Posts Tagged With: field trip

Today is Field Trip day!  We are going to San Francisco’s Exploratorium – What better place to learn than at a museum whose stated mission is “To change the way the world learns.”  To get there I opted not to rent a big yellow school bus but rather hop on the BART train (Bay Area Rapid Transit).  BART has been on and off striking lately and I am hoping we don’t get stuck in the city…or maybe not such a bad thing, except this trip the baby is staying at home with grandma and after to long I start to miss my little number 4!

On BART heading into San Francisco

Riding a public train through a variety of cities into a big city is a learning experience in itself.  “What does that guys sign say?”  “Why is he holding a can?”  “Wow those are really nice gym shoes he is wearing did he get them from all of the money he collected in his can?” “Can I collect money?”….

We are meeting our good friends whom we stayed with in Tahoe (just a reminder they have 2 boys I brought 3 of mine today — 5 very energetic boys and 2 moms – we are SO out numbered)!!!

We arrive in San Fran and head over to the Exploratorium.   We pass a very long line right up to the ‘Members Only’ counter.  Excitingly,  I whip out my Chicago Field Museum membership card which has a reciprocal membership.

Just chillin’

I hand it to the lady but in return I am informed they are no longer accepting them.  Great, there goes a chunk of my shopping budget, I ask her if there is anything she can do for me, I didn’t exactly plan on spending $82 to get into the museum today.  By the grace of God, she was able to get all 3 of my kids in under my friend’s membership and give me a local discount bringing the cost down to $20.  Thank you Jesus my shoe shopping money is safe!

Cool optical illusion – my biggest is on your left but these chairs make them all look the same size…don’t they? Fun Picture!

Space ship thing outside the Exploratorium

Entering is like what I imagine is similar to entering Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory, there is so much to see and to touch, you don’t know where to start.  The only problem is unlike Willy Wonka’s there is not anything to eat.  Inevitably like clock work, it doesn’t matter if we ate 5 minutes before arriving I can ALWAYS count on hearing the words “I’m Hungry” 5 minutes after we arrive.  We just got here we are not eating yet so I tell him to go over to the drinking fountain and drink a lot of water.  I tell him that will make his belly feel full  and tie him over for a bit…right?… It usually works for me.  Let’s just say it was a bad move on my part because now I am hearing “I have to go to the bathroom” AND “I’m hungry” simultaneously.

Now this is a perfect closet mirror!

The Exploratorium was Awesome and I highly recommend it to every and anyone!   Eventually as a group everyone is hungry, taking another 45 minutes to actually make our way out the door we go to a local pizza joint.  In the heart of the business district seating is limited but we figure out how to squeeze all 7 of us around a table and successfully manage to only have 2 spills.

One of the things I love about San Francisco is the number of Starbuck’s that are available.  I am ordering my coffee looking directly across the street at another Starbuck’s and yet another one just down the corner.  Has anyone ever read the book, “How Starbuck’s Saved my Life.”?- I’ve always been curious about that book and what it says.  After spending a day with 5 very rambunctious energetic boys I do know that right now, Starbuck’s is saving MY life!