Now this is a vacation...

Heather has been one of my best friends since 8th grade. We both have literally traveled across the country to see each other. She traveled to Utah to be in my wedding and to New York when we were living out there. Of course she couldn't have chosen a farther place for me to travel to when she got married in Hawaii and we were in NY. Aside from a couple visits we made out to California, most of our communication has been via phone. We finally decided it was time to plan a getaway by ourselves somewhere far enough to feel like a true get-a-way but not so far that it would take too long to get to so last Thursday as Jack was flying from Oakland back to Salt Lake where we've been vacationing for the past several weeks, I flew from Salt Lake to Oakland. You know you're in need of a vacation when you are so excited about being able to whiz through the "expert traveler" security line at the airport instead of the "family-friendly" line.

Our sleeping quarters and various forms of transportation:




Pier 39, Golden Gate, and Alcatraz







Favorite things:

-Me having my first pedicure ever!!! How did I manage this long without one?



-Hanging off the trolley as we traveled across town not having to worry about my kids attempting the same thing. I'll spare you the ugly photo Heather captured of me doing this.

-Enjoying a nice warm dinner at Mortons. Keyword being "warm" as rarely do I enjoy a warm meal after getting my kids' plates all chopped up into bit sized pieces...

-Shopping. Highlight being, not for groceries but instead spending time trying on a dozen pairs of jeans without a care in the world!

-Laughing and laughing. Heather and I have so many memories that to this day just make us laugh. How much fun we had staying up till all hours of the night laughing. Just the thought of what we found in our Hotel room closet is enough to make me laugh for a good long time.

- Enjoying clam chowder in a sour dough bread bowl at Pier 39!!!! So good that we had to treat ourselves twice to the San Francisco favorite. So much for rice-a-roni being the San Fran treat!



-Knowing I could sleep in even though for some reason I wasn't able to (sorry Heather). What is up with that? I think the bags under my eyes were worse after the trip...

-Lombard Street. We had to do it. It had been over a decade since I traveled down that cute, curvy road and nothing makes me think of San Fran more than steep streets and peel outs.



What a great trip. Heather, thanks for being the sister I never had. Time to start planning next year's!!!