Washington DC area offers a lot of historical & cultural places to visit...right up our alley.  But the best sights are the happy faces, eager to spend time with us.  A lot of the 9 days spent with Allison's family was low-key, just enjoying family activities together.  Trips to nearby parks are always a lot of fun.

Isaac was a big help with the picnic. 

Shoulder rides with Grandpa Ducky are still a hit, but Elaina is getting too big.

 Elaina turned 8 on Aug 8th so we had timed our visit to coincide with her baptism.  We are proud of her decision to make this covenant and proud of her parents for preparing her for such a big decision.  

The dress she wore to be baptized in, was made for me to wear at my baptism when I was 8.  Since then it has been worn by my sister, my cousins, and my 3 daughters.  

   

The Trousdales had purchased a pool membership early in the summer so we spent a couple of evenings there together.  

 

Elaina mastered diving one evening.  

Snuggle time with Grandpa Ducky 

It's always fun to share some of our cultural experiences with the kids.  We had taken chopsticks and explained to them this is how we people always eat in China.  Allison prepared a 'Chinese' dinner.  They were all good sports while we ate without our usual utensils. The kids' chopsticks had heads to keep them together and make it easier.  

Isaac did have a moment of frustration.  He looks similar to the Angry Bird head on his chopsticks.  

Erin figured out how the Chinese do it best.

One afternoon we drove a couple of hours to Chesapeake Bay, where the kids hunted for shark's teeth, and found some.  

 

What is it with boys and sticks???

It was a long walk from where we parked to the beach.  

I guess Elaina isn't too big after all.

We ended the outing eating fresh crab and watching the sunset.

 More time at the park close to their house

Isaac found more sticks

  

Allison had asked me teach her how to can and make jam.  I thought she must have learned from growing up in our family, but being Mom's helper is different from being the Mom.  We made several batches of peach jam and bottled peaches.  She's since done more on her own.  Way to go!

On our last weekend Allison and Mike went away to celebrate their anniversary - 10 years!  We took the kids to Gettysburg.  Elaina told us that Abraham Lincoln is her favourite president.  

The girls enlisted in the Union army and learned all about the life of a soldier.  

 

I learned that the famous Gettysburg Address was given at the dedication of the Gettysburg cemetery, where the Union had defeated the Confederacy four months earlier.  Both sides suffered terrible losses.  Lincoln was not the main speaker that day, but his address of just over 2 minutes is the most famous speech in American history and is regarded as one of the finest examples of English oratory.  He not only summed up the Civil war in 10 sentences, but redefined the war as a struggle not only for the Union, but for the principles of human equality.  These principles of equality have been quoted ever since.  

San Francisco Layover

What do you do with a 15 hour layover in San Francisco?  See the sights of course!  We had flown from Chengdu to Beijing to San Francisco, but the long flight over the Pacific was in comfort.  I had never seen the upstairs of a 747 before, let alone be one of the guests.  It was nice, but the best part was that we could sleep.  After clearing US customs, we found showers, changed to fresh clothes, checked our backpack and found BART to take us to the city centre.

 

We found a hop on/off bus for a tour of the city centre

 

 

 

 

 

A trip up Coit Tower revealed great views of the city and harbor.

 

Bay Bridge

 

Alcatraz

 

Golden Gate Bridge 

 

We spent the rest of the afternoon at Fisherman's Wharf

 

I knew that San Francisco was where the universal dress code was invented - Levi Strauss and his blue jeans, but I had forgotten that it also originates sour dough bread.  Mmmm.  Delicious.

 

Yup.  That phone works here too!

 

For dinner we enjoyed another SF tradition - Dungeness crab

 

The bib didn't catch the shell that flew to my hair.  But it sure was good! 

 

Sunset over the bay and we were off.