I can’t believe how quickly my vegetable garden is growing. I leave for a few hours and when I return, the plants look at least 1/2″ taller. It’s amazing!

And speaking of growing, my cousin Jenna is growing up so fast! She just turned 15, but I can still remember when she was born. I loved helping her learn to walk. Now she’s in high school and talking about getting her license soon. Ahh!
Jenna and my mom came to visit Boston yesterday. It was HOT outside, but we still walked all over the city and had a great day.

We had planned to dine on a restaurant patio on Newbury Street. Umm, no thanks. It was too hot and we needed AC. We went to Joe’s American Bar and Grill.

I ordered a chicken Caesar Salad.

I couldn’t resist the Daily Special: a cold cup of gazpacho. Perfect to help me cool down on a hot day!

Yellow WYN signs have been posted all around Boston. (I also saw these signs in Gloucester last weekend) What’s Your Number, Anna Faris’s latest movie, was filming at the church at the end of Newbury Street. I didn’t catch a glimpse of any movie magic, but I got a shot of the trailer and saw the catering crew.

Doesn’t it look like we’re somewhere much more tropical than Boston? There were gorgeous Palmetto trees planted in the Gardens.
And I was really excited to pose with my iPhone4. Fortunately for you guys who put up with me and read my blog, I don’t have a blog post dedicated to my 2 hours waiting in line to obtain this piece of technology. I was cranky and it was boring. But I’ve never had a phone with internet before so this purchase was a BIG step for me. Very exciting!

We saw the cutest Mama Duck and her little baby.

Seeing the real deal made me have to take a picture with the Make Way for Ducklings statue.

And since it was the first time that I had ever seen the statue without a crowd, I needed to get a photo.

Mom, Jenna, and I trooped down Charles Street and then crossed the bridge to the Charles River.

There were some great views along the Charles, including Community Boating. Jared was a member last year and we went sailing and kayaking. I think he needs to renew his membership so we can get back out on the water.

I’m Army Strong!
Showing off my “guns” with the US Army gun.

My mom wanted her picture taken at the Hatch Shell.
The Boston Pops perform at the Hatch Shell on 4th of July. I will never, ever stake out a spot to watch the Pops on the 4th live and in person. WAY too crowded. People are packed in like sardines. You have to get there so early to save your spot. It seems so boring to sit there all day long. I hate mobs of people! I’m perfectly ok enjoying the show on TV.

The banks of the Charles were the perfect place for our afternoon stroll and will be the setting for most of my future runs.

We strolled down Dartmouth Street, through to Back Bay and on to the South End. We desperately needed my cool apartment and a cold glass of water.
While I wished I could’ve spent such a hot day swimming in the pool, it was great to spend the day in the city with my mom and my cousin.
I made dinner plans with a group of friends and headed to dinner at Giacomo’s. I didn’t take any pictures of my food, because I was too distracted learning how to use my phone.