Model

I'm taking a photography class and I needed a model.

Dang he's cute!

 

Attack

 

 We invited a couple (who we love) over for family home evening, and this is how my well mannered boys welcome them. Ben had his automatic nerf gun and Luke and Josh are on the other side of the wall with theirs. Instead of stopping the boys, their well mannered mom grabbed the camera instead.
I hope they'll come back again?

Basketball

You know it's been cold, when I go outside in the brisk 15 degree sunny weather and it feels warm enough to go for a walk.

That's what we, meaning Jake and I, did. 4.5 miles later we were home. We enjoyed the sun and the walk felt good.

It's been cold lately. Too cold. Last night we went to Josh's band concert, which was completely awesome by the way. This was his first concert and they sounded great. Its amazing to me how a group of kids who have never played an instrument before can be performing in a concert and sounding decent just 2 months later. It was fun to watch him.

Now back to the weather, it was a cold 8 degrees last night with 20 mph winds. The wind chill was 25 below. I don't think I've ever experienced cold like that before. It was COLD so so cold.

What do you do when it's cold?

Go camping?

That's what Mike and the boys minus Josh do.

 This weekend is the freeze out camp out for scouts.
The thought crossed my mind that they should cancel it cause it's too cold.

But with the scout motto Be Prepared I guess they have to prove that they can brave anything.

Whatever.

Mike just called and as for tonight they have lived to tell about it with only some minor chilling of the fingers.

If they survive the night then we'll have hope that I'm going to still have 3 more boys to rejoin the family tomorrow.

On a warmer note

 We bought a BED!

Doesn't it look nice? I'm so excited to go to bed.

 We have had this sad old mattress and box springs for 17 years. Almost since day one of our marriage. The time has come, really it came a few years ago, to get a new bed.  

When you wake up with back pain every morning you know it's time.

I'd like to say that I'm going to miss this mattress.

But I won't.

Thanks for the memories mattress.

Off to the garbage you go and 

off to bed I go.

Too bad Mike has to sleep on the cold ground and not in my nice warm bed with me!

Day off

Yesterday Luke is claiming he got the raw end of the stick.

Ben had to take finals, but got a half day of school and got to go to Chipotles for lunch.

Josh get the entire day off of school.

He will also no longer be going to this school

 but will now be attending the new school that was just built. He had the day off so teachers could have a day to get rooms their classrooms prepped before starting at the new school.

 While poor Luke was at school slaving away, Josh spent the day sleeping in, reading his favorite book, eating his favorite breakfast and snowboarding with dad.

 It was a COLD day to be snowboarding.

Luke had to get up early to finish homework, go to school all day, do his jobs, go to scouts and stay up late finishing a project. Alright Luke you win, maybe you did get the raw end of the stick.

Sunday art by Luke

Luke made this comic book for Mike for Christmas.
Neal requested to see the comic book, so I'm posting.  

This book was more then just a comic book. If I was posting, I couldn't leave half of it out I love it to much so I posted the entire book.

Basketball

She was calling my name

It's been awhile since I've had a play date in Boston and I think the city was starting to miss me because I could hear her calling my name.

I had to go to her. :)

I went to New York with Jessica and learned very quickly that we have a lot in common, especially when it comes to exploring new, or not so new, places and food. She had to join me on this little adventure.

We went to the North End with a mission to takes some good pictures (besides food, I don't think I accomplished that one), enjoy the day and to eat some good italian food.

While exploring we came across Ernesto's . Pizza was not on our list of things to eat that day but a friend of mine swears that this is the best pizza around.

We couldn't pass up a slice.

I believe my friend was right, this is the best pizza I have had in Boston.

Go there

Try it

It's delicious

I hear their rice balls are fantastic as well. We saved those for the next trip.

 Next stop

The Paul Revere house

I've walked the freedom trail a billion times but haven't ever gone inside Paul Revere's house.

Mainly because it's $3.50 and only about 40% of what's in the house is actually his, plus the house is not set up to exactly how they had it when they lived there. So paying to go in never interested me.

Jessica could get us in free. Cant' beat that. It was much bigger then I had expected, but still small when you think 18 people lived in that 2 bedroom home. I guess now that I've been in, life is now complete?

 

 Lunch

By far our favorite part.

We went to Florentine Cafe. I've always wanted to go there and now that I've been it might be one of my new favorite restaurants in the North End.

When we were seated, Jessica noticed someone in the restaurant who looked like the chef, she asked if that's who he was and yes indeed he was.

We started to talk to him, found out his two favorite entrees to cook so that's what we ordered.

Jessica also mentioned that she hadn't ever had eggplant.

So our appetizer was Eggplant parmesean.

It was soooo good.

 Main course

Salmon Rissoto

YUM
Imagine me licking my lips as I'm looking at this picture. It was so good.

Jessica had linguini and clams with a red sauce. Sorry I didn't take a picture.

Gus, the chef, I think was so entertained by us that he surprised us with tiramisu on the house.

 
I'm not a coffee lover so I had a few bites from the middle where the coffee wasn't and left the rest to Jessica.

What I did have of it was, just as everything else, so good.

We just might have to visit Gus again. :)

One last stop at Mike's for a canoli. 

Mainly because Jessica hadn't ever had a canoli and needed to try one.

Yes people, that's all leftover food.

FYI the canolis were not eaten until long after we got home. We were too full.

Another highlight of the day is that we met so many of the locals.

They are so fun to talk to and listen to all of their strong opinions that they are all so willing to give! They must all be Italian. :)

 

This guys name is Jerry, he's trying to give his best "I'm cool" look by winking for the picture.

He owns a cheese shop in town, 

was very funny, 

and also very proud of the fact that he is 74 years old and still running the show.

It was a great day.

Sad it had to end.

Can't wait to go again.