Happy Campers :: CYO & Bodega Bay

I've officially fallen into summer.  As soon as school gets out, I'm ambitious and still get up around 6:30 am and shuffle about the house doing my morning routine.  I make big plans, scribble to-do lists and sit down to write on my blog every single morning before the guys wake up.

And then life starts to get busy and I realize I want to be participating in it instead of documenting it and I'm okay with that, but that's why you see a string of posts and then...radio silence.  I'll catch you up on the last few weeks here in this gigantic summer-lovin' post.

Sheepy goes to camp
Growth chart on G's door jamb
Reunited Mother + Son 

G packed up for the overnight portion of CYO Camp.  I love that he brought this stuffed animal with him.  It may be the last year for this little sheep to travel and be seen.  G was really excited and just hollered "BYE, MOM!" and bounded down the steps towards his father, who was waiting in an idling car just outside our home.

And just like that, he's confident, independent and eager for an adventure.  It's what a parent hopes for and still I was a little emotional at how he just bolted out the door.  I busied myself during the day, we dined with friends that evening and when I woke up Friday morning...the house was still eerily quiet.  I couldn't wait to pick him up and hear all about his overnight fun.  I counted down the minutes until 4:15 pm.

When we arrived, he was utterly and thoroughly exhausted.  He barely spoke.  We quickly fed him pizza from the Union Hotel and shuttled him home for a nice, warm bath.  I washed his long, golden hair and he quietly told me about sleeping under the stars, how much fun he had swimming and what being a Waste Warrior entailed (eating all of your food, every day).

And, yes, another hand-carved redwood cross adorned his neck.  A gift from his amazing camp counselors.

Dr. Bob + G + Pineapple upside-down cake
Origami Dr. Bob

We helped celebrate Papa Bob's 72nd birthday.  G busted out this origami in his likeness and gifted it to him, along with a promise of a future lunch date.

Summer Fun

Summer has just been full of so many wonderful opportunities to learn.  And while reading has not been on the top of the boy's list this summer (remember last summer?  He read 110 books!), we have been playing new games, creating art, cooking and watching Arrested Development as a family (I know, I know, slightly inappropriate - but we love it!).

BHHA pool, golf + tennis camp 2013

Our dear friends let us use their home in Bodega Bay every July, so that Grady can attend the golf and tennis camps offered there.  We really settle in and I love being so close to the beach, old friends and within walking distance to the pool, bird sanctuary & Pacific Ocean.

Camp friends + fun

We got into a really good groove this year with golf camp first thing in the morning, a quick lunch together, tennis lessons and then we'd hang by the pool for an hour or two.  Every.  Single.  Day.

Pool time with dad + camp friends

We see the same kids almost every year and it's been fun to watch as they get older, more skilled at their sport and the ease at which they slip into play together.

Tennis Camp 10-12 year olds

Grady fell in love with tennis.  Every year he says it's his favorite part of camp.  He had the highest volley count at 108 and really wants to take more lessons.  

Arch Rock + Casa de Mahley

The week also afforded us time to quietly hang out as a family.  Bodega Bay is only seven miles away from Valley Ford, but we really try to sink into vacation during this week away from home.  

Happiest boy on the planet

As the week came to an end, the pull of home and obligations started to pile up.  I went for a 10 mile hike along the Sonoma Coast with a group of girlfriends.  Steve and Grady played tennis.  We had lunch in the clubhouse and said farewell to our Bodega Bay friends.

We slowly packed up, talked about all of the fun we had and drove the short jaunt home in silence.

We were ready to come home.

We were happy campers.

Summertime Bounty + Neighborly Gifts

Tomales Elementary School Student Garden

:: Beula's freshly canned, still warm jar of bread and butter pickles.

:: A yell from our neighbor, a walk to the lower pasture for a plate full of warm, just caught yesterday, salmon.

:: "Free" zucchini gifted from the pile accumulating at our little post office.

:: Renegade gardening in the school garden for strawberries, lettuces and dahlias.

:: Foraged yellow plums = two plum upside down cakes.

:: Another delicious salmon dinner shared at a sturdy, weathered table with friends.

:: Getting the call...do you have any fresh herbs I can use tonight?  Why, yes, yes I do.

:: Nibbles and nosh on our front deck until the sun sets.

:: I heart summer.

Love letter to CYO Camp

Dear CYO Camp,

Last year was Grady's first year at your summer day camp.  To be honest, we were a little hesitant to send him, as the C in CYO stood for Catholic.  I know, I know, we are religiously bereft parents and were making a lot of assumptions.  All of our fears subsided upon learning that the lead director had no religious affiliation and the focus was on nature, respect & independence.  I'm so glad our son attended and he's been counting down the days until this year's camp session.

Yesterday's camp highlights were:

• Scrub Club initiation = falling down on accident (accomplished by falling off the trail while hiking)
• Best chicken fingers of his entire life
• Swimming without poop in the pool (see yesterday's entry regarding same)
• Learning camp songs
• The art of tie-dyeing
• Learning about meditation & body, mind, spirit associations 
• Listened to the clean version of the song Thriftshop (and then asked if honkey & piss were bad words)
• Friendship bracelet making
• Favorite counselors = Anna & Sally

I love how full his days have been and how incredible the counselors are.  Naming all challenging tasks a club is genius.  And how you get them to eat all of their food, drink plenty of water & apply sunscreen is clever!  I'm definitely taking a few notes from your staff.  It makes this mama feel so, so good knowing he is in your care.

Tonight is the sleepover portion of camp.  Last year, he was nervous and unsure if he would want to stay the night.  This year, he packed up his own bag, charged the batteries for his flashlight, barely gave me a kiss goodbye this morning and off he went.  The growth and maturity that has happened this week is a wonder.

He came home with a whittled wooden cross last year that he wore as a necklace and told me he now had a forever family and that he attended church in an outdoor cathedral.  My eyebrows arched and I exchanged a quiet glance with my husband.  We said nothing and he wore the necklace for a week straight.

This year, I look forward to his time in the cathedral of trees with his new friends and receiving handmade gifts from the counselors who he adores and idolizes.  I can't wait to hear all about the new adventures he had and the s'mores count from the sleepover.  

Thank you for teaching my boy so much this summer and being part of our forever family.

Signed,

Grady's mom

Summer 2013 :: Day 33 (CYO Camp)

:: Hard Core Club initiation = eating every last bit of an apple, except the seeds + the stem!  Grady chose to eat the seeds, too.

:: Archery.

:: Pool time consisted of someone (not Grady!) going #2 in the pool.  Gross.

:: Banana Slug Club = kissing a banana slug.  Weird.  His lips tingled.

:: Predator vs. Prey (the name of this game mildly concerns me...;-).  Someone went #2, again, in the forest.  Double gross.

:: Trip to the local library to stock up on books about Alaska.

:: Steve is breaking down old fencing around the property.

:: I made salmon fish tacos & cabbage slaw tonight.  My new favorite, easy summer dinner.

:: We watched a fascinating PBS documentary Murder of Crows before falling into bed.

Summer 2013 :: Day 32 (CYO Camp!)

He chose to wear this hand-me-down sweatshirt...I swear.

:: First day of CYO Camp in Occidental.

:: Nachos for lunch was a highlight.

:: Polar Bear Club initiation = sticking your head in freezing cold creek water for 10 seconds.

:: Made rock paint + painted his face with it.

:: Came home filthy, tired, hungry and so very, very happy.

Summer 2013 :: Day 31

10 year old Grace "July" Hickman performs as beggar + factory worker

:: Sleeping in.

:: Sunday matinee of Les Miserables put on by the Roustabout Theatre at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts.

:: Grady purchases flowers for his friend Grace, who has recently renamed herself "July",  to congratulate & celebrate her performance.  His first purchased bouquet for a young lady.

:: G working on art commission rendering of the Union Hotel in Occidental.

:: Our broody black hen has been sitting atop & hoarding eggs in the hen house.  

Summer 2013 :: Day 30

:: Gifts from our 83 year old neighbor - Dead hummingbird carcass for Grady & freshly canned pickles for our family.  Funny combo.

:: Alaska tickets secured!!!  We are going to meet up with the Rangel women and have another summer  adventure with those strong, amazing ladies.  G will attend this camp with Isabella & Sophia in Homer, Alaska.

:: Spent the afternoon playing bocce at one of Steve's clients' home in Graton.  Their home is beautiful and the garden, art & bocce court were stunning.  Grady was the only kid there, but he had a nice competitive time playing against the adults.

:: Found out the politician I work for got arrested last night.  What the hell...?

:: Started watching Season One of Arrested Development as a family.  Mildly inappropriate, but over G's head for the most part.

Summer 2013 :: Day 29

Last Day of Summer Academy
Grady, age 10

:: Still researching how to get to Alaska this summer and hoping to rendezvous with this lady and her family!

:: Realizing how much I love Instagram and the new friendships created through this form of social media.  Just when I think I'm too old to make new friends, I go and make new friends with mamas I've never actually met.  And, I like them very, very much.

:: Grady completed his three week summer academy, with a focus on animal anatomy & art.  He didn't complain once about getting up and going in, but he is relieved he can sleep in tomorrow.

:: Field trip with the Gorans today to Falcon Spirits.  The kids learned how to distill mint and concocted their own recipe for mint-infused lemonade.  The adults sipped Botanica gin, toured the facility and we were served a beautiful, delicious Mercy Mercy (my new favorite cocktail).  I can't wait to replicate at home.

:: Dinner at the colorful and tasty Tacubaya in Berkeley.  Note to self - get the churros next time!

:: Field trip to Ledger's Liquors to acquire a bottle of the small production Botanica gin that we sampled earlier in the day.  This store was AMAZING.  Been around since 1935 and has anything and everything you could want.

:: Felt good to get out of town for us country dwellers.

Summer 2013 :: Day 28

The epistolary novels

:: Bodega Bay, Sebastopol, Santa Rosa, Tomales, Bodega Bay, Valley Ford.  All before 1 pm.  Whew!

::  My Babylon book club meeting was hosted at Jill's house, just down the lane from me.  Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple gave us all plenty to talk about.  Seattle, geniuses, helicopter parenting, Microsoft culture, the many forms of communication in this modern era and the epistolary novel format.  Good food, wine & lots of laughter.

:: G's first art lesson using collage with the oh-so talented watercolorist, Jean Warren.  She is such a soft spoken creative and he loves spending one-on-one time with her at her home studio.

:: Afternoon play date with a grandson of one of Steve's clients.

:: Short Tail Gulch lazer tag session.

:: Fireworks.  Ilegal on the coast.  Oops!

:: First viewing of a Dr. Who episode (a little scary for the boy).

:: 10 pm curfew.  The boy fell into bed from his fun-filled, busy day.

:: Pokemon-mania is back and I still don't get it. ;-)

Summer 2013 :: Day 27

:: I spent hours and hours plotting and planning a last minute trip to Alaska.  Crossing my fingers it works out!

:: 1st soccer practice of the season with new coach + all new kids.

:: Chinese take-out saves us all at the end of the day.

:: Grady had a friend sleepover tonight and pre-bedtime showers, Lego making sessions & boy talk were sweet to witness and eavesdrop in on.

Summer 2013 :: Day 26

Russian River sunset 

:: G was Lego building with his good friend, Calvin, for 5+ hours today.  They are totally into it.

:: 4 mile hike up Middle Road this evening for me.

:: Fish tacos for dinner.  My boy ate 3!  His appetite & attitude towards food is changing for the better.  Only 10 years in the making...

:: Quiet, calm summer evening.

:: We all retreated to corners of our home after dinner with our chosen books and laptops and lulled ourselves into sleepiness.

Summer 2013 :: Day 25

SLO Mission post-rain storm last week

:: Early morning rising was tough for all of us.  It's the last Monday of summer school!

:: Catching up on my handwritten correspondence to-do list and sending care packages out into the world.  One of my favorite things to do.

:: After school play date that resulted in hours of building a Lego "maul" - complete with husbands, wives, children, brochures, stores and a hot mess of teeny, tiny Legos.  To be continued tomorrow...

:: Scouring the kitchen to put together some sort of dinner for our little family + a friendly neighbor.

:: Reading The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg.

:: Insomnia.

Summer 2013 :: Days 20 - 24 w/ The Christiansen Clan

The Christiansen Boys + Rangel Girls + Their Crazy Parents 2013

:: Summertime.  And the living is easy.  Yes, easy.

:: Our best friends arrived from Southern California and we soaked up every ounce of outdoor fun and sunshine that we could.  

:: Days and evenings were spent on our front deck.

:: The Big Chill.  Took three nights to finish, but it was my first time viewing.  Loved it.

:: Marshmallow gun fights.  

:: Pool time.

:: Water guns + hoses = water war.

:: The Russian River + canoes & kayaks.

:: Bonfire + s'mores.

:: Fireworks.

:: Grady took 3rd place for his age group in the ice cream eating contest at The Rocky Games!

:: Plotting & planning for future fun.

:: Bangs, bruises, sunburns + hangovers.

:: Laughing.  Always laughing.

Summer 2013 :: Day 19

The three musketeers!

:: Today was a day to see how much we could pack in before 4 pm!  Summer school, golf, swimming in the Russian River, BBQ with friends, library visit, grocery shopping, water and tend to the garden and work.  Whew.

:: Kacy and the boys arrived late afternoon.

:: Amanda Soule's Carrot Tomato Soup was the perfect dinner, as the July fog rolled in with Kacy.

:: Martinis.

:: Boys went to bed with filthy feet and smiles on their tired faces.

Summer 2013 :: Day 18

:: Early morning landscaping crew here to do a major clean-up and haul away of yard debris on our one acre parcel.

:: Our best friends arrive tomorrow!  The countdown has begun...

:: Spontaneous Walt Disney Family Museum field trip with G after summer school.  Maurice Sendak Exhibit - 50 Years. 50 Works. 50 Reasons.  Sendak is such an amazing artist and there were video interviews, quotes from people he influenced, lithographs, interactive drawing and writing prompts, a small library of his books, as well as amazing decals of Max and The Wild Things.

:: Camille Rose Garcia's Exhibit Down the Rabbit Hole.  Dark, intriguing and lots of purple.

:: Mother-son dinner date in Petaluma, complete with chocolate mousse for dessert and a quick stroll through the children's literature section at Copperfield's Bookstore.

:: Quick game of baseball with our neighbors before bedtime.

:: G cracked open my hardback copy of Alice in Wonderland & Through The Looking Glass, an Illustrated Junior Library Edition from 1976.  I think he'll love it.

:: House windows open all night long.

:: Today was my favorite day.