Boston - Where Dreams Come True and Things are Really Old

Wednesday August 18 We spent the day in Boston. I was really excited to see one of our country's oldest cities. In 20 years, Boston will be 400 years old! Since all of our buildings here in Utah only go back 160 years, I was just amazed at the age of the things we saw. So don't mind me as I totally geek out on history.

Case in point, here's a cemetery. I don't remember why it's significant or if anyone important was buried here. But look at the crumbling headstones. Some are leaning against others. Most are dated 17 hundred something. I did learn that the undertakers would sell the same plot over and over and toss out the old bodies to make room for the higher paying customers.

Here we are on the Freedom Trail. This red brick path goes all over the city connecting the historic landmarks. I tried to sing "follow the red brick road" but I couldn't get the rhythm right.

The Old North Church. In this steeple went the lantern signal, "One if by land, 2 if by sea." Then began Paul Revere's midnight ride.

Inside the church. It is still home to the same congregation from Paul Revere's time.

If I heard right, this is the oldest pipe organ in the country and the oldest clock still in use.

Check out these pews. Gives a new meaning to box seats doesn't it? The design kept people warm during church services in the winter.

And keeps toddlers from running up and down the aisle.

I think our church could use a few of these.

Here's the revered Paul Revere. I don't know why no one has made a movie out of his life.

Here's a dream fulfilled. Here I am at Paul Revere's house. It's the oldest structure still standing in Boston.

It's owned and operated by Revere's descendants. They turned it into a museum with period furniture. Sorry, no interior shots. Cameras weren't allowed. But if you've been in Joseph Smith's home or any Church historical home, that gives you a pretty good idea. The main floor had a hall and kitchen. Upstairs is a master bedroom and another bedroom. The upstairs bedroom is where guests would visit since it was above the stinky city air. "Where's the bathroom?" some guy asked. Seriously? This house was built in like 1640. Two words: chamber pots. Five more words: public outhouses down the street.

Sarah didn't share my enthusiasm for Paul Revere.

"You can thank your local civil engineer for this road" says Justin. The picture doesn't do it justice. I'd never seen a wavy road before.

I don't remember why I took this picture. I guess I just like how 'Boston' these buildings look.

Next stop. This is the USS Constitution. Also known as 'Old Ironside' although it looked like it was all wood. It's the oldest Navy ship still in use. Paul Revere forged the copper bolts and George Washington named her. She defeated 5 British warships in the War of 1812 and served as a training ship in the Civil War. And I stood on her.

Pretty cool, huh? She fought in numerous other battles and has sailed around the world.

The wheel was roped off or, believe me, I would have been at the helm.

Sarah manning the cannon. I love the crazy look on her face.

Group shot. Dallin, Nate, Sarah, Braden, Kristen, me, Justin, Nadine. Corey is taking the picture.

I like Justin. And if you look in the background, there's a monument for the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Here's a little artistic shot. This is the tour bus we rode through Boston. It's the best way to see the sights. You can get off at any of the stops, look around and get on the next bus as they come every 15 minutes.

We took a history break to tour TD Garden. This is where the Celtics play. They are refinishing the floor.

I don't remember this guy's name. Bill Walton? And Justin might get mad that I'm not posting a bunch of pictures he took of sports memorabilia. Sorry babe, I blog what I know and I don't know what that stuff is.

Ah yes, back to our historical tour. This is the Old State House. This is where the Boston Massacre happened in 1770. Simply, a mob gathered to intimidate the British soldiers standing guard. Someone taunted them, yelling "fire". They misunderstood orders and open fired on the civilians. 5 people died. Not to sound insensitive or unpatriotic, but the term 'massacre' sounds excessive. But it added fuel to the Revolutionists cause.

King's Chapel. Just an old church. Perhaps some revolutionary speech was given there. I wasn't really paying attention to the tour guide.

This is a house on Beacon Street. As the most expensive real estate in the city, naturally it's the snobby row of houses in Boston.

Dream come true number 2. Cheers! I didn't know it was a real bar until my visiting teacher told me. Oh the blessings visiting teachers bring.

You wanna be where everybody knows your name.

This building is the birth place of Edgar Alan Poe. Now they sell overpriced gourmet burritos.

Boston Common. This is one of the nation's oldest parks.

It was once a cow pasture, camp for British soldiers, place for public hangings, and witch trials.
Now just a boring old park.

This concludes our tour. We ate some Italian food, bought some t-shirts and drove back to New Hampshire.

Trip to New Hampshire Part 1

I'm baaack. We spent the last 10 days in New Hampshire to visit Justin's parents. We got back late last night.

Saturday August 14 Sarah's first airplane ride. We had to leave the house at 5 am to make our 7 am flight so Sarah woke up at 2:30 giddy as ever and wouldn't go back to sleep. Awesome.

Sunday August 15 Sarah was quite the star at church. I heard, "So this is Sarah" a half-dozen times. I got stopped in the hall twice about how I do Sarah's hair and they had questions as if I invented the use of tiny, clear elastics. Nope, I copied the hair of most of the little girls in my ward. Must be a Utah thing. Or a Willows Ward thing.

Nadine had a stocked house full of things for Sarah to do. Her favorites were the puzzles and the big, heavy bocce balls.

It wouldn't be a Dye vacation without playing games. Justin dreamed of playing Monopoly and Risk simultaneously but it never happened since no one else was interested.

Here's Sarah taking off with the ladder toss balls.

I love this picture. Sarah is so short and Braden is so tall. She finally started saying his name. And then she wouldn't stop saying it.

Here we are playing Bocce. I like this picture because I think it could go on the box for the game. And I wanted to point out the cob-web like thing in the tree. They are everywhere in New Hampshire and I still don't know what kind of creepy creature makes them. Kristen got her hair caught in it which is what they are laughing at.

Monday August 16 I tried my hand at golfing for the second time in 4 years. I was worse than I remembered. I'm not even going to tell you how many swings I took on that first hole. And by swings I mean not even hitting the ball. The groundskeeper waiting for us to play so he could mow got fed up and drove off. I stopped keeping my score after while and just put a smiley face or a frowny face depending on how I felt I did.

Tuesday August 17 We went to the beach. Sarah wanted nothing to do with the sand or water so that made it interesting. On the bright side, I didn't have to worry about Sarah being swept away in the sea.

Papa Corey trying to persuade her to touch the sand.

She did okay if she was sitting on the blanket and just stuck the frisbee in it.

Justin and Nate surfed in the cold water and I took pictures.

Fog/mist settled in over us giving a nice eerie feeling.

"Can you see Dad out there?"

I can't spot him but he's one of those surfers.

Braden and his girlfriend Kristen.

Sarah did finally touch the sand because here she is trying to get it off.

Stay tuned. This post is getting too long and I'm tired of dragging pictures up and down to get them in order. Coming up: Boston, Boating, Butternut Squash Ravioli and my critique of Creed in concert.

An Open Letter to Department Stores

Dear Department Store Buyer,

If I am 26 and don't want to look 40, which one of your 'Misses' shirts should I wear?

And if I don't want to look 15, which should I choose from your 'Juniors' collection?

Believe it or not, there is a huge population of women out there that aren't 15 or 40.

Please make a new department. You could call it 'Little Miss' or 'Senior' if you can't come up with anything else but please make it happen.

Also, judging from the patrons at the mall and from your sales racks, skinny jeans are here to stay. I guess I'll just have to ride this one out. Please don't stop selling what is flattering for every other female that doesn't have skinny calves, the bootcut jean. I'm begging you.

Thank you.

--------------------------------

Seriously....I can't be the only one hating on the age gap in clothing stores. Has anyone out there had good luck? Where?

Pictures but not much else.

Justin busy with school + Hotter than heck outside = Not doing much

But Sarah sure has a pretty face. And she's obssessed with Mary Poppins. Boppa, as she calls it, has been on every day for the past week. She only likes the part when they jump in the chalk drawing and clean up the nursery so I've seen that 1/2 hour many times. Aladdin is boring but Mary Poppins is captivating.

So here's a few cute pictures of her.

The Daily Gathering

I love summer, I really do. But is it bad I'm looking forward to school starting again? It would just be nice to be outside for 5 minutes without my front lawn turning into gymnastics land. And it would be nice to talk to people that aren't shocked that I haven't seen High School Musical 1-3. And no, I don't want to hear the plot either.

Sarah is just a really good audience. Too good, probably.

A Little Lady and Her Gloves

This is a story of a little girl who wanted to wear peach socks with her pink plaid pants. Her mom would not let her since it was a hot day. And they were ugly socks--where they came from and why they are still here is anyone's guess.

So the girl carried her socks to the store in her hand. She dropped them way too many times so her mom decided to put them on her hands to keep them from falling once more.

The girl loved her sockgloves. She had to touch every box and package she could reach with them on.

She also had to try out a few actions to her favorite song.

She continued to wear them all the way home. And while the groceries were put away. And while she sat on the counter while her mom made her lunch.

She took them off for her nap but they went right back on when she woke up. And she wore them while she picked grapes off the vine.

Two days later, and there they are still. The peach sockgloves. Even stained with strawberry juice and dirty from playing outside, the little girl loves them still. There's even a newly made hole by a wiggly little finger. The little lady and her sockgloves shall never be parted in the foreseeable future. The End.

This picture brings me to the garage sale find of the week. This little doll stroller I got for $.50. I wanted to get her one for her birthday so I had my eye out. So did she. There was no way I could hide this until October. She tried pulling it onto her lap while in her carseat on the way home.

Sarah takes turns with her doll sitting in it.

They also take turns wearing these sunglasses I got for a dime. I figured if they survived the ride home, they were worth the money. It's been 2 days now and we're still going strong.

Justin thinks Sarah looks like his mom here. Nadine, what do you think?

Sarah gets really hyper after dinner and likes to run and jump on the couch. I don't know if you can tell but she is all sweaty.

We must destroy in order to create.

Justin came into our bedroom the other day and saw his shirt cut up into pieces all over the floor.
Justin: What have you done to my shirt?
Me: You have to destroy to create.

I didn't know I was paraphrasing Joseph Stalin at the time. I just googled the phrase wondering who said it because I didn't think I made it up. Surprise! Just to make it clear, I am not a communist, just ingenuitive.

With some elastic thread and bias tape, voila! New dress for Sarah to grow into. I don't know where I was on the day they covered bias tape during my 5 sewing classes I had over the years, but I just discovered it. I love it.

And no shirt in Justin's closet is safe. I already have plans to make Sarah an apron out of another.

Happy Birthday to Zack. He hit the all-important 8 on Sunday.

Mapleton Park has the best playground for Sarah. There are 5 slides she can get to and go down all by herself. Now I can just stand around and watch how cute she is.

Here's Sarah taking a break from being a spaz at the mall fountain today.

I meant to post these awhile ago. This is at our family reunion. Listen carefully for Sarah to say "Brr" when asked if she's cold.

This is Sarah's favorite song for the moment. Well actually it was her favorite song the week after Father's Day. She's already moved on. She's a sucker for a song with actions.

I love how Sarah says popsicle.