My heavens it’s been a long time since I’ve blogged. For that I apologize. I know how much I hate it when bloggers that I read go on strike and it’s no fun. Blogging can be quite a consuming task and sometimes I just need a break. I’ve been doing things like: tending to my awesome garden, hanging with family, honing my pioneer cooking skills, healing my sick child (he’s better now), getting rid of lots and lots of stuff and, in general, having a summer break. There is so much to write about, but to get back in your good graces, today’s post is an onslaught of photos of the real reason you all tune into this blog. I give you Porter.
We took a trip to McCall with my mom.
Porter and his tutu. It’s not the best picture (sorry mom) but these two are seriously BFFs.
Porter laying down on the job at gymnastics.
Playing peek a boo, aka pull ups.
That little turtle seriously charged at Porter and made him jump. It was too funny.
Putting gymnastics skills to work at the playground.
Boob toob.
Attempting to climb his first tree, determined it was “too big”.
MK Nature Center, never fails to give a good time for all ages.
There’s an espresso machine in here. What are you waiting for mom?
At the Tour de Fat bike rally. Photos courtesy of Danny.
Actin’ the dude.
Wearing Luke’s old Kentucky Derby t-shirt.
Serious big kid action happening. Big kid kicks and going down the slide himself.
It was a virus, it was gross and I’m glad it’s gone! Thank goodness for Finding Nemo.
Playing cowboys with a new friend at the park.
He mounts any “bump bump” he comes across.
I think it’s hysterical that Boise is trying to start a “Keep Boise Weird” campaign. After living in Santa Cruz and Nevada City, Boise is the most normal place EVER.
We did a photo shoot the other day. I can’t help it, he ‘s too cute.
Ok, so I’m a day late with this post, but I’m on track for the rest of the month of August. I’ve written about doing yoga in some of my other posts and this month I’m tackling, or should I say bowing to, what is possibly the most well known asana in the practice of western yoga. The humble, yet invigorating, Sun Salutation.
These few basic postures are often used as a warm up before moving into more difficult poses or asanas. I’ve been in enough classes where the entire class was centered around Sun Salutations with the instructor adding extra poses here and there throughout the many repetitions of ups and downs. My best memory of doing Sun Salutations isn’t actually from any class, but from the only home practice I’ve ever done and it was as a pre-teen, with my mother. Everyday, during one summer, my mom would come into my room wearing her black one piece knee length unitard (an ingenious piece of workout wear with nothing to bind your movements and enough coverage to bend over without embarrassing yourself), put on Pachelbel’s Canon in D, and we would salute the sun by doing many repetitions of this asana. It was rad. My body was young and flexible, my mother was always complementary of my poses, and it was a beautiful way for us to spend time together that didn’t involve words, judgements or criticisms. I wish we’d never stopped.
In my family, we are a bunch of sun worshipers in various forms. Whether it be my father’s serious tanning sessions (I can still smell the Hawaiian Tropic from my childhood), to our day long outings to the beach as children, or our most recent day spend on a boat at the lake, none of us can deny how good you feel after a punch of Vitamin D and how nice you look with a tan. I love the sun and how it makes me feel.
There are long stretches during the Boise winter where you can’t feel the sun’s warmth on your skin, and that makes me pretty sad. But there is a moment when you turn your face to that fiery orb on a freezing cold day, and it ever so slightly warms your nose and cheeks. That is hopeful. Then there’s the heat from the past month that is relentless and I do my darnedest to stay out of the sun’s direct line of fire. If there is only one thing that remains constant to every being on this planet, it is the sun and our relationship to it. For the month of August I’ve decided to pay homage to the life giving force that makes me so happy, and makes it possible for life to exist. Sun…I salute you!
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From the garden.
Porter Bear Walking across parallel bars at gymnastics.
Stretching
My own sun worshipper in the making.
Porter’s Grandad got him a Strider Bike, and I now know what Christmas will look like for the next few years. There will be many hugs, much excitement and some levitation.
We celebrated my mom’s birthday this weekend and I’ve done a lot of planning, directing and preparing for the events, which included boating on Saturday and a pot luck dinner on Sunday. Here are the 5 things I’ve learned in the process:
5. Plan ahead – make reservations, decide how the food is going to work (I think pot luck is the way to go), set up appetizers, make lists (thanks Kumar!) 4. Allow sufficient time to make everything clean and pretty before the event starts. 3. Have really good friends involved in case you need essential items, i.e. ice, paper towels. 2. Include good drinks – we had the Lingo’s killer 1-1-1 margaritas, beer, wine, and a pitcher of ice cold drinking water. 1. Decorate! If there is anything I’ve learned from all the children’s books I’ve been reading, a party isn’t a party without decorations. We had balloons hanging from trees and flowers. A little whimsy goes a long way!
Happy Birthday MOM!!!
Chelsea made my favorite chocolate cake in the world it was AMAZING!
Chocolate cake with homemade Magic Strawberry and Custard Vanilla ice creams, made by my brother Steve. The Strawberry is a no cook ice cream and it tastes just like the real thing, it really is magical.
It’s becoming a tradition that Lucy helps my mom blow out her birthday candles. Lucy decided she was responsible for the pink ones. They both did a very good job, wishes should be coming true this year.
I took a bite before deciding to take a picture, I have priorities. This is my favorite dessert, EVER.
Porter noshing on a fresh Lemon Cucumber from the vine.
Uncle Kumar helping Porter live the dream at Fred Meyer.
5. It keeps growing, and the more the merrier! 4. There are always many views and perspectives to be explored. 3. They are people you can trust implicitly. 2. Many hands are very helpful when raising a child. 1. Family gives you opportunities to experience love in all of it’s forms.
My family has come to visit us in Boise and I couldn’t be more grateful for their company. Porter’s Tutu, Grandad and uncles Steve & Kumar are some of my most cherished people on Earth. Congratulations to Auntie Nanna (Anna) and Micah on your engagement!! Porter is lucky to have a kind and caring new uncle, and we’re lucky to have another brother. I love my ever growing family!
Thanks to Uncle Kumar for capturing Porter’s expressions at their best.
5. www.Treehugger.com As it’s name implies, Treehugger’s focus is geared towards the environment and green living. Since it’s purchase by Discovery I feel it’s content is less alternative, but still very interesting.
4.www.Jango.com It’s like Pandora, but better. You get to choose the artists in your play list so you can have many genres playing at one time. Awesome!
3. www.Wikipedia.com Online encyclopedia? Yes, if you trust what your peers are willing to put on there. I love all the possibilities: TV show synopsis’, entire books condensed into Cliff’s notes, random and assorted information on just about everything. And it’s free, hurrah!
2. www.Hulu.com We don’t have cable or satellite, so the free version of Hulu is right up this TV junkies ally.
1. www.YouTube.com It’s better than television and guaranteed to entertain.
Obviously these are common sayings and I am crediting those who’ve said them to me.
5. “Patience is a virtue.” ~My dad 4. “I want Dada!!!” ~Porter’s first complete sentence in a fit of anger and hatred for me and nap time 3. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” ~ Joan my swim coach from The Boys and Girls Club 2. “Be the change you wish to see.” ~Ghandi 1.”If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Don’t give up to easily persistence pays off in the end.”~Challenger School
Porter was playing with the spoons and then got up and went onto the next activity. This is what he left behind. Awesome, no?
Turns out we have a park within half a mile of our house, hurray!
