Why yes, Will, I'd wear rain boots on a walk during a late summers humid afternoon too!

An everyday photo.

Lest you believe that summer has been all fun and games we do normal things like eat kix (notice the cereal in Will's hand) and perhaps less normal but very urgent things like PACK! We are moving about five miles away--from Waltham to Watertown--and boy, we've acquired quite a bit since our last move! I suppose gaining a bedroom and a child will do that...

Swimming Lessons

I enrolled David in his first formal activity--swim lessons at the YMCA. They were once a week on Friday for 8 weeks this summer. We really loved his teacher. I was honestly surprised at how non-daring he was in water especially when you consider his normal behavior!

Here is a photo taken on the last day of swim class.

Even though we missed two classes for vacation David did better by the end. I had hopes of him being put in the next level but he'll have to wait until he is three.

Free Friday Flicks

I took a break from packing and headed to the Hatch Shell to see UP with David and friends. It was the last movie of the summer and I wished we could have seen more. David always enjoys a train ride...

David with Laura and her girls, who wouldn't like attention from these cuties?!

David did well and watched most of the "grandpa show." He sat with the girls at the beginning and ended up on my lap at the end. We were a little sad to leave William and Brad at home but I figured Will would be a lot happier in his bed than out at a very late show.

Some of us had too much fun...

It was here (not in my previous train riding post) that I almost got us back on the subway going the wrong direction. I was so distracted chatting with someone who noticed my BYU sweatshirt that I almost got all of us going down to Quincy not back to Waltham. Oops! It was good to spend one of our last summer nights with friends.

It's So Hard to Say Goodbye

Saturday:

Danielle was so very helpful to me this summer; who wouldn't like a pair of extra and willing hands with two little boys around? She worked full time and was still really great about contributing to our little household. David still refers to her as "my Danielley." We decided to treat miss Danielle to a Legal Seafoods dinner to say thanks and goodbye.

Eating the first bite of that tasty New England clam chowda.

Look at that yummy seafood dinner!! This was a treat, in fact the last time we ate here was with my Mom the night before William was born. I guess it is becoming a once-a-year-when-visitors- are-around-tradition.

Sunday:

David on his last Sunday with Danielley

William

The auntie with her favorite nephews!

The signature silly face...

It was nice to have Danielle come to our ward on her last Sunday, we normally had lots of juggling between taking her to work, her getting to church, and us picking her up.

Monday:

A blankie shot.

We often joke that William is Danielle's kid. We think he looks quite a bit like her, and already has formed an attachment to a blankie. My Mom had to hide Danielle's tickle blankie to keep her from taking it to BYU.

Breakfast with Sarah, a friend from work.

At the airport:

We had to channel all that energy somewhere!

Pretty sure she left with more than she brought!

One last picture, clearly Will is unhappy with the Danielle leaving situation.

I really thought my boys would be affected after Danielle left but I think taking her into the airport and saying goodbye there solved that problem. I was a surprised that David didn't ask where Danielle had gone for weeks. I was a little sad to see her go but with so many thing on the horizon for fall like MOVING I was ready to get cracking...

To spend so much time with my sister was gift. I don't when we'll be able to do that again.

LOVE YOU DANIELLE!

And love you too Brad, thanks for being so willing to have a house-guest for 3 months!

JFK Birthplace

We've spent the summer learning everything about the Kennedy family, especially Rose and Joseph Kennedy, JFK's parents. Danielle studied a lot to prepare for her tours and we ended up with all the details. As you can imagine we were anxious to see the house and the tour after more than one trip to drop Danielle off for work. We finally made it during Danielle's last week there.

Park Rangers eating lunch, did you know that they are required to wear their hats outside?

I must say Danielle did an excellent job and I really enjoyed myself. I was only moved to tears twice!! She had some really sweet little stories about the family and the first four Kennedy kids that lived there. This is one of those things that you would never really plan time to see, but I'm glad we did. I wasn't alive to understand the impact that JFK and all the Kennedy's had on America but I think especially being in Boston it is something important to learn.

A photo in the gift shop afterwards.

Sorry Danielle, I just can't get enough of that cute uniform!

Brad was very tired of pictures at this point.

Thanks to the National Parks Service for hiring my sister and allowing our whole family a very fun summer.

For Comparisons Sake

Playing in the toy box November 2009

Playing in the toy box August 2010

Wow. Nine months will do a lot, especially for Will!

Seen at a Birthday Party:

It was Tessa's 2nd Birthday but I get the feeling David thought it was for him too...

A little Shakespeare on the Common?

It might look like the three of us are heading to Shakespeare on the Common to see Othello. At this point we all thought we were...come to find out Monday night is the only night the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company doesn't preform! Insert giving my forehead a little keyboard here. We ate a food court dinner in Boston and went back home. I almost got us going down to Quincy instead of back to Waltham too, phew glad I noticed sooner rather than later. That would have been a long night riding the train.

Five Years and Sailing

These were taken in the evening after most of the day's adventures were over. I remember a friend telling me she knew someone who made sure to take a photo on each anniversary (we missed the first several) and it would be really fun to look back at all of them someday...

Five years had a way of going right on by...

Happy Anniversary to us!

By some stroke of luck Brad had today completely off of school. We hired a babysitter and headed out to use a Groupon (group buying website=huge discounts) for sailing. Before we could get going to we had to stop at the school for Brad's orthodontist appointment. Leave it to your sweet husband to make this part of the plan...

We had lunch at a swanky little place called flour near the school and then set out for our main adventure.

It seemed like we'd be given a choice between a lesson or a "romantic" sail while we sat and looked at the views. Because of the wind and the possible awkwardness of us just sitting there it definitely turned into a lesson.

Boston Harbor on a blustery day. Just look at that choppy water!

This guy was braving the winds all by himself. I had to take a picture; it seemed quintessential New England to me. He had his shirt off and sometimes he had to lean way over the edge of the boat to get the ropes and sails to pull right. Everything about him spoke cool. I couldn't imagine how he could do that all alone. I felt like it was hard work for the three of us (with an experienced instructor) to manage the sail boat in the high winds.

At the end of our sailing adventure. It was work but nice to try something new with Brad.

And since I already mentioned it Brad's smile is brought to you by Invisalign. Here I am sporting my first hat that isn't a ball cap!

We came home to happy kids and hung out with them for awhile. Wanting to take full advantage of the babysitting opportunities (why do I feel guilty leaving the kids for fun but not for a Dr's appointment similar?!) we let Danielle put Dave and Will to bed and headed to dinner. We had another Groupon for The Elephant Walk in Waltham where we live. It was tasty but probably a bad idea to go for another outing. We both felt so tired we wanted to fall asleep in our plates.

Hahvahad Tour

My last experience with Harvard was the Natural History Museum. Not being a huge fan of creepy things in jars preserved in liquid I wasn't that impressed. It could be great for say, a family of big boys, just for me...not so much. We finally got around to taking the very acclaimed unofficial tour.

After a stop at the Curious George store we got our stickers and were ready and excited to go!

Thanks to the Melanie Curtis babysitting service, we owe you like five.

The tour guides were loud, fun and energetic!

This was Matt Damon's room? They also mentioned Bill Gates and JFK as just a few of the famous who had been to Harvard. Interestingly Bill Gates dropped out!

Very cool old building on campus.

It was really fun to do something with all the grow ups!

One of Danielle's funny faces.

The library. Very, very wonderful. I found myself pondering on the fact that when I was there BYU's library was ranked #3 in the country, just below Harvard's. Compared to the vast majority of undergraduates, I really had a lot in the way of access to information.

Statue of John Harvard

Our choice for lunch...we've heard lots about it.

Danielle and Brad combed the menu while we waited.

You can't see it but their burgers are named after people like Teddy Kennedy, Tom Brady and other Boston famous and famous famous people.

I got into trouble with Danielle for talking too much to the people sitting next to us. Because the place is so small you end up getting put insanely close. We'd been talking to the same family in line so it only seemed natural to continue the conversation...

All in all I was very happy with the tour. Enough actual information to keep me happy but still plenty of jokes and stories along the way. My only complaint was a handful of stupid college or slightly off color jokes, but still totally worth it. I liked that you donate at the end so if you do really hate it or love it you can compensate accordingly.