14 days of family! Starting with Tammy...

We started our trip in San Mateo, visiting my sister Tammy. We moved on to Dillon Beach to stay 5 days with Ryan's family. From there we fly to Salt Lake City for a wonderful wedding of my friends, Matt and Summer. Then back home to NYC where we saw my parents and two brothers, Alex and Sam.

In San Mateo, just outside of San Francisco, we enjoyed some time with the Chun Family. Paul, Tammy, Angelikah, Natalya and Isabella welcomed us warmly and fed us well! We played with bubbles, with toys, ate good food and went to the San Francisco Zoo. Angelikah and Natalya were so nice to Brandon. They patiently played with him and stacked up toys over and over for him to knock over. However, Isabella wasn't sure what to think of him. I think she thought he took up too much attention. Brandon terrorized Isabella whenever he had the chance! We thought it was funny, though I'm sure Isabella didn't.

Brandon loved this pink car!!

We notice Brandon aggressively wanting to walk....

Rich Voliva came out to see us. He moved to SF for work and left Ryan to fend for himself at DB.

Brandon loving the King Size Bed. Or maybe he was just glad to be off the plane. Brandon and Isabella wore the same size 4 diaper and the same 12 month onesie.
Brandon is 9 months old, Isabella is 2.5 years old.

Brandon loved Tammy and bubbles!

WE LOVE THE ZOO!

Brandon was fascinated by the peacock. We followed him around the zoo...

The playground at the SF Zoo was so fun!



"Roar! I'm king of the jungle sandbox!" (or so it says on my shirt)


Angelikah got a clean bill of health - no more pneumonia or clots. She is back to skating!

Matt and Summer's Wedding

My dear friend, Matt Beecher, married soon to be dear friend, Summer Bradford, at the Salt Lake City Temple
on July 18th. We were so glad to share in this happy time!

We saw lots of friends there that we hadn't seen in forever. Including our wonderful friends from Michigan, Thayne, Laurie and Zach Hansen. Kyle Ford and his wife were there too! Other long lost friends: Gretchen, Aaron, Dale, Carri, Stuart, Jason, Spencer, Melyn (who is engaged!). I made a new friend in Summer's sister, Alissa, who I am confident will also be a good friend! I was very happy to see LeArta Hammond, Matt's mom looking lovely in white. We even saw Dallas and Marjorie Bradford again - Ryan's mission president! We saw them a month ago when they came by for dinner in NYC with their 5 fabulous grandkids! The setting at the Red Butte Garden was beautiful, particularly as the sun started to go down. Between the breeze, lighting/coloring and beautiful folliage...it was a remarkable evening. I was sad not to spend more time with Matt....but thus are weddings...so many loved ones, so little time!

The newlyweds pose with us all. Never losing their smiles.

Matt swept Summer off her feet, literally.
Luckily, they saved each other.

It was a long day of wedding stuff, but Brandon was a trooper.
At the end of the evening, he and I enjoyed the fountain at Red Butte Garden as we said goodbye to the President and Sister Bradford.

Before Brandon hit they hay, we visited with the Wisans - oh we miss them in New York!

Martha's Vineyard

For the 4th of July weekend, we decided to head up to Martha's Vineyard. We went with the Nelsons and Brunsons. Such a busy weekend we picked! It took us over 7 hours to get up there and only 3.5 hours to get back home.

Brandon waking up from his first nap during the drive up to Martha's vineyard ferry. He looked so happy, I had to snap up this photo. Brandon sleeping on the drive back to NYC. He slept the entire 3.5 hours it took to get home. He's still in his sleeper because we left the house at 5:20 a.m. to make the 6 am ferry back.


We went to a beach with the crew on Friday. Brandon did a good job with the sand and didn't try to eat it.

It was a rainy day but we made it around Edgarstown. Brandon slept part of the time in the stroller, dry under the vinyl cover. He woke up at the perfect time and we were able to take pictures at the Lighthouse. Brandon loved all the dogs that roamed along the shore.

A perk of living in New York...

Yesterday Brandon and I met Ryan down in the Chinatown/East Village for a charity pick up soccer game organized by Steve Nash, who lives in NYC in the summer off season. Apparently, he is a big soccer and both his father and brother are professional soccer players. Steve Nash wasn't too bad himself! They played on a playground turf field in Sara D. Roosevelt Park.










Some big names showed up:

Raja Bell, Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa (Phoenix Suns), Baron Davis (Golden State Warriors...only guy wearing big, clunky bball shoes and a hat), Thierry Henry (FSome big names showed up:rench/Arsenal player...one of the best soccer players in the world in the past decade....also on the gillette commercial with Tiger Woods and Roger Federer), Robbie Fowler (Liverpool), Jason Kidd (Mavericks), Claudio Reyna, Calu (Chelsea)....




















People were hanging from the fences to see these amazing atheletes!!

While we were down there, we picked up donuts from the Donut Plant and ate arepas from Caracas Arepas. We saw them featured on "Throwdown with Bobby Flay." The food was good but unfortunately, though we ordered them "to go" it took over an hour to get our food. But all in all, a fun New York night evening.

Sunday Evening Walks in Central Park

We've gotten into the habit of going on Sunday evening walks in Central Park. Ryan and I started this back on 88th street and knew the park in that neighborhood. Now on 69th street, we are exploring and know it just as well...only this time Brandon is with us! Here are some pictures from the last two Sundays...

Cute feet!

Sitting in Sheep's Meadow

Trees between Sheep's meadow and the Mall.


Looking over Lasker Rink

On the bridge by the Pond - Brandon loves to explore next textures.