Kennebunkport, Maine

After Soccer, on the Saturday before Mother's Day, Mike and the girls took me to Maine for lunch and antique shopping (an hour away). It was the best day ever. I love my family. I am so humbled that they love me so much.

Our girls are such beach babies. No matter what the season, these girls love to go to the beach.


Em loves to sing and dance. She makes up the most beautiful impromptu songs all the time. Her life is literally a musical. She loves life so much. And we love her so much.

Em wrote "I love Mom" on the sand. I think it was the best Mother's Day note I have ever recieved.


This sweet girl is so helpful. She makes me laugh every day. I absolutely adore her. She really does draw people to her. Who wouldn't want to be around such a great little person?

The girls love collecting shells. On this day, they stuffed the pockets of their coats until they will spilling over with shells.

Below is George Bush, Sr.'s compound.

Mother's Day and daughters

I absolutely love being a mother. I can honestly say that I have loved every single day that I have been a mother. I find it to be fun and fulfilling and entertaining and challenging and exhausting and humbling all at the same time. It is not that I love the title of Mother so much, as I just love these babies of mine. I am eternally grateful that I was giving my three daughters. There are no people in all the world I would rather call my children. They are best people I have ever met. They are each so kind, smart, funny, sweet, stubborn and sensitive. Everyday I wake up wanting to be as good as their little hearts are. And everyday I still look at them and think I cannot believe this precious little person is mine. I cannot believe that I really get to keep you forever.

Recently I was thinking about the great responsibility it is to raise daughters. I truly believe a good woman is the greatest hope for the world. I feel so humbled and honored to raise future mothers. Someday these little girls that I love so much, will know what it is like to love as only a mother does. I just love that someday, my babies will someday hold their babies in their arms, and they, too, will bare the name mother. What a joy and privilege it is to raise little girls, especially these little girls. Oh, I love these three distinct and beautiful daughters.

Science Museum and Boston dreams

When I was about Em's age I remember coming with my grade school class from Connecticut to visit the Science Museum in Boston. I remember looking at the view of Boston across the Charles from the atrium in the museum. Even as a little girl, I can specifically remember thinking "I want so badly to live there someday."
Even in college I remember studying so hard so that I could get recruited by a firm in Boston. Other life pursuits and dreams would have to wait until I fulfilled that one first.

I remember coming to museum periodically growing up and look at this huge map of Boston and wonder where I would get to live on it. I still cannot believe that I get to live in Boston. I still feel so lucky and so very grateful that I have been able to call this incredible city home.

On Friday nights the museum stays open late. We often go with friends and grab dinner there and enjoy the museum. This is truly our FAVORITE place in all of Boston. We are so blessed to live near the truly greatest Science Museum in the country. It is our special family spot.
Em and her best Boston friend, Miya, on their outing during one of Miya's sleep-overs at our house.The family on the Musical Stairs. Even Cakey loves them.

Studying up to go to M.I.T..

You are never too young to train for M.I.T..

This baby just keeps getting more and more endearing (and more wiggly). In fact, all our babies do. I love our science-loving girls.

Romeo and Juliet Part 2 (you have to read this)

My great great, etc, aunt was Giulietta Cappello, or as the world now knows her, Juliet Capulet, the real Juliette who inspired Romeo and Juliet. I remember my Grandpa Carmen telling stories about her family. Once when Mike and I were on vacation in Italy, we went to Verona to see her home. It was indescribable to be surrounded by churches and streets that shared my maiden name. To know that my ancestors once walked in truly one of the, if the not the, most beautiful cities in Italy.

Well, our little Riles certainly proves that traditions carry on. The other day, Riles was grounded from playing outside with Dante (our next door neighbor). Dante was devastated. He formed a heart with his two hands and told his mother his heart was breaking. Riles, not one to be separated from her favorite playmate forever, climbed the counter and started yelling his name. Dante quickly came running over to our kitchen window. And they started exclaiming how much they missed each other. I soon realized that they were having just as much fun yelling out the window, and there was no real punishment. So, I had to close the window. Determined, Dante would not be kept from his true love. The clever little thing ran home and got a whistle and stood under our dining room window and kept blowing it until Riles peaked out the window. Everytime she would leave the window he would continue to blow the whistle until she came back. I know she was suppose to be in trouble, but Grandma Jan, Shawn, Christy (all of whom were visiting) and myself could not stop laughing. Those two soul mates just could not be separated.

Plimouth Plantation, Mayflower, and Shawn really married well

One of our favorite people, Shawn Marchant, and his incredible wife, Christy, came to visit us from LA. Shawn and I first met in '93 at BYU. I dated Shawn's roommate for a long time. Needless to say, I have long lost touch with that roommate, but Shawn and I have remained great friends (in spite of the fact that over the years I have tried to set him up with EVERY friend I had). Shawn was at our wedding. Mike and I even met up with Shawn once on vacation in London. When we moved to DC, Shawn moved a mile away the same week. During that time Mike and Shawn became great friends. And he was one of the first people to meet our first daughter. We think the world of Shawn and always knew that it would take a very special girl for him to settle down. And boy!! did he find an incredible girl, the best even. Last week we were FINALLY able to meet Christy, Shawn's wife. She really is amazing. Shawn totally scored (and we think so did Christy). We loved having them visit. The girls esp. loved having Christy. What a great visit with two fun and sharp people. I am so glad that after all the years Shawn, and now Christy, are friends.

While they were here we went to Plimouth Plantation and the Mayflower. It was beautiful. I know I am from here but even I still have moments when I think am in awe of both the beauty and history of New England. I truly love being from New England. I am so grateful that my girls will always be able to say they lived in Boston.

amazing friends amazing vacation

We went with our dear dear friends the Choes (seriously love those friends) to North Conway, NH in the White Mountains (home of Mt. Washington which holds the world record for wind speed and some of the most extreme weather on earth. Check it out: Mt Washington) for April vacation. We stayed at a resort that has an indoor waterpark. The children were in heaven. The waterpark was really great. There where so many different sections, even Cakey had fun. This really was one of our most fun family vacations. Thanks Choes, you are a blast!

Riles and Aileen. These two are together all the time.
Playing our favorite family game "Pooh Sticks". From "Winnie the Pooh".

Dennis and Em

Who says there are no mountains in New England? You should see them in the fall.

great girls!

I just had to take a picture of our asymmetrical daughter.

Cakey loves Mia.
Riles was so tired from running all day in the sprinklers and playing with her sisters and the Calderones. She literally fell asleep like this while I cooked dinner.

She is so funny. I had just finished bathing Riles and Cakey. After I got Cakey dressed I went to get Riles dressed quickly. I heard loud laughter from the bathroom. Cakey, full dressed had jumped back into the tub with Em. She was so proud of herself. What a little monkey!

zoo with Naomi and Anika

I'll add some of Jessica pictures later.

When we lived in DC Em and I took classes once a week at the National Zoo starting when she was 1 1/2 yrs old. At the time a new giraffe had been born. Em loved this giraffe. She decided that this giraffe was her pet. And Mike and I loved the idea that she had a pet that not only didn't live with us (besides our apt. in DC was small, definitely not big enough for a giraffe, anyway) but also a pet that someone took care of. Win! Win!

Well, one day Marie and I took Em to the zoo. The zookeeper mentioned to us that the baby giraffe would be leaving soon for a new home. Em was so devastated. Marie asked where the giraffe was moving. The zookeeper said that they found him a nice new home in Boston. We were so excited because in 2 months we too would be moving back to Boston. Em could not believe her luck that her pet was following her to the same new home.

The other day we were so lucky to go visit our giraffe with some of our favorite people, the Welles. It was a great New England Spring Day. Thanks so much Welles!!