San Francisco Treat

San Fran Day 1…

Well we made it. After traveling for almost 6 hours we arrived at the Hilton San Francisco late Friday night (11 pm). Zack was a trooper and played on the plane the first leg to San Diego and then slept on the second leg into San Fran. Phew…love when that happens. He had his first cab ride & was charming people all along the way.

We spent the majority of Saturday feeling out our surroundings & checking out the city. There is definitely a lot to see…and not just the buildings, shops, etc…Scot and I have realized that there are a lot more “alternative” lifestyles than we thought & to be honest, we don’t really fit the norm around here. I think we’ve received more odd glances from people this weekend than I remember…rest assured, I am glancing oddly at them in return!


We cruised through China Town...I thought it would be cooler than it was, gawked at the steep hills and spent some time in Nike Town. Scot has this obsession with Air Force Ones...although he has yet to buy a pair. We've looked in Chicago, online & San Fran...and in multiple stores...if I have to talk about it anymore I might die, but apparently Scot is awaiting the perfect shoe/time ratio (what??? yes, I know, it got that complicated).

Thank heavens Zack saved us in the shoe purchasing department...he picked up these new kicks (thanks to his daddy). Aren't they to die for? I mean really, can it get any cuter? Probably not.



San Fran Day 2


Sunday was spent at Pier 39 (we thought this an appropriate Sunday activity???). We cruised around the shops where I found our Christmas ornament (we get one in every city we travel to) and the perfect addition to my Halloween costume (which by the way I can't wait for!) We also lunched over looking the bay, had ice cream, took pictures with the Sea Lions & imitated the noises for Zack...yes, we are those parents...and of course we rode the carousel. WHEW! We were all wiped out by the end! Zack was perfect really and for that we were grateful.



San Fran Day 3

Well yesterday was day 3 & I just decided to come home as opposed to hang there! What? You may ask??? Here is the deal...Scot is there for work, which means he was at the office anyway. I knew this ahead of time, but thought I wouldn't mind spending the day with Zack exploring/relaxing...well I was wrong. While we had a blast...there are too many weirdos there! Neither Scot or I felt too comfortable with me out & about by myself with Zack all day & since I have work to do here, I figured I may as well just get home. We put Zack through the ringer skipping naps & going to bed late that I thought I'd just get him home & allow him (and myself) some rest.

As for my flight home...that is a whole other story...which of course I will tell now. So remember I was a bit frazzled before I left? I had been reflecting on Amberly's post (yes still reflecting) and today it hit me...there really are angels all around helping me out...I am just to busy to stop, look & appreciate. There were a MILLION things that could have gone wrong on my flights today...maybe even a million and 1...it started with my flight out of San Fran being delayed 1 hour (which meant I would probably miss my connecting flight)...after bumping myself to the later flight out of Vegas (where my connection was) I was bummed that 1 hour had been added to my already long trip, but it was still early in the trip & my spirits were not to be deflated that easily. I hung in the airport, ate a sandwich & Zack made friends with Elia...a 6 year-old from Australia, who speaks more intelligently than I do...it gave me peace of mind to see that he already has great taste! Anyway, I get on the plane and it is all rushed and a bit chaotic, not my most favorite thing. The agent took my stroller & carseat and checked them through to Phoenix at the gate. We finally board & Zack sleeps the whole way (sweet)...get off the plane in Vegas minus my stroller & car seat which I am now a bit worried about because what if I miss this first connecting flight? I would be in the airport for over an hour with no stroller..."please make the connection" was the scrolling marque going through my head at this point. I dashed off & couldn't find any screens that had all the flights & gates listed, so I found another Southwest gate to give me the info...it is the furtherest gate it could possibly be. Sigh. Great. With Zack on my hip & my bag on my shoulder I literally run to the gate, where they are boarding. I talked with the agent there & she quickly changes my flight & checks me in...informing me that my luggage will be on the other flight. hmm. Okay, that kind of makes sense. I get on anyway, figuring I'd rather have a grumpy Zack in the Phoenix airport as opposed to the Vegas flight, but really hoping that at least my stroller & car seat are at the gate on the other end. Zack does okay on this flight...definitely had the wiggle worms and late in the flight some ear problems. So he was screaming his guts out & I am waiting for a steward to come through so I can get some water for his bottle (the sucking pops their ears, in case you didn't know). To my dismay, the flight was really bumpy so the captains had all the stewards seated & belted in. Ugh. So I am debating in my mind whether it is appropriate to push my call button (I have since decided it is definitely appropriate) when I see the guy across the aisle has a bottle of water in his seat pocket. Bingo. Yes, I did in fact ask him for some of it & yes he had a drunk from it...hence I have decided next time to just hit the call button. However, he looked normal enough (mind you this is probably in comparison to all the wackos walking around San Fran) and it did the trick for Zack.

Phoenix. Finally. We arrive. I depart the plane & ask the agents if they would mind checking for my stroller...they tell me it probably isn't going to be on the plane, but they will look. A minute or so later, the guy pops his head in the door and asks, "Is it red?" Yes it's red! I was pretty excited about this, since it was Zack's car seat, so much so that I forgave them for losing it the time before. How nice of me, right? We make our way to baggage...really just to verify that our luggage did not make it...although I am secretly hoping that it is there since my laptop was in my suitcase. I really did not want to go home without it. We find the carousel, eat some M&M's and wait. Out the luggage begins to pop...people jockeying for position as I wait back just looking until I see it. What? Is that MINE? It definitely was & I jumped into the mix, pulled it out & off we went....to the car & heading home. That is when it hit me. Everything went perfectly so. I made all my connections even with the delay & miraculously my luggage followed. Zack did awesome & I wasn't even frazzled...that was probably the biggest thing for me. Being able to keep my cool & handle each situation as it came. I realized there are definitely angels helping along the way...I just usually give myself the credit! We are happy to be Home. At. Last.