o in. Some of my favorite plants are: The African Violet, the Jade, and the Christmas Cactus.
Last month we drove up to Maine one Saturday morning. It was a beautiful fall day and Jim, being the adventurous and spontaneous soul that he is, was not going to waste one moment of Saturday bliss. I, on the other hand was prepared to put my nose to the grindstone and work the day away, cracking the whip on our two older girls and Jim to assure that they would be working hard right alongside me. Jim easily won out and we found ourselves packed into the minivan and off on an adventure.
his was the world famous L. L. Bean store. It just could not be. We finally broke down and asked the most “New England” looking person where the “big” L. L. Bean store was. She laughed and pointed us in the right direction. With her directions, we found our way down into the center of town and ate some lunch at a really unique restaurant. It was a Mediterranean grill (who knew? Good Mediterranean food in Maine?) We ordered shish kabobs, falafels, chicken noodle soup, and spaghetti. It was all so delicious. The service was very quick and friendly, in spite of our nois
y children. After lunch we did some window shopping on our walk down to L. L. Bean. The L.L. Bean store is enormous, it takes up the whole block and we just so happened to be there on the day of the Christmas Lighting Celebration. It was crowded and Christmas was in the air! There was hustling and bustling and a desire to buy something just to buy it. Lucky for us, we got out of that store without spending any money. Whew! But, on the way out of town I was lulled into a little jewelry boutique called, “Olivia’s”. It had a great array of beaded jewelry- just what I was looking for! And of course, just what Anna, Miri, and Susan-Grace were looking for too. There was a lot of begging and a few tears and we left with just one bundle, mine. I found a really fun amethyst necklace.
Have you seen any of these hot off the press Utah Quarters!?
Just when I felt like I was going to break because of the rush and pressure and stress of Christmas and moving again (this time out of the country); it snowed and life slowed down. Everything was cancelled and the roads were basically closed. Our family sat inside watching the lovely snow, enjoying “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and playing memory match. It was really nice to stop and take a breath, not to mention the snow is really beautiful.
My friend Ellen was over at my house and took this picture of my children. She said as she took it, “Oh, this is perfect, the laundry basket in the background”. My initial response was, “no way, let’s move it!” Then, second thought, that is perfect. I grew up loving laundry, it’s clean, it's orderly, it's me! I had three children and still I loved laundry. One day my aunt came over to my house and said, “Oh, your house smells like your mom’s, it must be your laundry.” I was in heaven. She had complimented me to the utmost. Now, after five children, I do laundry, I don’t love it. But I have to admit, it still smells like my mom’s. Ancient Chinese secret? 
Nope, it’s Tide with April Fresh Downy. Love it! I am a black sheep in my family though, because I am actually okay with stained clothing (I can’t believe I just publicly admitted to that).
We went down to the Museum of Science. We had a great time there. At noon Grandma Gina and Papa brought the little ones home and Miriam and Gracie and I rode the train back down to the museum. The problems all started when we were trying to find our way from the Mass General Hospital train stop back over the highway and along the river to the museum. Everything seemed to lead to a dead end so I took matters into my own hands and started off down a path that I knew would lead right to where I wanted to go. Gracie tried to stop me, “Mom, Mom, there’s a sign back there that says, ‘No Trespassing’”.
My reply, “I don’t think so.” It wasn’t long before we were on an island in the middle of a freeway with cars racing around us at 60 miles per hour. Scary. Ooops. As JRR Tolkien puts it, “Short cuts, make long delays”.
My friend Behka tagged me. So here goes:
Today I have been married for eleven years! After eleven years Jim and I have:
Halloween night in our neighborhood was…interesting. The seven of us started off down our street. First stop, a nice house, the only problem is the two-hundred stairs leading to the front door. That's okay, my determined children will not be deterred. They start the hike, reach the top, pound on the door and no answer. Oh well. They start back down the stairs and someone opens the door,“Oh, we’ve never had trick or treaters before!” (The stairs must have been a bigger turn off than we thought.) “Let’s see if we can rummage something up.” Moments pass. Our five children wait with what seems to be a dog pant. Awkward. Finally, the nice man comes back to the door with the most eclectic range of “toys” I have ever seen: glittery horse figurines, a plastic flower pot that bends if you push on a button, etc. They were kind of like upscale McDonald’s toys. Jim and I look at each other a bit confused. Meanwhile, the kids are bounding happily down the stairs and hey, we’re off to the next lucky house on our street.
Very unfortunately for the sardines in the lane next to us, one wasn’t paying attention and slammed into the car ahead of himself. He hit that car so hard that it then smashed into the car ahead of it. Ouch! Not a good place to be and here we were trying to get to the "Trunk or Treat". When was the next exit, dare I ask? Eight miles! Scowling just wasn’t going to cut it now and I reverted to the infamous nag. “Okay kids, it looks like we missed the ‘Trunk or Treat’, thanks to Dad”. Just as I was getting going, Jim notices an off ramp to the State Patrol Headquarters. He questions, “Should I take it?” I’m thinking, “Why does he ask me?” “No, don’t take it. It’s not an exit”. He takes it…and, sure enough, it’s not an exit. But, uncanny as this may seem, the patrol building is surrounded by a gate and not only is the gate open, but it is directly connected to the parking lot of the church! We drove right onto the church parking lot and the “Trunk or Treat” activity. Who knew? We were practically the first ones there. I have always said Jim was charmed. Just when he seemed to be absolutely down on his luck, wa la, a road appears out of no where and he's a hero. 
Grandma Gina and Papa are great fun to have around. They make nice company. No matter how much food I have in the fridge, Pops isn’t content until food is bursting out of the kitchen seams. The day after they got here, we went shopping and he bought lots and lots of food. Pops discovered Wilson Farm and I think he bought every type of fruit bread they carried. The paradox is that after he bought all this food, he asked, “Where’s the best Mexican restaurant?”
There is no one I know that loves Christmas like Grandma Gina does. This year is extra special because during the holiday we will be celebrating Pop’s 70th birthday. Grandma is absolutely ready for all of this fanfare and has let every grandchild and their parents in on decorating for the grand event. While Grandma Gina was here, each of us made our own stocking to be hung by the fireplace and decorated our own plates to set on the dinner table. What an impressive feat, Grandma! She has twenty-five grandchildren.
Finding a babysitter is virtually impossible for us; so is going on a date. This month it was our good fortune to have Grandma Gina and Papa come to visit. What a treat for us all. Jim and I took advantage of this opportunity and went on some really fun "outings". We discovered Boston, via the Duck Tours and then wandered around Beacon Hill after a lunch at Quincy Market. Later that week we visited the Boston Opera House where Wicked was playing. Great musical. 
Unfortunately I paid twice as much as I should have for the tickets. Uggh! Once I got past that kick, I was able to enjoy the musical and the bag of Boston Baked Beans that Jim and I were sharing. What a delight it was to be with Jim. I love him.
The headstones so often speak of good lives and inspire me to think about what really matters and what will be remembered years from now. The landscape is picturesque. Every tree is labeled with a plaque that states its species. Our family has spent many Sunday mornings walking the hills there, smelling the pine, reading the tree plaques and headstones and enjoying the quiet beauty and space. It is a hidden treasure. This month we discovered a tower in the cemetery. We each took our turn climbing to the top (including Grandma Gina and Papa who were visiting us) and we were able to see for miles in all directions; miles and miles of color. 
I enjoyed looking around and picking out landmarks like The Harvard Business School, The State House on Beacon Hill, The Charles River, and The Boston Temple. On Veteran's Day we took some time to look at a few of the Civil War heroes’ gravesites. The history of the cemetery is so rich. The American Flags for the Veterans' graves made the cemetery seem quieter and more reverent. I couldn’t help but think about my two grandpas that served in World War II and all of the service men and women now serving, and all those who have given their lives serving our country. I am thankful for the United States of America. 
In October, there is a giant rowing contest on the Charles called, The Head of the Charles Regatta. We went down to Cambridge to enjoy the festivities. Our children were in seventh heaven with all of the free give outs from the various sponsors. James loved it and being the three year old that he is, he left with his arms completely filled with a bunch of trinkets that he had no idea what their use was. He just knew that “he who leaves with the most trinkets, wins”. Believe me, he won.
Giving thanks for where we were:
I am thankful for Lake Michigan and our dragon kite.
I am thankful for the Lincoln Park Zoo and the mighty lion's roar.
I am thankful for the Devonshire Aquatics Center and the "tube slide".
I am thankful for the swings at the Rand McNally Park.
I am thankful for the Skokie Public Library Children’s Department and the "bean bag" song.
I am thankful that by default and under much duress, I learned how to grocery shop and cook (a few things at least).
I am thankful that my children had clothes to wear; Thank you, Thank you.
I am thankful to anyone who has ever opened their home to me and taken me in; Thank you.
I am thankful for small budgets and big blessings.
I am thankful for student loans (I think).
I am thankful for the piano and the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebooks.
I am thankful for Jim’s motto, “Happy wife, happy life”.
I am thankful for Jim’s creed (adopted from Sir Winston Churchill), “Never, never, never give up."
I am thankful for Jim’s wholehearted belief in the statement by David O. McKay, “No other success can compensate for failure in the home.”
Giving Thanks for where we are: 
I am thankful that my husband has a job.
I am thankful my husband likes his job.
I am thankful that the things my children have broken here in someone else's house, can be fixed (I hope).
I am thankful for Maple Trees, Oak Trees, Burning Bushes, etc.
I am thankful for Google maps.
Giving Thanks for where we are going:
I am thankful that my children speak my language (most of the time).
Boston Harbor
This month my parents came to visit and we had so much fun. The weather cooperated very nicely with our outings and the scenery was everything I would have expected from one of America’s favorite historical cities.
By many, Boston is known as “The Hub”.
This was first coined by writer Oliver Wendell Holmes, who actually referred to the State House as the hub of the solar system. While my parents were here we took a historical cruise around Boston Harbor. On this cruise I came to understand first hand why this city had merited such a nickname as “the hub”. I watched the navy ships, coast guard cutters and sailboats all take their turns moving in and out of the Atlantic Ocean. 
I admired the enormous cargo ship docked alongside the pier with its endless line of containers from all over the world waiting for their final destination; and watched the underside of the commercial planes as they landed at the nearby Logan International Airport. The energy of the harbor was fascinating. My favorite part of our tour was when our ship crept up the Charles River and we were able to get a picturesque view of the Old North Church, Bunker Hill and Old Ironsides. 
The words of Longfellow’s poem, “one if by land, two if by sea, and I on the opposite shore will be” seem to be forever suspended in the air right there on the mouth of the Charles River.
Humor me Kimball Farms! I have never seen an ice cream so big. Talk about an ice cream lover’s paradise.
It is so much work. Not to mention the very, very low probability that all seven of us will actually look charming at once. So much goes into getting ready for that one millisecond: the instantaneous snap of the shutter. The results? Two runner-up pictures. Please vote on your favorite, #1 or #2.
We took a walk up to the Old North Bridge in Concord where the fighting of the first day of the revolutionary war continued,Best purchases of '07: Nikon D40 digital camera, Maclaren Techno XT stroller, Inspiron E1705 Laptop
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus
School started on September 6th. This is how the first day of school went: Susan Grace came home with a 245 page book that she was almost finished reading, Miriam ended up sitting in the corner of the room by herself after asking a few girls if she could sit with them and their reply was, "there just isn't any room left by us" (I really opt for the assigned seating model of classroom set-up it's just so much more merciful!), and Anna had an enormous grin from ear to ear, all day. I am proud of the girls. They have done a very brave thing by going to a new school and they have learned to cope very well. Susan Grace read books until she made enough friends to make it through recess and lunch without feeling awkward. She now lives for recess where she chases the boys and they actually love it. Miriam has turned very academic. She scores very high on the weekly quizzes and works hard to get her name in the weekly raffle (I guess sitting alone has some advantages). Anna. Well, to put it like her new teacher did, "Anna is a dream". Yes, I agree. It is a bitter sweet moment to see school begin and I have found some lame excuses to go down the hill and visit them or peek in on them in their classes.
For Anna's birthday, I did the traditional "School Lunch Date". The cafeteria served tacos and they were so good! Can't wait for Gracie's Birthday! Later on that day, we went to Uno's Chicago Pizzeria where the kids made their own pizza, guzzled root beer and Anna got a brownie volcano. Then off to soccer for Susan Grace and Miri (which by the way they love). Unfortunately, on this night of soccer the pizza and root beer made for terrible indigestion and I had to run down the street to the gas station three times so they could go to the bathroom in desperation.
One thing that I have really enjoyed about Watertown and our new ward is that they are so active and all of the activities are virtually free. James is on a soccer, t-ball, kick ball league, in a craft class and two play groups. Who needs preschool? One of the field trips we went on was to a butterfly museum. We also went to a horticulture society children's garden, and lot's of parks. We are so busy and there are so many great, fun people that we have met.
This month has been one beautiful day after the other. I can't remember a fall with so many beautiful days in a row. One really fun and fallish activity we did was canoe/kayak on the Charles River. The trees and leaves were so pretty. We paddled through lily pads and lotus flowers, and sat quietly observing the Great Blue Herons. It was really fun.
Book Group and Knitting Club
I have found two great groups: knitting through the Watertown public library and Book Group, through our Relief Society. I am currently knitting a baby hat. The book group is the best one that I have ever been to. Lots of people and real discussion. Books: The Thirteenth Tale (a bit Gothic and demented but very intriguing and well written), A Town Like Alice (verbose, romantic with a vintage feel). Our next book is the recently acclaimed, Twilight. And guess what? It's at my place.
Working it all Out
Jim has been enjoying the working world and doing some fun and interesting workshops and classes. One that sounds very interesting is an Entrepreneurship class taught by the business guru, Clayton Christiansen (Mormon Professor at Harvard). Jim is also plowing forward with his research.
Love to All!
Oldroyd Family Journal: Moments and Memories
September 30, 2007
James, age 3
Question: How do you fall to sleep at night? Close my eyes. I like to have Po and hold him. I sleep on my blue mattress in the loft. James dreams about water parks. I wish we could have a water park in our backyard.
Anna, Age 6
Question: How do you fall to sleep at night? Sometimes I just listen to some sounds. I hear the washer and I also hear the little wind sound against the windows. I think about me having a birthday each week. It’s a wish and I think about it. At my birthday we have water balloon fights, then go outside and play freeze tag. I am sort of scared because my bed’s next to the door, but I’m glad because it blocks it. I love sleeping down in the basement. First I hop in without my covers on and then I slide the covers down my back and then over my body, then Miri usually gives me one of her stuffed animals. Last night I sleeped with the horse.
Miri, age 8
Question: Where do you go if you want to be left alone? I want to be left alone if people get mad at me or are mean to me. In our old house, I would hide in the white dresser cupboard in James’ room. First, I would take out all of the blankets and climb in and Susan Grace would shut the door and then come and feed me crackers and water. We did it to trick Mom and make her think that I had run away. It was really, really fun. I loved it. Here in Boston, I have hid in the laundry room or under Maggie’s crib.
Susan Grace, age 9
Question: Where do you go if you want to be left alone? There was a curtain at the old house and I would hide behind the “Mother in law’s tongue” (plant). I would wait for my family to say, “Where’s Susan?” I was sort of like Claudia, in the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. She ran away so that people would appreciate her and realize how much she did. I would think, “This proves them wrong! I am worth everything in the entire world! Let them see how much a difference there is when I’m not around”. I also used to hide in the cupboard but it wasn’t comfortable anymore and like Claudia, I liked to be comfortable. At this new place, I like to sit down with a book in the basement or loft and if I hear footsteps I dash behind a piece of furniture. Something that makes me mad is that Mom tries to show me that her way is better and she always wins because she’s the bigger one and has Dad on her side.
