"so let go, jump in oh well, whatcha waiting for it's alright 'cause there's beauty in the breakdown"

Okay. So I have one week left. Holy. Crap. So with my time off I have done these things:
--Ran 3 miles along the Charles River (a VERY Boston thing to do)
--Biked 4 miles (to hang out with my (former) Bishop and his wife and their 2 beautiful little boys. I love them dearly. That whole family has become so special to me.)
--Slept in until 9/10 each morning
--Ran 2 miles with the Pritchett's little tiny dog
--Discovered how much I LOVE R.E.M, Pearl Jam, and Oasis...
--Perfected one song on Guitar Hero (the Wii version) on Medium ->Heartbreaker by Pat Benatar.
--went to dinner with about 9 of my friends tonight as part one (apparently) of my Going Away Party (or as my friend Rob called it, my 'mourning while celebrating' party) to an AMAZING Japanese restaurant in Boston's Chinatown called Shabu-Zen. Check out the link to see how cool it is. And it was so cool!!! You literally cook your own food in a BOILING (hotter than boiling) water. 5 seconds and a thinly sliced piece of beef is PERFECTLY cooked. It was so so cool!!!!!!
--Went to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
Words can not explain how amazing this museum is...ask Diane, I tried to. The pictures below are of the indoor courtyard. the part of the building that is seen in them is based on a building in Venice, Italy (no wonder I love it right??). The art inside was very cool as well, amazing rare pieces-OLD too. But I am STILL in awe of how incredibly beautiful this courtyard is..PLEASE PLEASE check out the link..it is worth it.
I went on Thursday, July, 23rd. It was free for some Neighborhood thing..I don't fully understand it, but hey. It was free and so unbelievably worth the travel time..


--Went to the Museum of Fine Arts on Wednesday, July 22nd because thanks to the wonderfully awesome Target (yes, the store), it is FREE (as opposed to $25) on Wednesdays after 4. I hadn't ever been before, but have been told many MANY times that I need to see it. I'm so glad I did! I especially loved the old Egyptian and Greek exhibits. So beautiful..so detailed. Museums are so incredible..

--Tomorrow I will be going to a.....RED SOX GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "Here we go Red Sox, Here we go!" :D :D I'm way excited!!!!!! I love my friends, I love my life, and I LOVE Boston.
Okay, I'm done for now.

"You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life"

Incredible memory #5:
--Having Diane come and visit! We packed so much fun into so few days! It was awesome! Going to Maine with her was so COLD but so fun. We re-killed a lobster together, we re-took senior portraits, and we went hot tubbing in dresses! It was hilarious! And I just love her and spending time with her is always great!

July 5th:
-it was a sunday. I went to church, had dinner at Emallie's sister's boyfriends house, went to my friends Chris and Jerr's house, then went home. It was so fun, but low key..

July 6th:
-I went to the Medford (Southwick) Zoo with the boys because it was a beautiful HOT summer day, and what is a better way to spend a hot day (other than swimming which is difficult w/ just me and 2 boys..)?? This zoo is awesome! So much better than the zoo close to our house! But it was far away, so we didn't do anything else except relax around the house. It was great. After work, I went to Cambridge and enjoyed the company of my friends. again, low-key, but fun!

July 7th:
-it rained. Connor had summer camp from 9-12 and Drew had his little play group from 9:30-11.
Then after naps we ran errands. But it was fun!! After work, my friend Galvin took me and Emallie to dinner in the fabulous North End (the Italian part for those who don't know) and then we went to a movie at the Boston Commons Theatre--Public Enemies. It was good!!!!

Okay, I'm done! :D

"I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free"

*I missed a day sorry!*

Incredible memory #3:
--when my friend Rachelle came to visit. that was an incredible trip! I got to see Martha's Vineyard and Salem for the first time. :D so fun!

Incredible memory #4:
--July 4, 2009 in the city where almost all of the country's biggest historic events started. This was on of the best days I've had here. It was absolutely incredible.

July 3rd:
-I got up at 10 (actually on accident), went on a run, watched the "French Connection", then got ready for the incredibly successful surprise going-away party for one of my best friends Emallie Daniels. It was a great fun party, but also bittersweet. about 20 or so of us hid into a TINY bathroom while my friend Jerr waited for her (because the party was at his house) and then of course we all jumped out and said surprise. and by "we all jumped out" I mean we were a full on clown car. Her surprise just got more and more shocked as more and more ppl filed out of this insanely tiny bathroom! It was great! :D I <3 my friends!!


July 4th: -got up at 7 to get ready for the day -went to Boston's Old City Hall to hear the Declaration of Indepence read from the original balcony it was read from in 1776. So cool!!! -went to the harbor to watch the turn-around and 21 cannon salute of the oldest active battleship in American history, the USS Constitution built in 1793. -went to the docks on the Boston side of the Charles River to hang out with TONS of friends while waiting for the INCREDIBLE fireworks to start. So amazingly beautiful. I loved today. I loved it so much and I am so sad I'm leaving this amazing, beautiful, incredible city soon. But it is okay. I have so many wonderful memories and friends, that I won't ever really be sad.
I'll post videos later!

"Flashback warm nights Almost left behind Suitcases of memories"

Incredible Memory #2
--camping in VT with my entire ward. I met and become friends with so many wonderful people. That short weekend was so incredible because I met some of my favorite people and some of my closest friends there. So while I will miss them dearly, I have no doubt in my mind that we will be friends for a very long time and that is an amazing feeling.

July 2nd:
it rained like mad during the day so Drew and I just mostly ran errands while Connor was at summer camp. After naps we didn't get to do much because Lori and Jonathan got home early to prepare for going to their cottage in Maine for the 4th of July weekend.
After I left the house, I went to my friends house and then about 6 of us plus the Elders went to dinner at a delicious yet cheap Texas BBQ place around the corner from where they live. We then went over to my friends house and we watched a movie. I then got home to a fabulously empty house about 2 am.
Great low-key fun!

Okay. I'm done. :D

And I think that I cried for days But now that seems light years away And I'm never going back To who I was."

I officially have one month left. One. Month.
And I think that it might help me prepare to leave by writing something everyday about things I've already done and want to remember, and also what I do each day to make this last month incredible.
so here it goes:

Incredible memory #1:
--going whale watching on a personal boat (lori's brother's boat). I was so close to those whales it was unreal!! the water was so beautiful, the weather was perfect and the whales were so active!! For how GIGANTIC those magnificent creatures are, they are quite quick and shockingly graceful. What an amazing experience to go whale watching off of Cape Cod.

July 1st:
I went to the Boston Children's Museum with Connor and Drew yesterday and it was so much fun! Crazy, but fun. Both boys were able to fully enjoy it, which was great! Right at the entrance there is this INSANE climbing tower that Connor loved. Then there was a bubble room. Yes. bubble ROOM. Drew LOVED it. he was chattering away and waddling around--adorable! there was lots of other stuff but i won't bore you with more details.
After work, I went into Cambridge to hang out with friends and we ended up going to see the midnight showing of Ice Age 3 in 3D. It was pretty funny! But mostly it was just fun to hang out with my friends Galvin (yes w/ a "G"), Emallie and Phil. Granted, I probably should stop going to midnight movies in the middle of the week, but the laughter that came out of it was so worth the lack of sleep and tired morning. :D
I have wonderful friends.

Okay. I'm done! :D
oh and side note--the month of June had FIVE days of sun. Out of THIRTY. sad huh?

"Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice You'll make it now."

So. Apparently I watch Gilmore Girls a lot.
And talk to my friends KC, Diane, Rachelle and Suzzie on the phone a lot.
I don't do either--well. Not when I'm on the job! Haha.
The reason I bring this up at all is because Connor is one HILARIOUS kid.
He has about a million play phones and he likes to use all of them (at various times of course) to call MY friends (but only the above listed) and tell them all sorts of stories including his most recent stories all about his dates with Lorelai, Luke, and Rory (it is a double date apparently).
The most recent date with Rory was when they "went to dinner and then we went to church because you should always go to church." oh. and Rory was "very silly and crashed into a statue but she is okay because she was just kidding."

I know that I watch GG a lot. I mean, I'm in no way denying it, but the only time I watch it (now) is when the boys are napping. When Connor first discovered it, it was because I would have it on while making lunch for the boys but he would talk about it SO MUCH that I think Lori (his mom for those who are confused) was getting slightly concerned that I watched it a lot, so then I started recording it and watching it at naptime.
And the phone calls to friends, well, I do OCCASIONALLY talk to them on the phone but not enough that it is the only thing I do during the day...again, I think Lori/Jonathan were getting slightly concerned with what I actually do during the day..
:S not exactly comforting.
But still...I now have great stories out of it!

Connor told me after he woke up from his nap today that he is "going to miss you (me) all the way to the moon, to Auntie Linda's (living in VA) to Uncle Peter's (Linda's husband) van and back home again." Such a cutie...

Okay. I'm done. :D

"Need that picture of you It's so magical We'd be so fantastical."

Just wanted to share a few pictures...
Nothing else to say...except..
I don't want to leave.
:(

okay. i'm done. :D