Halloween :: Scarecrows + Zombies

Cambria Scarecrows

I made a pact with my girlfriend to get away at the end of October, near her birthday.  We made this plan to meet in Cambria back in the early summer, hugged goodbye after a nice long visit and said we'd make it happen.  As mamas, we get so busy in the day-to-day running of our lives with our kids, husbands, households and community obligations that we sometimes forget to stop and recharge.  Sometimes you need a vacation from your every day and we made good on our promise to each other last weekend and met up in the sleepy little central coast town of Cambria.

Before :: After

As an added bonus and delightful surprise, the town was hosting its 5th annual Cambria Scarecrow Festival.  Hundreds (300+) of creative and whimsical scarecrows were scattered throughout the town and that just made us laugh.  We shopped a bit, walked around town, ate a little, but mostly we spent time in our room talking, sipping adult beverages and laughing until it hurt.

MCM coffee table love + Beth Koelker's Day of the Dead Artwork

I have been looking for a coffee table for our living room since we moved in over seven years ago.  And while we have tried to make due over the years with makeshift options, we were in desperate need of a permanent solution.  And then, BAM!...this little mid-century vintage goodness finds me while I'm in Cambria.  I've been looking for a Noguchi-inspired table for over six months (see here, here and here), but not at a Noguchi price tag.  This one fit the bill and the best part about it?  My husband liked it, too.  Not an easy feat, I assure you.  I brought it in, unwrapped the glass and marveled at how the Thrifting Gods always (eventually) come through.  I love that about thrifting.

Pumpkin Carving Contest
1.  Steve's
2. Grady's
3.  The 1st place winner, Mr. Potter

I arrived home just in time to jump in Steve's car and head to the Annual Chute Pumpkin Carving Contest (See 2009, 2011, 2012).  Steve always creates something great and this year was no exception.  He carved an Angry Fly Pumpkin, while Grady opted for...surprise!...a small Throwing Up Pumpkin.  Ten year old boys are so predictable, aren't they?  The Harry Potter pumpkin ended up taking first place, but not without some controversy.  A few years back they created a no tracing rule and, clearly, this guy cheated!  He did trace, but he also was the favorite of the night.  Next year?  I'm already planning for next year and found a lot of inspiration on this clever and creative art website.

Johns Street Trick-o-treaters

On the eve of Halloween, I was washing my little boy's hair in the bathtub and he shared that he didn't want to wear the Jedi Master costume he had picked out for Halloween.  After some tearful confessions about Star Wars being a little kid thing (is it?), he asked if he could be a baseball player zombie.  Ahhh, yes.  The jig is almost up on being something sweet and fun for Halloween.  Heck, I thought I was stretching when I let him wear some thrifted store bought Star Wars costume last year and was relieved when he cut part of it up and put it under the $5 monk's robe we scored earlier in the month.

Zombie Grady + Dragon Giovanni

Nope.  He wanted to be something with blood.   He problem-solved his lack of a costume with a little bit of help from me (and his friend's mom agreed to do a bit of make-up in the morning before school).  He was happy and only a wee bit bloody.

Mom, this is the best Halloween ever!

We trick-or-treated on our small lane and headed over to Tomales wherein the mothers all commented on how easy it all was this year.  The kids ran from house to house quickly, stayed out of the middle of the road without being told 10,000 times and never strayed far from us.  And while all of this is nice, it made me all a little sad to see my sweet boy transform from being a cute little snuggly dragon in preschool to this 5th grade self-imagined zombie character.  I know, I get it.  It happens, they grow up.  But I'm having a hard time with this stage we're in; the in-between stage.  I can still recall the past Halloween costumes and his utter joy at being (mostly) a dog.  He loved dogs so much.  He wore huskie paw covers, barked a lot, crated himself and could get lost in a world of dog stuffed animals for hours on end.  And let us not forget about his total recall of dog breeds from his well-read dog & puppy encyclopedias.  Yes, his shelf of dog books remain untouched lately and I can't bear to give any of them away.

And so, I watched him enjoy this Halloween and tried to soak it all up.  His joy at his tremendous candy haul and new found freedom in voicing what he wants and watching him make that happen.

I felt like one of those scarecrows I saw in Cambria, quietly observing this emerging young man and it wasn't that scary after all.

Shifting

As the season is shifting here, so is our little boy.  He's been trying lots of new things on for size, hanging out in new social circles and learning about new aspects of art, religion and politics.

New website
Grady, age 10 vs. Grady, age 8 painted by Kai Samuels-Davis

Last week I shared that one of Grady's paintings, Invisible World (pictured above left), was selected to be in a local art and literary publication.  He had to prepare an under 30 word artist statement and Steve created a simple website www.gradyhecht.com where he could display some of his artwork.  It's a work in progress, but he thinks it's very cool to have his own domain name.

We attended our first bar mitzvah!  What an amazing family learning experience.  The mid-day religious ceremony was a bit long (2 hours), but we followed along in the prayer books and really loved  all of the music and family involvement.  It was poignant and really resonated with all of us that 13 is indeed a turning point in a young person's life.  I kept calculating in my head how much longer we had with Grady before he turned 13 and readied himself to be more accountable and head down that road to becoming a man.

G hung out near the back of the dance floor for the first part of the night
He slowly inched towards to kids and eventually busted out his dance moves!

The after party was over-the-top, complete with a photo booth, taco bar, DJ, cakes, party favors and a full-blown candy bar.  Grady tentatively watched from the sidelines, as he only knew a few of the kids. The kids traveled in packs around the venue - all girls grouped together and all boys huddled up.  The DJ did a great job of trying to get the kids to interact with games, pop music and then pulling in the adults for added bodies on the dance floor.

Steve and I kept marveling from the back of the room as we watched our little guy slowly infiltrating the herds of boys and girls and finally busting out his dance moves when his favorite song, Thrift Shop, came on over the loud speakers.  He was beaming and so were we.

We're winding down the third 6-week session of the chess club at G's school.  This club has been maxed out every time we've offered it and the kids are an absolute delight to work with.  Watching their slow evolution and game strategy develop has been a real treat for me.

I'm also super excited to help do some ground work on creating a free after school art club on campus, along with another PTA mom.  We're in the initial stages of researching costs, writing letters to local politicians for monetary backing, insurance and working with this year's new art teacher to make it happen.  I'm beyond thrilled and really happy to focus my volunteer efforts on something that is so near and dear to my heart.  Crossing my fingers it all works out!

A few week's back, Grady's teacher gave them a homework assignment to write a persuasive essay about why they shouldn't have to do homework.  If any of the students persuaded the teacher, they wouldn't have to do homework for a week.  I thought this was an awesome assignment.

It also prepared the students for this week's 5th Grade Class Representative election for Student Council.  The assignment was to write a speech and deliver same in front of the class.  I've posted a little video of Grady's speech.

My favorite part of his speech?  The ending.

Please vote for me.  I like pie.

He won.

I like to think that our small town surroundings helped influence his speech.

I also hope it's a sign that we're about to win a lot of pies at this year's Valley Ford Pie Auction.

See, then we all win.

Jog-a-thon + Harvest Cup + Tomales Farm & Flea

Columbus Day weekend was a doozy.  

Every year the annual school jog-a-thon, Wesco Soccer Harvest Cup Tournament and the Tomales Farm & Flea Market just so happen to take place on the same weekend.  All three events!  This year, we participated in all of them.  

Holy moly.

5th Grade Class at Jog-a-thon
Grady levitating on lap 17
G's outfit of choice for this year's school photo

The school only does one major fundraiser for the year and it's the jog-a-thon.  Totally positive event wherein the kids solicit family and friends to sponsor them per lap run.  Last year, G ran a total of 20.  This year, he ran 30 laps in 45 minutes, earning about $300 towards his 5th grade class fund.  I love the fact that he made the calls and put a speech together to pitch to his would-be donors.  We have the kindest friends and family.

I volunteered and worked most of the afternoon tabulating lap sheets and cheering on the kids.  Steve even showed up to cheer the boy on in his final laps, helping G gather up his second wind.  

Shadows at Harvest Cup 2013

Harvest Cup weekend is a two-day event wherein the boys play approximately four matches (spread out throughout the day based on rankings).  While Grady's team ended up in 1st place for the regular season, they finished the tournament in 3rd place.  It was a lot of soccer for the kids, as well as the coaches and parents.  The Shadows lost their first game and tied their second on Saturday and left a little deflated, despite the bright blue hair they were all sporting.

Sunday showed that they were well rested and hungry to get out there, play hard and win.  And that's exactly what they did and that enabled them to bring home a 3rd place ribbon from the tournament.

Vying for best dressed at the soccer awards dinner

The awards ceremony was held a few days ago and the coach encouraged all of the boys to dress up in their finest.  They all looked so handsome in their dress clothes.  G put together this awesome ensemble and was selected by the coach as a finalist for best (or most uniquely) dressed.  

I absolutely love soccer season.  The games are fast-paced, the boys are getting great exercise and gaining knowledge at every practice and game.  This year's coach was a dream coach and taught them field positioning, how to lose gracefully and a lot of life lessons on and off the field.  He really inspired the team and helped me to realize it really isn't about winning or losing, but how you play the game and conduct yourself.  It was a needed reminder for all of us.

Tomales Farm & Flea with Calvin
Star Wars Origami

Sunday morning found me up and out early, early.  I loaded the car and brought G along to help set up his little art booth.  He peddled art prints, art t-shirts and handmade key chains.  I sold off some housewares that have been lingering for years in the garage.  G had to leave mid-morning to get to the remainder of his games with his dad and I held down the fort until the flea market ended.  We sold about half of our goods and G earned a little mad money.

Foggy mornings on our property w/ art studio + henhouse
New painting for upcoming art show (with live honeybee landing on it for inspection)

After the weekend, we needed a serious rest and quickly settled into nesting at home and working on a few projects.  The garden got spruced up, the house got a touch up paint job and I set about making sure our fridge was stocked so that we could cook at home this week.

Oak tree
Apple Harvest
Foxy farm hand husband

Steve harvested the last of our apples from a few of the trees in the lower orchard.  They are the most delicious apples and we have no clue what kind they are.  They are crisp and sweet, almost like a Honey Crisp.  

Grady is really in love with himself lately.  He looks in a mirror every chance he gets and is obsessed with looking cool.  He made a cool-o-meter this week and let his father know that he didn't even measure on the scale.  Ouch.  Poor Steve.

I started a new fitness program challenge with a bunch of local gals.  I've been journaling my food intake, eating at least six servings of fruits and vegetables a day, drinking lots of water, cutting down on my alcohol intake and I even went to a pilates class at the gym.  I feel good, but it's only week one.  I lose stamina and interest at about week three, so I'm going to be aware of that and try to stay the course.

Invisible World by Grady Salas Hecht
Watercolor + pencil on watercolor paper
2011

The last good news of the week was that one of Grady's paintings was selected to be published in the Spring 2014 West Marin Review.  Here was the kind note they sent him:

Dear Grady,

On behalf of West Marin Review, it is a great pleasure to let you know that your art work, “Invisible World” (Submission #5A 082) has been selected for inclusion in the upcoming Volume 5. This edition will be released in Spring 2014. 

Your art was selected from over 300 art submissions that we received from artists across the country. All submissions were arresting and unique, which made for a challenging review and selection process.

Your artwork exhibited the attributes of original eye and perspective, and an ability to affect the panel reviewers in a meaningful way. We are very pleased to feature your work in the upcoming Volume 5—the edition promises to be a compelling read and visually rich. 

West Marin Review

His current private art teacher encouraged him to submit his work to the West Marin Review after he received the crushing news that his Fisherman's Festival art submission was rejected.  We could not be more proud of our little artist.  We are sending off all of the copyright agreements today, as well as a good scan of the image and the artist's bio.  Here is what Grady had to say about himself:

Grady Salas Hecht is a 5th grader at Tomales Elementary School.  He is interested in making art, observing nature, reading and sports.  He lives in Valley Ford.

He should have added that he really likes looking in the mirror, taking selfies on his mom's phone, collecting dead flies, taking 30 minute showers, pancakes and giving his dad a hard time.

October :: Granfondo + 12th Anniversary

October does not disappoint

Life has been so full every single day.  Just when I think I want to come here and write it all down, the next thing is on the calendar and off we go.  I'm not complaining, because I actually like the break it's given me from thinking about what would be pretty to post here or throw up on Instagram.  I like the flow and rhythm we're in right now, as well as the contents of my days, but I also like being the historian for my family, for myself.

MCM chair thrift score!  45 years old with original upholstery and tags

We were out with friends at a museum and Grady casually stated "my mom doesn't really do anything, except lay on her bed and read books".  Huh?  Really?  That's what my son thinks of me?  It stung like a mother f*cker and I let it slowly sink in.

Legion of Honor with Cheryl & Tony

I laughed it off at the moment because I was a little embarrassed, but I really let his impression of me sink in during the two-hour long ride home from San Francisco.  And while I know I do more than lay on my bed and read books, it really bothered me that this is what Grady thinks I do all day.

I decided to share with him what goes into my day as I'm making lists, jumping on the computer to pay bills, readying his breakfast and lunch, scheduling social events, prepping dinner, going to work myself and shuttling him to and from his many sporting events.  I gently reminded him that trips to the library, museums, chess club and shopping don't happen without a mom willing to do the driving.

He was immediately sorry for what he said and that wasn't what I was going for.  I didn't want to chastise him for his thoughts, but I did want to engage him in a conversation about the value of what I do for our family.  Quite honestly, I think I make it look too easy.  I think a lot of moms do.

I also thought it was important for him to value what I do as a mother, wife, friend, neighbor and community volunteer.  I wanted him to value this in all women and realized I've been a little neglectful in valuing myself.  And so, here we go with another tweak to our days - sharing all that goes into making our household run, WITHOUT BEING A MARTYR.  I have my work cut out for me, but since I am woman - no problem.  I'll make it look easy. ;-)

There has been much to celebrate these days with little Sophia (my goddaughter) turning 10 and a group of my close friends walking in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in San Francisco last weekend.  We cheered them on and enjoyed this perfect weather that the last weekend in September affords us year after year.  We also welcomed the autumnal equinox and enjoyed sunrises that have been out of this world.

The guys participated in Levi Leipheimer's Granfondo event this past weekend with the Rangel women.  They opted for the Piccolo route which was 32 miles of bicycle riding through picturesque West Sonoma County.  They finished in a little over four hours, one bike crash (no substantial injuries) and I was so proud of them.  They had trained little and that concerned this lady, but in the end the experience strengthened their resolve to train for next year's ride.

Grady, Steve & Isabella rode together for most of the ride and Sophia & Stephanie powered through a little farther back.  I absolutely love seeing what strong and sweet kids we are helping to navigate this world.  I have no doubt that these memories and experiences will galvanize them as friends and help them to become good citizens of this earth.

I didn't play a lot of sports growing up, but I'm slowing understanding the value of Grady being part of a team and trying new things on for size.  His soccer team just battled for first place in the Under 12 division and the lessons learned from his coach have been invaluable.  Next up...basketball season.

Our his + her stack for this month

Our library visits have morphed and changed over the last year or so.  Not so long ago my boy was reading with a big goal in sight (he read 417 books in 2012!), but since school let out last June it's been all about pleasure reading.  He can quickly fill his book bag and max out his library card with 30 books, most of those being graphic novels.

I've been doing my fair share of research and adding a few books to our mobile library list.  He used to just dive into whatever I recommended, but he's pickier these days and it's getting harder to entice him with award-winning authors.  I have found that if I at least start the book for him or read the inside jacket, he'll give it a whirl - but only if it strikes his fancy.  If not, it's cast out.  If he doesn't care for the title or cover artwork - gone!  He's ruthless right now, but still reading up a storm (on his terms).

I was having a conversation about e-readers the other day with a friend and Grady piped up that he didn't ever want one.  It would seem a natural fit, since he flies through books, but he shared that he likes going to the library too much and holding an actual book in his hand.  This was one of my proudest mama moments of late.  And while the appeal of an iPod touch still floats around in his head, the iPad or Nook or Kindle are not something I have to worry about for right now.

"12 Years" a Portrait of Us by Grady Salas Hecht
Us back in 1998

This blog had it's six year anniversary on October 1st.  I can't believe I've been coming here to write tidbits about our life for that long.  Odd and satisfying at the same time.

Speaking of anniversaries, we celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary on Sunday.  We spent the day as a family shopping, having lunch and watching a documentary about the Impressionists.  Quiet, relaxing and just what we needed.  Grady drew a portrait of us as we sat in our respective chairs Sunday evening.

Best present ever.