Happy Anniversary

Today is our 9th Wedding Anniversary! 

This picture was taken in October of 1996 before our first dance at Utah State University.  We had started dating three months before.  Two and a half years later in 1999 we were married.  

What I love about Brandon:

1.  He is very intelligent

2.  He spends his free time with his family

3.  He is creative

4.  He is patient with the girls

5.  He works so hard

6.  He is handsome!

I promise to be a better wife and a happier person this next year!  I love you.

Plimoth Plantation and Cape Cod

We had a fun Memorial Day weekend with more Massachusetts sights to see. While we had hoped to make it down to NYC, we decided to be more budget conscience and stay closer to home. Despite the $4/gallon gas prices, we spent the weekend driving to a few places that we have been wanting to visit. We made it to the Plimoth Plantation, to the Mayflower II, and to Cape Cod. The weather was nice and the girls LOVED playing at the beach. We ate fish and chips and even a lobster roll.

We drove the entire length of the Cape to Provincetown (a surprising three hour drive from Boston). I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I was shocked to learn that the gay community is very accepted in Provincetown. As we drove down the busy Commercial Street we were among men in drag and couples of women, couples of men, and a few mixed couples. It was weird but funny at the same time! We actually didn't feel comfortable parking the car and staying longer with the girls so we drove on to another beach. Who knows what questions Lauren would have for us on the way home!

Our weekend ended with a a WINDY Memorial Day BBQ with friends at a South Boston beach.

Family in Town

Our second set of visitors came to Boston! Brandon's brother had a design conference to attend, and his wife and little boy were able to come to enjoy the historic city and to visit with us, of course!

Paul, Jordan, and Moses live in San Francisco and love living in the busy city. Paul is an accomplished artist who will soon be venturing off on his own to paint exclusively. His paintings are beautiful, and we hope to own one of his pieces one day. Jordan is a very talented woman who spends her day taking care of their five-month old son Moses, managing an apartment building, and maintaining her popular blog, Oh Happy Day. To me she seems the ultimate event planner with creative ideas always brimming.

While Brandon worked and Paul attended his meetings, Jordan and I were able to take in some Boston sights. We walked the first half of the Freedom Trail from the Public Garden and Boston Common to Faniel Hall. That night we were able to get a babysitter and the adults enjoyed a delicious dinner at Giacomo's and dessert at Mike's Pastry in the North End. The next day included a stop at Harvard Yard and the Museum of Fine Arts.

We loved meeting our new nephew and cousin in the Ferney clan. Moses was so cute!

Happy Birthday LAUREN!

May is birthday month in our home. Lauren turned 6 years old today! Happy Birthday!

Six years ago, this beautiful thing entered our lives:

Lauren was born on a Saturday morning before Mothers Day. This year we get to celebrate her birthday and this holiday on the same day! I'm happy to give up my "day of rest" to make her day special. We spent the day at church, spending time with friends, and decorating Lauren's birthday cake.

Lauren was born during a busy time of our lives. Brandon was graduating from Medical School, I was working full-time, and we were getting ready to move to California to begin B's residency program. So at four-weeks old, Lauren moved to Sacramento. And she spent her first five years growing up as a California girl. But she has done great in Boston and can say she is truly a city-girl now.

FINALLY! Lauren finally turned six years old. This has been a big wish of Lauren's since last fall when kids in her school class started turning six. And I'm sure as her friends start turning seven, she will start wishing for her next birthday. This goes along with wishing her front teeth will fall out. Somehow this seems fun to her, since everyone else is loosing their teeth. So maybe now that she is six, she will lose a tooth and the tooth fairy will come.

I just attended Parent Teacher Conference with Lauren's teacher last week, and I couldn't be prouder. I really couldn't ask for a better evaluation. She is doing excellent in school. She loves to learn and to be challenged. Her teacher says she does well socially and that she is kind and well-liked. It has been amazing to see her reading and excelling at school.

She loves to dance and perform. She loves Primary and her testimony of Jesus Christ is growing. She loves ANY type of craft project and she has just started soccer and yoga after school during the week. I hope this level of interest and activity continues, and I hope that I can keep up with her! She can be emotional at times, but I think that is expected with girls in general! :-)

One very important thing to mention about Lauren is that she is her Daddy's girl. She loves Brandon more than anything and loves to be by his side at all times when he is home. She is also a great sister to Elle and loves to cuddle and hug her.

We love you, Lauren!

Spring has Sprung

This tree in our neighborhood has been so beautiful this past week. Spring has SPRUNG! Everything is blossoming and the bright green of New England is returning. The seasons are so amazyingly unique here.

Here is a picture of the same tree in January. Burrrr! I am so glad the weather has turned for the better. We love it!

Happy Birthday Elle!

Three years ago, on May 4, 2005, Elle Marie joined our family. She was a cuddley 9 lb. 2 ounce beautiful baby girl. Brandon really liked the name Elle from Elle magazine and Elle Macpherson fame.

Elle's first year flew by. She was a great sleeper and eater. There were no major illnesses, but we knew thumbsucking was in our future!

At two years old she loved to be outside and climb, climb, climb. She loved parks and playing with friends. She grew to love her "blankie" which is still at her side today.

Today, our three year old loves to pretend. She is always asking me to "pway" (she has a hard time pronouncing the letter "L"). She loves to play with Barbies, Polly pockets, and My Little Ponies. She always starts out our pretend conversation with our playmates, "Hewwo, What's your name?" She could spend hours playing this way. She loves to watch Disney Princess movies and dance to princess music. She also loves to dress up and to play with her friend, Allie.

Sadly, she is STILL sleeping on a baby mattress. I have taken down one side of her crib, so that she can get in and out. But this girl is so tall, it is actually pathetic that we haven't purchased a twin bed for her. It is on my "TO DO" list within the next couple of weeks.

Her favorite response is always "three minutes." And she brillantly counts in Spanish, thanks to Dora and Diego.

Elle and I are constant companions these days. While Lauren is at school and Dad is at work, we spend our days shopping, cleaning, playing, and maybe watching a little TV.

Elle, we love you!

The Value of a Penny

Lauren is obsessed with earning money.   This morning she asked me if I would give her money if she organized her clothes drawer.  I said, "I'll give you a quarter."  Of course this wasn't enough, so she said, "Will you give me a quarter and a penny?" I said, "Sure."  And she said "Yea!!"

Yesterday she wanted to give a cashier her dollar bill so that she could get "more money" in return.  

Somehow this concept of the value of money has been difficult for Lauren to understand. :-)

Patriots Day and the 2008 Boston Marathon

Monday was Patriots Day in Massachusetts. Ironically, when I first realized this holiday was coming up, I thought it was strange to have a holiday for our football team (New England Patriots) in April. However, much to my embarrassment, it turns out that Patriots Day is in celebration of the first battles of the Revolutionary War. (Of course!) There were re-enactments of the battle held in Lexington and Concord, which I would have liked to witness, but because it was held at sunrise... at 5:30 am... we weren't able to make it. But we did make it to another event held on Monday.

It was also the day of the Boston Marathon. Wow. It was awe-inspiring. I actually teared up as I saw the leading men and women run past us. The course entered Brookline around mile marker 23. So as the runners came near us, they were near the end. We watched near Coolidge Corner, just a few miles from our home. Sadly, Brandon had to work, so I had to manage the girls and take a few pictures without him. Now that I'm more familiar with the Boston communities, I'll always watch the Marathon in the future with more interest and more perspective.

Beacon Hill and the Public Garden

Next on our tour of Boston..... :)

Saturday after Lauren's friends birthday party and lunch, we headed into Boston for another day of sight-seeing. It was a beautiful spring day with plenty of sunshine but was a little chilly.

We walked up to the Massachusetts State House from the Boston Common. Can you figure out what is going on in our city right now? It has to do with THE Playoffs. Boston is celebrating another sports team success.

Behind the State House is a neighborhood known as Beacon Hill. It is home to beautiful streets that once were paved in cobblestones and continues to house the very wealthy and very lucky. I love this part of Boston. Turn of the century brick row homes sit side by side. Chimneys decorate the tops of the brick buildings, and you literally can jump from roof top to roof top, just like Mary Poppins. Many homes have flower boxes and with Spring arriving, many of them are fresh and colorful.

Close by is the Public Garden. We walked through and saw that the Swan Boats are out from hibernation and that the tulips will be in bloom very soon.