Boston

Part 2: Boston

Riding the Amtrak

This was both Brent and my first experience riding the Amtrak. Amtrak. Another government success story. Bailed out and never profitable since. Nonetheless, we were impressed by the efficency with which they moved the train. We were an hour early (totally unnecessary) and almost missed the train, it came in and out so fast! We upgraded to business class, well worth the extra $100. I slept for the majority of the trip and Brent conversed with the submarine captain sitting across the aisle.

Savoring the Local Cuisine

One of my favorite things about this trip was the food. It seems every where I turned in NYC and Boston I could get a fabulous salad. Salad's with gourmet cheeses, nuts, and exotic lettuces.

Our first evening in Boston, we met a local lady wandering up and down the streets searching for food. She walked us to this great Italian restaurant Piatini's. It was run by a young Italian family, who spoke with thick accents and scoffed at the idea of fried calamari. We had an amazing arugula, lemon and basil salad. We actually returned for seconds the next day. It inspired a recipe creation this week. I will post it in a few days. Below is Brent, sitting on the little patio of the restaurant, looking up at the old Brownstones in Back Bay.

Amidst all this fabulous cuisine was a resounding failure to delight any senses. We sought an authentic experience on the water, with fresh fish. We were told by a different local, the No Name fish restaurant was the best in town. It was a culinary and aesthetic catastrophe. In the photo below, before dinner, I was still chipper, anticipating the best. All the workings were in place...right on the fish pier, overlooking the water, seemingly undiscovered...

My first clue was upon walking in, I was directed by a woman in jeans and a dirty apron to sit down wherever I wanted. Then our waiter, which it was very unclear if that was actually what he was, put down a couple paper cups and a "pizza hutish" water pitcher. At least over 70 years old, he walked as if he had been throwing fish from deck to pier for a good 50 years. His accent, completely unrecognizable to myself, led me to believe he had just stepped off a boat from somewhere. Over the course of the evening he actually became frustrated and a bit hostile when I questioned him about the menu. (The menu being a piece of paper with the words, "Salmon, Herring, Cod, Shrimp and maybe another word or two, typed on it.)

I ended up with a decidedly fresh piece of salmon, steamed on a piece of tin. Complete with a side of lukewarm reheated frozen veggies. It was brutal.


Pay for the Guide...especially if he wears tights

A rule we live by on vacation....always pay for the guided tour, whether it be the double decker bus with the Brooklynite or Nathaniel Williams the "hat maker" friend of Paul Revere. It's always fun to get the inside scoop. For example just six weeks ago, right behind the tombstone you see, an unsuspecting tourist fell into an undiscovered crypt!


James Otis, a patriot, forgotten by many including me until this little tour, who coined the phrase "taxation without representation." Clearly a clarion call in the revolution.


The Old State House. Standing below that balcony, you could have heard Thomas Jefferson read The Declaration of Independence for the very first time.

Brent Gets Camera Crazy....

Monday Brent got a little trigger happy with the camera. He had me posing left and right through the city and along the St Charles River. Here are a selected few, because ultimately this is a family blog. He was trying to train me the entire trip to get away from the "bug eyes" I have such a propensity to flash for cameras.

Me.
Me again.

Again.And again.

And again.My favorites are the couple we have together...
The Boston Marathon...

I must admit, I woke up Monday morning and ran 8 x 800's along the St Charles River, and as I ran back I came face to face with the Megatron. I fought back the emotions. It was difficult.

Behind me is the finish line.
I decided to not to pay the price for my propensity for procrastination again. I put it behind me and thrived in the atmosphere and excitement that is the Boston Marathon. Spectating was amazing. I found this spot with about a 1/4 mile left. My adrenaline was pumping as I waited for Marie. When she came out of the tunnel I started screaming and running along the side. The people around me were laughing but who cares!

It wasn't until this corner below, she finally saw me. Here I saw Julie, McKay and Andy. The only friend I missed was my true blue St George running partner Camie :( These amazing individuals came in with Marie starting at 3:05 and then Julie at 3:11. #2 and #3 from Utah, top 200 women overall. Amazing.
After the marathon, we literally crawled though the window of a firestation to evade the masses of people, back to our hotel. To the airport, and home. Rejuvinating, romantic, and regular. Regular occurence is the new goal. And now....reality! But that is fun too.

New York

I am tagging this post under "family traditions." In hopes that this amazing trip, or any 5 day get-away with my fabulous husband is repeated yearly for the next 55 years. A tradition worth sacrificing for!

Here is Part 1 of our trip: New York City

Peaceful plane ride

That means nothing to you, unless you have traveled with 3 small children. For me, sitting in my seat, sleeping for 2 hours, smiling at the mom across the isle with her chubby little baby...it was perfect. Although, every time I watched this young mother squeeze her daughter close, I ached to kiss the squishy cheeks of my little ones.

Accommodations
For our first trip alone, in 10 years, we decided to go all out. Fabulous luxury hotels, delectable restaurants... Our room in NYC on the 37th story of the Marriott Marquis at Times Square was perfect.

The views were breathtaking, and the bed enveloping. Uninterrupted sleep. A blessed occurrence. Below is sampling out our window.


Literary Connections
The girls and I recently finished reading James and the Giant Peach...of course I knew they would want a shot of the Empire State Building where the infamous peach was skewered.


Another photo-op for the girls....a newsstand in Times Square. This time in honor of Chester, Harry, Tucker and the Bellini's, from A Cricket in Times Square, our current read. I am trying enrich their reading, and help the stories come alive. They lit up when they saw this picture of a newsstand and pictures we took of the subway station. Tonight we listened to Strauss' Blue Danube, Mozarts Little Night Music, and Come to Sorrento sung by Pavorrati, in honor of Chester cricket and his concerts, which included these songs.


Battery Park in Brooklyn, and the Staten Island Ferry

Flashbacks from Brent's LDS mission 15 years ago! Street meetings and Spanglish. I had to say I was impressed, he seemed to know all the neighborhoods each of our cab drivers hailed from.

The weather was gorgeous in NYC. We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and Brent reminisced. I'm pretty sure he wore hats, shades and designer jeans on his mission too. Yeah.

On Broadway

Out for Thai food before Wicked. The play was fabulous. We got all dressed up (including shopping for me, and a brand new suit for Brent) and had a great time. Although Brent wasn't "moved" like Les Miserables, he appreciated the underlying themes....the crafting of history by a select few, the misinformation of the media, the "dumbing down" resulting from loss of liberty... clearly, these are things both of us feel strongly about now, so timely.

The Temple

Brent looking dashing is his new suit, outside the Manhattan Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints temple. We were able to serve in the temple while we were there. It was a sanctuary of peace and tranquility. The artistry was superb, including intricate stained glass mosaics and serene landscape murals.

Central Park

We finally snagged a foreigner to snap a shot of the both of us in Central Park. The park wasn't quite what I was anticipating. The Scientist in me, enjoyed seeing the massive exposed bedrock all through the park (we are sitting on it). It was fascinating to learn the skyscrapers can only be built where they are bolted into the bedrock.


A self-portrait, semi-decent! I do have to say, the city wore on me. It was thrilling but claustrophobic for me. My legs itched for the mountain trails I run to from my house. My eyes searched for the wide vistas, and majestic overlooks. My skin yearned to be warmed and shaded by the sun, clouds and trees, not flourescents, skyskrapes, and ceilings.

The World Comes Tumbling
It just so happens, the UN was in session while we were in New York. Oh hooray. The world is saved. Hopefully we will soon start paying carbon taxes to the World Government controlled by the ultra-elite, masked as the UN. Thank goodness someone is here to save America. Hopefully you soaked up my dripping sarcasm. Somehow my picture of Brent looking very sinister outside of the Federal Reserve Bank, turned up missing. Possibly it would have been to risky to put it on the blog...they might figure out we are on to them!

You will never catch Brent and I bowing to the infamous "Bull" of Wall Street. Wasn't it a golden calf the Israelites prayed to when things got a bit tough in the wilderness. Ironic. It was wrong then. It is wrong now. I think our tour guide even said "pray for the bull." I think our prayers could be better directed...

I just can't buy it happened the way the picture has been crafted for us about the events of September 11th. So much innocent blood was shed on that fateful day. Where has our country gone...who have we become because of it? Regrettably, in panic, the Patriot Act was passed. While the people were in shock and mourning, without time to understand the ramifications. The infringement on our civil liberties are astonishing. We are watched, listened to, imprisoned without a reason, banned from transportation, demeaned in airports, prisoners are tortured...all in the name of safety and protection. It is about control. And from the horrifying events of that day, the government tentacles wound tighter.

Panic again. The economy is collapsing. Quickly we pass legislation giving unprecedented authority to the government and the private Federal Reserve Bank. Billions of dollars to elite bankers...and where is the country left? The tentacles wound tighter. Citizens demanding the government take care of them. What is left of the American Dream is slipping.

One Train Ride Away

Two great days in NYC and we pulled our bags to Penn Station and caught a train to Boston. So long New York and Hello....

Will He Forgive Me?

My little goo man is giving me the serious cold shoulder, upon my return. He is rubbing in the apparent abandonment he felt for five days with Mom gone. Daddy is getting lots of snuggles...but for his mother...nothing! It is heart-wrenching!

Back from the East coast, revitalized. We had a fabulous time. I will do a couple posts about it in the next day or two. Right now I am cooking like crazy. Tomorrow I am presenting a cooking class to the women in my church. I am doing a bread demonstration and talking about cooking with grains and home storage items. My prep work however, is lending itself to some great coming blog posts...marshmallows, graham crackers, grape nuts, wheat thins...fun stuff!

Check back for lots of recipes in the next couple weeks.

My Not-So-Big House

Lasting Impressions

Some people make lasting impressions even with casual friendships. Such is the case with our neighbors when Brent and I were newlyweds. We lived in a tiny 600 sqft basement apartment with a wonderful family from Mexico.

We were cozy, and blissfully happy, surrounded by adorable children upstairs and next door. For almost 4 years they were our surrogate children. They scoured the neighborhood for insects for my Entomology collection, bringing me dozens of crickets and cockroaches.

(I never mentioned to their parents, when with eyes shining with pride a 5 year old brought me a "cool big bug" she found in her drawer....those pesky cockroaches plagued our street...it took me about a year after moving away to not panic about the nasty things running around when I got up to go the bathroom at night...)

Back to where I started...our next door neighbors were youthful, stylish, fit, spiritual, loving parents with five gorgeous children (now eight). They treated us as equals, despite being 15 years ahead. We fell in love with their family. It was this mom, who introduced me to the "The-Not-So-Big House." For two years she drew up plans for her dream house, based on these principles. I fell in love with the concept and it has been a part of me since.

The Not-So-Big-House

The books are by Sarah Susanka. I recommend them to anyone. The essence of the idea is to value quality over quantity. Create a home to fit your family and not to impress anyone else. Find multiple, efficient uses for your space. People like to be close. Think of snuggling with your loved ones. The most comfortable homes are those which snuggle the family. My words clearly, not hers :)

We bought our home knowing it was small. At about 2500 sq feet, completely finished, it can feel like a tight squeeze, if we don't use our space effectively. Everything I do in my home, is built around the idea of bringing my family closer to me, and using the little space I have wisely.

Lately, my kitchen was feeling small. With my children's friends over, suddenly there wasn't a place for everyone to sit. Additionally, I spend a good amount of time in the kitchen and my children always want to be near...as they should be...

My solution...build a raised bar. Here is how we started....

Here is the almost completed project. It is still missing drawers. I am having 4 large desk drawers put underneath the counter top. Two on each side of the corbel. This will help with the crayon and workbook mess I constantly battle! I am so please with how everything has turned out. The finish work is beautiful.

In a stroke of fate, I found enough of my completely random, and quite unique purple tile left over in the basement from the previous owers, to finish off the new wall. Additional perks include 2 sorely needed outlets!

An exhaustive hunt for barstools turned up with these. I love the end look. It gives a whole different feel to my kitchen. Comfortable and inviting. And I love to change color schemes often, so now I am going with green...who knows how I will feel in a year!

The other thing I loved about this set of chairs, was the matching bench. Unbelievably, I found 3 darling little cushions to fit perfectly on the bench for my 3 little munchkins. How ideallyic. Seating increased from 5 to 11! Not bad. I only had to move my kitchen table over about 6 inches. I also replaced my french doors to swing out instead of in.

Wait until you see my new library I am dreaming up...hopefully it will be in the real workings soon! I thought contractors were desparate for work right now...ours is so busy. He sure does good work though.

Under Age Recruiting Scandal Exposed!

Now Coach, I know I promised I wouldn't blog about you already recruiting Emmett for the basketball team but...I couldn't resist....and none of the pics show your face...so you remain in anonymity...
It should be clear to anyone close to our family the innate basketball talent of Emmett. Standing tall in the 2nd percentile, still at nearly 14 months unable to walk on his chubby feet, and fingers so fat they barely can grasp a crayon to sign on that proverbial dotted line...he is destined for the NBA...clearly coach knows what he is doing!

Emmett listens attentively...he has to be discriminating...you know a lot of scouts have been checking him out.

Verdict is...you hooked him coach. In 17 years, he is all yours...in all of his anticipatory 5'8" glory!!!

Multi-Grain Blender Pancakes

I love this recipe because on any brain dead morning, or lets be honest, usually evening, you can whip it out with zero forethought. Now I know you can do that all the time if you use a pancake mix, but if you are trying to cook with whole grains with no storebought nasty fillers...this is your number (you don't even have to have your wheat ground ahead!!). If you have a blender you can make it happen!

Multi-Grain Blender Pancakes
1/3 c powdered milk and c water*
1/3 c raw kamut**
1/3 c raw spelt**
1/3 c raw whole wheat**
2 T powdered eggs or 2 whole eggs
2 T virgin coconut oil
2 t baking powder
2 T pure maple syrup (or natural sweetener of your choice)
1/2 t real salt

Put milk, water and grains in blender. Blend on highest speed for 3-5 minutes, or until batter is smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend on low. You may need to add 1/2-1 c of additional water to make batter to your preferred consistency.
Bake on a hot cast iron griddle. Double the oil for a great waffle batter.

*Can substitute 1 c regular milk or 2/3 c instant and 1 c water

**Can substitute any combination of grains

Off for my Second Honeymoon

Farewell to all! I am off to the Big Apple and Boston for my second Honeymoon! My first experience with both cities. I'll have lots of pictures and blogs next week when we get home. I scheduled a bunch of blogs to post for the next few days that I was behind on. So enjoy if you want!

The First but Not the Last!

The day has come when the tooth fairy must now visit our humble abode. She'll be stopping by quite frequently over the next 10 years, I anticipate. But the first is always special. (Ellery is really going to love this post when she's a teenager. Talk about flattering photography!)

Last night...wiggling, wiggling...spotting a bit of blood...saving a chocolate milk mustache for later...
This morning after a 30 minutes ordeal of wiggling, more wiggling and blood...I finally pulled that little incisor right out of her cute little mouth!

Calling to spread the joyful news. Of course she didn't want to wait until the blood stopped flowing.


The beginnings of a big girl smile. Sigh.....

The obligatory letter to the Tooth Fairy, of course...

Ready and waiting!

Easter Miracles

Small Miracle

Today I am finally emerging from my bed. About 3 am Pip started bawling about an earache and as I woke up, the feeling of mass pain in every joint was gone, my head wasn't throbbing and I wasn't hacking uncontrollably.

Brent gave me a healing priesthood blessing before I went to bed. I had really taken a turn for the worse yesterday. I testify the Lord works through his righteous servants and He felt it was my time to be rid of this nasty sickness, whatever it is.


Large Miracle

The last two years the Lord has given us a gift of time. Time free from chemicals and radiation, knives, and searing. Time to fashion memories full of love and laughter and children. More time than we thought we would ever have 5 years ago when Brent's father was diagnosed with cancer. But cancer has a way of rearing its ugly head just when you think it is gone. Last night, we found it has done just that.

I feel the panic set in as it seems like those sands of time, that fell in slow motion for 2 years are now flowing in a relentless torrent. Yet at the same time, at this Easter season, I am at peace. Grateful for the miracle of time. And for a wonderful Father-in-law and whose life has been lengthened just this long to bless mine, Brent's and our children's.

Only the Lord knows how much longer we have him. It is up to us to do with the time what we can.

Small Miracle

Callista: Mommy Papi is going to die. Is he dead today?
Me: No Callista he isn't dead today.
Callista: Mommy Papi's body will be in the ground but his spirit won't die. He will be resurrected and his body and spirit will come back together.

For six months Brent has taught the children nearly every day the simple truths of God's plan for us. I watched as he patiently taught them again again how..

...we are spirit children of God
...we lived with him before we came to earth
...we came to earth to receive a body and to us our agency to be obedient
....when we die our bodies go into the ground but our spirits go to Heaven
...at judgment we will be resurrected, just as the Savior was, and we will be able to live in glory with Him and our families forever

Large Miracle

The life and gift of our Savior. I know He yet lives. I remember sitting in the tomb at the traditional spot in Jerusalem, reading the words you see only from the inside..."He is not here. For He is Risen." Truly He is risen. There is no greater miracle than this.

sick

i can't seem to get better. bedded down since wednesday afternoon. aches everywhere. hacking up a lung practically.

The Garden of 2009 Begins

A week ago Saturday, I finally squeezed in some moments to plant my peas, spinach, lettuce and other cold-weather crops. As of yet, there are zero signs of life. I am at a loss. Sometimes when I plant, everything comes up, other times, nothing? The determinate factor has yet to be discovered.
I am also giving my raspberries extra TLC this year. In years past, they go crazy but hardly produce. They are now in their 4th year with yet to provide a bounteous harvest. I carefully pruned this year. By removing the dead canes, cutting the year-old-canes to under 5 feet, and providing a simple trellis I am hopeful for better results. Last year I mowed them down, in hopes for a large fall crop, it was meager at best. I will keep you posted.

PTA...Declined

After prayerful contemplation, and a bit of research I decided to decline the invitation to participate as the PTA president. My reasons are varied. First I felt my personal educational philosophy was not in direct accordance with PTA's.

I am a firm supporter of vouchers, private schools, charter schools and homeschooling. I am also opposed to unions. When schools and teachers are forced to compete in a free market environment children benefit. Some schools may lose funding if they do not step up to the plate. Salary and job security should be directly tied to student performance and teacher quality, not protected by a union.

I remember my first year teaching, I was only 21 years old. During district orientation we were herded into a small classroom, and I felt, bombarded by the Union. They almost demanded we sign up instantly. Extremely uncomfortable with the situation, I would not sign. Instead, my policy as a teacher was to participate in actions and policy change I believed in. On one occasion I participated in a one day strike and distributed fliers. Only because I supported the cause. Not because I was a union member.

The national PTA also has some agenda's which are not in accordance with my personal values, including sex education and the teaching of alternative lifestyles to children. The Utah PTA is certainly not involved in pushing these agenda's, to my knowledge, however.

Where does this leave me....

School Community Council

Last night I attended a community meeting including the Superintendent and the School Board. It was very insightful. After a 30 minute presentation, they took questions for 1 1/2 hours. What I learned is I want to be involved in the school community council. This council composed of teachers, parents, students, and administrators decides how to allocate $15K-$25K worth of funds each year. By participating in this council I feel I can be influential in the school.

Science Fair

When speaking with our principal last week he mentioned how he wants to bring the Science Fair to our school. Now, that is something I can be passionate about! I have a love/hate relationship with Science Fair. When teaching, it was by far the most challenging and the most rewarding thing we did. I tried to focus on inquiry learning in my classroom, and Science Fair is the ultimate inquiry investigation. My thoughts are to offer my services to help train teachers and organize a school Science Fair. In this way I feel I would be enhancing the educational experience of all students at the school.

Home Schooling

Home Schooling is still in the mix for me. I realize I didn't make it clear in my previous entry, I am only considering a 1/2 day of homeschool. The beauty of living across the street from the school will allow Ellery to attend recess at school and eat lunch, attend assemblies, and class parties that are appropriate etc. While she is very excited about being with me for half the day, she would be devastated to leave completely. I think we can find a balance.

I am reading an excellent book called A Thomas Jefferson Education. It is very inspiring. After speaking with a teacher at the elementary school, I think I will try homeschooling in the afternoon, as opposed to the mornings, as I thought previously. If I choose to send her in the morning she will have literacy and math at school, as well as home. I can provide all sorts of enriching activities at home to replace her afternoon school activities.

This is the current plan....everything is always subject to change though :)