I'm writing this while lying in bed in the dark. My daughters finally fell asleep in the bed next to me. I can understand why it took them awhile to unwind; I told them they could have as many desserts as they wanted. It's not everyday you go to your first buffet at a casino. In hindsight, maybe there was another way we could have commemorated our stop in Reno.
We drove east this afternoon and melancholy settled on my shoulders as the bay became farther and farther away. My mood didn't improve as we entered Nevada. I think part of my soul died walking around Circus Circus. I must admit, the dog show did bring a smile to my face. And of course the girls acted like we were at Disneyland.
Aleks and I always leave the Bay Area feeling both like we stayed just the right amount of time and that we barely scratched the surface of people to see and things to do.
Family is always a priority.
It's been ages since I've visited Golden Gate Park and I didn't realize the aquarium was so nice.
I had read about Seward Park and the concrete slides there, so I was surprised and excited to find them at Golden Gate Park as well. It's a miracle more children don't get wounded on this death trap. However, the well used scraps of cardboard left at the bottom of the slides, the dog running up and down the stairs, the gaggle of parents at the bottom watching their kids take a turn, and my kids' delight will forever be etched in my mind.
Tilden Park is always a favorite. It's got everything: steam trains, carousel rides, and ice cream! Pro tip: Find the circular bench on the merry-go-round. It spins like the tea cups at Disneyland.
The Bay Area loves its pizza and ice cream and have figured out how to do them well.
Nana snapped this pic while Aleks and I were on a sushi date. Oh that we lived closer to family. Look how happy they are.
I love how they gravitate toward each other in sleep. Forever entangled, these two.
Riding bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge has become a favorite tradition. This was our third year and as fun as ever. I must say, pulling a 7 year old on a tag-a-long was a challenge. I told Aleks that we need to wait to do this again until our girls can ride their own bikes.
"Are you panting mom? You're just pulling a 7 year old with an adult sized helmut!" This was during a rather intense climb. I really wanted to cuss.
Ice cream with Gramps afterward was well deserved.
"You know mom, I think Ruby and I are starting to get the hang of sharing a bed!"
Tomorrow we drive to Utah where lots of relatives on my side of the family will gather for a biennial family reunion at Snowbird. I have so many good memories from my childhood of this place and my cousins. Driving toward that makes leaving CA just a little easier.
No comments:
Post a Comment