Graduation!!

It has been some time since I've written a blog and SO much has gone on since our snow storm a few months ago. I got a job and now work as a nanny for a family with three-I can't think of the diplomatic word for murderous- boys. My life has suddenly become inundated with young boys. Because not only do I nanny the three but we also teach a primary class which is 99 % boys (we have one girl but she is more tom boyish than even the boys sometimes) And then on top of all these boys in my life we were called to be den leaders of the cub scouts 8 and 9 year olds. Boys, Boys, Boys and not one of them wants to have a tea party with me!! I hope Heavenly Father is not preparing us for something:)

As I'm sure you are all aware Boston was bombed during the Boston marathon and I won't bore you with the details that I'm sure you all know. I just wanted to say that I am so grateful for a Heavenly Father that protects us and guides us. Jason's work is literally a block away from where the second bomb went off. I am so glad that he is safe.  My work is very close to where the most intense searches for the fugitive were taking place. I am so grateful that everyone is still safe from that. There are just so many things that could have happened but things turned out all right. Our city was on the alert for a week and then for one intense day we were all under lockdown. It was an amazing experience to know that millions of people were locked in their houses but we were all oddly connected by the news channels that tied us all together and united us in our solitude. (poetic huh?) :) I am just grateful more than I can say that so many people were saved and that the majority of the people were ok.

And now the most important news! Jason Graduated this last week!! Hip Hip Hooray!! It was a very fun graduation too. Normally you sit through a graduation and its hours and hours of people talking and then the procession of the students seems like it will last for eternity. But this was a bit different because its a music college, these people know how to entertain, It's their business. So the night before graduation we went to the commencement concert which was really exciting. Every year Berklee gives out honorary doctorate degree to people who have dedicated their lives to music. These people usually perform in the concert. This year Berklee gave these degrees to Annie Lennox, Willie Nelson, and Carole King. They sang and then in the commencement ceremonies Annie Lennox spoke/sang her talk. I was entertained, Jason was a little ornery due to the very little sleep that he had had all week so he didn't get to enjoy it as much as I did. Finals are rough. But now they are over and He's a gradgiat!

 Chris Christopherson was there to present Willie Nelson with his Doctorate

Jason's parents came to visit for the graduation and we were able to do a lot of fun things while they were out here. Boston is a city for tourists! there are millions of things to see and do it is so full of history and natural beauty. I hope some of you at least are able to make it out here to see the amazing things that are here. The Freedom trail is a top hit with all who are visiting Boston so of course we traveled along that for a little tour of history. 

The trail takes you through all the important buildings of the revolution and all the cemeteries where people like Paul Revere are buried.

Also in our journeys we were able to visit the aquarium which is right on the ocean so it is full of interesting sea creatures. The sea lions entertained us greatly with their queer behaviors and loud barks. But my favorite were the sting rays which we were able to touch and the jelly fish which were just cool to look at. 

The sting rays were squishy and soft and a little slimy but very cool to touch

This guy was in the "dangerous" fish tank

Whatcho lookin' at

This is the male sea lion and he was HUGE. At least half the size of my car.

The Jelly fish were hard to take pictures of because their tanks were dark so you could see them glowing. 

We also went Whale watching which turned out to be more exciting than planned for. We got on the boat and everything was fine. The water was a little choppy once we got out onto the ocean and started going fast but it was exciting... at first.  We went up front to the bow and it was so much fun but the ocean on the east coast is very cold so we quickly decided that we needed to go inside the boat to warm up. Jason bought us some hot cocoa which was nice and we continued on our bouncy way FOR AN HOUR. Anyone who can withstand that without getting sick has my admiration. Needless to say I was one of the MANY who threw up on our way out. Unfortunately I was the only one who had holes in my bag. We had bought a bag of grapes before going out and we had poked holes in the bottom to let the water drain. In the rush of trying to get me a bag to barf in no one remembered the holes until the bag had drained onto my lap and the seat and my camera. It was awful! Right on par with the Barf Mobile incident. My enjoyment of the Whales was slightly diminished because I had to experience it in my own filth but it was still really cool to watch them. There were over half a dozen whales a dozen dolphins, sea lions and I don't know what else. I wanted to watch them but every time I looked at them in the water my stomach would turn. Jason was a real trouper and took excellent care of me (poor guy, he had to sit with a barfy, barf covered wife for at least three hours). Luckily my father in law got some great pictures with my camera which was handed into his care (out of reach of the vomit). Enough of the grossness here are some pictures. 

"Basten" from the Harbor as we headed out

We were right off the coast of Cap Cod where they have their Whale Sanctuary. The tour guide said the sanctuary was the size of Rhode Island I think. Anyway, they were amazing to watch. Hopefully next time the sea won't be so choppy and we will be sure to take precautions. 

We love you all and miss you. Can't wait to see some of you this summer. 

Winter Storm NEMO

Notice how high up on the fences the snow is

That is the front of my car somewhere in there

Trying to push the cars out of the snow

The road to our house

I don't know if you can see how deep the snow is right here but its at least 3 feet.

A flock of geese flying over the sun

We didn't really end up using our prepared 72 hour kits. I did eat a snickers and I at one point was on the verge of opening up the Bodiheat (a pain reliever not a heating pad I found out). 

This is the pile of blankets we buried ourselves under

We actually just had sandwiches so as not to waste the propane

On Thursday we went to the store to pick up a package of cheese and that was when I first experienced the Armageddon mode that New England goes into when threatened with a foot of snow. There were lines of shopping carts loaded to the brim with food and survival supplies. That night I mocked, but now I completely understand the feeling of being in a 72-hour kit crisis. The snow started early on Friday morning so we decided to get a few errands completed before the stores started closing at 3pm. I must tell you the eeriness of being one of two customers in a Costco, it is completely unnerving and kind of cool to have the entire store to oneself. Apparently everyone had gone into hunker-down mode to ride out the storm. We hearty Utah and Idaho attitudes would not be deterred by a few flakes of snow however, so we headed to Walmart which looked like it had been ransacked by a starving army. We got our things and got in line. I was interested to see what people deemed important for their 72-hour kits. The girls behind us had six packages of cookies and a package of cigarets and the people in from of us had a cart of diet pepsi, tampico and some rice. And yet we were the ones getting the baffled looks, granted all we were buying were bay leaves, air freshener and some laundry detergent. By the time we were done buying our things at Walmart all stores and public transportations were closed so we headed home. The snow continued and the wind started blowing creating huge drifts in the snow. Then the power went out. That was when I started to understand why everyone had been going crazy about this storm. What with all the stores being closed, public transports down, and the lack of electricity (for which I rely on for everything; hot showers, heat, food...EVERYTHING) I was wishing I had gotten more than some bay leaves for warmth. Luckily our bed is pretty warm so we just hunkered down for the night and for most of the next day too (It was really cold anywhere outside of our bed). I did venture out for a little bit in the morning to see what the snow had been up to in the night. It was kind of cool to see the huge drifts of snow that covered all the cars and roads and houses. I took some pictures but quickly realized that I was the only female outside so I let the men stay out in the snow and shovel out the cars. Anyway, we are safe and sound and the electricity is back on so we are just going to stay inside until everything opens up again. Our church got canceled for tomorrow so this will be day three in our little apartment. Yay.