Livin' it up in Utah!

David has been bugging me to blog and since he's done the last 10 entries or so, I guess it's my turn. I've just been out having too much fun to spend time on the computer to blog. I have been thoroughly enjoying my time in Utah. I miss my family terribly and it is so nice to see them every single day for weeks! If I'm not careful, I trick myself into thinking that I live here. Besides my family, I also miss living in the Salt Lake valley. I have almost wrecked my car at least 3 or 4 times now looking at the sky and the mountains. I cannot get enough of the huge expanse of blue sky, puffy white clouds, and giant peaks poking through them that you can see here. I feel like I can really breathe here. When I'm in New England I get so claustrophobic in the endless trees and leaves. I realize that the sky and weather isn't always like this in Salt Lake, but it is a lot of the time and I truly miss it. It feels so refreshing.


Anyway, Grace and Harriet and I have done a lot of hanging out with my sisters and my mom and my little nephew. We came a week before David did and got a lot of girl time in.
This past week we've moved to David's parents house and have gotten some more grandparent time in along with some Aunt Christine time. We also got a rare opportunity to see David's brother, John's family the first week-end we were here. Grace absolutely adores all of her grandparents and aunts. She has a hard time deciding which one she'd rather be with. It's hard to rip her away from one to go see another and then the same again when we have to leave that one. Harriet has been a trooper going from place to place with us and letting new people hold her. She's getting to know everyone much better. I know she won't remember them, so we'll just have to keep flying back and forth. Somehow though, I think she remembers my sister Emily, who was one of 4 family members to come and see her as a tiny baby. Emily is the only one who can pick her up and have Harriet instantly snuggle up and quiet down. Emily and Harriet can snuggle for hours at a time. I desperately want Harriet and Grace to have strong connections with our families and to really feel bonds with each grandparent, aunt, uncle and cousin for the time being. I realize that as you get to be an adult, your extended family becomes more extended, but for now I feel it's really important and I want them to have every opportunity to have a close-knit family.

So, here are some pictures of our "hanging-outs." We have been to lunch a bunch of times. We have played "beauty shop" with Aunt Jess. (She does our hair every time we come to Salt Lake - both of us look much better!)
Harriet went swimming for the first time at Aunt Em's pool and really liked the water. Grace is having her first sleep-over tonight with Aunt Em and Jess. Well, as I wrote that last sentence, Emily called to say that Grace wanted me to come and pick her up (10:30.) So, the sleep-over didn't last too long. I guess that they had fun though and had pizza and colored and played the piano and played with Emily's kitties (so Grace reports). She came home wearing jammies with teeth brushed so she must have almost made it. 3 and a half years old is a bit young to stay the night away from your mom, so I knew it would probably end short anyway. Better 10:30 pm than 2:30 am!

A new technological era for Chappo's friends

Friday night Jared and broke a barrier. Recently we had both purchased new macs and we were anxious to try out the iSight and try some video conferencing. Jared called on my cell phone (which was another barrier Jared finally broke through recently) and we configured everything properly. Then with the click of a button we were chatting. While this may not seem like a lot to some, it was momentuous for me. Now I can take part in live fantasy drafts with friends back in SLC. We can see each other's children in action. While this will mean Jared and I will have to be dressed when we call each other now, it will be a lot of fun.

Perhaps most important will be that Grace and Harriet will be able to see and talk with relatives. While I am here on vacation I am going to get my parents set up with a webcam so that we too can chat. Perhaps Grace will have fun talking with Grandpa and Grandma if she can see as well as hear them.

Yeah for technology!

Visiting old friends

Yesterday we went back to visit friends in the 'hood where we lived for six years. Despite the reputation that South Salt Lake has, we lived on a great peacful, friendly road. During our time there we made some good friends and really enjoyed the sense of community and friendship that we had with others on Leslie Avenue.

On Saturday as we drove up to the Golden Spike we passed through Willard and I asked my mother if she ever got nostalgic as she grew up in Willard, Utah. She said no, not really and I was a little surprised by that. I know that I get nostalgic. I really miss living on Leslie and being a member of the Southgate ward. We made some good friends and had many good times.

As we walked into the church building Sunday morning I immediately felt at home. Many, many people came up to us and asked if we had moved back. They were hoping that we were back, but unfortunately it was just a visit. It was very enjoyable talking with old friends and catching up with others. It was almost as if we had never left. Michelle and I both miss that ward. While our ward in Massachusetts is full of genuinely nice people, Michelle and I feel that something is missing. As we drove away from the Southgate ward, Michelle nailed it on the head. The difference between the two wards is the sense of fellowship and community. In the Southgate ward people struggle-temporally and spiritually and recognize the need to share the burden with one another. It is that sense of need of others that may be lacking in Massachusetts. While that may be due to the difference is socio-economic status between the two wards, it is something that we miss. Both feeling needed and needing others.

While we often refered to our six years in the Southgate ward as a mission, we do miss it and would return in a heartbeat if possible.

Thanks to all of our friends who made our return an enjoyable time.

Trains, planes, and automobiles

Grace is into trains. What more can I say? She loves trains. She has gotten into Thomas the Tank Engine, but it really doesn't matter if it is the Island of Sodor and some other train, Grace loves trains.

Last time Michelle and Grace came out to SLC they went to the Railroad Museum in Ogden, Utah. Grace had fun, but she was a little timid around the big locomotives. However, she loves anything about trains and when I told her there was a place with steam engines and that we could get on them she was hooked. So on Saturday we headed up to the Golden Spike National Monument where the transcontinental railroad came together on May 10, 1869. After a long plane ride to get to Utah, we then took the 2 hour drive north and then west to get to Promontory Point, Utah to see the trains. Grace was excited and could hardly wait to get up there.

We chose Saturday to go because the park was having their annual Railroader's festival where they bring out games and motorcars and handcars for people to try. The first thing we saw when we pulled into the parking lot was a shuttle made to look like a train. Of course Grace had to ride on that so we had to add that to the agenda.

We were the first ones to arrive and had to wait for a few minutes before the steam locomotives arrived. This is what Grace had waited for. The Jupiter arrived coming to the sight backwards (Central Pacific Railroad came from California) and then the No. 119 from the Union Pacific arrived. All I can say is that the steam engines have loud whistles. Grace didn't mind. She was so excited. I almost think that for the time being the Jupiter and 119 have replaced Thomas as her favorite train.

It really was a nice day. We only spent a little over 3 hours at the park, but we saw and got on board both steam engines. We rode on a motorcar and then Grace, Grandma, Aunt Christine and I got on a handcar and pumped ourselves up and down the track. That may have been Grace's favorite activity. She wanted to go again, but Harriet and long lines prevented us from doing so. She does want to go back however. She has been asking if we can go back to see the trains again. While we won't be going back to Golden Spike, Grace will be lucky to go to a Day Out with Thomas back in Massachusetts.




We all enjoyed the day's events. The only thing I didn't do that everyone wanted me to was participate in the buffalo chip throwing contest. They were real buffalo chips and I decided to pass. I have enough baby diapers to deal with.

Catching a few Z's

Friday night we were hoping to have a BBQ with all of friends from the Southgate ward. Unfortunately, circumstances prevented it from happening on Friday. However, we still wanted to get together with the Zabriskies. The Zabriskies moved into a house on Vidas not too long after we had bought our house on Leslie. We became good friends. Alan and I would go out on bike rides and had fun working together with the young men. It was a great friendship as both Michelle and I really enjoyed doing things with both Alan and Jennie. However, as is common in South Salt Lake, the Zabriskies ended up moving to Las Vegas in 2002. We have remained friends though. In fact, when Grace was born, we were probably stupid parents but we took our 5 week old baby down to Las Vegas and walked up and down the strip and saw the sights and sounds of Las Vegas. Now the much wiser parents waited until Harriet was 12 weeks old to catch a 5 hour airplane ride back to SLC to visit family and friends. When will we learn?

When we and the Zabriskies both lived in SLC neither of us had any children. We both have 2 children now and enjoyed eating some good food (Brookside Broiler and Grill--best beef ribs in town) and talking about the joys of having "the kids". More changes are coming for Alan and Jennie as Alan is probably going back to school next year and they will find themselves in a new locale. Good luck to them. We miss their friendship, but look forward to seeing where they end up.

So what is the first thing you do...

After a long flight that was delayed due to increased security, the first thing I wanted to do was eat. Not just any food, but some good Mexican. After a year and half away and living in an area without good Mexican food I needed some mole! None of this seeing family or friends, I needed some mole coloradito. Luckily the Red Iguana is right there close to the airport. As all the locals here know, it is the best Mexican in Salt Lake. A total dive, but excellent food. It may just be my favorite restaurant. The four of us had some great food and I was in amazement how much better the chips, salsa, and mole were compared to the places in Boston that we have been. New England has some great seafood, but the west and southwest has its Mexican.

Luckily I got a great lunch in because when I got to my parents they had been waiting for me to solve some of their computer problems. It looked fairly minor, but 5 hours later and a bunch of cursing MSN I finally got it all resolved and it is once again running like it should. The next project will be to get a webcam up so that we can have video chats once we are back on Boston. Stay tuned for our great vacation adventures.

You gotta love free wireless

As you can see from the photo I am quite interested in something! Actually I am tired. I slept for only 4 hours last night and woke up at 3 AM in order to get to Hartford for my 7 AM flight. On the way in I heard that a terror plot had been uncovered in London and the terror alert there and here had been raised. What that really meant is no liquids, gels, or anything like that in the cabin area. What part of no shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, etc. do you not understand? I was amazed how people didn't understand that and had to have their bags searched and the offending material removed. It was backing up security, but luckily I was prepared and now I am waiting for my flight.

Things did get better when I fired up the macbook. Free wireless! Yahoo! Literally. I can check my email and fantasy sports. You have to like that. Now if I can only make it through the 5 hour flight. The Red Iguana is waiting!!!

Let the vacation begin!

On Thursday everyone here woke up at 3:30 AM in order to get ready to take the girls to the airport. Michelle decided that she needed more time in Utah so she took Grace and Hattie and left me behind. Luckily I only have 3 more days of work and then I will be having fun with them. Besides the fact that one should only ever experience one 3:30 each day, it all went fairly smoothly. The drive to Hartford was a little long, but the cost savings makes up for the fact that I have to drive there twice. Michelle was not originally assigned a seat next to Grace and the Delta agent wasn't very nice about getting it resolved, but finally the logic kicked in and no one wanted to set next to a three year old on a 5 hour flight. Both kids were great on the plane and are now enjoying time with relatives. Grace immediately warmed up to everyone (even though she won't talk on the phone to any of them) and is extremely excited to have grandpas, grandmas, aunts, uncles, and cousins to play with. She will have a hard time when it is all over and we are back home.

As for me and my week of bachelorhood, not much is happening. I am experiencing for the first time the pains associated with a real job and vacation. Currently I am dealing with getting everything in order so that while I am gone things are getting done that need to be ready by the time I get back. What a headache, and yet the thought of a real vacation (after not having one in a year and half) is keeping my going. My family will probably get the shaft while I am in Utah since I have my schedule pretty booked. I feel bad about that, but so much to do and little time to do it.

Assuming I don't get sick from malnutrition (eating mac & cheese, raman, left over spaghetti) over the next few days, I will see those in Utah on Thursday.

Mac Attack!

For years I have been saying that my next computer was going to be 1) a laptop and 2) a Mac. I finally had the need to get a new computer and so I kept my word and ordered a brand new macbook. It has been a lot of fun playing around with it and it feels so good to be going away from the evil empire once again.

In graduate school I used a linux box and survived the whole time. I wrote my dissertation in tex and learned to live with the few annoyances of not having plug and play with some devices. However, the power and stability of the OS more than made up for any lacking features.

The mac is even better. Not only do you have the underlying unix at the core of the OS but the fine folks at Apple have wrapped a great gui around the core. Things just work and I won't have to deal with dreaded blue screens of death anymore. While it has taken some time to get everything converted over, I am now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I have gotten my iPods converted over to mac and my gps is working. If only I could get my PDA to work I would be set. I am almost willing to say I'll never go back to microsoft. If I can convince Michelle of the power of mac then it will be the good ol' apple from here on out.

Here's to the super fast, blogging, podcasting, do it all out of the box macbook.

My cute little girls!

In honor of both Grace (years) and Harriet (months) being 3 we decided to have some pictures taken. Michelle wanted some pictures of Hattie at 3 months because that is when Grace had her first photo shoot. Grace is way into 3 right now. In fact she has to sign everything Grace3, not just Grace. She is very excited now about Harriet and thought it was great to have their pictures taken. While Grace is almost a tom boy at heart she really is gorgeous. And I am totally unbiased about that. Michelle and I are both in amazement that 2 ordinary people could have such beautiful children. While Hattie is darling, it is in a different manner than Grace. It is amazing to her parents how different she is from Grace in both appearance, actions, and personality. You can judge for yourself, but I feel pretty blessed to have 2 wonderful daughters.

The picture here was entered into the monthly contest. It would be great to win, but regardless I know that I am a winner thanks to Gracie and Hattie.