Girls Lunches

When I first got home I got together with some long lost friends that I hadn't seen much since junior high (good old CVJH)! We met up for lunch at Zupas in Provo and had fun talking and catching up.
These girls are awesome and have shown me support throughout the years even though we don't talk that often. Through my miscarriages they offered encouragement and brought gifts when I finally had Cohen's baby shower!
Me, Melissa, Leslee, Michelle and Dallas

A few weeks later I met up with some more of my favorite friends, Ashley and Kristen. We went to Rumbi and had a fun girls afternoon shopping at the mall. We all realized we are true mom's now because we spent almost the entire time in the Disney store shopping for our kids!
(Kristen was getting overtaken by pregnant stomachs in this picture! :))

I am so thankful to have awesome girlfriends to go have fun with!

Wake Boarding on Utah Lake

One evening Scott's cousins, John and Amber, invited us out on their boat for some wake boarding fun! This was Scott's first time and he got up quick and did really well! Cohen and I loved watching him out on the water, but as soon as Scott wiped out Cohen was really concerned and yelled for him. Once he saw he was ok, he calmed down.

We really enjoyed the beautiful weather, soaking in the sun!

Amber and one of her two daughters, Elle.

Cohen loved the boat! He looks like such a big boy here!

Happy Father's Day Scotty!

On Father's Day we took a walk up Provo Canyon to visit Bridal Veil Falls.
We love doing things like this often, and really missed it while we were in Boston. There is nothing better than a Utah summer!

We had a fun day together being thankful for the amazing father and husband Scott is! We appreciate all his hard work everyday and the love and time he gives to us.
Cohen just adores his daddy and talks about him all day when he is gone. I am so thankful he is the father to my boys, that they have a great example and friend.

Happy Father's Day Scotty! We LOVE LOVE LOVE you!!!

Cohen's 2nd Birthday!

Scott drove the 2500 miles from Boston in 2 and half days to get home in time for Cohen's birthday! He got in the night before so we had the whole weekend to spend time with our little boy celebrating his special day!

That morning the first thing Cohen asked for was "juice" and a "movie" so we dug through the car that we hadn't started unpacking yet to find the movies and the bottle of juice.

We went to Summerfest (Orem city celebration) and watched the parade while we ate churros. Cohen loved the parade, which I was surprised about since he doesn't like to sit for very many things. We also watched a helicopter land and got pizza for dinner and just enjoyed the day together.On Sunday we had a fun family bbq at my mom's and Cohen had so much fun playing with his cousins, Kaden and Destiny. (They are so cute with Cohen!)

Everyday Cohen asks to "bump"! Jumping on the tramp is one of his favorite things!

Mmm, yummy dinner!

Blowing out the candle, now it's official. Cohen is two!Cohen liked the icing the best (my favorite part too) and licked three cupcakes clean.

He was so cute opening his present. He got so excited about each one!

Cohen got a Mr. Potato Head and loves to try and wear his hat and glasses.

I can't believe my little boy is 2! Happy Birthday COHEN!

Flight home!

We were able to get a direct flight this time so our flight was only 5 hours instead of 7 and a half. It was still a really long day getting home and I used every toy, treat and movie I had and Cohen still had a hard time the last couple hours, but we made it! Cohen also had his own seat this time so that made it so much easier and more comfortable!

As we were coming into Salt Lake, Cohen was watching from the window. He saw the water below from the Great Salt Lake that looked white and got so excited and started yelling "snow"! He looks a little zoned from our trip! :)

Waiting to get off the plane! We made it!!!

Last day in Boston

We got to enjoy a beautiful day at the pool right before we packed up to come home. There hadn't been a warm enough day for swimming yet, so I was excited! We had fun with all the girls that were out there and we splashed around with Cole in the water. Cohen loved jumping into my arms and wiggling all through the water.

Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end...

So, we are in the process of packing and heading home!
For a few days Scott and I deliberated and prayed and the conclusion we have come to is, it is time for our family to move on back to Utah. We are so thankful we came to Massachusetts and had this amazing experience with all of these awesome people!!! We learned so much and got way more than we thought we would out of this experience. We now have a closer relationship as a couple and family, we have spent a lot of time on our knees trying to figure out what is right for our family and this has strengthened our testimonies and our relationship with our Heavenly Father. We are so grateful for this...

Things were great while we were here, but it is now our time to leave, so we say goodbye to beautiful Boston and look forward to the new adventures that await!

Boston Common, Public Garden, Newbury Street and Faneuil Hall

Scott and I spent the day together exploring Boston and left Cohen with Ashley and Regan (Thanks so much you guys!) We got off the T at Boston Common, then headed to the Public Garden and walked down along Newbury St. After grabbing some dinner we walked back through everything and made our way up to Faneuil Hall so Scott could get a look at it too. Here it all is in detail! :)

Boston Common is the starting point of the Freedom Trail and is the oldest park in the country. It's almost 50 acres in size and was filled with people lounging on blankets eating, sleeping and reading, playing frisbee, enjoying funnel cakes (like we did!) and lots of people walking their dogs!
The Common has a long history and has been used for many different purposes. Public hangings took place here until 1817 and grazing cattle filled it until 1830. Also, in 1775 British troops camped in Boston Common prior to the Revolution.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II have given speeches at the Common, along with other celebrities. It continues to be a stage for free speech which we experienced first hand hearing a man shout his religious speech at passerbyers.

This squirrel below made me laugh. It was just "hanging out" on a tree munching some food!


We enjoyed wandering through the Public Garden and seeing George Washington and the swan boats.



This is the Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54^th Regiment Memorial.
It serves as a memorial to the group of men who were among the first African Americans to fight in a war. (Civil War)
Augustus Saint-Gaudens took nearly 14 years to complete this bronze monument, which celebrates the sacrifices made by these men.
It is amazing to see it up close, in detail and to again, think about all the history that makes this country what it is today.

We then walked along Newbury Street which had great shopping, (especially if you don't mind paying an arm and a leg, YIKES!) restaurants and another one of Bostons many beautiful churches.

Here is the Massechusetts State House and a memorial for a woman named Mary Dyer who was a Quaker and a witness for religious freedom. She was hung in the common in 1660.
Religious freedom is something I know I have taken for granted, seeing this memorial put things into perspective for me more than I had experienced before...

Here we are manuvering the curvy Boston roads making our way to Faneuil Hall and once we arrived, Scott quickly made a friend.

We loved spending the day together, just the two (and a half) of us, and had so much fun getting to know Boston a little better!