Mormon Night at A's Stadium

A few weeks ago, we got to take Boston to his first ever baseball game. We met Nikki and John and the kiddos, and it was so much fun! I have to admit, I was kind of dreading having Boston there with us and wishing we got a babysitter... Boy am I glad I didn't do that! Boston LOVED it! I think he is an inate sports fan. When we got there, the A's were doing well already, so everyone was cheering. Boston was so excited! Every time the crowd cheered, Boston beamed and started clapping and cheering right along with everyone! It was the cutest thing ever.

Part way into the game, Nikki decided to get the kids some cotton candy... At first Catherine was tearing off miniscule pieces for Boston, who gratefully accepted. Soon, however, James realized how much Boston liked it, and he decided he would be the cotton-candy dispenser. He started by breaking off tiny pieces, which Boston pounded... It soon led to James pulling off huges hunks of candy, handing it to Boston, and Boston shoving his face. This lasted for several minutes, and most of the people near us were no longer watching the game. They were watching Boston and James! I must admit it was a pretty cute scene.

I don't know that James himself took more than a few bites, but between Boston and Catherine, that huge bag of cotton candy was gone! We had a lot of fun at the game, and I think we will have to make this a more regular family activity in the future.

Tilden Park

A couple Sundays ago, Mark and I decided to go to Tilden Park for a ride on the trains and a family picnic. Boston was so excited! We knew he loved the trains already (who doesn't love a good choo-choo boogy ride?) but we had no idea how excited he would be for the picnic.

Here we are on the trains again. He loves them more and more each time we go (as his obsession with trains grows more and more each day).

After riding the trains, it was picnic time... We tried to have a picnic at the table, but apparently Boston had it in his mind that a picnic involved sitting on the grass on a picnic blanket, not at a table. He made it very clear that he wanted nothing to do with the table, and made a bee-line for this huge patch of grass!

Now that's more like it! I think it's because on several Mickey Mouse episodes, they have a picnic in the grass.. such a funny kid. He sure knows what he wants!

He was so happy once we were situated with our picnic blanket... and he soon became really interested with all the dandelions (or fla-las, as he calls flowers) in the grass. He spent several minutes picking them, bringing them to me, counting them, etc.

I LOVE this picture! Here's some fla-las, mom!

And I love his dirty little feet. We just let him go to town in the mud, doing what little boys do. He had a ball!

Here's Bossy chasing daddy!

And here's daddy chasing Bossy!

He spend several minutes picking flowers and placing them in my hands. He was so cute!

Soon he found these little wonders, and was so excited to see how you could blow them!

We had a such a fun day at Tilden with Boston... I think we will need to plan more picnics with him. I had no idea how much he would love it!

Boston's 2nd Birthday

We celebrated Boston's birthday at home this year, with his cousins, Mitchell, Catherine and James. We had a small party with pizza and cake (which mommy didn't have the energy to make this year).

Here's a picture of Boston's first trike, or "bi-see-cole" as Boston pronounces it. He had been asking for a bicycle for several months and was so excited when he got this one.

Here's Boston checking out his trike. He still has yet to figure out the pedals but it happy just to be pushed on it like a stroller.

Here's Boston's birthday cake, which is just a costco sheetcake with Thomas the Train's Pirate Ship placed on top. Boston is obsessed with Thomas the Train. Everyday he asks us, "Mommy? Daddy? You wanna watch Thomas?" It's as if he thinks it is just as exciting to us as it is to him. It's way too cute.

Here Bossy is opening his gift from his cousins, a cash register, which he has played with like every day. He gets so excited at putting the "COINS!" into the slots and watching them come out of the register.

And here is Boston with his present form Grandma and Grandpa, a "SCOOTER!" He rides this thing all day long, inside and out. It's amazing how much control he has with it at such a little age. Rather impressive, I think.

Boston is getting to be such a big boy. Everyday he seems older and older to me. He is now speaking in full sentences, and he comes up with the funniest things. Just now Mark is walking up the stairs (and Boston is at the top)... Boston says, "Come on, daddy! You can do it!" We get such a kick out of this little smartie-pants and just love him!

Family Reunion June 2011

This summer we had our first ever Gifford Family Reunion, right here in Brentwood. We did a variety of activities together, among them a tour of the USS Hornet, a trip to our favorite Tilden Park, and the always popular Brentwood farms fruit picking.

Here's my mom and dad sitting outside the "choo-choo buggy" (as Boston calls it) at Tilden Park.

And here they are again, with nearly all their grandchildren.

Here's a bunch of the clan enjoying a nice ride on the steam trains at Tilden.

Kaitlyn and Rachel were good sports with Boston and took him on a second round trip on the choo-choo buggies!

He was so excited to be riding on a real live choo-choo, one of his obsessions in life.

Here's Boston enjoying the scenery (and sweets) outside the Caroussel at Tilden.

Here, Kaitlyn, Rachel, and Alyssa are posing outside one of the many Brentwood farms just prior to picking our own fruit.

Boston is anxiously anticipating his turn inside to pick fruit.

Most of Boston's fruit did not make it into the bucket...

He went to town on the cherries. They were so good!

Here's a bunch of goof balls posing at the farm.

Here we are aboard the USS Hornet. Boston was a stink pot most of the time there.

Here's the grandkids posing, and of course, Boston is trying to break free!

This picture accurately portrays Boston's sentiments on being there... but at least he got to enjoy his choo-choos at Tilden afterward.

It was lots of fun to have everyone here at the same time. Between Nikki and John, and Mark and I, we all had a houseful... I think all the cousins particularly liked being able to get together all at once. Hopefully this was one of many reunions to come!