There is such a thing as TOO MUCH Food Network

While in Boston we were limited on TV channels due to our very tight budget. So when the kids were allowed TV time the only channel they could all agree on was Food Network. I figured it was safe. I knew I wouldn't have to worry about anything inappropriate scarring my children, (except Giada, seriously woman, someone buy her a cami!) but little did I know that this channel would end up scarring me!

So in case you aren't familiar with the Food Network channel, it is basically all food, all the time. Every show is dedicated to the preparation of some sort of food, my kids' favorite shows are "Cupcake Wars", "Chopped" and "The Next Food Network Star".

So a month or so into our new life in Boston, we woke up to a sticky floor in the kitchen. Camden was apparently thirsty in the middle of the night so he decided to get himself a cup of juice mixed with additional water and who knows what else, which he did manage to pour all over the floor while getting just enough in the cup to spill on his bed and on the carpet. I was NOT happy and he got put in the corner.

(This was C's main source of punishment while we were in Boston. It was kind of hard to take toys or privileges away since he hardly had any to begin with! He had to have a towel on his head when he got put in the corner because after awhile we realized his special pink hair stuff was leaving marks on the walls.)

A couple nights later Aric and I woke up to some noises (mind you it was a 900sqft apartment, if someone was up it wasn't hard to hear them). I made Aric go check it out. In my 2 am grogginess I heard him say "Uh Jess, you better get out here" so I drug myself off of the mattress we shared on the floor...

...where we found Camden in the kitchen helping himself to some cheese and making some homemade lemonade with lemon juice and sugar...

We were not happy about this. We explained to him again how this is not okay and he cannot help himself to the kitchen in the middle of the night. At this point I was getting annoyed, we didn't know what to do. We couldn't lock him in his room because he shared it with Maya and Eden who needed to be able to get out to go to the bathroom at night.

A couple mornings later we found this mess spread out all over the kitchen...this time he had taken out a pot and it was sitting on the stove as if to cook something!!!

I couldn't believe it! Not only another gigantic mess but the waste...THE WASTE!!! I had just opened that jam, that relish and the mustard! AND he poured salsa on top of my yummy cake left overs that I was saving for myself to eat when no one was looking...I was so angry. He got yelled at, he got put in the corner, he lost his snacks and dessert for the day. There was wailing that I'm sure made our neighbors that lived next door wonder what kind of torture I was putting my child through...(though I assure you it was nothing more than the torture my nose had to endure every time I walked out of my apartment into the hall, whatever inscense they were burning or spices they were cooking with made me want to cry everyday.)

After getting in huge trouble, Maya was trying to comfort him. That is when I heard him say something about making a special dish...he also used phrases like "trying to be creative" "I liked the texture" and "something savory" and that's when it dawned on me that it was that blasted Food Network that had possessed my 3 year old!

I had good long talk with him about how there was a reason they didn't let 3 yr olds be on Chopped and that it was dangerous and that if he wanted to make something he needs to ask me and we will do it during the day...yadda, yadda, yadda. Thankfully that talk did the trick and we didn't have another kitchen incident while we were in Boston...unfortunately, I can't say the same thing about living here in Utah. So sadly, we have had to cut back on his Food Network viewing again...

My favorite place on earth...

My favorite place on earth is inside of any LDS temple. The only thing that makes that experience better is being there with people that I love...

The Boston Temple is beautiful...

Turning twelve is a big deal in my religion because that is when you are old enough to go inside the temple (unless you are being sealed to your family, like when Camden was sealed to us after his adoption was finalized). I couldn't wait to take Maya, and I was so excited that her first time doing baptisms for the dead would be inside the Boston temple!

She was able to get baptized for her great-great grandma, my great grandma who died shortly after giving birth to my Abuelita Hernandez. Her name is Ana Maria Aguilar, I was able to watch Aric baptize Maya, by proxy, for her. It was a very special experience.

I still can't believe I have a child old enough to go to the temple! Watching her do this sacred ordinance for her own ancestors was so special. She was so excited to be there. I know it is a memory she will always cherish.

I LOVE to see the temple. I LOVE to go inside the temple. I especially LOVE seeing my daughter inside the temple. I hope that she will always strive to live her life worthy to go there and feel the special spirit that can only be felt inside a temple of God. I cannot wait for the day that I will be there, again, with all three of my children.

Holiness to the Lord. 

The House of the Lord.

Matt and The Lost River Gorge

The very best thing about Boston was the friends we had there. One of those friends was Mr. Matthew Deane. Crazy thing is we only officially met in May when I got to see in real life my bosom friend, Liz, whom he is married to. It only took moments to realize that Aric and Matt were bosom friends too. Well the irony of it all was that Liz moved to Utah days after I arrived in Boston but Matt was left behind in New Hampshire for four months to finish up his job. So we tried to hang out with Matt when we could.

Camden stuck to Matt like bees on honey...they became instant friends.

One of the things he told us we had to do while he was there was go to the Lost River Gorge glacier in New Hampshire. It was quite the trek but TOTALLY worth it!

*WARNING: Tons of pictures*

So we started out with a yummy brunch at this AMAZING restaurant...

There was a Beatles train running above our heads...first sign that this place was going to be AWESOME!!!

MAPLE BUTTER...YUMMO and that's all I am going to say about it.

On the way we past a sign for this cool town...

Next stop...the Lost River Gorge.

It's so hard to explain this place. It is visually incredible and I can't even imagine how long it took to build it. You just walk along these walkways and bridges...

...then if you can brave the damp, dark, cold, small places you go through the caves.

Camden thought it was fun at first...

But soon realized he wasn't a fan...

He definitely preferred climbing on the rocks that were not in dark, damp, small places. I seriously think my little guy is claustrophobic.

Maya on the other hand was freaking me out on how comfortable she was climbing on stuff...

Some of the places we had to squeeze through were quite tight. You had to go through this "squeezer gauge" to make sure you wouldn't get stuck inside the cave.

I'm telling you some of these crevices were TIGHT.

Aric really got into this adventure, he made sure to show his excitement in every picture I took. Honestly does he not resemble Buster from Arrested Development??

Matt and Aric were being quite ridiculous the whole time. The 3+ hour ride there should have prepared me for the insanity that was in store with these two characters. It was like gas on fire or like Hall and Oats...

Matt was good for teaching the children some pretty cool tricks...

It was such a fun way to spend the day seeing something and doing something we will most likely never do again.

If you are every in that neck of the woods it is well worth your time...Thanks Matt for the fun times!!