Ground Zero Rising

For years and years when I went to NYC to work in my New York office, I would look down from my office/hotel windows on Ground Zero and see nothing but chaos that never seemed to change.  Well, that's all changed.  Ground Zero is taking shape, with enormous towers, transportation terminals, and of course the fantastic new September 11 Memorial.

This is the view from my office window as the sun was setting.

This is the view from my hotel window the next morning.  (The memorial is the area with trees, including the two dark holes/waterfalls going down into the ground.)

Here's a parting shot of the sunrise over the East River/Lower Manhattan/Brooklyn from my hotel.

Our Boys

Tenny is our bug-catching boy.

Tait is our cute little snugglebug.

DC: Off The Beaten Path

If you're looking for something new to see around DC, try Fort Washington National Park.  It has a lot of history, there are lots of fun hikes/walks in the area, and it's a beautiful place for picnic.

Of course, as Tait quickly learned, it's all fun and games until mom gets super excited to have a baby girl, buys a bonnet, and straps it to her youngest son's head.

For additional fun, try the nearby (but less visited and less maintained) Fort Foote.

Vegas baby!

As seen from the Hard Rock Hotel,

where you should never take your kids, even if you are getting in at 1am, leaving at 6am and just need a place to crash for $50.  Trust us.

The Prickly Pear

It's really not so bad once you get to know it.

(It just wants you to love it without touching it, OK?)

Family Picnic in Zion

Our recent trip to St. George wasn't all wedding (though that was certainly the highlight).  We broke away for a day of family fun in Zion National Park, including a picnic, short hikes, and laying around in the sun.

Emerald Falls

 Looking up from Upper Emerald Pools

Tenny's favorite part (as always) was playing in the dirt/mud.

Tait's favorite part (as always) was eating.

It would be hard to overstate how amazing this place is.  Actually, I was working in Columbus, OH, today and when the court reporter found out I was originally from Utah she went on and on about her trip to Zion and how amazing it is and how much she wants to go back, but I still felt like she didn't fully capture the majesty.  Maybe it's just not possible to do with words, no matter how long you go on.  Also, she asked me if there are other places in Utah that are as amazing as Zion.  I threw out a couple ideas, but I would be interested to see what others think.

Chinese Developments, Part I

Tenny's now one month into Chinese immersion school and he's doing really well.  He thinks it's totally normal, and he's having so much fun with his new teachers and new friends that he doesn't even really notice he's learning a new language along the way.  His parents are also getting over the initial jitters and are falling in love with the excellent program.  One of my favorite moments so far was when I was dropping him off about a week ago, and as we approached the front steps he grabbed my hand to stop me, he gave me a very empathetic look, and he said, "Now daddy, you might not understand what they're saying in here because they speak Chinese here."  Then as we walked through the hallways to his classroom, he translated for me what the teachers and administrators were saying to him (good morning, hi, how are you, welcome, etc.).

Of course, one of the first things they teach you at a Chinese immersion school in DC is how to count the amount of money we owe the Chinese.  Here's a video of Tenny making it to 20 -- he's got a ways to go yet.

Counting in Chinese from Jeremy Stewart on Vimeo.

Congratulations Jared & Elizabeth!

We recently returned from one of the happiest events ever:  Jared (Suzy's bro) and Elizabeth's wedding!  It was such a beautiful day in St. George, and everybody was looking top-notch.  

Watch out ladies!

We really would have liked to snap more photos of the beautiful event, but we were busy dealing with this for a large portion of the day:

We came out with two decent pictures of the beautiful bride and the handsome groom, plus a lot of wonderful memories.

The above photo is of Elizabeth surprising Jared with a lovely rendition of Pachelbel's Canon during the luncheon.  Below, Jared looks on and wonders how he got so lucky.

Mozel tov, you crazy kids!