Golden Birthday with the Golden Gate Bridge

Let's just say, it will be hard to top Cassidy's golden 15th birthday (she turned 15 on the 15th). Scott had an USGO meeting he had to attend that weekend in San Franscico. He of course "felt bad" that he would be gone over Cassidy's birthday. So the best solution was to take her with us! Not wanting Cassidy to spend her birthday alone with just two old farts, we also took Kennedy. We had gorgeous weather and one fabulous weekend!

Due to a dance practice, we had to meet Scott in San Franscisco a few days later. We stayed at the Abri Hotel right next to Union Square. Only one block away from H&M and a 3 story Forever 21 - the girls were in shopping heaven! The girls and I took a city bus tour of the city and across the Golden Gate Bridge.

USGO had a special treat for us our first night. They rented out the entire Giants AT&T Stadium! We had a buffet dinner, a small group tour of the field, dugout and locker room and live music for dancing.

They had a fast pitch speedometer booth set up for our entertainment. I have to brag on the old man, Scott walked up cold turkey and threw the fastest pitch of the night!

Loved this sign! Now there should be NO problems with steroid use. Why didn't we think of posting this sign earlier?

Scott had to bribe the girls with $2 each to go dance with me.

The next morning was Cassidy's actual birthday. She started it off with a ferry ride to Alcatraz!

This is the cell from the infamous jail-break. The inmates bought time with false heads out of soap and hair and made tools from spoons to dig out through the vent.

After much coaxing, I got the girls inside a jail cell for a kodak moment. Those screams are for real - they did not want to go in those cells!


Scott met us at Fisherman's Wharf for Cassidy's birthday lunch. This had to be one of the many highlights of our trip. We sat out in the sun eating clam chowder while listening to a street saxophone player. We gave Cassidy another surprise at lunch...tickets to see WICKED the following night!

With the weather being so great, we decided to rent bikes and bike across the Golden Gate Bridge to Saulsalito. We rented two solo bikes and one tandom bike. I started out on the tandom with Scott but hated every minute of it! I didn't like not seeing where I was going and not being in control...apparently I am a control freak and didn't even know it! So Kennedy finished out the ride with her dad. Once you reach Saulsalito, the easiest way back home is the ferry and I like easy!
There is just something about these helmets that makes you feel sexy!

We finished off her birthday with Ghirardelli for dessert.
Got Ghirardelli?

The next day was full of shopping! Cassidy had to spend her birthday money before heading back home. But the highlight was definitely seeing WICKED that night. This was our second time to see the show. It was especially fun for the girls to see this time because their high school dance team is doing a theatrical dance to WICKED.

We hung out aftewards with the other groupies and got to meet Eden who played "Alfaba".

She signed Cassidy's souveneir mug and our Playbill's.
We only had a few hours our last day there so I took the girls through China town. We were walking down the street and lo and behold we ran into Scott who was out for a jog! So we did a little window shopping together in China town before heading to the airport.
We seriously had such a great time. It is fun to be able spend time like that with just a couple kids at a time. I think Cassidy had a very special Golden Birthday and I know we all left a little of our hearts in San Franscisco!