his first tooth!!! He's such a joyful baby and really enjoys play time with Mommy and Daddy. He's a nature boy...and loves laying on the deck watching the chimes and trees blow in the wind. His sleeping at night is still limited...guess he takes after his father!

I can't believe Christmas is only 3 weeks away! And advent just started! Oh, where does the time go! Our Church gave out some wonderful Advent materials. One is a little book that is full of daily preparation for Christmas. It goes into allot of the history of the key days leading up to Christmas. We are really enjoying the Dominicans!

On Saturday night we went to a Pro-life party in the city! It was awesome to meet wonderful people out here! It's the first event we've been to and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Anyways...enough ramblings for today. I'll get some pictures up shortly!