hubbards

2012-01-24T16:41:00.000-06:00

The snow is still here but the temperatures aren't too bad.

Hultz was thrilled to have to get all geared up for the weather--

snow boots, snow pants, hat...

I'm not sure how long it will last.

The favorite part of the walk home from school is cutting across the soccer field--

2012-01-23T18:20:00.000-06:00

We do a lot of walking here.

Besides having shoes that keep your feet warm and dry,

you have to have a good stroller that can get you around, even through the snow.

Pushing our tandem stroller, even on dry ground, was pretty tough.

It's a lot like pushing a bus...

So I sold it and bought a Valco jogging stroller

(and lest you think I would drop that kind of money on a stroller, ours is a used, older model).

With giant tires and shocks, this is the best ride for getting through anything.

It's super easy to push and turns on a dime.

It's a little ridiculous how happy I am about a stroller--

but I use it more than I use our car, so...

Elsie wasn't sure about being this close to Caroline...

2012-01-22T12:33:00.000-06:00

My kids love apples.

A lot.

Already, they each have favorite types, though Caroline is less picky.

She eats an apple everyday.

Usually one of her helpful siblings indulges her and grabs one for her.

Her most recent favorite perch is at the little table, swinging her legs.

She finishes the whole thing-- I usually end up stepping on the seeds.

This is the face she makes when I bring out the camera...

2012-01-21T06:30:00.000-06:00

It snowed last night.

And then all day long.

Big, fluffy flakes.

The southerner in me was a little shaky.

This much snow would have closed our schools for a week.

Here, it hardly alters life at all...

While the girls were napping, Hultz went out to play in the snow on our porch.

That kid, with his straggle-tooth smile, was so happy.

Crazy, crazy man...

2012-01-16T06:26:00.000-06:00

Jon dropped his bike off for a tune up while we were in Utah.

The shop is right in the North End of Boston, one of my favorite parts.

I dropped him off to pick it up tonight and drove my usual way home.

I drove down State Street--

tall, tall modern buildings surrounding old, grand building always stirs something up inside of me.

And I always feel nostalgic driving past the Old State House.

I wonder if it will ever get boring or common-place for me to drive past these landmarks.

I drove down Beacon Street and onto Storrow Drive,
all of which was such a challenge to find when we first moved here.

Now, I didn't even need my GPS to do it.

I call that progress.

The sun was setting as we drove along the Charles and I remembered some of the conversations Jon & I had about residency.

We were trying to decide how to rank our picks of where to go,

weighing all of the pros and cons of the programs and the areas of the country we could go--

and also trying to reconcile that in the end, we didn't get to choose.

We wanted to be out of our comfort zone, someplace exciting and new.

We both thought we knew where that would be and were really surprised to find out that would be Boston.

And as challenging as it's been to live here, we really love it.
We have found wonderful friends, great schools, good co-workers and a love for New England.

At so many times, we both feel that this is exactly where we should be with our family.

These were my thoughts as I drove home.

And then I secretly prayed that winter would be kind to me this year and that Jon would be safe biking home.

Jon made it in one piece and so far, winter has been mild...

And I have a grateful heart.

2012-01-15T20:54:00.000-06:00

This weekend has been a whirlwind of travel and events.

Jon's younger brother Joe, got married to the sweetest girl, Kellie.

We left Hultz & Elsie with sweet friends to spoil them over the weekend,

packed up Miss C and headed west.

I went on an earlier flight with Caroline & Jon met me out there after he finished his shift at the NICU.

We stayed with Jon's old college roommate & our dear friend, Leremy.

He too spoiled us with good chocolate and ice cream

and great stories.

Joe is #5 of 9 and we all feel it's quite a feat that he's getting married.
He's funny and stubborn and is determined to be the adventurous uncle to my kids.

(I was just pregnant with Hultz in this picture)

Caroline was the best traveler.
She napped and played and flirted with the Captain.
We played in the terminals and had a lovely time together, just the two of us.

We had a busy, full day on Saturday.
Leremy's best breakfast was devoured and we drove in our cute rental to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.
The ceremony was so nice--it was wonderful to be surrounded by so much family.

It was a cold, blustery day and we all froze our toes off.

Kellie's family had a luncheon for the family after the ceremony.

Somehow all of Jon's siblings all crowded around our table and we laughed our hearts out.

I have no pictures to prove it-- I was either eating or laughing instead.

I did insist that everyone gather around for a quick picture.

Here is most of us.

We're missing a sister-in-law (Luke's wife, Meagan) and a brother-in-law (Katie's husband, Kasen)

and my two kiddies.

We met up and had a couple of hours of play time for the kids before the reception that night.

Caroline had a blast chasing around her cousins.

Up and down the stairs, running in circles and lost of laughing.

The reception was wonderful. We got to catch up with more family & friends.

We skipped out a little early to have the best pizza with our favorite people-

Leremy, Uncle Rob & Aunt Karen.

And... then we left Salt Lake City early on Sunday morning.

We had such a great time with our family and so grateful we could be there to help celebrate.

As quick as the trip was, it was a break we both desperately needed.

This past month has been challenging in a lot of ways and a step away was needed and appreciated.

2012-01-10T22:12:00.000-06:00

A glimpse--

Jon & I love Everybody Loves Raymond.

For the first few years we were married,

I bought him a season or two on DVD for his birthday.

Now, embarrassingly enough we have real-life-experiences come along that remind us of an episode.

We usually watch an episode or two at night while we're finishing up the day.

I really love The Mary Tyler Moore show.

I grew up watching the show with my mom and loved Mary.

Along with the row of Ray DVDs, I have each season of Mary too.

Ted still makes me laugh and

I might still cry during the season finale episode...

I have a long list of current shows I like too but there's something about these old shows that is comforting to watch when Jon is gone or turn on while I sew.
So, there's random fact #328...

2012-01-06T20:16:00.000-06:00

Today I started my last year in my 20s.

I have mixed feelings about it too.

There's something lovely and kind about still being twenty-something.

But oh, it will be nice to not see raised eyebrows when people find out I'm 29 and I have 3 kids

(not that it really happens that often).

But being 30 sounds like I've begun to arrive and become my own.

Perhaps I'm adding too much weight to the number of years of life.

Today was just like any other Friday.

Waking up early, walking to school, playing with friends, running errands, walking to school, playing with friends and passing the time until Dad comes home.

But then, after school, while walking to the bank and Trader Joe's, Jon called.

The other intern on the service volunteered to cover for Jon and sent him home.

Having him home a few hours early was the best gift ever.

My favorite part of this picture is Hultz's expression.

I have no idea what he's doing or thinking but it's hilarious.

After dinner we read books and giggled.

My cup runneth over.

Everyone wanted cuddles before bedtime.

Jon tried to snap a sweet picture of my babes.

Instead, he captured moments of our real life.

After everyone was asleep, one of the other pediatric residents came over to stay with the kiddies and Jon and I snuck out for ice cream and a sweet little used bookstore.

Quiet and calm and real.

It was a lovely birthday.

2012-01-03T11:48:00.000-06:00

Last Christmas I scanned a lot of old family photos that were in a large scrapbook

and have yet to do any editing or cropping.

Jon came home tonight and had a lot of notes to dictate

(which takes forever with the cases he has right now because they're very uncommon).

While he was busy, I sat down and edited the pictures on each page.

I found some darling photos of my mom's mother, Eleanor.

As I was going through the pictures, I found this sweet one that reminded me of our Elsie.

Not only was it fun to see the beautiful photos of family

but I also found some that were taken in Boston, close to where we live.

I love how lives cross over time.

2012-01-02T08:15:00.000-06:00

The weather has been unseasonably warm and without snow.

Both make my southern roots so happy

(although it's still bitterly cold when we take Hultz to school...).

This morning, we loaded up on our bikes and took a little ride down by the Charles River to the Esplanade Playspace.

Jon & Hultz often take bike rides there & Hultz has wanted to show us his favorite place for awhile.

We borrowed a bike trailer for the girls, who loved it.

Caroline loved it so much that she fell asleep.

The park is really amazing.

There's a zip line, a climbing tower, rope coarse-- not your typical slide & swings space.

Hultz thought this might be my brother's dog.

Nope. Just your neighborhood mastiff.

Jon is the pide piper at the playground.

When he's playing, there are always kids around trying to join in.

Cambridge is in the background.

One of the play structures was a lot of wooden beams leaned together with grooves to climb on.

Hultz & another boy had made it to the top of it and were playing.

Hultz lost his footing and fell, splitting his chin.

Dr. Dad helped him calm down and clean everything up and then headed to the ER to get it stitched up.

One of Jon's attendings (and mom of a friend in H's class) got them into a room pretty quickly which was really great.

Hultz got 7 stitches and was really brave.

No tears.

When we picked them up, Hultz was all smiles and his hands were full of prizes and treats.

Every Hubbard boy has a few stories to share about how they cheated death & earned a scar--

I'm told that's normal for being rowdy and growing up on a farm.

Hultz is pretty excited to tell his Uncles about his own forming-scar.

I'm just glad that Jon was around to take care of it.

So while the ER was unexpected and sad, it was a really wonderful day.

Being together is always savored in our little family.

2011-12-30T12:30:00.003-06:00

We got new brakes & a water pump on our van for Christmas.

Yahoo for adulthood...

One nice thing about living in Brookline is that we can walk to just about everything we need,

so we didn't miss the van while it was being fixed.

Hultz & Elsie had dentist appointments this morning.

Instead of walking, the kids voted to take the T.

Jon & I have taken them on the train several times.

Together.

But I have never gone by myself with all 3.

But we hopped on for 3 stops and rode down to the dentist.

A perfect, quick trip and everyone was excited and so good.

We might have found the world's best pediatric dentist.

Everyone has healthy teeth.

All four of us can hop on and off the T at once.

And my southern roots are so happy-- no snow yet!

2011-12-25T10:59:00.000-06:00

ours was merry & bright.

(even though my camera was both dull and unfocused... sorry)

we celebrated, gifted and feel very grateful.

2011-12-24T13:38:00.000-06:00

We stopped at the Haymarket for some fresh veggies-

cold, cold, cold air off the bay

We drove over to Beacon Hill and walked around the beautiful neighborhoods.

It's the perfect blend of Boston-

old streets and houses, row houses, and gorgeous shops.

Acorn Street- the most photographed street in America.

Louisa May Alcott's home

#10 Louisburg Square

We did a little service too--
we helped clean our church building.
After a lovely nap, we kept tradition and enjoyed a little fondue for dinner
(we opened a Christmas gift a little early...).

Hultz lost his 5th tooth & looks a little scraggly in the mouth...

After dinner, we left oaty treats for the reindeer and cookies for Santa.

It has been a much more quiet, calm Christmas than we're used to.

No traveling, no packing, no family visits.

Just our little ones all together and it was perfect--

happy and merry and joyful.

2011-12-22T17:39:00.000-06:00

Today was the first day of Jon's time off.

We decided to make a fun day of it.

Hultz took the day off from school and we drove down to Stoughton.

We stopped at IKEA for some playing and shopping.

Elsie was 1 inch too short to play at the play area with Hultz.

She was heartbroken (and I was annoyed).

She got over it soon enough and had a great time running around with us.

After our fun morning at IKEA, we went over to the Enchanted Village -
Christmas scenes from the 1950s with animated kids.

Everyone said it was something we had to do for our first Christmas in Boston.

It was so magical.

They had snow blowing and the kids loved it.

To finish off the magic,

Santa was there to greet the kids.

Everyone was excited as we waited in line.

Elsie was telling me what she would say to Santa.

Hultz was excited to ask him for gifts.

Caroline was clapping and squealing.

All of this changed when we actually went up and met Santa.

We finished up our day with a delish dinner out.

We had such a happy, full, fun day together.

2011-12-19T16:46:00.000-06:00

More of our favorite Elf sightings in our little home:

2011-12-17T16:43:00.000-06:00

I took Hultz with me today to do a little Christmas shopping.

Jon is finishing up nights so while he rested, the girls napped.

Hultz agonized all the way down the toy isle about what to get Elsie.

He finally settled on a princess doll, which I think will be a big hit.

He carefully snuck it into our home and wrapped it up before she woke up.

There are moments when he's a great brother- when teasing are put off and his affection shines through.

I wish there were more of those moments but I sure appreciate them when they're here!

2011-12-15T12:32:00.000-06:00

I'm the room mom of Hultz's class.

Well, in this world of public school PC- it's Room Parent.

We had a Holiday Breakfast Party this morning with the families.

Hultz's class is probably one of the most diverse in the state.

Almost every race and religion is represented.

The number of languages exchanged between parent and child at pick-up or drop-off are incredible.

So, as we prepared for the party we included a few spots in the signup for Seasonal Dishes-

for traditional treats for different holidays celebrated this month.

For me, it was exciting to come up with crafts and activities that were more than just reindeer and Christmas trees.

This morning, we ate and chatted and generally had a really great time.

I wish I had pictures to prove it.

Instead of snapping photos (like I had really wanted to be doing), I was checking on food and crafters.

I did manage to get a couple taken of my sweet girls enjoying plates of fruit.

We had Holiday Passports to mark each craft accomplished.

And in case you need a few general holiday crafts, here are the three we chose:

Snowflakes

Jingle Bells

Mice Candy Canes

(which I think were the favorite)

I'm already planning our Valentine's Party.

2011-12-12T12:29:00.000-06:00

Jon is finishing up a month of wards.

Long, long hours.

We've missed him terribly.

He gets a few days off at Christmas & we cannot wait to be with him all day.

While we miss him, we fill our days with lots of activities.

Big, fun activities.

Like lining up the cushions from the couch, as Elsie puts it, 'like Rapunzel's castle'.

The fun happens when the girls jump on the cushions and wiggle down them to the end.

The room is filled with giggles.

Caroline's other favorite place is the cabinets.

She jabbers and laughs while I cook.

She tossing things around and stack things up--

generally showing us how thrilled she is with her life.

Quality fun for with my girls...

2011-12-09T09:36:00.000-06:00

Our elf made his appearance several days ago.

He's done some silly, naughty things.

So far, the kids' favorites have been--

marshmallow fight with H's favorite stuffies

snow angels in the flour

decorating the tree with tp

making the milk green

2011-12-07T09:32:00.000-06:00

Each night, after baths & pjs,

we cuddle on the couch to read scriptures and books.

We've been reading a collection of Grimm's Fairy Tails

that the kids refer to as Our Chapter Book.

After we finished reading, the fire alarm went off in our building.

I stuck my head out in the hallway and chatted with our neighbors

and they were all fine.

As soon as the alarm started, it stopped.

But by then, our building was surrounded by 3 firetrucks.

They called up to us and told us to stay in our apartment.

It took quite awhile for them to figure things out & I kept hoping that Jon would get home soon.

He did eventually, but by then everything was quiet and our building was still standing.

We found out the next day that it was an over-loaded, smoking dryer.

Very anti-climatic--

but it was great entertainment for 3 kiddies.

2011-12-06T09:30:00.000-06:00

We joined our local YMCA.

It's the perfect place with activities to keep us warm in the fearfully cold weather.

Free child care mean that I can bike or run for 45 minutes uninterrupted.

A warm pool and big gym let us play after a good workout.

Dance, basketball, swimming lessons-- all fun things to keep us busy.

While Caroline is having a hard time forgiving me while I leave her to exercise,

I think it's getting better.

Running around the gym and playing on the gymnastic mats makes up for it a litte.

It sure makes for a fun few mornings each week.

2011-12-03T14:59:00.000-06:00

Tonight was our Christmas party at church.
Jon was off & able to join the fun.

It was such a fun night.

The decorations & the tables were lovely.
There were great activities for the kiddies-
pajama party, cupcake decorating and crafts.
There was a deep-baritone-reading of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
(he sings opera at BU and his voice sounds just like the song in the movie).
And dinner was delicious.

There was a sweet little nativity with the cutest animals-

Hultz was a perfect member of the Heavenly Host-

no lines, no spotlight- perfect for our shy boy.

The girls loved watching Hultz.

At the end of the evening, I was so glad we have such great friends here

and had such fun welcoming Christmas with them.

2011-11-28T18:16:00.001-06:00

We trimmed the tree tonight & cannot wait for more holiday fun!

2011-11-27T12:20:00.000-06:00

We got the Christmas decorations out tonight.

The kids were bursting with excitement

and I was so happy to have all of my Christmas stuff after leaving it stored last year.

As I unpacked it, I remembered the last time that all of this was up was in our little bungalow in Little Rock.

That seems like ages ago.

With Christmas carols playing, we had such fun putting things in just the right place

(or in reality, finding a place for it!).

Fluffing the tree turned out to be quite the challenge with little helping hands.

Supervising--

We each added two ornaments to the tree & will finish trimming it tomorrow night.

2011-11-26T12:18:00.000-06:00

Jon & Hultz took a bike ride this afternoon.

They had a great time and only crashed once.

After they got home, Hultz started to feel really sick.

He fell asleep between bites of his cutie.

Having a live-in pediatrician is really handy--we were able to get medicine for his ear infection

and everyone has happier after

(oh the crying that happens with a sick one...).

2011-11-25T18:51:00.001-06:00

I was a little apprehensive about going out shopping today with all my kiddies while Jon worked.

But I braved it.

First though, we drove down & signed up for the YMCA.

This will solve the 'what to do on a grey cold day' dilemma I have more and more here.

We drove down to Wrentham to check a few places for Boston-winter-worthy coats for me.

With snacks and a movie, the kiddies were happy driving companions.

Unfortunately, most of eastern Massachusetts had the same thought.

We drove around forever trying to find a parking spot and then walked what felt like a mile in.

It was worth it though.

I found a great coat for any kind of cold that New England can throw my way.

And at 40% off.

All of my children survived too.

We stopped for a quick treat before heading home.

They were good sports.

2011-11-24T19:50:00.000-06:00

Each Thanksgiving for the past three years has been very different.

Each of those years was so special, with great memories.

My whole family together in Arkansas,

dinner with extended family last year in New York

and small miracles this year in Boston.

Our dear friends live just a block down the street from us.

(She looked at apartments for us and I'm left to wonder if it's a coincidence that we live this close together!)

We divided up dinner dishes and made plans for the big meal.

The kids watched Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving while I baked and cooked.

I loaded all of our dishes into our red wagon to walk down to our friends' house.

Jon was supposed to work all day but the other intern offered to stay on and let him leave.

It a little Thanksgiving miracle.

We were able to get 7 adults and 8 kids into a small Boston apartment.

Even more impressive was the amount of food we were able to get in a tiny Boston kitchen.

We all ate and ate and laughed almost as much as we ate.

The kids were all really great too.

Caroline ended up eating all of the mashed potatoes & stuffing off my plate.

But having Jon with us was the best surprise and made the evening great.

I'm so grateful for kind residents, sweet kids, a wonderful husband and dear friends who made this Thanksgiving memorable & full.

2011-11-23T14:22:00.001-06:00

School finished at noon today.

It was grey and rainy and cold-- not perfect playground weather.

His school is on a busy street, lined with sweet shops and restaurants.

With an afternoon empty of plans, we made a few stops on the walk home.

The first stop was JP Licks for ice cream.

I questioned Hultz's choice, reminding him that he was cold...

but he thought it was the perfect choice.

The ice cream was so yummy...but they all kept their coats on while they ate.

A stop at Trader Joe's, a little used bookstore, and the library finished us up.

The girls took a late nap while Hultz &

I worked on the best road setup for his cars, ate apples

and then worked on reading

(which turned out to be a stressful time for both of us and
we quickly found it more fun to work on planning his class 'holiday party').

2011-11-21T15:47:00.000-06:00

Caroline had her one-year check up a little late.

She just got over a cold & croup, which was a pitiful week.

(Jon was on nights that week which made the week feel even longer...)

She endured immunizations and a second flu shot.

She's in the 75th percentile in weight & height.

And although I really love our pediatrician, Caroline did not like her one bit.

Not even when Caroline was offered a giant Dora sticker to compensate her for the 'cruelty' of being weighed and measured.

This girl is quite a light in our lives.

She loves playing with Hultz & Elsie and tries so hard to keep up with them.

She finishes off every apple or cookie offered to her.

She gives the best hugs and cuddles.

She loves watching Sesame Street with Miss E after taking Hultz to school.

She doesn't say anything but can sign milk like she's parched every minute of the day.

2011-11-12T15:57:00.000-06:00

Jon's first day off in awhile was today.

We enjoyed every minute of it.

We did our usual Saturday trip to the Haymarket to pick up fruits & veggies

(including 5 pints of blueberries for $2...).

Since we were all feeling healthy this time,

we rode the ferry over to the Navy Shipyard to see the USS Constitution.

Even with the cold wind, I officially love living in Boston.

2011-11-11T09:18:00.001-06:00

Today I am grateful for the Veterans close to our hearts.

They fought long ago but our freedom was preserved and ensured because of them.

Jon's grandfather, Air Force, WWII

My grandfather, Air Force, WWII

My grandfather, Navy, Korea

2011-11-09T21:11:00.002-06:00

We loved our Wednesday.

Jon is working nights in Cardiology this week so he got to come along.

We love pink balls, trikes, tire swings and 66 degrees.

2011-11-07T17:10:00.000-06:00

Our little Caroline turned one today.

It's been the fastest year of my life.

One year ago, our dear friends had just left from visiting us in Washington DC.

We were enjoying autumn in the nation's capitol.

Jon was doing research at the NIH.

I was waddling around, trying to induce labor.

Now, we have a sweet, feisty girl.

She is the happiest of small souls with a little personality bursting through.

It's the perfect fall day so we played at the park today.

We made some delicious cupcakes.

(This is what they really looked like. I don't know why they look gray in the rest of the pictures...)

We love our littlest one and loved celebrating her.

2011-11-04T17:48:00.000-05:00

After picking Hultz up from school,

we walked across the T tracks to Trader Joe's to pick up a few things.

On the walk home, we pass by the shop that is selling my dresses.

A few happened to be on display.

It's exciting...

2011-11-01T20:59:00.000-05:00

People always talk about a New England fall.

It is everywhere around Boston.

I already have a list of places to see next autumn.

But my favorite scene this fall in New England is when I see all my loves together.

Today, I am grateful for the love of these two...

2011-10-31T09:26:00.000-05:00

I love holidays.

The anticipation, the decorating, the food & treats--

the togetherness.

I have a closet full of tubs holding all of our holiday stuff

(and closet space is rare in Boston...).

But Halloween... well, it's never been my favorite.

It falls on the bottom of both Jon's and my favorite days.

This year Jon had to work Halloween night.

It had snowed the day before.

The entire town of Brookline trick-or-treats on the streets with homes (rather than apartment buildings) which means it's super-unbelievably-crowded.

It seemed like the stars were aligning to keep Halloween at the bottom of my list of favorites.

Instead, I can say that tonight was the best Halloween of my whole life.

Filled with simple love.

We were invited to have dinner & go trick-or-treating with our dearest Boston friends.

Our kids played and ate while we chatted.

Jon went in to the hospital the same time that my friend's husband came home from the hospital.

We packed up the kiddies to head to their favorite streets.

At the last minute, we decided to stay in our little neighborhood.

Uncrowded, it was the perfect place for our boys to run free and our little ones to straggle behind.

It was while we were walking down one of the streets-

watching the excitement and happiness in my kids,

I saw the magic that my kids felt tonight.

And it changed the holiday completely.

trick-or-treating in an apartment building...

The trick of picking out costumes in New England is making them work in cold temperatures.

So if it fits over a coat, it works.

The girls were sweet strawberries.

Hultz wanted to be Super Hultz.

(If only all of life's choices could be this easy...)

We ended the night walking up Beals Street, right past John F. Kennedy's boyhood home.

(if you get there early enough in the night, they hand out chocolate half-dollars)

2011-10-30T20:28:00.001-05:00

Our first Nor'Easter was predicted for this weekend.

I wasn't sure what to expect besides being very cold.

Our ward trunk-or-treat was canceled with its possible arrival.

Church was cancelled this morning because the storm took the power out at our building.

This meant uninterrupted sleep for Jon today

and it meant an entire day to entertain three kiddies.

We took a walk around our neighborhood, testing our snow boots and gloves.

We stopped at our favorite park where there was a little more snow.

It was perfect for making snowmen

and the kids were so excited.

Elsie walked around singing "walk like a penguin."

Caroline chilled out in the stroller.

I think that the kids will be happy for 6 months of winter and snow.

I think that I can survive.

Hopefully.

2011-10-29T18:26:00.000-05:00

We spent the morning out in Boston at the Haymarket.

We stopped by the Charles River and dropped off the boys for a bike ride.

Hultz loves this time with his Dad.

After naps, and before Jon had to go in to the hospital tonight, we did a little pumpkin painting.

A few of the other residents in our building said that carved pumpkins get eaten by animals here so we decided to paint them instead.

We munched on pomegranate seeds while we painted.

Little C loved them.

2011-10-26T18:21:00.000-05:00

Little C is the best eater--

she wants whatever the rest of us are having.

We had some chicken alfredo tonight

and she was all over it.

2011-10-25T18:18:00.000-05:00

Hultz lost his third tooth tonight.

It had been loose for several days and was bothering him

(he was annoyed that he couldn't eat an apple).

He was brave & had Jon pull it out.

We had a night of fun at our friends' house.

Dinner and games and chatting.

I actually won a few rounds of games.

They are finishing residency and in the middle of job interviews.

That seems so far away for us.

We ended the night with a visit from the Tooth Fairy.

2011-10-23T12:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday afternoon we headed west to Newton.

There was a nature center having a scarecrow walk and activities.

It's funny how quickly our perception of things change.

We've gotten used to buildings and concrete.

As we drove, we noticed the yards getting bigger and the rolling hills.

It reminded us of living in northwest Arkansas.

We packed a picnic and had a late lunch before walking in.

The scarecrow walk was a little silly but the kids loved it.

There were crafts, scavenger hunts, story time, activities and warm cider.

Cool weather and crunching leaves have brought my favorite time of year.

2011-10-22T12:25:00.000-05:00

Elsie went to a birthday party today for a sweet little friend.

It was just across the river in Cambridge.

It takes about 6 minutes to get there but it's always exciting to drive over the Charles River.

But today was the Charles Regatta.

There were rowers as far as you could see.

The bridges were crowded with on-lookers.

Besides the rowers, I thought the sky and skyline were beautiful.

Jon had the day off so he took Hultz on a bike ride along the river.

They stopped at a park and the Esplanade.

By the time they got back home, they had gone 8 miles.

Hultz loved every minute of it.

2011-10-21T10:54:00.000-05:00

The temperature is slowly dropping.

Oh New England, I am not ready.

So, while the weather is still nice we are spending every day at the park or on a walk.

We have collected leaves and acorns

and ultimately try to keep Caroline from eating them.

2011-10-20T18:39:00.000-05:00

I love Panera Bread.

If they only had Diet Coke,

I think I could eat there all of the time.

There is a Panera Bread one block away from us.

Yeah, it's pretty great.

Today our Panera Bread was giving away smoothies to a few lucky customers

and a few pumpkin cookies to cute girls dressed in pink.

It was a sweet late-morning date with my girls.

Plus,

it made getting my first parking ticket in Brookline a little less sad.

(There's a two-hour limit on street parking.

Apparently my clock is off of the traffic police.

All of this because they were working in front of our garage and I couldn't get in.

Arg.

2011-10-19T18:25:00.000-05:00

Jon started his Cardiology rotation today.

New rotations mean a whole new schedule to get used to.

'Signing out' starts later with this rotation

(where they sign over their patients to the doctors taking the next shift)

which means he gets home later.

But he also bring home the most interesting stories of the sweet babes he takes care of.

It really is amazing what science can do.

The kids & I made some creamy chicken noodle soup (a favorite around here)

and whole wheat bread.

Both are super simple and delish.

The biggest deal to me--

it's a meal that everyone loves and eats happily.

We also made some super big double chocolate chip cookies

(I did not like how they turned out... i might have over-mixed the flour)

The kiddies loved them though...

PS: my favorite bread recipe:

3 1/4 cups hot water
1/4 cup oil
7 1/2 cups flour (I use 3 cups white, 4 1/4 cups wheat)
1/2 cup sugar
3 T. yeast
1 T. salt

Add ingredients in this order into mixer.

(Do not add yeast to the hot water directly. It will kill the yeast).

Use kneading attachment and mix until combined into soft ball.
You do not have to let it rise yet.

Divide the ball of dough into thirds.

Roll out on lightly floured surface and roll up to form loaf.

Lay seam-side down in bread pan.
I usually make two regular loaves and three small loaves.

Allow the bread to rise in a warm place for a couple of hours.

(I place it under the stove light on top of the stove).

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (even small loaves).

2011-10-18T14:01:00.000-05:00

Hultz had a friend over after school today.

They both had after-school enrichment classes

so we picked them up after that and took the long way home.

I let the boys choose how to channel their energy after we got home.

They picked the tub of 'saved recycling'

(empty formula cans, toilet paper rolls, egg cartons...).

Thanks to Pintrest, I had several go-to ideas.

The boys picked a robot and a halloween cat to make.

For one entire hour, they cut, clued, joked and laughed as they made these things.

The rest of their endless energy was spent at the park.

They climbed and raced everywhere.

I love where we live--

to have a small space is challenging but to have friends so close and be able to walk to fun things sure makes up for it!

2011-10-16T10:49:00.000-05:00

Ten years ago I graduated high school and started college.

While this feels like a long time ago,

those memories of friends and fun times are still very fresh in my mind.

I had really great friends at school and at the Institute--

and we were always doing stuff together.

One of the most influential friends I had during that time was Aleasha.

She was the happiest, most outgoing person I had ever met.

Birthdays, holidays and weekends were things she celebrated in a big, big way.

I remember spending a lot of time at her apartment and was so grateful for her friendship.

Since then, we've stayed in contact.

Her husband just finished his pediatric residency and has started fellowship.

It's been really nice to have someone to talk to who has just finished the long journey we are still on.

They came into Boston this weekend for the AAP conference.

He's the outgoing president which meant lots of meetings

and lots of free time for Aleasha.

We spent Friday night talking and laughing.

Josh & Jon talked all-things doctor.

Leash & I kept our chatting a bit more simple.

Today, we picked her up at her hotel,

drove through the set of R.I.P.D they were filming,

around a huge protest,

visited the Haymarket,

walked around Boston,

then walked over to the docks to catch the ferry.

We headed over
to the USS Constitution.

We haven't been there yet and Hultz was pretty excited to see the boats.

Looking for aligators...

I think the ferry ride over was the best part...

We walked over to the navy yard and walked through this WWII Destroyer.

Before we could tour the USS Constitution, Elsie got really sick.

We decided that rather than have her throw up on a historic relic,

the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat,

we would be truly patriotic and let everyone else enjoy the tour.

We headed back to the ferry.

Hultz wished we could have taken a ride on this boat instead.

While Jon ran to get the van from the parking garage,

Aleasha & I stayed with the kiddies and watched a kid 'play' music on empty buckets and old roasting pans.

Even after such a moving performance, Hultz still wants to be a construction worker.

Need some perspective on a Saturday?

Read this

then hug your kiddies.

2011-10-11T10:44:00.000-05:00

I view my children as mysterious little beings, waiting for their talents and character to be discovered.

I feel like it's up to me to help guide them and give them opportunities to discover what those things are.

One example:

Hultz has a Legos Discovery class after school once a week, taught by a MIT professor.

They build all kinds of things and talk about why it works and why other things don't.

He's really good at it.

Another:

Elsie is blossoming with music.

We went to Singing Time at the library this morning.

It was like watching a little light bulb turn on when she was there.

She was singing and dancing, right in the middle of the room.

She knew every sign to every song by the time we left.

She was so happy.

In contrast, I took Hultz to similar programs at that age and he wouldn't leave my lap, wouldn't sing or participate.

Caroline really loved it too. At one point she had bells in each hand and one hanging from her mouth.

(Elsie insists on picking out shoes & socks for little sister.)

I love watching my children learn and discover.

I love it when they find something that makes them light up and excel.

2011-10-07T17:24:00.000-05:00

Little Miss C is 11 months old.

I cannot believe how much has happened since she was born.

I shake my head just thinking about it.

It's gone by much too fast--

I think some of that is due to how early she started walking. She runs around at the park which makes her feel more toddler than infant.

And she's a feisty babe at that.

She knows what she wants and demands it.

No stomping of the foot yet, like Elsie.

I imagine that Caroline will be a more hands-on-the-hip kind of girl.

She wants whatever we're eating at meals and prefers sippy cups.

She gets so excited when we pick Hultz up from school.

She tries to chase H & E around at the park

and wants to be right in the middle of whatever is happening.

She doesn't say anything yet, but that makes her more a baby, so I like it.

(Caroline is running around eating grapes...)

This girl is not in anyone's shadow, despite being the third child.

She has her favorite spots at the playground and loves strolling along the sidewalk, watching the bigger kids play.

2011-10-04T20:05:00.000-05:00

It's Jon's last day of vacation.

He starts the well-baby rotation tomorrow

(think fresh, new babies, minutes old...).

A picnic at our favorite park was planned for after school.

Boston's weather always has something else planned.

It started pouring right as we were packing up to leave.

We waited it out and decided to go any way.

The big news is that Hultz went without training wheels

and Elsie went without diapers

(it was her idea and for 2 weeks, it's been great!).

It was a little drizzly and a bit cool,

but we had a lot of fun.

We warmed the kiddies up with bubble baths

and the extra treat (with it being a school night)

was fresh, hot monkey bread and a movie.

2011-10-02T13:05:00.000-05:00

We took a walk around our neighborhood this morning.

It was a perfect New England fall day.

And in a typical Boston-way, it was just after some rain.

We took some treats over to some friends and stopped at the park to play before heading back home.

Elsie loves to swing...

Little C was just happy to be here...

2011-10-01T12:58:00.000-05:00

This weekend is General Conference for our church.

While it's nice to get to hear words of counsel and encouragement,

it can be a challenge to keep kiddies entertained while we listen.

I did a little preparing and we all had a great time.

I bought some activities and treats,

divided them into bags and added pictures of each of the speakers to the bags.

When it was their turn to speak, we got to open their bag.

It was a big hit.

We also read a little story and built a tent.

The kids loved watching conference from inside.

I'm always looking for a good way to channel my kids' never-ending energy.

Here are two more ideas for you.

2011-09-29T18:52:00.000-05:00

Today is Rosh Hashanah.

I know this because we live in an area with alot of Jewish families.

Having Jewish neighbors and friends now means that I'm a little more educated about these holidays

and why there's no school.

Living in such a diverse place is exactly what I want my kids to experience.

We celebrated in our own little way with some freshly-made rugelach.

I've never made it or had it before but it was so good.

Happy New Year!

2011-09-27T16:34:00.000-05:00

One more reason we love it when Grandma comes--

babysitting.

Thanks to a Groupon, we had dinner at The Grand Canal.

Apparently they're famous for their shepherd's pie & fish-n-chips.

We ordered both.

We got to watch the Red Sox game (which is always a big deal here).

We also ordered Diet Cokes from the bar.

They cost as much as a case does at Costco...

Diet Coke in a Miller Light glass made the DC taste even better....

The food & game were good

but the date was the best.

Uninterrupted time with him is the best.

2011-09-26T15:51:00.000-05:00

Jon took the girls & his mom around Boston,

showing his mom some of the sights.

I scored a whole morning alone at Costco/Target.

The favorite stop was the Boston Public Garden.

Every child that passes through stops at the ducks and sits on each one.

There's usually a line of kids waiting.

They had a great time walking around.

Elsie announced she missed Hultz on their big day out.

Grandma announced that Boston is too busy for her liking.

2011-09-25T15:44:00.000-05:00

Day 3

This morning we drove along Prout's Neck,

perfectly Maine.

To make Hultz's life complete, we took a ride on Maine's Narrow Gauge Train.

The museum was great

and everybody loved the ride.

He was so excited, he was bursting at the seams.

We stopped at the picturesque Portland Head Light--

Maine's oldest lighthouse, built during George Washington's presidency.

We had lunch & watched the fog roll in and out.

We drove past Longfellow's house on the way out of town.

Grandma wanted to see the Boston Temple, making it our last stop.

2011-09-24T15:03:00.000-05:00

Day 2, Part 2

Thanks to Nicole for the tip on this ice cream place:

Toots.

It's a train.

On a farm.

In the middle of no-where, town of North Yarmouth.

Great ice cream & so much fun for the kiddies.

Our last stop was Mackworth Island.
I think is a must-stop if you're ever in Maine.
There's a trail that goes all the way around it, plenty of trails down to the beach and lots of room for kids to run.

(first of two fairy houses)

Building our fairy house

We drove back to Portland and ordered pizza for the kiddies.

They had a blast eating and playing in the hotel room with Grandma.

Jon & I had a great dinner out at an authentic, old-school Italian restaurant.

2011-09-23T14:50:00.000-05:00

Day 2, Part 1

Today we drove north to Nobleboro (about an hour on twisty country roads).

Alewives Fabric was my destination--

Housed in an old barn and filled with my all of my favorite fabrics.

Japanese cottons, all my fabric designers, laminated cottons....

It was hard to leave.

We back south, stopping at most of the little towns along the way.

It was so lush and green--

We stopped near a marsh for a picnic & running.

We stopped in the beautiful town of Brunswick, stopping at the Pennell family mansions

(they were the ship builders in the 1700-1800s).

and to see The First Parish Church where Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Continuing south, we stopped in Freeport at the L.L.Bean headquarters.

It was a fun stop for the kiddies

and a quick look at warm winter coats for me.

Down the street, we stopped at Wicked Whoopie Pies.

We each picked out a delish pie

(me- original,

jon- peanut butter,

hultz- red velvet,

elsie- raspberry).

We saved them for lunch tomorrow.

We have plans for ice cream down the road...

2011-09-22T12:57:00.000-05:00

Jon's Mom is here to visit for a week.

We love it when Grandma comes to visit.

This is the farthest east she's been.

One place she has always wanted to go was Maine.

Me too.

And it's perfect because Jon is on vacation.

So we packed everyone up & headed north.

The drive up, on highway 1 is lovely.

The trees are just beginning to change.

We stayed in Portland, just 2 1/2 hours from Boston.

We got settled in our hotel & had dinner at Portland Lobster Co.

Lobster & crab cakes on the pier-- so tasty.

Watching Jon's mom take apart the lobster was probably the best part.

We snacked & played with the lobster-shaped buzzer while waiting for our food.

Elsie got pretty excited while telling a story too.

We watched the fog roll in then

bathing the babes, cuddles and stories ended our night.

2011-09-21T12:55:00.000-05:00

Elsie is little miss independent.

She can do anything Hultz can do.

She can be fierce and sassy.

So when he started kindergarten, I knew she needed her own groove.

In perfect timing, 2 other women who live right near me had the same thoughts for their almost-3-year-olds.

We joined forces and have a great little preschool co-op set up.

Our little girls get along really great

and the girls think their little school is pretty awesome.

Every Thursday, we rotate who does preschool.

The other moms get a morning of quiet with their baby (we each have one).

And

It's a daily count-down to the next day of preschool.

2011-09-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

Jon is on vacation for the next 2 weeks.

Nothing can buzz or beep for him to go in to the hospital.

No charts or notes can keep him there longer.

His mom is here for a week to visit & enjoy our babies.

She has walked Hultz to school and played at the park.

She's read almost every book on our shelf to the kiddies too.

I asked her what she'd like to do while she's here.

She has always wanted to go to Maine.

Happy Day! So have I!

So today, we're driving a mere 2 1/2 hours north to visit the little towns up and down the coast of Maine.

We have a long list of things to visit and eat.

We're all pretty excited!

2011-09-12T12:10:00.000-05:00

Elsie & Hultz are great buddies.

Even at the playground, they gravitate back to play with each other.

Elsie hasn't missed Hultz as much as I thought she would.

We've filled our days with plenty of fun things with fun people

and I think it's distracted her.

She has her own little preschool & play dates,

free reign over all of the toys and books...

Today though, she missed Hultz.

She grabbed his nap-mat (which he snuggles in to for reading books...)

and found his favorite books

and asked me 729 times when Hultz would be home from school.

2011-09-11T12:09:00.000-05:00

Sundays are the longest days of the week for me when Jon is on call.

Today was that day.

The drive to church is 35 minutes-one way,

services (including a one-hour entertainment while keeping 3 liyyle ones quiet),

and taking some friends home afterwards---

it all makes for a long, long day.

We get back home way past nap time.

After snacks and playing, Elsie collapsed on the computer chair.

The best part of the day though: I stole a quick nap too...

2011-09-10T12:08:00.000-05:00

We went to Children's Hospital for a few minutes today.

Jon had a couple of things to do & the kids wanted to see where Daddy worked.

This is one of the happiest places.

There are so many fun spaces for kiddies

and mine thought it was pretty amazing that Daddy got to work here.

It was just a quick visit but the favorite spots by far were the giant fish

and the musical stairs.

2011-09-08T18:55:00.000-05:00

Caroline is walking.

It's too early for this.

When they walk, they just seem less of a baby to me.

And I'm not ready to loose my baby yet.

Sometimes when she's wandering our spacious place

it can get a little quiet.

She wanders into the kitchen to play with pots & pans (which is never quiet)

and she wanders into the bedroom to unload the wardrobe (which definitely is).

Today, I was chatting with a friend on the phone

and noticed things were a little too quiet.

This darling baby wandered into our bathroom

(which, despise the ugly look, is one of the nicest I've seen in Boston housing...uggg.)

and had started to unload a new roll of toilet paper.

And eat it.

2011-09-06T20:28:00.003-05:00

Today was the first day of Kindergarten for Hultz.

And in true Boston-flair, it was a gray rainy day.

Hultz never noticed. He was super excited.

There were so many new Kindergarteners who registered at Hultz's school this year that they formed a 5th Kindergarten. All of the kids who registered over summer are in the same class.

This makes for quite the group of kids.

Hultz is one of 3 native-english speaking kids in class.

We met most of the kids and they're from all over the world--

Russia, Germany, Japan, China, Israel, Egypt, Italy, Sweden and Brazil.

(Their classroom is on the left, 3 walls of windows. It's lovely!)

We were all so excited for Hultz. No tears for anyone.

(Elsie tried to get in a goodbye hug...)

The first day of Kindergarten is a half-day.

Jon didn't go in to the ER until this afternoon so he stayed home with the sleeping girls while I picked Hultz up.

Hultz told to me about everything he did today, non-stop for 10 minutes

and actually took my hand to hold.

It's going to be a good year.

2011-09-01T13:15:00.003-05:00

Target & Costco are a 25 minute drive.

It's not far in distance but in Boston traffic, 2 miles can take 20 minutes...

I am not above bribing-- especially when I know that it's going to be awhile.

We did our quick run at Target and then went across the street to Costco.

We got there just in time for their endless supply of samples.

Elsie was in heaven.

Hultz groaned and moaned at each sample I suggested he try...

Caroline tried to steal Elsie's.

We met our friends at the milk & butter section and decided our kids needed to sit and have lunch together.

I'm always up for a reason to guzzle down some Diet Coke.

After we loaded up at Costco, I realized I had forgotten to get 2 things we needed from Target.

I braved it and went back.

There were only a few tears shed

but with a couple of bags of M&Ms, everyone was happy--

2011-08-30T13:11:00.018-05:00

We had a little Back to School party for Hultz & his friends from church.

There were 7 5 year-olds in our tiny place.

But between the activities and snacks, we all had a great time.

I wish I had pictures to show all of the fun we had--

alas I was busy entertaining the troops (by myself) and forgot all about my camera.

We played bingo, got crafty with foam stickers, made masks & crowns, beanbag games and ate cupcakes & snacks.

I made a Back to School banner for the festivities.

This is the only proof of the lovely afternoon of fun.

2011-08-25T20:14:00.001-05:00

We live in a buffer zone between two elementary schools.

We can ask to go to one over the other.

One school is just 4 flat blocks away.

The other is 7 blocks and 2 hills away.

So after registering Hultz for Kindergarten, we waited and waited to hear where we would be going.

Because we just moved here, we had to wait even longer.

In the end, it took 3 calls to the superintendent's office to find out we were going

to the closer elementary school-- Edward Devotion Elementary.

There are no school buses in the city of Brookline and no driving to pick up/drop off.

Walking is all there is.

And in the snow, I'm sure I'll be glad to only walk 4 blocks.

We went to the school to play on the playground & also to fill out a few additional forms.

We also made an appointment to see the Guidance Counselor

(apparently this is how we get the teacher assignments & supply list--

not a sign of questionable parenting).

For the next few days, we'll savor summer...

2011-08-24T18:23:00.000-05:00

My girls are always in the bath.

Mostly out of need.

They are the messiest eaters.

Ever.

So we fill the tub and add bubbles... sometimes 3 times a day.

And they come out of the tub so fluffy and sweet.

It's worth it.

2011-08-23T19:49:00.003-05:00

Jon is working the ER this month.

This means it's mostly shift-work with odd hours.

So while the hours are long, we do get to see him this rotation.

Since Jon didn't have to be at the hospital until noon, we asked the kids what they wanted to do with Dad this morning.

They picked the water park.

It's a great park just a few miles away.

And it's free through the city of Brookline.

The Astroturf soccer field was the first stop.

The kids thought the super-green grass was awesome.

(I love those chubby, chubby thighs!)

The waterpark is surrounded by a great playground--