Summer Vacation 2016: Part 2 of 3- I left my heart in SF

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.

Summer Vacation 2016: Part 2 of 3- I left my heart in SF

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 father and father 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.

Summer Vacation 2016: Part 2 of 3- I left my heart in SF

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 father and father 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.

CA Summer Trip 2015

I love California. Maybe I've elevated it after having lived elsewhere for the last 12 years, but once I step out of the airport and breathe in that distinct Bay Area air, I'm home. It's like I can finally take a deep breath. More than any other place I've lived, Wichita suffocates me. The hot, humid summers can be debilitating. Everyone is always looking at everyone else with a nose in your business. It's a small town.

But in California, I just feel free. Sure, you might be stuck in traffic part of the time, but you can either look at the Bay or the mountains while you're waiting. Who needs a big house with a yard when you can be outside all year long? And the diversity! People, food, fashion, language...

I will never ever take our visits home for granted. I feel so grateful that I can regularly expose my children to life outside our midwest island. So when we go to CA, we hit it hard.

Even if it means getting up at 4 AM to catch a flight to paradise.

Can I just take a second to mention how much easier it is to travel with my kids this year? It's remarkable. The last two hurdles to a completely easy travel life are the boosters and Maia's unwillingness to try new foods. Once we've gotten over those, we're traveling internationally!

We spent some time with Aleks' dad in Oakland. We ate a bagel that actually tasted like a bagel. Not those powdery, light things you get in a grocery store in Kansas. A proper dense, chewy, flavorful bagel.

We experienced the Alameda county fair, where Aleks enjoyed a turkey leg. Unlike a good bagel, you can get those in Kansas.

These girls love their Gramps. Especially since he gave them Barbies. *cough, cough* Thanks Gramps.

We drove through the Caldecott tunnel quite often and Aleks told the girls if they could hold their breaths from one end to the other, a wish would come true. When David gave the girls their Barbies, Ruby said with wide eyes "my wish came true!"

We spent the 4th in Alameda and went to the Alameda parade, which was delightful and fun and everything a parade should be. Aleks' aunt and uncle drove up from LA to see us and it was really nice to have our girls get to know them better.

Maia has got some pretty funky moves.

My brother's band, Vinyl Station is the opener for the opener on the Rob Thomas national tour this summer. As they travelled through the Bay Area, my mother-in-law graciously agreed to house them for a couple of nights. We unexpectedly and happily ended up sharing the house, giving us some quality time with my brother and his band. We all grilled together on the evening of the 4th and were able to see the fireworks from Danni's backyard. It was a really fun night and I'm so so grateful to have had that time.

The next morning we went to brunch with my grandma and aunt and uncle who are all delightful and happy and healthy and whom we don't get to see nearly enough.

The older I get, the more and more I resemble this lovely lady.

We had a few hours to kill so Aleks and I decided to swing by the winery where we got married. It was still there! And looked smaller than we remembered. What is it about things like that? Maybe the largeness of the event grows the memory or perception of the reality. We left with two bottles of wine  and happy memories.

Then we jetted over to see my grandfather who let the girls swim in his gorgeous pool while we sat and talked.

He also amazed them with his trumpet. We might have a future trumpeter on our hands.

We slept for a little bit and the next day, when we woke up, Danni took us to the Boardwalk! I think the last time I went to the Boardwalk was in middle school with a church group and I couldn't decide who I had a crush on, James or his friend. And I laughed so hard on one of the rides that I peed a little. Ah, memories.

I had forgotten about the rings on the carousel. I could have ridden that thing all day trying to get the rings in the clown's mouth. I did manage to grab two rings on one pass several times. I felt like a teenager again.

We ended the day on the beach. As we were leaving Maia said "can we go to the beach everyday? but let's find one that doesn't get sand everywhere."

Our final big adventure we had was to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge on bikes. We did this last year and all agreed it was one of the best days of our lives.

This year was different, of course. It was still a wonderful day. There was fog and mist and less sun. Not that we minded one bit.

Both girls rode tagalongs, which meant no one had to drag a trailer behind them.

But then I decided that we should bike all the way to Tiburon. It was only lunchtime and when do we get to enjoy the Bay like this?

I should have doubled checked the mileage. We ended up biking 22 miles without sunscreen or water. We all had sore sit bones the next day and I ended up with a nasty sunburn on my back and hands.

It was still a magical day that was topped off by Maia pulling out a tooth!

We had a busy, marvelous time and yet didn't get to see a fraction of the family and friends that we would have liked to visit. I could have spent a few more days at the beach too.

Now we're back in Kansas, where the sky is big, the houses are affordable, and the traffic is non-existent. I'll be dreaming about our California adventures for the rest of the summer.