Beantown-Part 2

Interesting nickname, there are other nicknames that sound much more dignified,  like the Cradle of Liberty or the City on a Hill.  Whatever you want to call it though, I enjoyed every minute we spent in Boston.  Tuesday morning we started out on the Freedom Trail.  Who would have thought that you could cover so much history in a short 2.5 mile walk.  Tuesday started out clear and beautiful and hot and humid.  Hot enough in fact that we went in a couple of places I hadn't planned on just to enjoy the air conditioning.  Luckily though the heat was the most intense early on and some clouds brought us some reprieve.  Really though the weather was very doable and I am grateful it cooperated so well for us.  The Freedom Trail takes you down a path that leads past churches and buildings that played a significant role in our history.  You also go through cemeteries where notable people like John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Paul Revere are buried.  The traditional start is in Boston Common, the oldest city park in the country, and ends in Charlestown with the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) and Bunker Hill.  I could just imagine being in the Old South Meeting House as they held the protest meeting that led to dumping the tea in the harbor, or being in the crowd that heard the Declaration of Independence read from the balcony of the Old State House.  As we walked through Paul Revere's house I thought of him and William Dawes who made the trip to warn everyone that the British were on their way to destroy the arms stored in Concord.  And who doesn't want to see the Old North Church of "One if by land, two if by sea" fame?                                             

Frog Pond in Boston Common

More Boston Common-Public hangings happened here until the early 1800's

So glad I did not have to wear those costumes!

State House

Creepy engravings like these were on most of the headstones

Paul Revere's  headstone at the Granary Burying Ground

The family by Samuel Adams marker

King's Chapel

Box pews in Kings Chapel

Inside the Old South Meeting House

Balcony of the Old State House

All these churches had the box pews.  Keep kids in, keep warmth in, you could even bring the family dog.  I am thinking it would have been nice when I had 2 preschoolers and a baby.

Faneuil Hall

Inside Faneuil Hall

Paul Revere's Home

Old North Church

Paul Revere's Statue

The Paul Revere statue was made by Cyrus Dallin who also did the Angel Moroni on the Salt Lake Temple.

Bunker Hill Monument

  Of course we had to stop for cannolis while in the North End at Mike's Pastry.  We tried several varieties and a lobster tail.  All delicious I thought. Probably not the most nutritious lunch, but it worked.

Before leaving Boston we walked quickly through the Boston Public Library and Copley Square.  What a cool library. WOW!  Trinity Church there is spectacular too.  Then we walked up Commonwealth Ave and into the Public Garden.  So beautiful!  Loved the George Washington statue as you walk into the Public Garden from Commonwealth Ave. Unfortunately after this we needed to be on our way.  We had a six hour drive to Palmyra ahead of us, but I will be going back some day I hope!  (We got to pay a lovely toll for driving in New York state again!  There were tolls everywhere, but they were the highest in New York.  When time would allow we took routes to avoid them, but that wasn't always a possibility.)

Boston Library

Trinity Church and Hancock Tower

Copley Square

Commonwealth Ave

                                      Beacon Hill

Boston-I think I am in love!

We spent almost two days in Boston and the surrounding area.  I loved it!  I will definitely need to go back, as we were only able to put a very small dent in the list of things I would like to see and do there.  It's a beautiful and someone eclectic city with old and new mixed in all around.  I will admit though, that my love of American history and the area's influence on our history certainly affected my opinion of the place.

The Green Monster

Monday morning we braved the reputed Boston drivers to tour Fenway Park.  I planned this stop more for the boys in the family, but we all absolutely loved it.  It was one of my favorites from the trip.  The history drips from the place, and you can just sense the baseball passion that fills every corner.  The tour started out across the street from the park, and began with an elderly gentleman telling us jokes.  They were awful, but he was funny.  He came up to Breanna and called her Gabriella and told her that he was Troy (High School musical reference-in case you haven't seen it).  He asked us where we were from, when we said Utah, he asked if we were Cougars or Utes.  Of course you know our reply.  I should have written down some of his jokes, but he was great.  Then our tour guide took us in.  She told us story after story about the history of the place, about games, and about the curse.  I really think she believes it was real.  Although I guess I might believe too, or at least believe that it was a punishment for being the stupidest person on the planet.  Selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees...and then not putting the money into the team, but instead putting the money into a musical that no one had heard of but me.  (Yes I have heard of No, No Nanette and have seen the movie version with Doris Day)  We learned about how the Red Sox name came about, although I think it would be more entertaining if they were still called the Red Stockings.  Fenway is celebrating 100 years this year.  The first game played at Fenway was against the New York Highlanders (now Yankees), and so on the 100 year anniversary they played the Yankees again.  Clearly our guide had a pretty intense hatred of the Yankees. She was great, entertaining and informative. The field was being prepared for a Bruce Springsteen concert  so a lot of it was covered up, but it was still awesome. We had just learned about Pesky Pole, and then later that evening we learned that Johnny Pesky had passed away that day.  Some day when I go back, I want to make sure to go when the Sox are in town so we can go to a game!

Red seat that marks the longest home run at Fenway Park hit by Ted Williams of course.

 

After Fenway and stocking up on some Red Sox t-shirts, we were driving towards Lexington and saw the temple, so we pulled off and went for a quick visit. The temple is beautiful of course, and it is in a picture perfect neighborhood.  So pretty and well taken care of.  Soon we were on the road to Lexington again.  As we walked around the Battle Green and went through Buckman's Tavern where the minutemen awaited the arrival of the Redcoats.  I couldn't help but think of the 77 men who first faced the British.  No one knows or will claim who fired the first shot, but it left 8 of the retreating minutemen dead.  The rest of the story was better for the colonists as they outnumbered the British and knew they were coming.  At the North Bridge in Concord the British fired, which was led by the order from Major John Buttrick to, "Fire, fellow soldiers, for God's sake, fire!"  The British continued retreating along what is now known as the Battle Road Trail.  They sustained losses, and were only saved by reinforcements sent from Boston. The British seriously underestimated the extent and the strength of the rebellion, but more than that I think the minutemen had something to fight for.  They were fighting for liberty, their families, and their homes.  The British were just there on assignment.  I believe the minutemen and all those who fought in the first and the subsequent battles were supported by a higher power and their desire for freedom.

Battle Green

Captain John Parker statue

Buckman Tavern

Inside Hartwell Tavern-check out the low ceilings

The North Bridge

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.
                -Emerson






We got a few comments while on this trip about the size of our family.  In Lexington where we stopped for lunch, the girl helping us commented that it was nice to see, and that you didn't see large families around there.  We do have a large family by the world's standard, but I love it.  It was so much fun to be all together and build all these memories together. There is nothing better than being together.

Sever Hall- We all loved the whisper arch

 In the evening we went to Cambridge and walked around Harvard.  What a beautiful campus! Too bad all the smartness there can't just rub off on you.  We finished off the day by walking around Longfellow's home that served as Washington's headquarters during the Revolutionary War.  It it spectacular, too bad it was closed while we were there.

Longfellow House

New Hampshire and Vermont

I must say that Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont are some of the prettiest states I have ever driven through.  So green and beautiful, trees and thick foliage everywhere.  Absolutely gorgeous! I loved it.  Too bad humidity had to go along with it.  Although our days in New Hamsphire were cool, overcast or rainy so it was fine.  On Saturday morning after sleeping in a little we drove to Tony's parents apartment in the Manchester, New Hampshire mission.  It was so great to see them!  They are such great people, and so happy to be serving the Lord.  You can tell that they absolutely love being missionaries even though they miss their family. 

They had borrowed the mission van so all of us could travel together to the Joseph Smith Memorial in Vermont.  It was a beautiful drive, and an amazing visit.  There was such a strong and peaceful spirit as soon as we drove onto the grounds.  Sister Fisher, who took us around the small visitors center there was vivacious and full of the spirit.  She clearly has done her homework, and as she told us about the Smith family and the experiences that led the Smith's to leave Vermont and go to Palmyra, and bore her testimony of the prophet, you could just feel her love of the gospel.  Clearly the Lord's hand was in the lives of the Smith family getting them to where they needed to be.  The Smith family had experienced two years of crop failure, and then in 1816 experienced the year without a summer, forcing them to look elsewhere for farmland that might be productive.  What they found was Palmyra.  She also shared with us the story of how they got the 40 ton, 38 1/2 foot tall solid granite monument up the rather steep hill to the site.  The site was dedicated in 1905 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Joseph Smith's birth.  Junius Wells who was responsible for the project said this of his experience, "I have been favored sometimes almost to the point of direct interposition of providence. The elements have been made propitious; conditions that seemed adverse have been removed; obstacles that appeared insuperable have either been overcome or turned out not to be serious." You can read the whole article about the monument here.  It was a beautiful and sacred place to visit.  We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the site that Tony's parents prepared for us complete with Karen's delicious macaroni salad.

That evening we ate at Puritan Chicken, a famous restaurant in those parts.  We had enough chicken to be dinner on Monday evening as well.  We finished up the meal with their famous homemade icecream.  So delicious! It was fun to drive around with them, and to see the mission office.  That brought back a lot of memories of Brazil when Dad was a mission president.

Sunday morning we attended church with Tony's parents and then spent the day with them at their apartment.  I used to hate going to new wards on vacations, but now I really enjoy it.  I love seeing the gospel in action no matter where I am.  I especially loved all the New England accents!  It made listening to the comments in Sunday School so entertaining.  My favorite comment was made after the teacher asked why Mormon included so many war chapters in the Book of Mormon.  One sister was quick to comment that it was because "He was a guy."  I am thinking that is probably not why, but it made me laugh.

It was so nice to just visit with his parents.  It was the first time I had heard Tony's Dad's conversion story.  I am so grateful for their example and willingness to serve.  We had a delicious spaghetti dinner, Breanna's favorite, and ice cream for dessert.  We were all a little sad to have to leave Sunday evening. 

Back East Trip-Day One

We decided about five or six months ago that we were going to go to New Hampshire to visit Tony's parents serving a mission there.  We have never taken our kids on a plane for vacation before, if we couldn't drive there, then we didn't go.  So this was a really big deal for us.  The cheapest flights were into New York City so that was quickly added to the itinerary.  Then I realized Boston was only an hour from where they were serving, so of course we had to go there too.  Then it has always been my desire to take the kids to Palmyra.  I was 11 years old when I went and I had never forgotten the experience I had there.  It wasn't that far of a drive, and who knew if we would ever get back there again.  So before long we had a ten day/9 night trip scheduled for August.  Now I am the kind of person that likes to really plan in advance.  I like to know what there is to see, know all the history, comparison shop, find the best ways to get around and then plan a schedule so packed that you fall into bed exhausted each night.  So for the past several months I have been doing just that.  I love it! I love reading about the history of a place and then when you go there you can be transported back to another time as you think about what happened there.  You might say I am a bit of a history nut, but my interests are varied.  I love exploring nature, and I can thoroughly enjoy a relaxing vacation by a lake or ocean too.  This just didn't happen to be one of those kind of trips.

In order to pack more into an already packed schedule, we decided to take the red-eye to NYC on Thursday night and spend Friday in NYC before driving to New Hampshire to spend Saturday and Sunday with Tony's parents.  Our flight was scheduled to arrive at 6:15 am and then we were going to spend the day taking in a few sights in the city.  So Thursday finally arrived.  All the months of planning were finally over, and it was time to go.  We were just about ready to go, just finishing up a few last minute things like putting together a 200 song playlist to listen to in the car while driving to our different destinations.  As we were eating dinner we got a phone call from Delta saying that our flight had been delayed an hour and a half!  So frustrating!  Finally the hour arrived and we drove over to my parents house, and my Dad took us to the airport.  Our flight ended up leaving at about 2:30 Friday morning.  We finally arrived at JFK at 9:00 am.  Tony's sister is living in New York right now and she picked us up at the airport.  She drove us over to LaGuardia to pick up our rental car (saved us $400 to get the car there and the airports are only about 15 mile apart) and stored our luggage for the day.  We are so grateful to her and her willingness to help us out while we were there.  She and her husband made our trip so much easier and were so willing to inconvenience themselves to help us out. 

We drove into the city and parked the car, and then set out on foot to do a little exploring.  Since we were getting such a late start we had to modify our plans, but we still got to see quite a bit.  The only problem was that we were all functioning on little or no sleep which leaves you with little energy.  We kept trying to wake ourselves up with sugar infusions, but alas those do not last long.  We got to see a lot of cool things, but I think we all enjoyed the rest of our days more when we were at least a little rested.  (Personally I was ok.  I get some kind of crazy travel energy that leaves me hopping the whole time I am on a trip, but I crash hard when I return home.  We have been home for 4 1/2 days and I still feel a little hazy.)

Here's a brief run down of what we did the first day:

• Grand Central Station where we ate lunch and enjoyed some Junior's Red Velvet Cake and a divine Carrot Cake and Cheesecake combo.
• Went up to the upper west side to take a quick peek into the Natural History Museum.
• Walked by the Dakota and Strawberry Fields in Central Park ( our Beatles tribute-Tony has taught us all to love the Beatles)
• Walked by the Manhattan Temple, Julliard and Lincoln Center
• Steinway Hall and FAO Schwarz
• Tiffany's
• St. Patrick's Cathedral (disappointing as the outside was covered in scaffolding)
• Rockefeller Center

It was hot and humid with a few showers thrown in on Friday.  Let me just make one thing perfectly clear-humidity and I are NOT friends.  But I knew we would have to deal with it going in August, so what else can you do but buck up and sweat it out.  After a few hours, we were all so exhausted and we still had a 4+ hour drive to make to our hotel in Billerica, Massachusetts.  We drove back to Laura's, picked up our luggage and were off.  We arrived safe and sound at the lovely Homewood Suites which we would call home for the next 4 nights.

States visited today-New York, Conneticut and Massachusetts
Tolls paid $25 

Faith and Pioneers

I love history!  I love reading and learning about the history of our country and of the church.  I love reading about the brave men and women who made the freedoms that I enjoy possible.  I love learning about those who sacrifice everything for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Celebrating Pioneer Day has always meant something to me because I was taught of my ancestors who crossed the plains and sacrificed so much.  I have loved learning from others and for myself of these brave women and men who were willing to sacrifice all for the gospel. I love going to New York and Nauvoo and other historic places as I feel the spirit of those that have gone before.  I have always wished that I could go back in time and be with them, live amongst them and learn from them.  ( I would just like to bring along my flushing toilets and showers please).  I would love to serve a mission in Nauvoo and share with all the visitors my love for those who have gone before.

Last week Tony, Jared and I participated in Trek with our stake.  For four days we pushed/pulled handcarts through dirt and rocks, up and down hills.  We walked over 30 miles in blistering heat, and had an opportunity to get a small glimpse of the life of those who walked across the country to get to Zion.  We were asked to choose an ancestor to walk for.  I chose to walk for Ann Molyneaux Alston who was so committed to the gospel that she was willing to send her two oldest sons, one ten the other eight, with friends to Zion so that her in-laws could not stop her from going with her children.  Imagine sending two young boys to unknown lands not knowing if you would ever see them again.  Then she came from England the next year with her three youngest children, alone.  What a joyful reunion they must have had in Utah when she was reunited with her sons and her father and family.   I thought about her and her faith as we pulled the handcarts silently on Thursday morning, and then again as we pulled the handcarts up a huge hill with just the girls in our stake.  As I felt of her spirit and her faith, I felt a reassuring warmth that I too could have done what she did.  None of us have an easy road in life.  The pioneers forged ahead not knowing what the immediate future held for them, but trusting in a loving Heavenly Father and Savior and the promised blessings in the eternities.  Life is like that really for all of us.  We don't know what challenges and trials we will face, but we move forward  with faith, knowing that the Lord will support us.  I often hear people say they could not have done what the pioneers did, but after watching our amazing youth participate in Trek, I thought there isn't one of these kids who couldn't  or wouldn't do exactly what the pioneers did if it was asked of them.

I came home from Trek dirty, tired and looking much like the pioneers in 17 miracles. ( I have already lost a layer of skin and I used sunscreen!) I also came home with a renewed sense of gratitude for those who sacrificed for me to have the gospel, and a stronger commitment to follow the prophet. Those people who crossed the plains knew their Savior and were willing to go wherever He called them.  I too in a small way experienced some miracles on trek, enough to reaffirm to me that I have a Heavenly Father who is mindful of me as well.

Those dark clouds moved right over us on Friday afternoon that brought winds and a thunderstorm.  The rain lasted for awhile, but moved out in time for dinner and testimony meetings.

Little Piece of Heaven

With all the camps, jobs, trek, and our trip to see Tony's parents, I was afraid I wouldn't get to the cabin at all this summer.  There was no way Tony could go.  With all the time he has taken off for camps and trek and our vacation, there is nothing left.  But when the kids suggested we just take off for a few days while Tony was at priest camp, I couldn't come up with a good reason not to.  We weren't able to leave until about 9pm on Wednesday night after Lexie got off work.  We drove in the dark the whole way listening to the playlist Ashley made that included all the soundtracks from High School Musical, a little Justin Bieber and Jonas Bros, music forbidden when Tony is with us.  (Never fear we did listen to Tony approved music too!)  As most everyone was asleep Lexie and I had a good talk, and as we got closer to the cabin she tried to not give into her "irrational fears"  of animals lurking in the darkness.  (Good thing we didn't know until morning that there is a bear on the island) We got to the cabin safely at about 1:30 in the morning, silly as to be expected that late, but traveling without incident. 

It was COLD when we arrived, the thermometer in the car said 38 degrees.  Honestly it felt wonderful.  It has been so hot and dry this summer-it's awful!  I am not a hot weather person so escaping to the cool mountain air was a welcome reprieve.  We were only able to stay until Saturday evening, but it was so nice to just relax and enjoy the scenery that never ceases to thrill me.  We swam in the cold, mossy lake, we ate good food, watched movies and played a game or two.  My parents and two of my nieces joined us as well.  I just wish we could have had Jared and Tony with us.  The hardest thing about going to the cabin is having to leave.  The trip was too short, but I am grateful we decided to do it.