Golden Gate Gwilliam's

 Our annual family vacation this year was in San Francisco.  We were so excited to learn that all of the kids would be able to take a few days off from work so we could all be together!  Ty, Amy and Lily flew and were picked up by Jim and Kathie.  Scott and I drove with Landon, Lauren and Richie, and spent a night on the way in beautiful South Lake Tahoe.

When we arrived in the Bay area, we drove to Pacifica, right on the Pacific Ocean, about 15 miles south of San Francisco.  We rented a beautiful home in the hills above the beach which was large enough to accommodate our entire family together, and provided a beautiful view.

We spent our first full day together in San Francisco by making a trip down Lombard Street, and then we took a boat to Alcatraz.

 The kids were really good while we took the tour, and then we headed to Pier 49 for lunch at Bubba Gumps,

 and a twirl around the Merry-Go Round.

 We walked the wharf area and somehow ended up at Ghirardelli Chocolate, and had to slip in there for an ice cream treat.  Or two.

Back at the house, we had a lot of time to relax and enjoy one another's company.  Gavin played air hockey with grandma by standing on the cooler so he could block my shots.  If I was lucky enough to slip one in, he immediately complimented me, "Nice shot, Grandma."

 The cousins got to play lots of games together,

 And the grownups got to relax and unwind.

The next day, we went to a family favorite...The Exploratorium, which continues to intrigue the kids as much as when they were young.

 Landon was asked to model for a display that is being developed for all of the exhibits which are moving to a new location at Pier 15.  So, the next time we go there, we'll go find the display that he'll be featured in.  Today.... Exploratorium Exhibits.  Tomorrow....The cover of GQ.

 Grandma and Gavin pose for a silly picture....

 The group had a great time in some of the sound and music exhibits.

 Saturday, the four boys took surfing lessons.  It was chilly!  But the instructors got them all suited up in full wet suits and shoes.  The boys said the only thing that got cold was their hands!  You can see the group in the photo below listening intently to their instructor.   Our rental home is in these hills.

 Grandma and the boys didn't want to miss out on the fun, so we snuggled up together in a blanket on the beach to see the surfing show!

 All of the boys did great....my camera zoom wasn't too spectacular....but they all got up for long periods of time and surfed for 3 hours!

 That evening, Richie got some great practice in fatherhood, as one by one, each of the kids climbed up onto his lap for a story.  And he is a GREAT story teller!

 No trip to San Francisco would be complete without a ride across the Golden Gate Bridge...

 and then we drove into the Muir Woods, where the kids took the loop through giant redwoods.

Finally, it was time to say good bye!  The cousins shared a little kiss (they'll hate this picture some day), and then Ty & Amy were off to the airport.

 The rest of us went and saw Jim & Kathie's apartment, enjoyed lunch at On the Border, and then went on a tour of Stanford University and got to see Jim's lab.  Of course, while we were in Mountain View, a trip to Google was vital, and Richie fell before his Android idol to worship.

The Google campus was huge, and every building had a set of Google Bikes like these out in front....employees just hop on when they need to ride to a different building, and park the bike there.  Pretty cool.

We played a game I call "Tic Tac Tire" that my friend Jody taught me.  Every time our car stopped, from the time we left our driveway until the time we returned, we would check to see whose initial was touching the pavement.   Each passenger had a different color of Tic Tacs to put in a jar each time their initial touched the ground.  Whoever had the most tic tacs at the end of the trip won $50!!

 Lauren had better luck than anyone I have ever seen... her initials were consistently touching the ground!  Congrats Lauren....that's a well deserved bonus for riding in a car for hours in your condition!!!

 I love my family, and the time we get to spend together.  Thanks, kids, for a great trip.