October Outings

We could never have loved the earth so well if we had had no childhood in it. ~George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss, 1860

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.
One architectural aspect that I love about Boston is the many beautiful bridges. There are several bridges that connect Cambridge to Boston, spanning the Charles River. They all seem to have their own historical feel, but my favorite is the Longfellow Bridge (also known as the Salt and Pepper Bridge). I loved that bridge even more when I found out why it was named after Longfellow, here’s the story:
Longfellow courted Frances "Fanny" Appleton. During the courtship, he frequently walked from Harvard to her home in Boston, crossing the Boston Bridge. After seven years, Fanny finally agreed to marriage, and they were wed in 1843. That bridge was subsequently demolished and replaced in 1906 by a new bridge, which was eventually renamed as the Longfellow Bridge.
Bridges are so romantic to me. Ahhh. I feel like my time in Boston has been my own personal bridge between Chicago and Korea.

Kimball Farm
We took a break from the congestion of the city by visiting a farm way out in the woodsy countryside of Carlisle, Mass. Jim and I decided to get a banana split and share it. We were shocked by what we received at the pick-up window: A twelve inch high ice cream sundae. Humor me Kimball Farms! I have never seen an ice cream so big. Talk about an ice cream lover’s paradise.

Mount Auburn Cemetery

We talked my dad into taking some family pictures for us in the lovely grounds of the Mount Auburn Cemetery of Cambridge (recently voted the best foliage walk in Boston). Why I torture myself and punish the children and Jim every some-odd months for a family picture is beyond me! 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.
Lexington and Concord

We picked up Paul Revere not where we left him the week before (at the mouth of the Charles), but up in Lexington, where the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired just as the sun was rising. We were fortunate enough to happen upon the town as they celebrated the induction of three minutemen who had been overlooked from the April 19th 1775 minutemen roster. Soldiers and pastors dressed in colonial attire right down to the white wig were a part of the program and each of the three minutemen was hailed with a blast of the cannon. We took a walk up to the Old North Bridge in Concord where the fighting of the first day of the revolutionary war continued,
"By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world." Ralph Waldo Emerson

What great courage these farmers (“minutemen”) had and what noble ideals. As I admire Boston, I can’t help but feel the religious zeal that those colonial people had. There is a church on nearly every corner and their love of God and freedom can still be felt here today.

Favorite Conference Talks:
Jim: Julie B. Beck
Kim: Dallin H. Oaks and Julie B. Beck
Susan Grace: President Eyring , Miriam: Julie B. Beck

Children’s happenings:
Susan Grace memorized two of Robert Frost’s poems, The Pasture and The Road Not Taken.
Miriam was lucky enough to get to go with Daddy on a three day trip to Chicago so that she could get her retainer from the orthodontist. She spent one day visiting with a dear friend in Chicago trying on all sorts of dress ups.
Anna got strep throat. Boy was that miserable.
James went on his first play-date this month. He is making lots of new friends. He has a new love, Legos.
Margaret loves books. She loves books so much that instead of nursing her, I read her a couple of books and put her to bed. She doesn’t mind the change at all. I’m sadder about it than she is. Her favorite book? She loves them all, but she is only allowed to have board books because she has a tendency to tear the other books to shreds. I’m so sorry Watertown Library.
J. B.: spent some time working in Chicago, continues plowing forward with his research, and dabbled a little in a marketing presentation with good friend, Dave Elkington.
Me: made a major mistake on my knitting. I had to pull out all of my work. Sigh. (wiping of tears.) Oh, well. It was a hat for a baby girl and come to find out—Natalie is going to have a BOY! So, I’ll just start over with the right kind of hat for that gender. I’ve also been reading the tortuous Twilight. Ugggh. Can it please be over now? I don’t do well with 500 page books. Highlight of my month? I got the stroller of my dreams. I can hear you all saying it in unison, “It’s about time!”

Best purchases of '07: Nikon D40 digital camera, Maclaren Techno XT stroller, Inspiron E1705 Laptop

Worst purchases of '07:

Lobster at Legal Seafood, Thule bike rack (we can't even keep track of our kids, let alone seven bikes)

Our stay here in Boston is over half way done. Korea is just on the horizon.
Love to all.

September Smiles

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

School Days
Lowell Elementary, Watertown Massachusetts

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.

September 12, Anna's Sixth Birthday

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.

James: Soccer, Crafts and Playgroups 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.

Margaret gets the Gomboo
Well, we made it through our first month here happy and healthy (our last round of antibiotics was August 4-14 on our way out of Chicago), but somehow the croup/asthma/bronchitis found us here just after our medical cards! (That nasty bug has great timing). It was all smooth sailing though and what a difference to actually have a bona fide insurance plan. (It also came in handy with Gracie's pink eye)

Kayaking/Canoeing on the Charles River

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.