San Francisco

We took this trip to San Francisco with my family at the beginning of July. This is what my parents gave our family for Christmas last year instead of presents and I really like the idea - its something that will actually be remembered and it makes Christmas way less stressful! So thanks Mom and Dad! I like where we live but sometimes its fun to get out of Provo! And I can't think of more contrasting locations than Provo and San Francisco!

So here's all the stuff we did:

Nike Missile Site (only my dad can find this stuff!)





This site was active during the cold war. The tour guide said there was one stretch of 4 days where the soldiers were underground in this bunker just waiting for the command to push the button to launch (and start the "mutually assured destruction"). How comforting.


Driving across the Golden Gate Bridge




Touring WWII gun posts under a hill








My dad was enthralled with these:)


Emily was also thrilled as you can see:)


She'd rather take pictures to send to her fiance!



Touring boats on the piers










Anna in one of many of her mormon action shots:)


She was trying to point to Alcatraz behind us which is what i'm laughing at.




Savannah was obsessed with the little whale toy we bought her on the pier






loved this sign:)


Anna's mormon action shot #2:)




Eating clam chowder and harassing the birds at Boudins (which i totally recommend:)




Alcatraz - this was my favorite part of the trip - the tour is really well done.






they said a lot of prisoners got really good at knitting:)


one of the escape attempts climbed down this water tower.


this was another escape attempt - they made fake heads to put in their beds out of paper and glue and real hair.


This was the solitary confinement cell. The tour guide said it was the law to leave the lights on but the guards just turned them off anyway so the people in this cell would be left for days in the dark. One former prisoner said he would tear a button off of his shirt and throw it in the air and listen to where it landed and then search for it in the dark until he found it. He said he would play this game all day to keep from going crazy!


Here is the view from the rec yard - it would suck to be able to hear and see and smell San Francisco while being stuck on that island!






this is hole in the ceiling where soldiers dropped in granades during one of the escape attempts where 3 prisoners took the guards guns and killed several people. Because this happened they changed the laws to not allow guns inside some parts (i don't know if this is true everywhere or not).


This is where the granades landed




This is the Catholic mission and the original adobe church here is the oldest building in San Francisco. Here is the oldest building:






Of course David would point out the dead guys in the floor:)


This is the new chapel that is used today.


Still not sure what was up with this broom(?)


At Lombard Street








Ghiradelli Square




Savannah eating her chocolate


Fisherman's Wharf


Freezing at the beach












During one of many van rides






we made it


Chinatown










ha ha




Savannah in the china doll outfit Grandma bought her:)




So this was unfortunate!!!


So was this!


Emily was laughing so hard at me that she fell off the back!


There we go... this was the picture we were going for!


Savannah learned pretty quickly that all these grandparents and aunts were much more patient than mom...

They played uno for an hour with her




and let her slide down the stairs a hundred times


and sang songs to her


and took her outside all the time!


Saying goodbye at the airport