Author Archives: Trinhbo

Swim Classes

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Right now I’m a few weeks into a beginners adult swim class. I never had formal lessons as a kid and that seems to be common with other Asians. I have always wanted to learn how to swim but was too embarrassed to ask for help. It doesn’t help as you get older because it feels like everyone else knows how to swim but you. Well I’m glad that I’m finally manning up and taking some classes. I will learn how to swim!

Daniel completed a course a few months ago too. He was in an 8-week introductory parent-child swim class and it was fun that I was the parent. We mostly worked on getting the kids more comfortable with being in the water.

Daniel’s last class was on Saturday, November 17, 2012. The class was memorable because there were only 3 kids, including Daniel. Normally there are at least half a dozen kids and their respective parents. Daniel was apprehensive of getting into the water at first because it was unusual to see so few people in the pool. Additionally Shannon, the course’s instructor, was really pregnant and was instructing from poolside instead of in the water.

Once Daniel got in the water though, he was a completely different kid. He loved being tossed up in the air while we sang the words, “The kids on the bus go up and down”. He really loved it when Shannon blew bubbles from the edge of the pool. He let me hold him by his chest and waist as he kicked toward the bubbles so he could pop them. It was really cute seeing how much fun he had.

The swim course was relatively expensive but I’m glad we bought them for Daniel. I’ve always hated that I didn’t know how to swim and I don’t want my kids to grow up with the same insecurities. Daniel has a bit of a reserved personality but I was so proud of how comfortable he became in the water as the weeks went on.

Halloween 2012

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As Christians, Halloween can be a tricky (no pun intended of course) thing. You certainly wouldn’t want to draw attention to things like devil or revealing costumes or Satanic worship. For most people with ourselves included, Halloween still is a fun time meant for kids to dress up as their favorite superheroes or Disney princesses and get some candy. I think other Christian families can choose to handle Halloween however they feel led to do so and I fully respect other families if they choose to abstain.

For this past Halloween, I rushed home from work and got home at around 6:30 PM. Daniel was wearing a Thomas the Tank Engine costume which was simply an overhead shawl. I brought him outside to go trick-or-treating. We visited our neighbors’ houses first. Then we went up and down several streets. Most of the people handing out candy thought it was cute when Daniel gently whispered “Trick or treat” or “Thank you”.

On our walk back to the house, I saw my mom and dad holding Matthew who was wearing his Mickey Mouse costume. I guess my parents decided to stop by while Daniel and I were out and to take Matthew trick-or-treating as well.

When we got back home, I spent the rest of the night handing out some candy. I was very pleased that most of the kids this year were very polite unlike last year where some kids were very pushy and demanding. I always make a point to give extra candy to the super polite children. For the rude ones…well all they got was a single roll of Smarties.

The C-Word

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In late September I received a phone call from my mother’s doctor’s office while I was at work. A recent biopsy of the lump found in my mom’s breast tested positive and that she has ductal carcinoma in situ. It hit me like a ton of bricks. My mom has cancer.

You don’t really hear about Asian people having cancer. Maybe it’s something unique about our diet and/or genetics but incident rates are lower than other races (Source: CDC). But I know we’re not immune from it. And many Asian parents may have cancer and purposely hide those details to spare scaring their kids.

The phone call triggered an avalanche of events. I booked an appointment with a breast cancer specialist for my mom and made sure I could be there to translate. The doctor reassured me that my mom’s diagnosis was the most common form of breast cancer and is considered only a “Stage 0″ cancer meaning it has the lowest risk level.

My mom had surgery on October 5th, 2012 to remove the lump and some surrounding tissue to make sure all of the dangerous cells were removed. A pathologist examined the removed tissue and additional cancer cells were found outside of a membrane. It was now upgraded to a “Stage 1″ cancer. This diagnosis required there be at least 2 cm margins of healthy tissue removed around the original site instead of just 1 cm. Unfortunately a post-op survey revealed that one edge only had a margin of 1.75 cm. My mom had a 2nd surgery on October 17th to clean up that edge and to also move a lymph node to check that the cancer had not spread there.

It has been several months since my mom’s procedures and everything seems under control at the moment. My mom is taking estrogen suppressants and undergoing regular radiation treatments to prevent a recurrence.

Cancer is an incredibly scary word. There is no real “cure”. All you can do is remove the bad cells, try to kill off the remaining ones, and hope that it doesn’t return any time soon. The scary part is not knowing when it may return. The selfish part of me doesn’t want to lose my mom and certainly not in this way. You can’t live day-to-day worrying about what may happen tomorrow. Right now my mom is healthy and for that I’m thankful.

Grandfather’s Fall

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I was at work when I got the news. “(Grandpa) fell in his room last night and was taken to the hospital” was what my mom told me over the phone. I received this call on October 10th, 2012. My mind raced. My grandfather had always been strong and active but less so recently. When asked how he was doing each week he used to always say “good” but lately just “okay”. I always feared a day like this would happen and he is 90-years-old after all.

After work I went to the hospital where he was taken overnight. The receptionist did not know where he was. What?! How do you LOSE track of a patient? She made some phone calls and eventually learned that he was transferred to Lowell General Hospital (LGH) about a half hour prior to my arrival. Whew.

I drove across town to LGH and went up to my grandfather’s room. I found out from his charts that he broke his left femur. Ouch. I was told that he would require surgery followed by about 8 to 9 months of recovery.

My grandfather was awake but in obvious pain. He could not sleep through it. I asked what happened and he told me that he fell in his room after getting a late night snack. He tried yelling for help and banging on the floor for about a half hour but no one came to investigate the noise. That’s a scary thought that there were people at home and he still couldn’t get help right away.

My grandfather had surgery the following day and was transported to a nearby rehab facility for several weeks. After a week or two there, the nurses told me that he was doing great. They said he could walk around and climb stairs and could return home soon. My grandfather seemed more pessimistic about his progress. I think he was just scared of attempting these same activities on his own and not within a controlled environment.

Fast forward to today and my grandfather is back at home. He can get around on his own with the aid of a quad cane walker. It’s great seeing him walk to the kitchen and bathroom on his own. I’ve set up a baby audio monitor in his room and now my parents can hear if he ever needs help. He says that his leg still hurts but that’s expected. I’m just grateful to have him back with us.

Sunday School

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Starting from the first week in October, Daniel started going to Sunday School at church. Our country’s moral compass has been pointing south for too long so it’s never too early for our youth to start learning about God. As the Bible says:

Ephesians 6:1-4 - Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

I think it is really important for parents to take an active role in teaching their kids values, especially those grounded in Biblical truth. Many parents are uninvolved and let worldly influences such as TV, music, and the internet shape and mold their kids. Well I intend to bring my kids up in a Godly household.

So how did Daniel’s first class go? He learned about helping like Jesus. It was really cute seeing how well Daniel sat through the short Bible lesson. It helped having Mommy there for support. I’m really proud of him.

Jam Time

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We always feel bad when Matthew is too young to join in an activity. He missed the family camping trip in the summer. He couldn’t come along when Tary brought Daniel apple picking earlier in the Fall. We wanted to do something specifically for Matthew this time so we all went to an indoor playground called Jam Time in Maynard, MA (October 6th, 2012).

This place ended up being just right for Matthew. There was a section for kids 2-years-old and under where he could play. He LOVED crawling back and forth through a padded tunnel. He also enjoyed crawling over the padded mats and playing with the foam blocks. The area also had a jumper toy that was similar to one we had at home.

Matthew also ventured outside of the little kids area and played around Daniel by some tables. He also liked playing alongside an 18-month-old girl with some magnetic letters.

Matthew Tasting some Foam Blocks

Matthew Crawling Over Padded Mats

Daniel was content playing mostly by himself on a low table with some Thomas the Engine trains. There were some climbing structures and slides but they were a little too advanced for Daniel to use. He did enjoy scooting along on some riding toys instead.

Daniel playing with Thomas the Engine Trains

The place closed early at 1:30 PM because there was a birthday party going on and the playground is shared when those kids finished their lunches.

Overall we really enjoyed ourselves at Jam Time. The place was affordable at only $10 for both kids. There were lots of toys for both of our kids to play with. I liked that this place had an area specifically for younger kids like Matthew and I’m glad that he had lots of fun there.

 

Backpack Camping 4

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It has almost been a year since our previous backpacking trip. A busy summer delayed us until now. We finally got to go on our first trip of the year which was a 3-day, 2-night trip from September 21st to the 23rd.

My college roommate, Chris, picked me early Friday morning and we drove to Long’s house to wait for the others. On the drive I called the other guys to make sure everyone got up. Sadly that was not the case and we waited for nearly an hour for the other car to arrive. I felt bad for Chris who drove in from Worcester.

We got on our way with only a brief stop to buy gas and last minute drinks. We arrived at the Saco Ranger Station shortly after they opened at around 8 AM. We did our normal routines of buying parking passes, using the facilities, and filling our hydration bladders with fresh water.

We arrived at the Ethan Pond trailhead and posed for a ‘before’ photo. We started hiking along the Ethan Pond Trail. Rathana nearly passed out during this leg which was mostly uphill for a couple of miles. Sai also struggled with the incline and contemplated staying overnight at the Ethan Pond Shelter with Rathana while the rest of us continued hiking and meet them there the following day. We were only a couple of miles into our journey so I urged them to continue and I’m glad they did.

We were tired so we agreed to break for lunch at the first dry clearing we found. The Ethan Pond Trail was very muddy so it took us a while before we found a suitable spot to stop. Eating our first real meal of the day seemed to lift everyone’s spirits.

The trail was mostly flat but remained very muddy. Puncheons liberally decorated the trail and spared our legs. A stream ran parallel to the trail and we found an opening which revealed a wonderful resting spot. The stream bed was lined with flat rocks and the crisp water skimmed its surface. The stream fell over gentle cascades. In the summer you could sunbathe on these rocks. It was a beautiful location.

We reached a junction and followed the sign for a tenth of a mile to the top of Thoreau Falls. I stood at the edge and admired the sheer scale of its natural beauty. I did not want to get too close to the edge and accidentally slip. We relaxed here for a bit and had some snacks. Some of the guys enjoyed dipping their weary feet in the cold water which fed the waterfall.

We backtracked to the Ethan Pond Trail and continued north. We reached a beautiful clearing with Zeacliff to our left and White Wall Mountain rising to our right. I knew this trip would include some scenic locations but it is absolutely breathtaking experiencing it in person.

We had been hiking for several hours and Sai was starting to lag behind. We got to Zealand Falls but some of the other guys went on ahead uphill toward Zealand Hut. I rushed to catch up to them and have everyone stop by the falls instead. Zealand Falls was not as grand as Thoreau Falls but was still pretty as the sun started to set. We rushed to pump water from the falls.

It was getting darker. Sai was struggling to keep up. Long, Chris, and I blazed ahead along the A-Z Trail to look for a good spot for our group to sleep. We aggressively hiked the trail and found a spot right off of the trail but it was on an incline. I did not think it was worth it to squeeze my tent between the trees and repack it the next morning. I set down my tarp and Chris and I laid our sleeping pads and bags on top of that to camp out, cowboy style. The others eventually caught up but decided to set up their tents. We retreated deeper into the forest to eat dinner.

It was the first time I slept outdoors without a tent. The wind was strong at times but the fresh air was refreshing. It was late enough in the season that we didn’t have to worry about bugs. I loved looking up at the stars. It was very liberating. The only downside was that my sleeping bag is made of very slick material and I kept sliding down the incline. I ended up putting my backpack under my legs and that kept me from sliding.

I woke up at 6:45 AM the next morning and got up to eat. I wanted to get moving by 8 AM because we had a full itinerary and didn’t want a repeat of the previous night. I was frustrated that the others lagged to get up, eat breakfast, and finish packing. We didn’t set out until almost 9 AM and I knew we’d be in trouble later.

We continued east along the A-Z Trail. We didn’t hike as far as I would have liked the previous day so we had a long way to hike before reaching the base of Mount Tom. Chris, Long, and I formed a mini group and set the pace. We reached a junction and continued up the Mount Tom spur. We reached the summit. I finally claimed one of the 48 4000-footers! There were many college-age students and other hikers along the trail. I was mildly disappointed that we weren’t alone but they were nice and I don’t mind sharing the beautiful New England fall foliage.

While at the summit we paused to feed some gray jays with some cookie crumbs that Long had. It was really awesome how they flew down and ate right out of the palm of our hands. Nature!

We made our way back and found Sai resting by the junction. Dao and Rathana left their packs there and continued up to Mount Tom. I’m glad they got to go up there and bag one of the 48 peaks.

Long decided to stay behind with Sai and wait for the others to return from Mount Tom. Chris and I continued onto Mount Field which was about 0.9 miles away. It was crowded at the summit but I was proud to claim my 2nd 4000-footer. There was a nice lookout toward the Presidential Range and Mount Washington. The other guys caught up as Chris and I finished our lunches. I was still feeling a little lightheaded so I rested a few more minutes before Chris and I continued toward Mount Willey.

A mile and half later we reached the summit of Mount Willey and my 3rd 4000-footer. I was relieved there weren’t many hikers here. There were lookouts on either side of the summit. It was really cool to look down and see our destination for the night, Ethan Pond, which looked like a speck from our height.

We started our descent at around 3:30 PM. It was only 1.1 miles down but it took over one and a half hours due to the steep slippery terrain and loose rocks. The scariest part was walking down several “ladders” which are really rail-less staircases. Considering the steepness of the trail, it is clear why these were left here. We had to take extremely easy down the trail.

We finally arrived at a junction and turned onto the Ethan Pond Trail. We reached the shelter a few minutes before 6 PM. Chris and I walked down to the pond to pump water while we waited for the others. While pumping we were surprised when another hiker named Brian came down to greet us. He is an avid hiker. We were relieved that he opted to stay at one of the open tent platforms and leave the lean-to which we claimed for our group.

It was pitch black out. I was afraid the other guys might not have made it down from Mount Willey in time and would have to emergency camp along the trail. I figured the other guys were at least an hour behind us. After dinner Chris and I went to pump water again. I periodically blew my safety whistle and was thrilled to finally hear a reply. Dao and Long showed up shortly thereafter and relayed that Rathana and Sai were further back along the trail. Chris and I rushed out along the trail to meet them. Chris grabbed Sai’s bag and we escorted them to the shelter. It was about 8 PM. I was relieved everyone was safe but I knew this was likely to happen considering how late we started hiking that morning.

After our guys arrived, two more backpackers arrived at the Ethan Pond shelter area. They carried in several containers of alcohol and started drinking. They acted like frat boys and were loud and annoying. They also built a fire despite signs prohibiting it and my petitions against it. It always bugs me when people aren’t respectful of natural resources.

The rest of our guys finished their dinners late. We all retreated to the lean-to for the night and slept in our sleeping bags on top of our sleeping pads. I’m thankful that we got the lean-to because it heavily rained throughout the night.

I got up at around 7 AM the next morning. Chris got up shortly thereafter and joined me for breakfast. I wanted to start heading down the trail but the other guys slept in for another 2 hours. Chris and I finished packing our gear and waited for the others to get up, have breakfast, and pack up.

We finally started down the Ethan Pond Trail. Our legs and knees were weary from a long weekend of hiking. Excitedly I raced ahead as we neared the Ripley Falls junction. The falls were only a quarter-mile from the junction but I was really disappointed that no one else seemed to share my enthusiasm. I spent weeks planning this trip and I was determined to complete my “itinerary” so I hurried to the falls. An elderly couple greeted me at Ripley Falls. The falls were just as beautiful and grand as I remembered them. I didn’t want to keep the other guys waiting too long so snapped a few photos and recorded a short video and headed back. On my walk back to the junction, I was pleasantly surprised to see a few of the guys change their minds and visit the falls after all. They left their backpacks with Sai and Chris at the junction and we waited for them to return.

It was another quarter-mile to the parking lot from the junction. After a quick group photo we headed to McDonald’s for our “victory” lunch. It was getting late and we got there at around 3 PM. I didn’t make it home until almost 6 PM. I always try to make it home from our trips before 5 PM so that she isn’t alone with the kids for too long. I was annoyed that there wasn’t more urgency earlier in the day to get home at a reasonable time.

Overall it was a great trip. I was pleased with how much we were able to fit into a 3-day backpacking trip; we hiked for nearly 20 miles, bagged 3 4000-footers, got to hand-feed some of the local birds, visited 3 distinct but beautiful waterfalls, and experienced some of the most scenic sights the White Mountains offers. I also learned a lot about myself and that you can push yourself well beyond where your body wants to quit. I’m proud of the guys for sticking through most of it.

I am glad that I learned how to pack smarter and reduce my pack weight. I was able to do more with a lot less equipment. The reduced load combined with better hiking technique definitely spared the wear and tear on my legs and knees.

Unfortunately not everything went as planned. I was displeased that some guys did not take my advice seriously to reduce their pack weight. It is a recurring problem bringing items that were barely used or provided limited benefit to the group. If you are already a slow hiker, those extra ounces make you even slower. This trip also reinforced the importance of time management. If you get a late start and/or hike at a slower pace, it can be dangerous later in the day if you run out of daylight and are stuck up on a mountain or find yourself in the middle of an unfamiliar trail and need to find shelter. It is nearly impossible to find a suitable location in the dark. We were lucky to find a spot on our 1st night. We were fortunate that the trail was easy to navigate on the 2nd night. We need to learn from these experiences and hopefully on the next trip we’ll make things easier for ourselves…and a lot less stressful for me.

Family Camping 2012

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Back in August Tary, Daniel and I went with some of our cousins on our first family trip in the White Mountains of NH. We stayed at a very family-friendly campground called Green Meadow Campground from August 17th to the 19th. We had a great time!

As with most trips, Tary and I stayed up really late packing the night before. I barely snuck 2 hours of sleep in and Tary didn’t sleep at all. It felt like forever to gather the supplies and transfer them to the car. We really need to get better at not procrastinating when it comes to packing.

I dropped off Matthew with my parents and picked up my cousin Joe in the process. I went back to my house to pick up Tary and Daniel and finish loading the car. The trunk was filled to the brim and I had trouble seeing over the top of everything. We were now on our way!

Nearly 3 hours into the drive Daniel threw up some of his breakfast as we got close to the White Mountains. He was coming off of a bad cold and I was concerned that he would be too sick to enjoy Story Land and the rest of the camping trip. We stopped at the Saco Ranger Station to clean Daniel up and take a quick break.

We got back on the road and found Story Land without incident. Once we got in I was very impressed at how kid-friendly the park was. There were lots of open areas, shaded places to sit, food stands, stroller parking, and bathrooms. I also liked how the park was not overly crowded.

First we rode the train around the park. Daniel was visibly more enthusiastic about this train ride than he was while riding Thomas at Edaville USA. The train circled the entire park. It was very cute when Daniel pumped his arm in the air and shouted, “Choo! Choo!”

Next we went on an Antique Cars ride. Daniel got to steer while Tary kept her foot on the gas pedal. Joe and I tagged along in the backseat. The car followed a guided track and auto-corrected when the car veered too far off center. Daniel was easily distracted by the fake animals which lined the track.

We then went on a Water Raft ride where you sit in a circular raft around a windy pathway. I knew Daniel doesn’t like to get wet but sometimes it’s good to be exposed to new things. He was a little tentative during the ride but he sat through most of it pretty well. A geyser splash startled him and he started to cry. Good thing the ride was over and held him to console him. He was not a happy camper after getting wet.

After a quick lunch, we continued walking around the park. We saw some live animals that were meant to represent the animals from popular nursery rhymes such as the Three Little Pigs, Goosey Goosey Gander, and Peter Rabbit. We then tried to take a picture of Daniel with the Cat in the Hat but like green eggs and ham, he did not like it.

We rode the train around the park one last time because it was Daniel’s favorite ride. I had to practically peel Daniel out of the train. It was getting late in the afternoon and the other cousins were due to arrive at the campground so we left for the campground to get the campsite and dinner ready for them.

We checked in and drove to our two adjacent campsites. Joe helped me set up the 3 tents while Tary started cooking dinner. Tary talked with the other cousins on the phone and they said they were close. However 4 hours later the cousins still had not arrived. I grew weary of waiting so Joe and I went and bought some firewood. Then we got changed and took Daniel and went swimming in the pool. It started to get dark as the other cousins finally pulled into the campground. They were lost because they ignored my directions and came from some other highway. I was annoyed that they basically wasted the first day driving in circles when they had multiple people in the car with smart phones and GPS. Ultimately I was glad they finally found the way and we were together.

We all went back to the campsites to eat dinner. Some of the other cousins had already eaten because they stopped to eat at a local KFC because they were on the road for so long. After dinner a few of us went back into the pool for a quick swim.

Later that night we gathered around a fire and made s’mores. Everyone seemed to enjoy it and have fun. I was pleasantly surprised at how much Daniel liked eating his.

The next morning we ate a pretty big breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, and bacon. It took a long time to cook everything. After breakfast we hopped in our cars and drove to see Arethusa Falls, the tallest waterfall in New England. We got to the parking area and a sign read that it was an hour’s hike to the waterfall. I was confused because I could have sworn it was only a half mile from the parking lot when I backpacked here last year. We drove back and forth along the highway for about 15 minutes pulling into random roads hoping I’d recognize the parking area that I used before. I was embarrassed that I had to admit that I could not find it and we had to turn back. It was only after the trip that I realized that I was thinking of Ripley Falls which was only a few minutes further down the road. I should have double-checked these facts before our trip.

We made it back to camp and we all went for a swim in the pool. We had the entire pool to ourselves and it was so much fun playing Marco Polo. I tried to learn how to swim a little bit more. After swimming we played some basketball, tossed a Frisbee, and played some beach volleyball in the sand pit. Seeing how happy everyone was made planning and organizing this trip entirely worth it for me.

It felt good to freshen up with a quick shower. The cousins played what looked to be a very competitive game of Uno. It was really late before we started cooking dinner. I cooked steaks over the campfire while Tary cooked burgers and hot dogs on the camp stove. It was a lot of fun to make s’mores again that night.

I spent most of the following morning packing things up while breakfast was being cooked. Breaking down and packing always takes forever and it’s my least favorite part of camping.  I had to hurry so we could be ready to check out on time. I finally finished packing and was able to quickly eat what was left of the food. Whew…

I really enjoyed our first family camping trip. I was really proud of Daniel and how well he behaved throughout the trip. I loved seeing how much he enjoyed riding the train at Story Land. Matthew will love this next year! It was great spending quality time with the family and seeing how happy everyone was together. I hope everyone else enjoyed themselves as much as I did and I can’t wait to do this again next summer!

 

Happy 3rd Anniversary

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Back on July 11th, Tary and I took the day off to celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary. It was a beautiful sunny day and I’m glad we got to spend the bulk of it focusing on just the two of us.

After dropping off the boys at daycare, we started our day together at the Pheasant Lane Mall to buy some new shoes for Daniel. Running errands isn’t exactly what you’d like to do while celebrating an anniversary but sometimes being a parent requires squeezing in required tasks. The other consolation is that we did it together. There was a new crepes store in the food court that I wanted to try but they weren’t going to be ready soon so I settled for a pretzel dog and Tary bought nuggets from Chick-fil-A.

We then headed to the new Merrimack Premium Outlets. We were surprised at how quickly we arrived. It’s certainly a lot closer than the Wrentham Outlets and it’s tax free!!! I liked that there was plenty of parking. I also liked how the plaza was a big circle with stores on each side of us. I liked the open roof design which let light and fresh air in while providing some additional shade. It was a little confusing that there were no designated stores for kids or babies (e.g., Baby Gap, Baby Polo, etc.) but we quickly figured out that they were located in subsections of their parent stores. We will definitely come back here when looking for a bargain.

Next we drove for about an hour to Brown’s for lunch. I ordered a quart of steamers for $13. I’ve never really eaten steamers before but it was really fun to eat. First you rip off the “beard”, dip the body in cup of water that was used in steaming the steamers, and then you drown it in the clarified butter. Mmm!

Tary ordered a plate of fried clams and scallops with a side of fries and coleslaw. She also added an order of crab cakes and more fried scallops for us to share. The fried scallops was delicious but it’s weird how there’s something about them that always makes me feel full.

After lunch we headed to Hampton Beach. Being that it was a weekday, it was fairly easy to find a metered parking spot along the main strip. I sat on the beach while Tary enjoyed a dip in the water. I didn’t really want to get wet because we had to pick up the boys later in the afternoon and I didn’t want to go home to shower first.

We then walked along the water hand-in-hand. It was a really warm day and it felt good to get my feet wet. There were lots of other people playing in and around the water as well.

One thing that stood out was how much the area has been updated. The new facilities are clean and modern. I liked how the parking area takes credit cards. Who carries change anymore? I also liked the new posted signs that help guide you back onto the highway.

We walked along the strip enjoying the sights, sounds, and people. Tary was really happy to see a Hawaiian shaved ice stand and paid for an order. She then proceeded to tell me how much she loved them as a kid. I bought some fried dough from another vendor and we sat and enjoyed our desserts. I love seeing my wife that happy.

After a nice time relaxing on the beach, we returned home to pick up our boys from daycare. It was such a great day and I was glad that I was able to spend it with my lovely wife. The past 3 years have been amazing and I am incredibly blessed to be married to such an amazing woman. I love you Tary!

July 4th, 2012

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(Yes, I realize it is now into September and I’m still catching up on things that happened in July!!!)

This year for July 4th we went to a friend’s house for a BBQ. Tary and I were feeling a little cabin fever so we wanted to do something anything and were glad to stay local. We ate lots of food and got to relax with our friends. It’s kind of funny that on America’s birthday we ate mostly Mexican food.

Daniel loved playing fetch with our friend’s puppy named Ramen. It was notable because he was previously afraid of dogs. When Daniel was younger, he was accidentally scratched by another friend’s dog when it was a little too excited to greet Daniel. It was cute seeing Daniel pet Ramen and toss the tennis ball around the yard.