SF Tour (AKA--How Many Stops Can We Make with 5 Kids In Tow)

Our day in the city started with the view from Twin Peaks. I have always loved coming up here with visitors because if you get a clear day (or even mostly clear like it was this time), you can see so much of the Bay from this spot.

We were missing Daddy-o and Bug who left on a backpacking trip the morning before.

(We're so glad my brother and his family came to play with us all week!)

Next stop: Golden Gate Park! 

We were going to just drive through it, but it was time for a lunch break and thanks to our SF adventures last summer, I knew the perfect playground to stop at.

The kids had so much fun on these slides.

And the carousel.

R loved her ride. This little girl is the sweetest, and I was so happy that unlike the last time I'd seen her, she actually liked me this time and would let me hold her and talk to her. In February, only Daddy-o was given that honor.

After our lunch stop, we drove out to the coast to the Sutro Bath ruins.

I thought this place was so cool when Daddy-o and I visited a few months ago, and I knew the kids would like it.

There were a LOT of birds there.

And a few harbor seals, too.

From their, we took a short hike to where we could see the Golden Gate bridge.

(It was a little weird to only have these two with me. I kept looking for Bug and feeling like I was missing someone.)

And then, we drove over to the Presidio, where we could actually walk on the bridge.

The 4 explorers.

View of the city.

The first tower. I've never walked any farther than this. While it might be fun to do the whole bridge someday, it is also so loud and the bridge shakes as the cars go by, which makes it a little nerve-wracking, especially with kids. So maybe it wouldn't be that fun.

Such a beautiful bridge.

Enjoying the view.

Bean had a lot of fun with her cousins.

Fisherman's Wharf for clam chowder and a little exploring in Musee Mechanique were next on the list. Peanut really wanted to try this vibrating chair. There are so many weird things in that place.

On the way to Ghiradelli Square, we found a pirate who everyone insisted looks like Daddy-o.

I think the kids liked ending the day with a little chocolate.

Pool Time

Swimming is always more fun with friends or family so we headed to the rec center one afternoon. It wasn't super hot, but most of the kids stayed in the water the whole time (and you can tell from the picture who I had a hard time getting a water shot of--the lack of body fat isn't fun in the water.)

The kids finished off the night with an amazing performance of a play they wrote.

There were pirates, and monsters, and treasure--all the makings of a great story.

Beach Time, Stickers, and Good Food

Beautiful coastal area!

 Tuesday was an adventure day. We drove up to Petaluma where the Mrs. Grossman's Sticker Factory offers tours. It was fun seeing the timeline of their stickers and finding all the ones I recognize from my sticker collection in the 80s.

We learned how they make stickers,

and collected a ton(and then the kids all bought more).

And then, we went to Point Reyes, where we realized that a stop at the beach was probably about all we really had time for with this group of kids. We'll have to come back for sure because there are a lot of hiking trails and I really want to see the lighthouse.

The kids ran and played for an hour or so, and I just took a million pictures. Beach pictures are my favorites.

And then, I realized that the drive home was going to take us through San Rafael, where we could get some amazing Puerto Rican food that I have been thinking about since we ate here 5 years ago with some friends. It was just as good as I remembered.