Quick Post #3 The Snowman that Came to Life

Meet David.  Jack and Zack built him two days ago out of our first snowfall of the season. 

Each night we share with each other our best and worst parts of the day (thanks to the Rich's for this great tradition).  Two nights ago Jack said the whole day was his best part, but his worst part was too hard for him to talk about for a few minutes.  When we revisited the topic, Jack, head hung low, told us it was when he had to say goodbye to David the snowman.

The next morning Jack was anxious to visit David.  I got a bit ahead of the boys and saw that someone had taken our snowman's head, hat and scarf and made a new snowman a couple of feet away from where we left David.  I was immediately worried about how Jack would take the news and angry with whatever person was mean enough to decapitate a little kid's snowman.

When Zack saw what had happened, he immediately went into a story of how David must have come to life and moved during the night.  He made a game of it and Jack was elated to have built a real life magic snowman!

And I remembered all over again why I married Zack.  His optimism (among other things).  Sure it can infuriate me at moments when he tells people how blessed we are in life and all I want to do is scream "REALLY!!! Are you paying any attention to what we are going through???!!"

And then I realize that's just it, he is paying attention to what's really important and choosing to focus on that.  He is a testament of optimism and gratitude and I need that reminder in my life. 

This morning Jack woke up and wanted to go see how David made it through the night.  Did he find a new spot in the field?  Nope, overnight he GREW.

Before just a few feet tall

and After.  Wowza! (Jack and his friend Aruzhan)

We can't wait to see what magic tomorrow brings!

Quick Post #2 - The Day we cut down our Christmas Tree

We drove an hour out of town to a quaint little tree farm to cut down our Christmas tree New England style.  Our dear friends the Bowens were awesome and joined us on our adventure.

Things you need for a successful Christmas tree cutting down adventure.
1. The right shoes

I honestly thought I was making a good shoe decision that day.  I chose closed toe shoes which even Annee will attest is a HUGE step forward given my flip flop Utah winters.  :) Still, what the heck was I thinking?  I will just chalk it up to a California girl's mistake.  Christmas tree cutting down adventures require boots.  (maybe cute leather ones with heels? It's a process right?)

2.  The right pants

This trip will always be known as the day Jonathan's pants split.  Good times follow the Bowen family, that's why we hang with them. 

3.  The right tree

 4.   A Strong handsome man to do the hard labor.

No pants were harmed in the cutting down of this tree...

5.  A possee as sweet as mine to make memories with.

Quick Posts - Day 1

I am a super lame blogger.  I think of blog posts everyday and write them in my head and never get them down onto the computer.  So I am going to post one quick thing I meant to for the next 7 days to try to spark some blogging energy back into my life.

I want to remember the month when Jack was Mario.  He wore this costume day and night for nearly a month prior to Halloween.  It was one of those moments when I saw Zack in his delight that strangers were looking at him and commenting on how cool he was.  That's so not my shy away from notice personality.  I love him so much and am grateful that the man I love the most in this world is shining back at me in Jack too.

Harvard vs. Yale 2010

Even though I declared football games to be strictly father-son activities, I decided our last Harvard Yale game while at Harvard was momentous enough of a rivalry that I would join my boys for the game.

Jack loved the game (despite all contradictory photographic evidence)

After Harvard's awesome victory, Zack decided he and Jack were going to rush the field with the entire rest of the stadium.  See how high those walls are in the above picture?  Zack jumped down first and I saw Jack from a distance trying to fling himself over the wall too.   To Zack's credit he was only 10 feet below him trying to catch him.  To his discredit, he was 10 FEET below him!!!  I ran as fast as I could and grabbed my eager little fellow and helped lower him down to the field.  It was a fun day and a great way to help us start to say goodbye to Harvard, Boston and freezing cold football games!

Go Harvard!

I brought it on myself

A year ago I told my guys that I was not leaving Boston without a baby, a cat or a dog.  Something small that I could snuggle.

Last night in my dreams I was yelling at doctor after doctor for telling me that it was hopeless and that we couldn't have any more children.   I tried to shake off the dream, but it of course stayed with me all day.  So at dinner when I was staring across the table at my perfect "miracle" child, I asked him if he would start praying for heavenly father to send his brothers and sisters down to our family.  I thought that maybe if it came from his sincere heart it would warrant more response then mine seem to.

He took a minute, shook his head sadly knowing he was disappointing me and said he wouldn't say the prayer.

J:  "Sorry mom, I'm still holding out for a cat."

And how can I argue with his perfect nearly 5 year old logic when he already brings me more joy then I deserve?

And, oh what an awful graduation present for poor Zack come June. 

Happy Halloween!

From my guys to yours.

Maine and Lobsters

Last weekend we packed up the car and drove to Maine for the Lobsterman Triathalon and some sightseeing.  I will admit that the three things I was most excited to see in Maine were,

1.  Prince Edwards Island (not in Maine)
2.  Cabot Cove Maine (home of Jessica Fletcher and resident murder she wroter - not a real city in Maine)
3.  The sight of the Perfect Storm (not in Maine)

That being said, I still had never been to Maine and was excited to see what was in Maine since I had a lengthy list of things that weren't!

Here are some things Maine is known for...

Lighthouses!

Maine lighthouses are closed to the public except on Lighthouse Day, which happened to be the Saturday we were in town.  On this one day a year, people can climb the lighthouse stairs, walk to the top and walk around the balcony.  It closed at 3:30 and we showed up at 4.  They were still breathtaking to see from the ground.

Pretty much this picture captures Jack's impression of Maine.  

Maybe Jack was disappointed because he thought Maine was home to other cool things like I did and couldn't get over it our entire stay but Jack was not impressed with Maine.  I will cut him a bit of slack because he had been sick the week before we left, in fact he threw up the morning we left, but we decided not to let that make us miss out on Maine.

He did take a few pictures which seemed to make him happy, including this one which we look like we are glowing in...

The real motivating force behind our trip to Maine was so Zack could swim, bike, and run the Lobsterman Triathalon.  He swam a mile in the ocean, biked 27 miles and ran 6.2 miles in about 3 hours.  Jack and I almost missed him because we didn't get the memo that if we wanted to see him at the finish line we had to be there by 9am because the road was going to be blocked off.  We hoped into a taxi at 11:30 which dropped us off 3 miles from the finish line.  Then a curtosy shuttle took pity on us and took us to the end of the roadblock where a kind police man took pity on us and let the shuttle drive us the rest of the way there.  We were lucky enough to see this guy on his last mile!

We are so proud of Zack for doing such an awesome job!   He is a testament to endurance and follow through and we are crazy about him!!

After the race we checked out a local Lobster dive the Harraseeket Inn where Zack enjoyed his first ever Maine Lobster roll and clam chowder.   Neither Jack nor I were interested in sharing...

So although I don't recommend anyone go to Maine to see Anne Shirley's, Jessica Fletcher's, or the Andrea Gail's homeland, Maine is beautiful and well worth the trip, even with a moody 4 year old in tow.

Good News!

A few weeks ago Zack received a text from a friend who told him really good news was coming his way but he was going to make him "sweat it out for a bit." 

Let's be honest, anyone who knows Zack and me knows which one of us did the sweating it out part and which waited patiently, even forgetting he was supposed to be sweating something out!

Last week the mystery was finally solved when Zack found out he received first year honors! 


We are so proud of him and excited to see what comes next!

Apple picking

On the Charles

The Bowen Family.  Jonathan was such a trooper rowing that boat.    Let's just say there are times when only have one older child makes life easier, like when choosing between one person rowing a row boat, and two people rowing a canoe!

The kids were thrilled to be floating down the river with this beautiful bird!

The Zackrisons.  I only mildly freaked out getting into the canoe for the first time.   

It was a super hot day, and I splashed Jack with my paddle and he said, " Oh, how refreshing!!"
I love that kid.

The Acks swimming in the Charles, until a passerby told me her friend's dog got sick the previous week after swimming in this water.
We had a fantastic time, and Jack was thrilled to finally be out on the Charles.  Jonathan and Zack were heaven sent and left the wives and kids at the park while they rowed themselves back and picked us up in the air conditioned car.  What good guys we have!!

Rockport, MA with the Bowens

Jack loved these pictures because he is currently obsessed with Mary Poppins and they reminded him of Bert's sidewalk pictures that they jumped into.  Needless to say, we jumped into every sidewalk picture in Rockport.

 

Jack and Penelope riding the frog.  Penelope is one of Jack's best buds in Boston.  She also introduced Jack to the Chipmuck soundtrack, which we have been rocking out to ALL internship.  Thank you to the Bowens...I promise to find some way to return the favor!!

Jack and Pops pose for a scenic picture

Zack poses pretty for the camera.  15 years and this guys still cracks me up like no one else can!

Summer Internship 2010 pictures

Jack discovered Animal Fries.  After years of ignoring them, he suddenly looked over and asked, "Hey, what are you guys eating over there??"   End of an era...

Jack is OBSESSED with maps.  In other news, check out Jack's rainbows sans back straps.  He practiced for a week in San Diego to be able to surprise Zack on Father's Day with mini-"papa" shoes. (Aunt Christine, your's are coming...I am a total loser...sorry!!!)

Beach time!

Visiting with Grandma and Grandpa Z

ma

Jack Mads  and Mads Jack

These guys are the best of friends and have a blast together!

Sea World with Rachel and Ken.  It was great to be close enough to drive down for a last minute visit!

.Jack's after swimming lesson treats.  Ice cream sandwiches require serious concentration!

Swimming Lessons

What?!!  Mads had never been to CEC before?  We took care of that!

Jack and Zack at Toy Story 3 Family day at the office.

Jack in Zack's cube.  I promise he wore other shirts this summer besides this one!!

Surfer chick

Zack won an Oscar

Jack ate marshmallows. (Momma ate SMORES.)

Jack and Mom at Sea World. (sorry for the sideways pictures.  I am lost without our mac)...

 

 

Los Angeles

The other night I was standing in my Dad and Karen's kitchen, making dinner for my family, listening to Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar playing on the radio and my catching snip-its of my Dad and Jack's conversation upstairs about basketball and I felt peace and happiness.

There is so much change for us right now, but so much of it is good and familiar.  While there are so many reasons why couch-surfing with a family for ten weeks is difficult, I wouldn't give up this experience for a summer mansion of our own.  A few weeks ago I saw my dad and Jack become real buddies.  Soccer buddies, basketball buddies, reading buddies, talking buddies, Deda and Grandson.  It made me remember my Deda, who although he had no real family of his own, alongside Baba, created an amazing life centered around family.

Last week we are at Baba's house.  The house that I spent so many afternoons in growing up.  Learning to subtract by eating french fries, watching movies and reading books, me on one sofa, Dani on the other, and Tai in the recliner in between the two of us.  Everything is so familiar to me, and I love that this summer, it has the chance to become familiar...home...to Jack.

Baba has an amazing ability to patiently play whatever cockamaney game Jack can conjure up, and boy does he love her for it!  One morning while sitting at breakfast, he looked up and declared that he loved it here.

Right now, Tai is playing the piano and Jack is running around like a maniac shaking maraccas.  She has taught him how to find all of the Cs on the piano and to play a scale.  Now Jack has found a little stool to stand on and is conducting Tai on the piano with a baton.  These two make the perfect play mates!

Last night Zack told he how amazing my family is.  

Other then that, we spend our days running around LA, playing, visiting, and swimming.

If our apple hadn't finally given up and died thanks to Jack falling on it during a rousing game of Super Mario Brothers on Wii with Zack and Jonathan, I'd have picture proof of our summer madness.  I'm going to see  if I can't find a way to upload pictures off my iphone soon...

...oh and I turned 30.

Yikes...