Danny, Lynzie, Evelyn & Micah

China Beach

2011-11-15T22:46:00.000-08:00

We were scoping out a spot for our next family picture and found this beautiful spot at the northern edge of the city. China Beach is located in a ritzy neighborhood called Seacliff and looks out to the Golden Gate Bridge. Aren't our kids cute?!

Halloween 2012

2011-11-15T21:23:00.000-08:00

Halloween Day was busy this year. Micah and I accompanied Evelyn in her fairy princess costume to her 3 year well check in the morning with Dr. Ng, then we all watched in the afternoon as she performed in a little dance recital (this time wearing last year's Easter dress as a princess costume - at her insistence), then both kids suited up (back into fairy princess attire) for the ward's trunk-or-treat at the church. Micah is still telling people he's a tool man. He's always been crazy about tools around the house and in the garage, but recently we checked out a library book about heavy construction machines, and since then, he's been talking about back-hoes and tampers non-stop. It was definitely the right choice for this year's costume. I only wish we'd taken a photo when it wasn't cold and dark outside.

The Ballerina Princess Turns 3!

2011-11-15T20:18:00.000-08:00

I think Evelyn had a magical third birthday. She was showered with gifts from family, friends, neighbors and even our landlady's handyman. She enjoyed all of her favorite foods (pizza, ice cream and cake). She had several friends over for a party with more pizza, more ice cream, balloon animals, a pinata, princess crown-making, dancing, and our very own train ride (thanks to the next-door neighbor's recent garage sale). We're so grateful for everyone who remembered Evelyn on her special day. She has a beautiful little spirit: happy, polite, friendly, observant, crazy smart, and at least at the moment, largely driven by gum and candy rewards. We're thankful beyond words to have her in our home and family every day.

One-key Civic

2011-11-14T13:20:00.000-08:00

We only got one key to our Civic when we bought it used in 2006. Since then, we've locked that one sacred key in the car many times (often while it's running). Each time, we think to ourselves, "gee, we really need another key to this car." Then we call the dealership where they remind us that our Civic has a computerized key, and the cost of making each new key would be $250. So, then we say, "gee, that sounds expensive. I guess we'll just keep making it work with this one key." .... Until a few weeks ago. The details are sketchy, but the last thing I remember was Micah playing with my key ring while I was chatting with a neighbor, and poof! - it's gone. Oh, we looked, and looked, and looked, but then reality set in. We would have to get another key made. So we called the dealer again. Interestingly enough, they require the car to be at the dealership in order to make the key, ergo the tow-truck. It was an expensive mistake, but probably inevitable given our good ol' one-key Civic. (P.S. In case any of you are wondering, yes, we made just one more key.)

Final Days of Summer

2011-11-13T22:43:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed some beautifully warm and sunny days in September and October. Micah is still asking for "spinklers" whenever he notices his swimsuit in the drawer, but I think the summer weather is over until next year.

Fashion Bug

2011-11-13T22:27:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to give Evelyn some more independence when it comes to choosing her clothes each day. Usually she begins with a dance leotard and builds her outfit around that. Here's one of her cutest combos.

Landscape Maintenance

2011-11-13T22:20:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when I leave the kids unattended in the backyard for 5 minutes. I do think it's good for them to play in the dirt. I just wish they wouldn't do it right after I get them dressed and ready in the morning...

Oakland Temple

2011-11-13T22:10:00.000-08:00

This is our home temple for the time being and it seems to be quite a popular place. There are usually young ladies in extravagant Quinceanera dresses having their photos taken by the pools and foreign tourists on the roof terrace taking photos of the beautiful view overlooking the Bay and neighboring San Francisco. We have been trying to take the kids there once each month to "touch the temple" and they seem to enjoy it. We do spend a good deal of time trying to keep Micah from jumping into the streams, but on this trip, Evelyn was monkeying around on one of the footbridges and actually fell in. She was pretty upset - and wet.

Seriously

2011-11-13T21:05:00.000-08:00

We're very serious people as you can see here. The kids came up with these on their own. Seriously.

Beginning Dance Class

2011-10-06T22:06:00.000-07:00

Evelyn has been a dancer since before she could crawl. I can't remember a time when she didn't move her body around when the music started to play. Since neither Lynzie nor I consider ourselves talented dancers, and with uncle Nathaniel living in Arizona, we decided to sign Evelyn up for a tap and ballet class. Let's just say she LOVES her dance class. Her dance teacher, Rosana, is wonderful with the kids and Evelyn gives her a big hug when she sees her. She has recently started wearing her dance leotard underneath her shirt and pants every day (making potty-time pretty difficult). She is constantly asking for us to turn on the music so she can show off her moves.

Can we go to school?

2011-10-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

Every day, Evelyn and Micah seem disappointed when I have to leave to "go to school." They were both very excited when we they were able to strap on their backpacks and join me on a trip to school in the morning.

Cute kids at home

2011-10-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Every day brings new adventures with Evelyn and Micah. They are both full of energy, eager for new experiences, and hard to keep up with (P.S. - Don't worry, Evelyn made a safe landing on the couch). She has chosen this combination of socks multiple times now.

Visit from Grandpa Chris

2011-10-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

We all were very happy when business brought my dad to San Francisco for a few days in August. We had fun seeing some of the sights in the city, eating really spicy Mexican food in the Mission, and sampling famous Bi-Rite ice cream at Dolores Park. Nothing, however, beats a good old fashioned story on Grandpa's lap.

Birthday Fun

2011-08-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts about having Evelyn and Micah is that they are excited no matter whose birthday is being celebrated. Think about it, even if it isn't your birthday, you get to have a party, eat cake and ice cream, and even blow out the candles. Lynzie made a gourmet meal and homemade ice-cream cake to complement my specific request for a bucket of KFC chicken.

Planting our Garden

2011-08-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

Believe me when I say that a backyard doesn't come cheap living in San Francisco. We decided to put some of our rented real estate to work by planting a garden. We've learned from experience that surviving the weather won't be nearly as hard for our seedlings as it will be surviving Evelyn and Micah's curious fingers.

Monterey Bay Aquarium & Carmel

2011-08-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

We continued our vacation week with a trip down to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and nearby Carmel. Evelyn and Micah LOVED the Aquarium. We spent almost the entire day there, and the kids would have stayed even longer if we would have let them. They just stared into the water tanks, mesmerized by all the fish and animals that drifted past. They were especially fond of the giant sunfish and sea turtles, the colorful jellyfish and the tiny seahorses. They also spent about 20 minutes touching the same button that played recordings of elephant seal snorts. When we jumped back into the car, the kids crashed in the back while we enjoyed driving along the 17-mile drive through Pebble Beach over to Carmel. We stopped off at the candy shop. Micah and Evelyn negotiated for a candy necklace and a giant lollipop, while Lynzie and I enjoyed the sea salt caramel and rocky road fudge.

Camping in Yosemite

2011-08-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

After what seemed like an endless move in June, we decided to stick close to the Bay Area during my week of vacation at the end of July. We realized that we had not yet tried camping with both Evelyn and Micah, and so we opted for a 3-day camping trip in Yosemite. We stuffed the Civic with all of our gear and then headed east - despite not having reservations for a campsite. We lucked out big time when we arrived a few hours later at the park, as they had just opened the White Wolf campground that same morning. We found the perfect campsite near rocks to climb on and even a small creek. Of course the mosquitos thought it was an ideal campsite as well, and since we had come without insect repellent, we found refuge in our tent. The entire experience was new and exciting for Evelyn and Micah. They loved putting together the tent poles, bouncing on our little air mattress, waving flashlights at each other, and even sampling the occassional mouthful of dirt or pinecones. Micah wanted to touch and sample everything he could get his hands on. We decided he is ready to graduate to scouting, since all he wanted to do was play in the fire. While it was easy enough to weather the dip in the temperature while we were still warm in the tent, it didn't take long after waking up in the morning for Micah and Evelyn to decide that cold camping weather was for the birds. Our solution was to warm up the Civic, where the kids were more than happy to enjoy their first camping breakfast. We then spent the rest of the day exploring the Yosemite Valley. It really was a beautiful day and the heavy snowfall during the previous winter resulted in some spectacular waterfalls. We hiked and took pictures and enjoyed our day together as a family. Evelyn's highlight of the trip came that evening as our dinner time was interrupted by deer running through our camp. Evelyn is still talking about the deer she saw "hopping" around. After a second night sleeping in the tent, both Lynzie and I were pretty exhausted and ready for a return to civilization. Our Yosemite trip was memorable, although I've decided that camping with a 1 and a 2-year does not exactly qualify as "vacation" time.

A new adventure in San Francisco

2011-08-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

I felt like a professional trucker during the month of June, as I officially logged nearly 6,000 miles on the road. Whether I was driving the Civic packed with our stuff from Boston to Phoenix, or rambling north through Central California with a stuffed 26 foot U-haul to our new home in San Francisco, the month seemed like one long stretch of highway. We are so grateful to our amazing family and friends who helped ease our moving stress. Yet even with all the help, I think both Lynzie and I will be very happy if we don't have to see a moving box for a few years. I started work on July 1st as the principal at City Arts & Tech High School in San Francisco, and we are very excited to begin this new chapter in our lives.

Grandma Ardy's 85th Celebration

2011-08-07T20:03:00.000-07:00

Despite being in the midst of a cross-country move and starting a new job, we decided that it had been too long since we had been up to Salt Lake to visit Lynzie's grandma Ardy and other family members. When we heard that there was a surprise 85th birthday party in the works, we officially decided to join the fun. We spent almost a week enjoying the beautiful Salt Lake summer. Evelyn and Micah were especially fond of the Murray pool and its gigantic water slide.

Back to AZ

2011-08-06T23:02:00.000-07:00

Our layover in Arizona was a short one, but it was long enough for us to snap some great pictures at Grandma and Grandpa Burnham's house. There are few places Evelyn and Micah love visiting more.

A Day Off

2011-08-06T22:47:00.000-07:00

During our time in Boston, time was even harder to come by than babysitters. With the completion of the school year, and with my mom in town to take care of Micah and Evelyn, Lynzie and I took a full day to enjoy New England on our own. We spent a morning down in Newport, RI touring the Gilded Age mansions, then we drove back to Boston in time to visit the Isabella Steward Gardner museum and then catch a Red Sox game at Fenway. While packing for our cross-country move to San Francisco would begin in earnest the following morning, it was wonderful for Lynzie and I to have a relaxing day to ourselves.

Goodbye to friends

2011-08-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

While we were only in Cambridge for 10 months, it was long enough to make some wonderful friends. We will especially miss our neighbors at Holden Green. On any day when the sun was out, there was a better than good chance that Micah and Evelyn could be found outside in our common play area with their friends. We'll miss the spontaneous fun and laughs.

Harvard Graduation - 2011

2011-08-06T22:17:00.000-07:00

I guess after 370 years, Harvard has graduation figured out. The pageantry was pretty entertaining, from an entire graduation speech delivered in Latin, to hearing Placido Domingo sing tribute to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg during the presentation of honorary degrees. More than anything, graduation was an opportunity to celebrate after a year of long days and late nights. I was overwhelmed by feeling a combination of relief, accomplishment, and gratitude for having survived a truly memorable year.

Boston with the Allens

2011-08-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

We welcomed my parents to Bean Town the week of my graduation. We took them to some of our favorite spots, like Walden Pond, Boston Common, and Harvard Yard. We also finally went on the famous Boston Duck Tour. While Micah slept through most of it, Evelyn and the rest of us had lots of fun learning more about the history and sites of one of America's oldest cities. Our tour guide even allowed Evelyn to drive the duck in the Charles River.

Science Museum

2011-03-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

Boston has a lot of great museums, and the science museum is often mentioned as one of the best. We got some free tickets from the library and spent the last morning of my Spring Break exploring the exhibits. Most of it was meant for older kids, but Evelyn and Micah loved the live snakes, full-size T-rex replica, the re-entry spacecraft, and the huge Archimedean Excogitation (a sculpture/pinball machine with pool table balls). It was a beautiful day outside, though, and for as incredible as the science museum was, Evelyn and Micah enjoyed our visit to the big park in Cambridge that afternoon even better. We got to take our coats and shoes off for the first time this year and play in the warm-ish sand.

Revere Beach

2011-03-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

The stars aligned this past Thursday as my Spring Break and an unseasonably warm day converged. We took an impromptu trip to the beach and the kids were delighted. The beach was covered with huge live mussels buried in the sand, which Micah and Evelyn dug up enthusiastically (Micah also tried to sample the seafood). Of course the water was very cold, but that didn't keep us from getting wet and covered with sand.

Parker's Maple Farm - New Hampshire

2011-03-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

We drove up to New Hampshire on a beautiful March morning to experience what it is like to make Maple Syrup. Evelyn and Micah mostly enjoyed stomping around in the mud. It was fun to see where our maple syrup comes from (I'm not sure the process passes Lynzie's standards for cleanliness). They don't call it a sugar shack for nothing. The process hasn't changed much over the years, as they still use small metal spigots and buckets hung from maple trees to collect the sap. It takes at least 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup! The best part of the trip was the fact that Micah and Evelyn slept all the way to the farm and then all the way back.

Happy Birthday, Lynzie!

2011-03-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

If I were a better husband, Lynzie's birthday pictures would include a cruise ship, flowers, and a spa treatment. Alas, I did make the chocolate cheesecake (with the large crack in the center) from scratch.

Sunday Best

2011-03-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

We couldn't help but snap some photos a few Sundays ago before we headed off for church.

Daily Life - Winter Survival

2011-03-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

We had a some tough weeks in January and February as the weather in Boston stayed well below freezing, I was super busy at school, and Lynzie dealt with an unexpected illness. We were blessed with lots of prayers from family, and Lynzie's mom who came out for a couple of weeks to help us through it. We received a steady stream of packages in the mail, including snow suits, valentines cards, seed planting kits, and other treats and toys from family. Our ward members here in Cambridge also provided some meals and babysitting service. You wouldn't know how tired/exhausted we all were by looking at the pictures of Evelyn and Micah. They always seem to be ready for fun.

Welcome back to Boston

2011-03-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

We hadn't been back home in Cambridge very long before we had our first big snowstorm. Evelyn and Micah loved the snow and I enjoyed a day at home (instead of at school). I think we got about 18 inches before the storm had finished, including about 5 hours without any power. It was quite an introduction to January in New England.

Arizona Fun

2011-03-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

Our 3 week Christmas vacation in Arizona flew by way too fast. Lynzie and I hardly knew what to do with ourselves with so many willing babysitters nearby, and we had countless options for having fun with the kids. We went bowling with the Greers, Evelyn enjoyed her fairy luncheon with Grandma Debbie, we visited with Heather Hatch at the park, and enjoyed the animals at the Burnham ranch. The weather was gorgeous, and we couldn't have asked for a better vacation.

Rebecca & Zachary Hipps

2011-03-13T17:07:00.000-07:00

Our Christmas holiday in Arizona included a special occassion as my sister Rebecca was married in the Mesa Temple to Zach Hipps. My family worked all week (okay, my mom spent several months) to get everything ready for the big day. The wedding was beautiful, the reception was beautiful, and of course, Rebecca was beautiful alongside her man. We are excited for them both. Congratulations!

Christmas in AZ

2011-03-13T16:49:00.000-07:00

After a semester living on the east coast in Boston, followed by a 12-hour, two-leg plane ride, we made it back to AZ in time to enjoy Christmas with family.

Outdoor Winter Fun (Pre-Snow)

2011-02-06T17:47:00.000-08:00

While we've had one of the snowiest winters in Boston history, it is easy to forget that our first snow came later than usual (just 3 days before Christmas). We didn't let the cold temperatures keep us indoors.

Micah's 1st Birthday

2011-02-06T17:34:00.000-08:00

We can't believe our hombrecito is already a year old! We celebrated with balloons and cakes and party hats. We loved all of the clothes and nice presents from our abuelas and other family members, but the highlight (for Evelyn at least) were the two brand new swings we put up in the living room. Of course you might not think the living room is the ideal place for a couple of baby swings, but they have been a perfect indoor activity during the cold winter. We love our little Micah and feel so blessed to have him as a member of our family. Happy Birthday little man!

Thanksgiving Adventures with the Votaws

2011-02-06T17:21:00.000-08:00

We were delighted to have Lynzie's sister Kelly Votaw and her family (David, Elizabeth, Katie, & Sophia) come visit us for Thanksgiving. We packed as many sightseeing/touristy activies into 7 days as humanly possible, which is quite ambitious with all of our kids (try doing New York City in the winter with a one and two-year old). We had a lot of highlights - and a few low moments - but overall had an incredibly memorable experience. We know it isn't cheap to fly a family of five across the U.S., but we were so happy to have the Votaw clan around for a few days. Here are a few of the highlights:

- Plimoth Plantation - think Pilgrim Disneyland. We walked through a 17th century Puritan village, native american camp, and learned what life must have been like during the early days of the English colonies in the Americas. After seeing everything at the plantation, we took a 15 minute car ride to downtown Plymouth where we all admired Plymouth rock and toured a replica of the Mayflower.

- New York - we spent a whirlwhind three days in the Big Apple. We visited Liberty Island, braved the crowds at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, rode to the top of the Empire State Building, toured Ground Zero, walked around Times Square, ate ridiculously bad-for-you ice cream sundaes at Dylan's Candy Bar, and then nearly died of exhaustion.

- Thanksgiving Dinner - while our actual Thanksgiving dinner involved a late night grocery store on 7th Avenue in New York, Lynzie did prepare a gigantic Thanksgiving feast back in Boston on the Sunday after Turkey Day. We ate all of our favorite Thanksgiving foods, and most importantly, had family to enjoy it with.

Halloween Parties

2010-10-30T18:51:00.000-07:00

I found out late that at our ward's Toddler Time on Monday, the kids were supposed to dress-up and didn't have Ev & Micah's costumes ready, so I did my good-old-stand-by Halloween costume idea that I'll probably use 'till the day I die - M&M's. They, of course, ripped off their M's a few minutes after we arrived...

At the ward Halloween party on Friday night, they were supposed to be Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. Grandma Terri made Evelyn's red cape and sent it across the country to us. The only problem was that Evelyn absolutely refused to wear the cape, and no amount of our coaxing, psychological manipulation, or peer pressure would make her change her mind. So - we brought a cute little girl and a wolf to the party. ;

Maybe it was because of all the strange costumes, but Evelyn was not in a smiling mood at the party. She was totally straight-faced until she got a hold of some candy. She then turned to me and with a scary, zombie-like smile exclaimed, "YUMMY CANDY!!!". Her dad let her eat a red-velvet cake treat, and after that, I think she could have said she was a "little girl hit by a car" for Halloween.

We had a great time. Evelyn "bobbed" for donuts, went fishing, and closely investigated the scare-crow. Micah played in the hay.

First Haircut

2010-10-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've cut Micah's hair before, but really just little snips. This was the first major haircut, and I took some before and after photos. It was a little crazy cutting his hair by myself while he and Evelyn romped around the bathroom, but I think it looks okay...??? I'm still feeling guilty about cutting his beautiful hair off, but have been having flashbacks to Evelyn's famous mullet the past few weeks and thought it was time.

Happy Number 2, Evelyn!

2010-10-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

Evelyn turned two on Thursday. Happy Birthday! We received several gifts by mail from our family and friends in the days leading up to her birthday, and the last word on her lips Wednesday night when I put her to bed was, "Open...". I'm glad she's finally old enough to get excited about gifts!

Thanks to everyone who made her birthday special. She raked in the clothes and insisted on wearing one of the outfits that day (a turtleneck shirt and corduroy dress with tights), even though the weather was unusually warm and sunny. ; )

Danny made it a very special occasion by taking the day off from his school administrative internship. Evelyn opened gifts, played in her new tent/tunnel, skyped with grandparents, ate cheese, made homemade pizza and an ice cream cake (her most requested foods), played outside, and together we relished the most relaxing, happy, beautiful day we've had in many months. I felt like it was MY birthday!

I think one of her favorite parts of the day was blowing out her candles. She asked me to re-light them several times so she could keep blowing them out...

Carving Pumpkins

2010-10-30T17:09:00.000-07:00

Danny led the pumpkin carving this past week. (It's a cat -- inspired by Evelyn's shirt that night.) The best part of the evening was when Micah threw one of our spoons off the porch behind the bushes. Danny lowered Evelyn head first over the railing, and she fished it out very craftily. We all cheered! She's such a little grown-up. I think most kids would cry or not know what to do, but when she has a task, she takes it very seriously. ; )

Salem's Haunted Happenings

2010-10-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

The last time we went to Salem was in February of 2009, when Evelyn was just three months old. We looked at a map before leaving and determined that the trip of less than 25 miles wouldn't take us long.... Wrong. Evelyn cried the whole hour-plus there and my nerves were fried when we arrived. To make matters worse, we had a plane to catch and had to turn around and leave as soon as we got there. Danny still jokes about how Salem had a "bewitching" influence on his wife.

We've been itching to go to back since we got to Massachusetts and finally drove out yesterday. (Can you tell we had a busy Saturday?) The city puts on all kinds of Halloween events during the month of October, and Halloween is Danny's favorite holiday. We found plenty of spook houses and ghost tours, but not too many kid-friendly venues. I'm embarrassed to post a picture of Evelyn eating a carnival corn dog since it has to be one of the worst foods on the planet, but please note that it's not indicative of her typical diet, and as Danny says, "You only get to eat carnival food once a year." They had fun playing in the hay-bale maze and checking out the dogs in Halloween costume.

Head of the Charles Regatta

2010-10-24T17:32:00.000-07:00

The Head of the Charles Regatta was in Cambridge this weekend. I think it's the largest rowing race competition in the world and certainly crowded up the city the past couple of days. We only got to drive by the Charles River today (Sunday) on the way to church to see the expert rowing teams, but Danny strapped the kids in yesterday morning (Saturday) and walked down to see some of the amateur races. They were bundled up due to the 40-something degree weather, but they're always happy to be outside.

Care Packages

2010-10-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

Grandma Burnham sent us a care package in the mail last week, and of course, the best thing in it was the packaging! Evelyn popped every bubble in the bubble-wrap, and I think the kids would have played in the peanuts for days if I hadn't had enough of the mess sooner. Thanks to everyone who has been kind enough these past few weeks to send us surprises in the mail. We're so grateful for all of you!

More Fall Leaves

2010-10-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

Danny took the kids to the park last Saturday while I did some much needed cleaning around the house. They found more Fall leaves to play in. Cambridge is an old suburb and so has lots of mature trees lining the streets. It's a beautiful experience to walk under their colorful canopy and listen to them crunch underfoot. Arizonans are really missing something...

The Happy Couple

2010-10-22T18:54:00.000-07:00

We were thrilled to have Danny's sister, Rebecca, and her new fiance, Zach Hipps, visit us a few weeks ago. They are so in love that they needed little entertainment by us... If my sources are correct, they'll be hitched by the end of the year! Congratulations to them. My mother-in-law asked Danny and me to take some photos of them while they were in Boston, so I'm posting a few of my favorites. They are both spectacular people, and we're happy they found each other! The photos were taken at the Public Gardens (Boston Common) and on Beacon Hill.

Honey Pot Hill

2010-10-21T17:20:00.001-07:00

We took the kids apple picking to Honey Pot Hill and had a ball. Evelyn can't resist a whole un-peeled, un-sliced apple all to herself and thought she was in heaven among the hundreds of apple trees. We bounced around in the hayride, ate some cider donuts, watched the pigs, goats, sheep, chickens and bunnies, and picked a big bag of apples. Evelyn wouldn't go near the scare-crows. Micah just smiles.

Fall is here!

2010-10-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

The weather is getting cooler every day, and we're requiring more and more clothing as the temperature drops. When I comment to anyone here about how nice and crisp the weather is, they all say, "Oh - you aint seen nothin' yet!". Yes, I believe it will get VERY COLD soon.

The third photo shows what happens these days when you ask Evelyn to "smile". : )

Walden Pond

2010-10-11T17:35:00.001-07:00

We love Walden Pond! We took Grandma and Grandpa Greer (my parents) to visit the famed site where Henry David Thoreau lived at Walden Pond while they visited over the General Conference weekend. I must say - it is a magical place! The "pond" is large enough to be considered a lake in Arizona and has a walking trail that loops around it. The trees had begun turning with Fall colors, and at every turn there was a scenic photo opp. The whole place is GORGEOUS! It looks as if God landscaped it himself.... ; ) After our walk to the spot where Thoreau built his cabin, my dad stopped to explain to Evelyn about "lichen". Evelyn also loves fire engines, and I thought this pic was a nice shot.

My parents are so good to us and spoil us rotten when they come with all kinds of free childcare, housekeeping help, gifts and more. Thank you, Mom & Dad!!!

New England Aquarium

2010-10-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

We are now proud owners of a season pass to the New England Aquarium in downtown Boston. The kids and I ride the "T" (subway) to it, and that's an adventure for them in itself. We have to change lines twice, and at one stop that's not handicap accessible, rely on the goodness of some other passenger to help carry the double stroller up and down two flights of stairs. So far, the people here have been delightfully friendly and more than willing to help. At the aquarium, we get to see giant sea turtles, sharks, penguins, all types of fish and other sea-life and a seal training show. We always get to watch the staff there scrubbing the penguin poop off the rocks, so it must be an everyday activity. I think it will be a good escape when it's so cold outside later this year.

Around the House

2010-10-05T18:18:00.000-07:00

The kids are always finding things to play with around the house. Lately, Micah has been figuring out the stairs. Since our move here, he's grown proficient at climbing them, but is still working on safely coming down. For the last couple of months, Evelyn has been fascinated with brushing her teeth. It's a combination of liking the toothpaste and playing with water (another favorite past-time). Evelyn has also been having some biting problems, and sadly, Micah is sometimes the easy target (no, it's not lipstick on his cheek). They are, however, getting better every day at playing together, and it's music to my ears to hear them making each other giggle.

New Friends

2010-10-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Micah and Evelyn have been making lots of new friends here - both with neighbors and ward members. Evelyn and her friend Sophie are two peas in a pod. They're both talkative, playful, sweet -- and both serious toy-snatchers. I think Micah gets the raw end of the deal most of the time, but he'll have his turn someday. In the last photo, Evelyn went into the "prom pose" with her friend, Tyler, spontaneously. She loves being around kids a little older to watch what they do and figure out how to be a big kid.

Cape Cod

2010-10-05T17:16:00.000-07:00

Brittney came to visit us in late August, and we drove her out to Cape Cod. We had fish n' chips at Baxter's Boathouse at the Hyannis Harbor. It was supposed to be JFK's favorite stop. We played at Nauset Beach and had beautiful weather! Surprisingly, the water wasn't as cold as the ocean at Dana Point, CA from our trip a few weeks earlier. Thanks to Britt for being such a good aunt to our kids. It was hard to let our live-in nanny go home after a week of so much help.

New - Home Sweet Home

2010-09-23T19:14:00.001-07:00

Here's our humble abode in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It's a 3 bedroom, 1 bath approx. 1000 square foot two story townhouse. It's very close to the Harvard campus and our complex seems to have a number of families with kids. YAY! Our backyard is shared with a dozen other homes and came with a ton of shared toys. We've confirmed that this house was built at least before 1950 and most everything around here is much older than that. The house has mostly hardwood flooring and every step creaks. The walls look like they've been painted at least a hundred times. My legs are still getting used to climbing the stairs to the bedrooms and bathroom many, many times each day. That said, the house is very cute, and has a great deal of charm. The city is incredibly compact and pedestrian-friendly. Driving is a challenge because the roads criss-cross every which way, change names frequently and have stoplights every few hundred feet. Thank goodness for our Garmin!

We made good use of the SUV my parents rented while they were here to collect the necessities of furniture (a couch, kitchen table, rocker, and a few dressers). We relied heavily on craigslist, a furniture exchange and Target to outfit our new place. Afterall, we'll only be here one year.

Gilbert Temple Site

2010-09-23T18:44:00.000-07:00

Our stake presidency encouraged us to take a family photo on the site of the soon-to-be Gilbert Temple. We are SO excited to have a temple in Gilbert and feel like it will be special because it will be our very own!!!

Beach Trip, CA

2010-09-23T17:59:00.000-07:00

I had been craving a trip to the beach for months, and we decided that since we had two weeks between moving out of our house and moving to Boston, that we'd take a quick trip to California. Grandma and Grandpa Greer (my grandparents) let us stay in their beautiful home in Oceanside. Thank you! The Votaws were camping that week at Dana Point, so we met up with them to play in the sand. Micah only wanted to eat the sand and Evelyn just wanted to eat the Votaw's snacks. (The cheetos were "all natural" from Trader Joe's of course...) The Votaws also let us tag along when they went sailing on their Uncle Bill's boat. Kelly got seasick, but Ev got a hold of a ring-pop and enjoyed the voyage very much. The whole trip was a much needed break from life, and we had a ball.

Farewell Party at the Allens'

2010-09-23T17:49:00.001-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa Allen held a goodbye party for us before we left with plenty of good food as always. Evelyn even gave her cousin, Luke, a big hug - right before she pushed him down on the ground. We were happy to see everyone one more time. Aunt Rebecca brought someone special...

Grandma & Grandpa Greer's House

2010-09-23T17:01:00.000-07:00

We spent some time at my mom and dad's house before leaving for Boston. They rolled out the red carpet for us and were very kind about the tornado our kids usually leave in their path. One of the photos is of Evelyn with one of her favorite foods that she calls "britos" (aka. burritos). Micah was also going through a cute phase where his smiles looked kind of scary. He still now laughs through his nose with rapid breaths. It sounds kind of like a dog panting, and Evelyn likes to mimic the noise when she hears it.

Moving

2010-09-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

Who needs toys when you have moving boxes? The kids had all kinds of interesting objects to play with as we sorted through and packed up our whole house preparing for our move to Boston. I include the photos of our house for memory's sake, but they don't show every closet, drawer, cupboard and storage area that I organized, packed and cleaned. It was a horrible lot of work, and I really thought it would never end. We'll miss our house, but feel grateful to have found renters. We spent about two weeks at my parents' home and then on August 3, Danny and his brother, Nathaniel, drove the Civic packed to the ceiling with house stuff across the country. They said that they had so much fun talking that they decided not to stop and sleep. Forty two hours later, they arrived in Boston. I'm so grateful for Nathaniel - and for Danny - for making the trip. Evelyn, Micah and I were personally escorted by both my parents via US Airways on August 5 with a significantly shorter travel time. Thanks to Mom's US Airways connections, we took 20 big boxes of more home stuff and clothing on the plane. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

To Max - wherever you are...

2010-09-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

My little brother will appreciate this tribute to our dog, but if you're not an animal lover, you might want to skip this post.

It took me several trips to the pound to find Max back in April 2007, and since that time I've invested a lot of blood, sweat and tears into our relationship. He was a great companion when we didn't have any babies around and then provided unending entertainment when we did have our babies. We spent plenty of time feeding, watering, giving haircuts, treating his grass allergies, going for walks and trying to keep him from eating other dogs. None of his squeaky toys lasted longer than 5 minutes before they were torn to bits, and he always threw up on the rug instead of the tile. He was perfectly patient with our babies and was an all-around beautiful dog.

Our new home in Boston didn't allow pets, so we tried everyone we knew to find him a temporary home. In the end, we had to send him down the river (literally). We had a garage sale just before we moved, and he went home with a family that was headed back to their home in Sinaloa, Mexico. It was altogether traumatic for me since we'll never see him again and have no way of knowing how he's doing. I was under an enormous amount of moving stress and losing Max was the last straw. I cried for a few days and still am sad when I think about him. I told Danny that it may be necessary for us to move again, but I will NOT be giving away any more dogs. Evelyn still says with a very serious face, "Max went buh-bye". MAX -- we miss you!

Daily Life

2010-09-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

These are just photos that were too cute to miss. There's no story to them, just daily life with our cute kids.

Ingenuity

2010-09-22T19:20:00.000-07:00

There was a week in late June when Evelyn discovered how useful chairs can be. A whole new world was opened to her when she found she could push them around on the tile floor and then stand on them to get at higher places. I would come into the kitchen and all of the dining chairs would be in various locations around the room, allowing access to counters and cupboards that had previously been "safe" zones for all of mom's off-limits stuff. Danny and I had to move a number of things to even higher ground. I learned I should be nervous if I could hear the shuffling of a moving chair and then silence.

Cowgirl Party

2010-09-22T17:45:00.001-07:00

I'm back-tracking a little with the blog posts because it's been so long since I updated this darn thing... Needless to say, we've had a lot going on the past few months, and I'm behind. Evelyn was invited to her cousin Sophia's 3rd birthday party (cowgirl style) on June 6 and received as a party favor her own stick horse. My ultra-crafty sister made them all! The party was during Ev's usual nap time so she was a little tired, but she didn't miss the horse races in the backyard.

Happy Birthday, 80's style!

2010-06-27T21:47:00.000-07:00

Kelly celebrated David's big 4-0 birthday with an incredible 80's party. It was totally "rad"! We were all decked out in our 80's best attire, sang 80's karaoke and were surprised at all the weird 80's trivia that the party guests knew. Thank goodness this era is over, right???? Thanks also to Dad for supplying the menswear right out of his closet.

Shades

2010-06-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

Micah looks a little like Elton John, but Evelyn is too cute in these shades. We were headed for a swim at grandma's.

Micah's First Food

2010-06-27T21:07:00.000-07:00

Can you call rice cereal real food? Here are Micah's first bites of non-milk substance. He didn't like it, but has a smile for Dad anyway.

Danny's Classroom

2010-06-27T20:48:00.001-07:00

Have you ever wondered what Senor Allen's high school Spanish classroom looks like? It's filled with authentic South American art, photos and souvenirs -- along with a whole lot of "arte de Daniel" (Allen).

Yard Work in the Buff

2010-06-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

No, not Danny in the buff.... Evelyn is going through a little stage right now where she likes to strip down in the backyard. It IS hot out there, I guess... She has a water table on the back porch that she likes to sit in while she's clothes-free. I think the parenting advice I've heard is to not make a big deal out of it and the stage will pass (sounds like the same advice for a lot of things actually....). When I took these pictures, Danny was working on the yard and Evelyn was being a helper. I edited the photo a little for Evelyn's sake. In the second photo you can see what a hottie yard-worker I have as well as the bandaged finger on his left hand. He just about cut his finger off that day while trimming the hedges out back and had to go to an urgent care clinic for a few stitches. I begged him to stop with the yard work at least for the day, but he was determined.

AVID Graduation

2010-06-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

Danny has taught an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) class at Westwood HS for a few years now and conducted the graduation ceremonies for Westwood's AVID program this year. AVID helps kids who are usually from low-income and minority households become first-generation college students. Among other things, Danny helped his students write competetive college application essays, obtain scholarships (Gates Millenium, Dell, Horatio Alger, Obama Scolar, etc.) and learn necessary college study-skills. I think he also wrote probably a hundred very thoughtful and individual letters of recommendation for his kids over the years. I believe this program has given him more of a sense of fulfillment than any other during his teaching years because the results of his work are tangible, measurable and hugely impact the future of these students. This year's AVID graduation ceremonies were emotional for Danny and his students as they together felt an enormous sense of accomplishment.

Arts & Crafts with Dad

2010-06-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

Danny is very concerned about developing creativity in our children and often does art and craft projects with them. It usually starts with a few pieces of paper and can turn into all kinds of sometimes strange and sometimes beautiful objects. Don't they use hats like this in the electric chair?

Westwood High School Farewell

2010-06-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

The past few months have been bittersweet for Danny as he buttons up the teaching portion of his career. He's told me on many occasions how fulfilling it has been to work in the classroom with high school students and help them grow and achieve these past five years. Knowing Danny, he'll find just as much joy in working as an administrator for a high school after he's completed his master's program that begins this Fall.

The World Languages Department at Westwood High School held a farewell party for him complete with a cake in school colors (blue and orange, of course). His fellow teachers there were incredibly kind and went above and beyond to show their appreciation for his work there with beautiful gifts and well-wishes. I know he'll be missed!

Micah's on the Move

2010-06-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

Micah gets better every day at getting around. At first he was like a little steam-roller, but has progressed to a belly crawl pulling with his arms and pushing with his legs. He's able to get anywhere on the floor with enough motivation.

New Teeth

2010-06-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

Micah sprouted his first tooth at six months old and the other bottom tooth about a week later. Since then we've been trying to introduce rice cereal and other baby foods, but he refuses to eat anything that he can't hold in his own fist and feed to himself. When I try to feed him, he clamps his mouth shut and crys - even at applesauce. We'll have to be more creative...

Family Pictures

2010-06-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

We had some beautiful family pictures taken with the Allens in April. Debbie said it took an "act of Congress" to coordinate everyone's schedules, so thank you, Debbie!

Bath-time

2010-06-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

We have community tub-time for Micah and Evelyn in the evenings before bed. Evelyn has perfected the skill of lying on her back and submersing every part of her body except her eyes, mouth and nose. Micah starts giggling and jumping in your arms when he sees the bath water running for him.

Happy One and a Half!

2010-06-26T13:33:00.000-07:00

On Evelyn's one and a half birthday (April 28), we celebrated with confetti dipped cones from Dairy Queen. She was in heaven with a whole ice cream to herself. Max stayed close by for the drips.

Yoga Poses

2010-06-26T13:23:00.000-07:00

In yoga, they call this the "Happy Baby Pose". Micah can also suck on his toes. What talent at such a young age!

Phoenix Zoo

2010-06-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

We were invited to join cousin Kate's preschool class at the Phoenix Zoo on April 21. It was a strangely windy and almost cold day (for Arizona in late April), and we felt like we were at the San Diego Zoo instead. Evelyn and Micah got to pet the sting rays, rode the jungle train for a tour of all the animals and ate an awesome picnic lunch (thanks, Aunt Kelly). Evelyn's favorite part by far was the hand-wash station at the entry to Stingray Bay where all the school groups stopped to rinse off before petting the rays. Between the multiple faucets and the constant stream of little kids, I could hardly get her away to see the other animals. She and cousin Sophia are close in age and therefore usually want the same thing at the same time. The last photo is of them both trying to claim Aunt Kelly's lap on the train.

Eating Well

2010-06-24T21:35:00.000-07:00

He looks hungry, doesn't he??? Danny says these legs come from his side of the family...

Wet n' Wild

2010-06-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

We kicked off summer with a new slip n' slide in the backyard. Danny helped Ev get a running start. It was one of the best $10 I ever spent considering how long it kept Evelyn entertained. It was also good that it was only $10, because Max had it chewed beyond recognition within 2 weeks... He can't resist plastic.

Meeting Aunt Melanie

2010-06-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

Evelyn's birthmother's sister (seems complicated but isn't really) returned from a mission to Wisconsin recently and got to meet Ev for the first time at a get-together in April. All three Warner sisters were there, and we had a great BBQ (thanks, Braden) at the Hatch's house. We're very grateful to Melanie for all the loving support she gave Heather during the adoption process even though she was so far away. (Top photo is Melanie, Evelyn, Heather & Laura.)

Spring

2010-06-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

Evelyn is showing off her Easter dress from Grandma Debbie. I'm amazed at what a sweet sister she is to Micah and see her spontaneously kissing his head several times a day. She LOVES to hold him, but only for about 2 seconds. Then she's "AH DONE!".

Desert Botanical Gardens

2010-06-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

We took a trip with the Votaws to the Desert Botanical Gardens and got to see the special butterfly exhibit - a misted tent with hundreds of them. It was April and very hot already! Poor Evelyn wasn't feeling well so it was a short fieldtrip, but we saw some amazing plants.

Easter Weekend in Pinetop

2010-05-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a gorgeous Easter weekend with family in Pinetop, AZ. Grandma Terri challenged us to an egg-drop contest. Each of the kids (or should I say their competetive parents) designed a contraption to encase their raw egg. They were then dropped from the balcony of the cabin. Who else could have won but the most competetive member of the family??? - the Danny/Evelyn team. I believe the quote from Danny was that "we could have dropped it from the moon and it still wouldn't break" in their egg holder. The weekend also included beautiful General Conference sessions Saturday and Sunday, egg dying, a candy/money egg hunt, a family picture, celebrating Mason's birthday, getting in trouble with the neighbors because of the campfire, and as with all our family gatherings -- way too much food.

The Big Kahuna

2010-05-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

My little man, Micah, has been growing. At his 4 month check-up, he weighed in at more than 16 pounds. He skipped all of his clothing that was between 6 and 12 month sizes. I'm now buying 18 month clothes for my healthy little guy. I'm absolutely sure he'll pass Evelyn in weight within the next year. Thank goodness she'll have a big "little" brother to look out for her.

My Personal Assistant

2010-05-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

Who needs a personal assistant when I have Evelyn? She has been more into coloring lately, and I have to be nervous if she's playing too quietly in another room. I've been surprised a few times in the past month with her body-art from some highlighter or other writing instrument that was left out too low. She's gotten so tall (and smart) that she can access every drawer in the house. We've had to be creative in moving a few things to higher ground.

Swedish Waffle Night

2010-05-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the friends and family who came to our annual party in March celebrating my Swedish heritage - Swedish Waffle Night! Danny and I spent so much time chatting with family, friends and neighbors that Evelyn had free reign over the Swedish cookies table. I can't believe she didn't get sick after all she ate.... She is our little social butterfly and was overjoyed at having a crowd in our backyard. Micah was happy being passed between his Grandmas all evening.

Model UN Trip to London

2010-03-30T14:52:00.001-07:00

Danny took his Model United Nations students to London in March. They competed at the Haileybury College conference just outside of London, but got to spend a few days in the city sightseeing as well. We'd planned to take our kids, but decided that Micah had been sick enough times in his first four months and that we'd better take them another year. Ev, Micah and I took lots of fieldtrips with our Votaw cousins here in AZ instead - and missed Danny a whole lot.

Heels and Phones

2010-03-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

She loves high heels and telephones -- and is growing up way too fast for me.

Happy Baby

2010-03-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

Here's some more cute photos of Micah (since grandma is always asking for them).

Cherubs

2010-03-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

Isn't that the word that comes to mind when you see these darlings?

My Little Sous Chef (it's french...)

2010-03-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

Evelyn has been such a big helper in the kitchen lately. Her special skill right now is stirring (and then tasting).

Dad, Mom or Evie?

2010-03-30T14:10:00.000-07:00

Who does Micah look most like? Dad, mom or Evie?

First Piggie Painting

2010-03-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

Evelyn got her first piggies painted in March. She was very proud of her "girliness". Have you ever seen such cute legs as in the first photo?

Mesa Fine Arts Center

2010-03-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

Danny took the kids to the Mesa Fine Arts center a few weeks ago for a few photos while they were waiting for me to finish at the temple. I've never seen such fine art as this!

Farewell & Good Luck to Kade, Amber & Mason

2010-03-30T13:37:00.000-07:00

We waved goodbye to McKade, Amber and Mason in early March as they left for a new life in Denver. McKade will be opening the Denver market for the blind installation company who he has worked for for some time. (And we of course had to have a family meal to send them off...) We'll miss them!

Grandpa Chuck's 80th Birthday Party

2010-03-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Charles turned 80 this year and we celebrated with a party near his home in Oceanside. Evelyn got to fly over and back with grandpa and grandma - lucky girl. The rest of us drove. We were especially happy for the chance to meet up with cousins who we don't often get to see.

Heading to Harvard

2010-03-15T22:19:00.000-07:00

We received exciting news last week when we learned that Danny had been accepted to the School Leadership M.Ed. program at Harvard. It was even more exciting when the assistant dean called him the following day to offer a full tuition scholarship as one of 14 Urban Education Scholars. As part of the program, Danny will complete an internship as an administrator in a public school in Boston and will receive a principal's certificate. We will be moving to Boston in August and will complete the program by the end of May of next year. We are already looking forward to lots of visitors. You can check out the program here

Climbing

2010-03-09T20:48:00.000-08:00

Ev's pediatrician says that climbing is part of her current stage of development. She's taking full advantage of it.

Valentine's Day

2010-03-09T20:35:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day was sunny and 75* here in Gilbert. We love this weather!