Girls' Day in Boston, Including a Dreamy Bookstore!

 For my friend Jenny's 40th birthday, a group of us spent a fun few hours in Boston. We did our own little literary tour, went to a great bookstore, and had lunch. It was a lovely day! 

That's Jenny on the bottom left.

{I looked like a bot that day. Please ignore me in the pictures. 😄}

Louisa May Alcott lived here...

I love the red bricks, black shutters, filled window boxes, and green ivy of this neighborhood.

And Robert Frost lived here...

Acorn Street is a popular spot for family pictures and is one of the most photographed streets in the U.S. 

We managed to get a decent group picture there.

I'd heard of Beacon Hill Books before, but I'd never been. It was delightful! It's probably the most charming bookstore I've ever been to.

Books on tables, books on shelves, floor after floor after floor. (Three floors, to be exact, like the sign above says. 😁)

My dream house someday will have built-ins like this...

The children's room was at the top, and it was so cute.

Where the Wild Things Are and Peter Rabbit/Beatrix Potter hold special places in my heart. 

Look at the little doorway!

 It's a lot of fun getting to know my hometown city more, especially when it's with friends!

Cape Cod Weekend: Housework and Mini Golf

 June started out with a nice weekend trip to the Cape for me, David, Sam, Veronica, and Mom.

As we started the drive there, we spotted a turtle in the road in our neighborhood. David got out and moved it away into the grass. What a hero.

David drove there, so I was able to take pictures of the Cape Cod bushes at the bottom of the bridge.

We did a deep-cleaning of the living room window and painted the edging, along with the edging around the front door, which had been chipping. It looked much better after. You'll have to believe me because unfortunately I didn't take "before" and "after" pictures, only "during." 😄

I got two new rugs for the kitchen. The old ones were, well, old.

I found some time to read outside. 

(P.S. Yesteryear didn't live up to the hype.) 

We went mini-golfing at a new (to us) place. 

What picturesque surroundings!

It was a fun way to start out June!

May 2026 Randoms

 Dirt cup desserts are a fun treat 😋

This is a funny picture that a girl drew for John on his mission, an ode to his love of Fortnite and his desire to find a girlfriend/wife who will enjoy watching him play it. Good luck with that, John! 😆

I was walking in my neighborhood one day and found a dog walking in the street with his leash trailing behind him. I was able to reunite him with his owner after some effort. He was a 1-year-old named Blizzard, and he was a sweetheart. I miss having a dog.

My dad sent me this picture of him and his brother, my Uncle Sterling. I haven't seen Sterling in person in over three decades.

I enrolled in an online paraprofessional program to heighten my library skills and credentials. I plan to start it this fall.

I was delighted to find this old-school list in a library book! This is from my high school days, and one of my high school classmate friends is on this list.

David made a big batch of popcorn for a movie night. 😋

He also made delicious waffles for breakfast on Mother's Day.

He had made homemade huckleberry sauce (the huckleberries were from Montana) to go with them. It was a delicious treat!

I stream scapes from YouTube almost every day. I love the views and the relaxing background noise they provide.

Roses, rain, gardens, books, candles? Yes, please! 😍😍😍

Hi!

I want to watch this, so I took a screenshot to remind myself. Moses is one of my favorite people from the scriptures.

A sweet blast from the past from our Iowa City days. Sometimes I really miss having little kids.

A car from Montana at the temple

Temple spire

Ivy-covered stone chimney at the library. If only it still had a matching fireplace; wouldn't that be cozy! 

Mood

Sam getting a haircut. I couldn't resist snapping a pic. He's still my lil' boy!

Last morning of seminary at my friend Sara's house. I'll miss it being at her house (which is just a short drive away) and her being a teacher.

Another blast from the way past, this one from 2010 at a Red Sox game. My mom looked so young! Sam did too. 😄

Things I'd bought for America's upcoming 250th: a commemorative Yankee Candle, a puzzle, and a set of U.S. trivia cards.

Some honey from the comb from David's hives.

I like the way my hair was waved and curled on the sides. Sometimes it comes out perfectly. Other times, not so much. Shoulder-length hair or just past the shoulders is my favorite length.

Another nice view, courtesy of YouTube 😍