Day 2 2016

Sunday was spent exploring the city of San Francisco.  While the kids slept, Harvey and I started the morning watching our campus pastor preach while we got ready (yeah for technology and the time zone difference :).  We tried to get tickets to Alcatraz, but they were booked for the next few days.  We were disappointed as we had heard it was very moving, but we were still thankful to just enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of this very interesting city!  We got to see the USS Pampanito submarine (which was fun for our younger kids since we just performed a musical about a submarine :) and watch some very hungry sea lions. We went to Fisherman's Wharf and ate at one of their booths.  It was a little stressful and humorous to say the least for Harvey to order for the seven of us with his southern accent.  If you have ever seen the "Soup Nazi" episode of the tv show "Seinfeld," you would understand.  I kept waiting for the lady taking our order to finally yell at him, "NO SOUP FOR YOU!" Thankfully she did not, and we got to enjoy her clam chowder! Ha! 

(Waiting for our soup :)

Later, after much more walking, we enjoyed the tastes and smells of Ghirardelli Square.  We are just enjoying being together and talking...and the really good ice cream.  At the end of the day, we drove and walked a bit to enjoy yet another view of the Golden Gate Bridge. The views of this bridge never get old! 

We ended our day with a quick visit to the Oracle arena in Oakland.  Benjamin is a HUGE Stephen Curry fan (who is from NC and plays for the Warriors).  The security guard was nice enough to let us in the parking lot so we could take his picture.  We laughed when we looked at the marquis and saw that Adele was coming in concert in August.  Oddly enough, Benjamin really likes Adele (well, at least her song "Hello").  So, poor guy, he was at the arena and missed both Stephen Curry and Adele!

(Benjamin at Oracle Arena (on the sign in front of the arena it has a pic of one of the Warriors and on the bottom it has a pic of Adele-too funny)

The scenery here in Northern California is beautiful; it reminds us some of Texas, but has rolling hills and mountains. Some places have reminded us of the big island of Hawaii.  God's creation is amazing!