California

Well, Sam and I made it to Concord, California for her Softball Tournament. We left at 3:00 in the morning on Thursday. Boy was it a long drive, but we had a great time. Wish we could have gone as a family but only Sam and myself was able to go. Sam and I rode with Richard, Leslie and Jessica Anderson and Danielle Lynn. We also traveled down with another vehicle filled with Derik, Patricia, and Madisen Walk, Korine Robertson, Pam and Megan Foster. Richard had an awesome GPS with him that made our trip easy to get down and back. We met up with the rest of the team that that came down as families at our hotel Here are a few highlights of our trip! Wish I could post them all!

We finally made it to California.


Yeah! We finally made it to our Hotel.



We got into our rooms and we were checking out our fun little freebies, you know the soaps and shampoos and things, well here they give you earplugs too. We thought that was pretty funny until we looked our our window and saw our view. The city airport runway was right next to our parking lot.



We got to our hotel, quickly changed into uniforms. We then went to the ball park for a tournament BBQ. Here the girls are impatiently waiting to eat. They were so tired. The had been up since 2:00 in the morning and it was now after 5:00 California time.




After the BBQ there were tournament games. The teams had to run fast around the bases, bunt, and throw the ball. Sam was chosen to be one of the four to run the bases. Her is Sam coming around third base. Our team had the highest running time in the first round.



The girls wanted to go swimming so bad but their coaches Derik and Richard wouldn't let them. They needed their rest.



Try getting three girls out of bed after all the traveling and ball excitement.




Our game wasn't until later that day on Friday, so we decide to go see the Golden Gate Bridge. Here is the group of girls that went.

Here is Sam and I at the bridge. Look how foggy, cold and windy it was.

Here is Sam and Jessica walking on the Golden Gate Bridge.

This is Sam catching a ball in their first game. Unfortunately they lost the game.



This is after the first game. Spirits a little down but not for long.




Finally the girls got to go swimming



They played there second game on Saturday. We started out the game a little sloppy, but then in the middle of the game we started to come back. Unfortunately not enough to win. But here is Sam playing 2nd base. She was always ready for the ball.



After the game, Richard and his family and Shawn Bryan and his family headed off to a Giants game. Which left me, Sam and Danielle without a vehicle. There wasn't enough room to take the other vehicle, so me, Sam, Patricia, Derik, Danielle and Madisen took a hotel shuttle to the subway and caught us a subway to San Fransisco. Here we are waiting for the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transportation).





Here is Sam a little nervous about being on the subway.



So we get off in San Fransisco and walk about 2.5 miles down the peers. But the first thing there that caught our eyes was the bathrooms right out in the streets. The girls were so fascinated with them we probably spent 20 minuets at them.



We then came across a guy playing awesome music, the funny thing was is that he was playing it on trash. He used garbage cans for drums and different garbage to make other music. It was neat.



Here are a few sights we seen along the peers. Here are the girls sitting on a boat docking thing.



Our Limo ride.....ha ha ha




The fortune teller wall, Sam decided to pick the nose rather than have her fortune read.




Finally we got to Fisherman's Wharf (Pier 39) and went to Bubba Gumps Restaurant. We had so much fun there. We were all laughing so hard the whole time of stupid things. Here is me and Patricia impatiently waiting for our seafood!

Here is the girls enjoying their fish and chips.


Here is me enjoying my variety of shrimp while sharing with Patricia and Derik. We had tons of food! It was sooooo good!


Here is the girls with their "JENNY" boats that their meal came in.



Here is Sam being Forrest Gump. Notice the tennis shoes, suitcase, and box of chocolates.


We then went and shopped some of the shops at the Wharf. Here the girls got a kick out of the puckering manikin.


Sam got her chance to see what she would look like with dark hair.


Now then we had to walk back the 2.5 miles to the BART (might I add to that me, Sam, Danielle, and Madisen were in our flip flops) and caught a few more attractions. Here is what Derik called the egg heads. I'm not sure if he meant the art work, or our girls.



Some of the other attractions (that I didn't want to take pictures of) was all the pot smokers. And Derik being a cop had to check them all out. It was so funny. We got back to the subway and waited for our train. Here is me and Sam with our matching jackets.


Here is our group having fun while we wait.



The girls were having a hay day on the train. There was no seating room when we got on so they had to hold on to the poles. Well instead of holding on to them, they were swinging on them like monkeys. They were also doing their softball cheers and just being down right goofy.



There goes our train. And while taking this picture I think I guy was going to snatch my camera. (He thought I was alone) He ran down the subway station yelling HEY at me until I stopped. Then I think he realized I was with a group of people and then he just said he wanted to see the picture I took. It was weird. Even Derik (being a cop) was a little suspicious. (Hey I defiantly wasn't in Utah).


Here are the girls after our big trip. Richard wanted to leave for home at 7:00 in the morning. They did not want to get up so when they finally did they all had to hurry so fast that they all were shoved into the bathroom rushing trying to get read at the same time.


Needless to say we had a great time. My guts and jaw hurt so bad from laughing so much. Sam I know had an awesome time and I think she has many memories that she will never forget and lasting friendships were made!