Boston

If you are a fan of Everybody loves Raymond, you always hear about Marie's Cannoli's. Well, I had never experienced a cannoli before so we went to this extremely popular bakery called Mike's Bakery. People were shoving their wave in....all over Pastries! I had never seen anything like it. These were sure to give Marie a run for her money. "Move over Marie, Here Comes MIKE!" (you need to read that last line like Frank Baron)
We also went to restaurant called Giacamo's.Very Italian and the people were very friendly and loud. The place only had about 8 tables (or less) so we sat at the bar, which I think we got a better view of how they made the food. We lined up out in the freezing cold for about an hour and we made the second shift of people get into this little fantastic place.
Kalynn doesn't really appreciate this picture but I love how it shows her love for food and her french flare in hats.
Kalynn ordered Pumpkin filled tortellini with cream sauce. It was so different and unusual but it was awesome!

I ordered Butternut Squash filled ravioli with a soft spice sauce. HOLY CRAP Amazing!!! I really am going to try to make this at home when I am feeling very gourmet and ambitious. I think the nice, buff Italian waiter was a little shocked when I told him not to take my plate so I could lick the bottom.
There aren't many pictures of Kalynn and I together, but here is one. The irony is that it is with a bunch of stuffed animals. Nothing says bonding with Girlfriends better than a turtle and a shark...I guess?!
We went to the New England Aquarium. Kalynn is so lucky to have friends who have tickets to these things so we can enjoy all these neat things. I love seahorses.
Most of the pictures I took here are meant to be my screen saver.
This big white fella was kind of a nuisance. Every time I got ready to take a picture of a bright colored fish he would swim right in front of them. I got the impression from him, that he didn't get as much attention as the other colorful fish. So I gave him some face time especially since he was willing to perform better than the rest. He also liked following my finger.
Here is the bully of the group. I mean, just look at the booger! He is called a rock fish. He would charge toward you and act very aggressive when you stood there long enough. He did scare me because he would hold really still and then pounce. AWWW! It was kind of embarrassing when I was the one that sort of screamed among all the children.
Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming:)
Another great screen saver. Don't you just feel relaxed looking at it?
Feeding time with the penguins is always entertaining.
Now for the jellies!

These jellies were different than the rest. It was like they had flowers growing out of them.



This was the view on the way to the Aquarium. I was told that these small condos were over a million dollars to live in. I thought of only one person in my life that would probably want to live here. It would be my brother Morris, so he could look out the window and say, "That's my boat!"

Since Kalynn and I are now 30 years old we decided to do the responsible thing and have just chocolate for lunch. These were especially great! These were called Frog Bogs with cranberries, nuts, chocolate and Carmel. Isn't she so cute?!
This was Paul Revere's house. I thought it was cool how it was just stuck right up against the other house. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside of this house. I don't know how they do it with 16 children in such small quarters. Obviously not all of his children lived but 11 of them made it to adulthood.
Here was a bell that was in the backyard of Paul Revere's home. I believe it was the one that was in the nearby church.


This was another view from the top of the hill above the Old North Church. This is where the lanterns were hung to warn the patriots of the British redcoats.






I found this display sort of interesting. It was hundreds of Dog tags representing all of the men and women soldiers who had died in the Iraq war. People who have paid homage to this display leave all sorts of articles around it.


Statue in memory of Paul Revere's midnight ride. View of the city.

This was a food market where people again were shoving their way through to get the cheapest food they possibly could. The fish smelled awful.

Kalynn works for the FBI which she claims has the ugliest buildings in town. I told her to point to the building and act sort of proud of her employment, so she did.


We came across this memorial along the freedom trail that kind of made me sick to my stomach. It was in memory of all the victims of the Holocaust. It contained some awful stories of what the Germans did to the Jews and the steam coming out of the vents was representing the gas chambers that they used on these people. It had 6 tall glass structures with numbers on the sides representing the individuals killed during that time. Each pillar was completely covered in numbers.




These were some of the quotes and stories along the way. They were very compeling. I didn't feel much like smiling.

The only reason why I took a picture of this artifact was to remind me that I love my job and have good tools. I also wanted to remind Marquessa and Felicity that they have great combs and brushes and shouldn't complain about me doing their hair, when others had their hair done with these types of rollers and combs.

These are pictures from Faneuil Hall. They had statues of many of the presidents and the art was very inspiring.


This is the Old state house where the declaration of indepedance was first read.



This is the democratic donkey and something came over me to have me sit on it. One of the funnest things I did in Boston.

Statue of Benjamin Franklin. This building used to be used for government meetings but is now a fancy stake house, which I hear is amazing and amazingly expensive!





There were many stones like this one along the red lines marking the freedom trail.

These were tombstones found in one of the cemetaries along freedom trail. The first one is of Samuel Adams, cousin to John Adams and the second is for Mary Goose, whom we know as "Mother Goose" the author.


This is a monument marking Paul Revere's tomb. His gravestone is honored by people throwing coins on it even though it is small.


This was the monument marking John Hancock's burial site.


Here is a view of what the Granary cemetary looks like. There are cemetaries everywhere you look in Boston. We even drove by the one that was based for the Legand of sleepy hollow.

We were walking through Boston Commons and saw the State house for Massachusettes. Kalynn says that's where all the crooked politicians meet.
Here is Frog pond. I especially liked watching the little kids because they weren't afraid to try any manuver on the ice.
This was a view of the park in Boston common with the ice skating rink. We ran into the missionaries here. They were doing their thing. YAHOO go elders!
Boston Mass. Temple
After going to Bunker hill we went home and got ready for a session at the temple. I just wish I wasn't so tired because I literally nodded off throughout the entire session. They probably thought I was an abomination. This temple to me, is simple and concentrated on the woodwork instead of it's light fixtures. Kalynn took me on a little tour since she works there every thursday night. I learned plenty of the protocals of the workers that I never thought about because I am always trying to do everything right. The theme of the Tree of Life is evident in the woodwork, walls, and carpets.
This is a great gal named Shantell Odgen. I met her in a pub called All Asia and she plays the guitar and studied to be a songwritter. She is LDS and she wanted to tap into the phoenix market and get her big break as a musicial. She is very easy to listen to and I really liked her style, it was very realistic yet touching. I especially liked her song about old people called, "I'm taking what matters the most".
This was the small platform that she sang from. It was just like "so I married an ax murderer."
I know it's strange that I took a picture of this pub, but I had never been to one before and seen all the displays of alcoholic drinks. Unfortunatly, the pub didn't sell much that evening even though they had a limit of one drink for events. All the people who came were from the ward.

This is the sight of plymouth Rock. The locals call it "the pebble" I think for the fact that it is half the size of the original and people have chipped away at it. I enjoyed hearing Bridger tell me about what he knew of this place when I talked with him on the phone.



This dock is where the Mayflower usually rests, but because it was winter they relocated it.



The "pebble" has 1620 engraved on it.




While in Plymouth, we decided to try our taste buds for seafood. Kalynn and I aren't much of seafood lovers but we gave it a go because we have to try something new ya know!


Kalynn orders the Apple Maple Salmon with veggies. I order the sampler of shrimp, scallops, haddock and clam strips. I had never eaten scallops to my knowledge and I loved it.



This was our view while we ate at the restaurant.




Here was the yards of the Adams house. I loved the random haystack and that the barn house had a dog house as well. I think that might be an addition since John Adams resided there.



These were more pictures of the yard and the side of the Main house.



I wished I knew what these little red looking berries were. I think they make a beautiful addition to the yard and the fact that they grow in the winter makes them amazing. If you look closely you can see one of the Adams desendants in the middle pictures window, scary.



Here is the front patio and the gate front entrance. I love their style!



Here are both of the houses that Adams had. The one on the left is the barn house and the one on the right is the residency.


Here is John Hancock's statue. I liked the reflection on the bottom half below his famously large signature which he is so well known for.

Here is the Adams Academy which is still in use today. It was used as a library I believe. The statue of John Adams doesn't depict his short, round, toothless stature that I have heard so much about.



The sons of the revolution were buried in the cemetary in the town of Quincy. I think I was bonding with some of my past relatives alittle too much.



The cemetary was the worst of all the cemetaries we went to. I think the homeless people around there made it smell bad. It reminded me of an alley way Ryan and I went down when we went to San Fransisco and got lost. However, I liked the archway's saying, "Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return."


We saw the liberty tax guy out on the street advertising for tax season so of course I had to have a picture with uncle sam in the land of liberty. As we walked away from his he yelled out, "don't forget to pay your taxes!" Trust me sam, we don't.




John and Abigail Adams are kept here in this church across the street from the cemetary. We again couldn't go in because it was closed for the winter. Still a neat building.





I am a huge Abigail Adams fan. I loved that she gave her husband and run for his money and that she fought for women's voices. I think her blood runs through mine just a little, or I would like to think it did. I loved this quote about education on the monument stating to improve your education to help others in your life.


We also stopped into the Gift shop near the Adams homes and read and learned more about their lives. I saw the red seal that John used to write letters and I thought of how my husband one time tried doing the same thing for a nice letter he wrote to me once.


This is Kalynn's bedroom and she let me stay here and she made sure I was snug with a space heater, down blanket and an electric blanket. I stayed warm here.

I really enjoyed this couch. Funny as it seems, a couch can make or break the way you feel. If you have ever seen Just like heaven with Reese Witherspoon, I relate well with the gentleman in that show. Plus I knew these were my kind of gals when all the furniture is from Ikea.
Here is the hallway.
The dining and living area.

This cannon was held at the top of Bunker hill monument. When your relatives have the last name of Adams, I guess one gets picture happy when ever you see something of rememberance. This Cannon was used in the battle of Bunker hill.


It was a nice and warm day leaving Phoenix, Az. It was about 80 degrees and I knew that I was going to be frozen after I got off of the plane for I was heading to Boston, Mass. to spend a weekend with one of my best friends. I thought the clouds were thick until I got to Illinois and then they were REALLY thick. It was snowing from underneath but I was happy to be on top of the clouds.


I couldn't even see anything for miles. It was a strange phenomenon for someone who rarely flies or sees snow. Then seeing all of the establishments on the edges of the ocean and bays were a sight to see as well.










These were the nooks and crannies of the Boston bay. I always thought that magazines and movies made the houses out to be more than what they really were but, they were exactly as they were when this country was established. They are beautiful and all are very unique with their own styles and shapes and colors. Not like Arizona at all. I don't think I saw a single taupe or beige home at all.

After coming off of the plane, we headed straight to Bunker Hill monument. The steps leading up to the monument were kind of steep, but I think that was intentional to get your legs warmed up to the idea of climbing 293 steps to the top of the monument.

Bunker Hill Monument At the bottom of the spiral staircases was a tombstone of someone I did know, but I felt like Kalynn should stand in front of it let me take a picture of it with her.


This was the view from looking up the stairway. If I could've seen how many more steps to encounter I might have thrown up except I wanted to prove that I can still do at 30 as I did at 18 with my friend
.Here is the entrance to the monument.

This statue of Joseph Warren is in the entrance hall of the monument along with many portraits of the soldiers generals who led in the battle of bunker hill.

When we were coming down, which was much easier, I thought about how hard it was to climb all of those stone steps. Whenever I think about emergencies in tall buildings, I always thought, "why didn't people just take the stairs and run?" It is not easy! That's why. I also felt like I was in the dungeon with sleeping beauty's prince and Malificent was just around the corner and she was going to get me. I thought about how scared Marquessa was at Disneyland, going into the castle with the pictures of that villianesse all over the walls. I feel bad for giggling at her now. It was also very cold and I wanted to hold on to the handrails but it almost made the ache in my legs worse, so I just endured it. I'm still glad I did it. This was the
view from the top of the monument which made it all worthwhile.