Admitting that I didn’t follow through on a challenge is kinda lame, but that’s what I’m going to have to do. My August challenge of doing Sun Salutations daily was a total flop. Honestly, it was just a busy and long month and I totally spaced it all. In fact, I’m happy that August is over and we can hopefully move into cooler, less smokey autumn weather. This summer has been a hot and smokey mess. I’m over it and ready for the anticipation that comes with September.

September’s challenge is a riff on last months, only I think it’s more achievable. My goal this month is to be active everyday. That means that if I ride my bike to the Library, take a walk/run, or do stretching I will have achieved my goal for the day. September is a great time of year to get out of the house and around town by bike.

Here are some pictures from the last weekend. We celebrated my 32nd birthday with hot air balloons and birthday cake. The whole nation even took Monday off to celebrate with us.

Straddling the Strider wearing a crane shirt. Very exciting to be a boy.

Luke took me to the batting cages and go karting for a birthday date. It was RAD.

Eating popcorn. Alton.

Porter is so enamored with Lucy that I can never get him to look at the camera when they’re together. It was a thrilling first ride in the bike trailer. Lucy got to experience the little brother she never wanted.

This is the, “what the hell’s going on mom?!” face. Plus I got a sweet new ‘do for 32 and I LOVE it.

Chelsea and I squealed and jumped with delight when Micky turned our direction. The kids looked a us like we’re crazy. This is why we teach, it works with other peoples kids.

Practicing rolling around. We’re working on log rolls. I guess we have a ways to go.

Porter takes after me!

Color guard!

After MUCH anticipation, the sun went down and the balloons went up.

The balloons can’t stay lit up for very long because they are tethered to the ground, so this event involved a lot of counting down for a few seconds of balloon glow. But is sure is pretty.

The start of a yawn. We stayed up very late to celebrate my birthday and Porter still managed to wake up at 6am.

Beautiful birthday flowers from Anna.

Chocolate birthday cake (by Chelsea) and strawberry ice cream (by me). Yumm!

We celebrated Labor Day by going to the zoo as a family. I think Porter’s favorite parts were the Wallaby Walk-a-bout and getting to hold both Mama and Dada’s hands at the same time. We were pretty tender.

At the top of the hill.

In preparation for September’s challenge I decided that Porter and I would hike the lower loop of the Table Rock trail. I don’t know the exact number, but it’s about 1.5 miles. I put Porter in the backpack for the first half which is all up hill. There was much sweating on my part and oh-ing and awe-ing from the backpack. We had a quick snack under the ONLY tree on the trail, but that was cut short due to some overly interested bees. I thought it would be nice to let Porter walk the flat portion on the way back, which he did and loved. He loved it so much that he walked the entire way back to the car. I’m pretty confident that it’s the furthest he’s ever walked. He asked to be picked up twice and I told him he could ride in the backpack, but he chose to continue walking. It took about an hour, but he was adamant about hiking with me and climbing atop every “big bump” (rock) no matter how big or small. It was seriously impressive for such a little guy (19 months). I’m excited for the fun we’re going to be able to have in the future, and for when he can carry me uphill in a backpack.

On top of the biggest “big bump” almost at the end of the trail. He was so freakin’ proud. When we finished he kept saying “I did it! I did it!” His shirt pretty much sums it up, he’s the coolest dude around.

Porter and I had an awesome morning riding the big bike (my bike) all over town. We  got smoothies, went to the bike shop to have my inner tubes replaced and re-gued (damn you goat heads!) Then we rode over to the Library, where for the first time Porter got to login to the computers and play games. Okay, so he put on the headphones while I did most of the work, but he did help Thomas the train correctly identify various loads of animals and goods for delivery. This was a big deal since every single time we’ve been to the Library Porter saddles up to the kids computers and wonders how on earth to make them work.

Porter’s also been really really into Finding Nemo. Ever since he was sick and got to watch it all day long he requests it at various times throughout the day. I’m not fretting too much because he gets all sorts of outside time, reading time, and other types of stimulus. I also understand the appeal of the boob toob since I often find solace in TV shows and movies. Some of my current favorites are Downton Abbey (season 3 starting in September!!), Dexter, Breaking Bad, Grey’s Anatomy (I know, but I’ve been a fan for like half a decade). It’s a nice way to unwind from our hyper stimulating world and I’ll admit that it’s a habit that I’m not going to kick.

Recently I read this blog post about NOT limiting screen time. I don’t think it’s the strongest argument for unlimited screen time, but it brings up a couple of valuable points. Plus it makes me feel a little better about our family’s screen time. We live in an ever increasingly tech world, my husband is an IT manager and to deny the existence of computers and televisions is futile. So bring it technology. I’m ready to guide and facilitate my child’s ever growing fascination with you and your bright images, enticing keyboard clicks and the potential of your mystical worlds.

Screen time at the Library, so EXCITING!

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.

A throw back to our wedding in 2008 from Ashley.

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!

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!

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.

Swimming at Tutu and Grandad’s hotel pool.