School, School, The Golden Rule

I'm doing a summer school of sorts, and this is the crew I'm working with. Mostly I'm trying to make it fun and break up the academic stuff with good things that they like. They're blogging, too, so if I haven't invited you to thier blogs, let me know so I can include you. You wouldn't believe the way Raelynn lights up when someone comments.

San Francisco, Here We Come. Well, came.

So a few of weeks ago, Mike and I had planned to go camping. It was supposed to snow at Tahoe, so at the last minute we opted for an impromptu weekend in San Francisco. We took the BART train into the city, and for at least the first half hour, that was an event in itself for the kids. We walked a lot, and took every kind of shuttle, bus, subway or train imaginable. The kids loved the transportation as much as they loved the other stuff we did, and all in all it was one of the best weekends we've spent in years.

I didn't even bring my camera, but Mike had his iPhone so it's not completely undocumented. We went to the zoo where we fed goats, saw everything from polar bears to bugs, and fed meerkats by throwing giant mealworms to them. Raelynn was squeamish, but worked it out. Miles was all in (suprise, suprise), and Paige would have nothing to do with it. The kids had a great time, and Paige finally quit asking to go home.

We also went to the Exploratotium, and while Mike and I had headaches after three hours of swirling lights and all the noise, we had to drag the kids out. We also learned that Miles has less social grace than we realized and vitually no concept of personal space. They had a blast.

This picture was taken in the MIND exibit, where you get to experience the ways in which your emotions affect your perception of the world around you. Raelynn was appalled by this drinking fountain, but was able to overcome her preconceptions and drink. Miles didn't even realize it was an exibit.

Princess "P" refused to drink and was utterly appalled at her family's lack of class. I mean, she's come to expect this sort of behavior from Leo, but mom? Really.

We were going to attempt to hit the ever mysterious Pirate Supply Store (anyone?), but instead went to the beach and Fisherman's Wharf.

We found the best pizza at little hole in the ground somewhere near the hotel, and enjoyed the food as much as the rest of the trip's activities. We came back tired, but happy, and the kids really handled the busy vacation like champs. Paige was a dream once she realized that home is wherever the rest of us are--and as long as she was well-fed, but you all know that about Paigie, yes?