It Really is a Small World!

Here is a story for you. Today I was sitting in Sacrament Meeting. The topic for the day was on the importance of the Church Educational System (CES): Institute and Seminary. When who should be our main speaker? My 9th grade Seminary teacher Bro. Draut. He is now the CES director for the Lansing, Michigan area. How weird is that. He taught his first year of Seminary at American Fork Junior High School, which happened to be my first year of Seminary and my first time to really study the Book of Mormon. That was one of my favorite Seminary classes and teachers. (In Utah, we have released time during our regular school day and, so we don't have to get up early.) To this day, when I'm using my old seminary scriptures, I still use some of the notes and markings that he taught and had us put in. I realized today that in the Church it really is a small world.

San Fransisco Here We Come!

That's right, Ryan and I took a vacation without most of the kids (we took Rachel along). Ryan had to go on a business trip to San Fran, so I tagged along and left Morgan with Zach and Lori, and the Triplets with Brittney. It was great having only one child for 4 days. When we got there, my dear husband had invited my Mom and Chris to come along. They were there waiting for us at the baggage claim and it was a nice surprise.


After leaving the airport and checking in, we drove over the Golden Gate Bridge into Sausalito (I think that's how it is spelled). We saw some really cool military bunkers and great views of the bay area.


While Ryan was working, Mom, Chris and I shopped and walked along Fisherman's Warf. There was a lot to see and since it is a tourist trap a lot to buy. I recommend Peir 39 at the Fisherman's Warf, the Sourdough place right there on Peir 39 (I don't remember the name), Bubba Gump Restaurant, and Ghirardelli Square. They were fun to see.


Peir 39 also has just acquired a bunch of seals. They began to arrive in 1999 and have never left. Now they are protected. You can watch them, but your not allowed near them and you aren't supposed to feed them.


This was Rachel during our visit to the seals. She sat, played and napped in her stroller for 3 days. She was such a little trooper. We just plumb wore her out.


Grandma Jean Ann looking out over the seals.

Alcatraz Island

On Friday, we all went to see Alcatraz. My mom and I had been there before, but it was Ryan and Chris' first time. They loved the history and stories behind the bars.


Alcatraz Island


This is what you see when you get off the ferry. It is the main square.


The is cell block D for the more hardened criminal.


This is Isolation. I don't think I want to go in there.


This is the veiw of the bay.



This is a regular cell on cell block C. Actually this is one of the cells that 3 prisoners tried to escape from using fake heads. They were never heard from again. Did they escape or did they drown?


Another view of the bay.


This is looking out at where the Guard living quarters used to be. Now they are just piles of rubble.


This is Rachel getting tired of looking at old bricks. Actually she was very good and only fussed when tired, hungry or when we weren't pushing her around.


This is me going down hill with the stroller. It was steep and boy are my shins killing me but it was fun.

Oakland Temple and Coit Tower

After Alcatraz, we visited Coit Tower and then went to Oakland to see the temple. Coit tower had a great view of the Bay, and I just realized that we didn't get a picture of the actual tower, just the bay. It took us a few wrong turns to find the temple without a map, but Ryan got us there safely.



Us infront of the Oakland Temple.


This is us at Coit Tower. The Tower is up on a hill and you can see San Fransisco from all directions.

AT&T Park and McAfee Stadium?

We went to a Giants game (Wed night) and an Oakland A's game (Friday night). The nights were nice and breezy, the games not very exciting, and the stadiums interesting (AT&T park is a lot nicer than McAfee Stadium), but Ryan gets to check two more stadiums off his list of ball parks to visit.

Our Pretend Dragon

Morgan and the triplets were pretending that a Dragon was coming to our house. Jaxen was a little nervous and was shocked to hear it growl and beat its wings. Here is a cute video of them pretending.

Gracie's Fro

Humidity does not love Gracie. Gracie was blessed with blond curls, however, they become very unruly in the humidity here in Michigan. I comb them once and sometimes twice a day, but they always seem to end up in a huge bushy bird's nest. Gracie didn't want her picture taken, but I couldn't resist.