After some nice strangers gave us a ride home from church we waited for the Iversons to arrive at the beach house. Instead of collecting rocks, these boys liked to throw them in the water.
I'm sure you all remember my great friend Griff. This girl is beautiful and she hasn't aged a day since I met her as 18 year old freshman roommates at BYU. Now she has a great husband Ben (who I also met that same fateful day 53 years ago) and three delightful little boys. Honestly, she has 2 delightful little boys and one little baby boy who absolutely hates the guts of all strangers, us included.
When I lived with Griff as an 18 year old, she worked in Veg Prep, preparing all sorts of delightful sliced up fruits and vegetables. She nearly lost her finger while chopping a tomatoe! Well, those skills are still useful. Paul was super impressed with how she handled this watermelon.
We chilled at the beach house until it was time to head to their house.
Our first stop on the tour of Griff's beautiful life was her grocery store. She thought it would be nice to show it to us and had no idea how devasating it would be. She warned us of the slightly higher prices on the east coast. What we found there was an endless variety of incredible looking delicious foods. And they were all so cheap! Paul and I couldn't help calculating how much money we would save and how much better we would eat if we lived somewhere other than the north pole. It was the most persuasive effort at trying to convince us to move.
I was smitten by the selection.
We had 8 million different kinds of fun.
We went to a Red Sox game and felt very Bostonian.
It was the only time when Sam wanted to be friends.
Griff and Ben asked us on a scale of 1-10 how much we were interested in historical things. I'm pretty sure I said 1 or 2. They said that's okay. Then we went to see where the Revolutionary War started. I was pleasantly surprised how interesting I found it. Ever heard of "The shot that was heard around the world?" I hadn't. But this is where it happened.
This is me and Ellis being soldiers. Griff might be a soldier too, but I'm not sure.
One thing that is great about Griff is that she loves where she lives. It was fun for me to have her show us all the beauty she sees. We went to Public Gardens (or something like that). I am signing B for Boston and Paul is giving me little squirrel ears out of my braids.
I'm pretty sure we have a picture looking just like this from when I visited them when I was 23.
I think they should live in Beacon Hill.
We went to Mike's Pastry and couldn't decide what to get, so we got everything.
Mmmm.
We went to Concord to introduce Paul to Mr Thoreau.
And dipped our toes in Walden Pond.
Ben took us on a tour of Harvard. He's getting his Phd in finance and he's really smart. This was the best part of campus. I couldn't decide which face was cuter, so I'm posting both of them. I think we might be Ellis' biggest fans. What a great little gipper.
Speaking of Ellis. He loves old white men. And thus, as a three year old has memorized all of the First Presidency, Quorum of the 12, All of the 70 (in order) and the Presidents of the United States of America. He not only knows their names but also interesting facts about them all. Like one of them got stuck in a bathtub in the white house. Funny. I told them they should start with the Prime Ministers of Canada.
Somewhere along the way we went to Kimball Farm for the BEST ICE CREAM I'VE EVER EATEN IN MY LIFE. AND A LOT OF IT!!! This may be my #1 favorite food experience of our ridiculously overwhelming food centric trip. This and Griff's cookies. Mmm. I think about it every day. We had ice cream and/or gelato at least daily the whole time we were on vacation. And then we came home and promptly bought an ice cream maker.
We went on a bike ride. Somehow I ended up with the sweet ride and felt like it was a breeze. Paul was pulling Ellis and Sam, which I guess was less of a breeze...
That night we went out to eat at a fancy restaraunt in Boston. Griff took two pictures of us, trying to get one without my lazy eye acting up. No such luck.
We played a lot of games. Good times. And we talked a lot, which was my personal favorite.
On Sunday we visited the Boston temple.
We laughed so hard with these little guys.
Who knows how they ended up so funny...
Griff is such an amazing cook who truly respects food. She fed us so well. We had strawberry bruschetta on a goat's cheese spread baguette, some kind of divine white pizza cooked on the grill, pina colada salad, thai veggie wraps, "grandslammekins," prosciutto arugula quesadillas ... there was no end. Sorry if I forgot anything Griff.
They took us to this beautiful cemetary. It was such an enchated place in the middle of busy busy towns.
I really like Griff's kids. They are smart and funny and really fun to be around. They have interesting things to say and are very interested in the world. I'm stoked to keep knowing them as they grow up. I can't wait to talk to Henry and Ellis the teenagers. Hopefully by then Sam will not be screaming every time he sees us. (I handed him a piece of cheese once and he lost it.)
All in all it was a smash hit. Thanks for such a wonderful time. We miss you guys 800% and can't wait to see you again.
I'm sure you all remember my great friend Griff. This girl is beautiful and she hasn't aged a day since I met her as 18 year old freshman roommates at BYU. Now she has a great husband Ben (who I also met that same fateful day 53 years ago) and three delightful little boys. Honestly, she has 2 delightful little boys and one little baby boy who absolutely hates the guts of all strangers, us included.
When I lived with Griff as an 18 year old, she worked in Veg Prep, preparing all sorts of delightful sliced up fruits and vegetables. She nearly lost her finger while chopping a tomatoe! Well, those skills are still useful. Paul was super impressed with how she handled this watermelon.
We chilled at the beach house until it was time to head to their house.
Our first stop on the tour of Griff's beautiful life was her grocery store. She thought it would be nice to show it to us and had no idea how devasating it would be. She warned us of the slightly higher prices on the east coast. What we found there was an endless variety of incredible looking delicious foods. And they were all so cheap! Paul and I couldn't help calculating how much money we would save and how much better we would eat if we lived somewhere other than the north pole. It was the most persuasive effort at trying to convince us to move.
I was smitten by the selection.
We had 8 million different kinds of fun.
We went to a Red Sox game and felt very Bostonian.
It was the only time when Sam wanted to be friends.
Griff and Ben asked us on a scale of 1-10 how much we were interested in historical things. I'm pretty sure I said 1 or 2. They said that's okay. Then we went to see where the Revolutionary War started. I was pleasantly surprised how interesting I found it. Ever heard of "The shot that was heard around the world?" I hadn't. But this is where it happened.
This is me and Ellis being soldiers. Griff might be a soldier too, but I'm not sure.
One thing that is great about Griff is that she loves where she lives. It was fun for me to have her show us all the beauty she sees. We went to Public Gardens (or something like that). I am signing B for Boston and Paul is giving me little squirrel ears out of my braids.
I'm pretty sure we have a picture looking just like this from when I visited them when I was 23.
I think they should live in Beacon Hill.
We went to Mike's Pastry and couldn't decide what to get, so we got everything.
Mmmm.
We went to Concord to introduce Paul to Mr Thoreau.
And dipped our toes in Walden Pond.
Ben took us on a tour of Harvard. He's getting his Phd in finance and he's really smart. This was the best part of campus. I couldn't decide which face was cuter, so I'm posting both of them. I think we might be Ellis' biggest fans. What a great little gipper.
Speaking of Ellis. He loves old white men. And thus, as a three year old has memorized all of the First Presidency, Quorum of the 12, All of the 70 (in order) and the Presidents of the United States of America. He not only knows their names but also interesting facts about them all. Like one of them got stuck in a bathtub in the white house. Funny. I told them they should start with the Prime Ministers of Canada.
Somewhere along the way we went to Kimball Farm for the BEST ICE CREAM I'VE EVER EATEN IN MY LIFE. AND A LOT OF IT!!! This may be my #1 favorite food experience of our ridiculously overwhelming food centric trip. This and Griff's cookies. Mmm. I think about it every day. We had ice cream and/or gelato at least daily the whole time we were on vacation. And then we came home and promptly bought an ice cream maker.
We went on a bike ride. Somehow I ended up with the sweet ride and felt like it was a breeze. Paul was pulling Ellis and Sam, which I guess was less of a breeze...
That night we went out to eat at a fancy restaraunt in Boston. Griff took two pictures of us, trying to get one without my lazy eye acting up. No such luck.
We played a lot of games. Good times. And we talked a lot, which was my personal favorite.
On Sunday we visited the Boston temple.
We laughed so hard with these little guys.
Who knows how they ended up so funny...
Griff is such an amazing cook who truly respects food. She fed us so well. We had strawberry bruschetta on a goat's cheese spread baguette, some kind of divine white pizza cooked on the grill, pina colada salad, thai veggie wraps, "grandslammekins," prosciutto arugula quesadillas ... there was no end. Sorry if I forgot anything Griff.
They took us to this beautiful cemetary. It was such an enchated place in the middle of busy busy towns.
I really like Griff's kids. They are smart and funny and really fun to be around. They have interesting things to say and are very interested in the world. I'm stoked to keep knowing them as they grow up. I can't wait to talk to Henry and Ellis the teenagers. Hopefully by then Sam will not be screaming every time he sees us. (I handed him a piece of cheese once and he lost it.)
All in all it was a smash hit. Thanks for such a wonderful time. We miss you guys 800% and can't wait to see you again.
4 comments:
Thanks so much for coming to visit, guys! We should definitely do it again sometime.
I love the last picture of Henry...just a classic example of how this handsome kid can't manage to look normal in any picture! :) I had a stage like that too...
And, sorry that Sam didn't like you. He kind of only likes me these days.
Oh, and I'll see you in about a month. I'm nearly giddy with excitement!
Boston. Such fond memories I have of New England but especially Boston. I'm so jealous that Griff gets to live there. And Walden Pond?! Can a trip possible get better than Walden Pond? Apparently it can 'cause it seems like you found it.
Terrible TERRIBLE bummer we weren't living in Vermont at the time of your escapade. We could have taken you sailing on Lake Champlaign. Don't know if Wisconsin is worth visiting yet, I'll let you know when I've come to terms with the fact that I live here.
I think about you a lot Shug, hope life's treating you well.
Shug and Paul. We miss you so! Ellis still talks about you all the time . . . singing your name in the middle of songs he's making up, etc. Henry and Ellis both love you. I'll let you know when the coast is clear with Sam, and you can come back and give him cheese and he will love you too! I promise.
Sorry we made you see the Revolutionary War places - at least they were beautiful and led us to the epic ice cream experience.
I'm glad it looks like we were the only ones at Walden Pond, because I'm going to imagine that that's exactly how it was. What group of annoyingly loud 20-somethings? I don't remember them at all!
I'm glad you like my boys! We will have to find a picture of all the Canadian Prime Ministers soon. Ellis would go crazy.
I'm glad you got an ice cream maker. Looking forward to posts with your favorite recipes! We have a little one and haven't made ice cream in a long time.
Respect the food!!!
Aren't the Griffersons the best? Those goggles look so WEIRD.
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