summer freedom

Do you remember the thrill of going to putt-putt as a kid?  Giant animal statues, waterfalls and windmills to walk through.  Even when we went on a beach vacation, it didn't feel like fun until we'd hit the mini-golf course.

Now, as a parent, I've got to admit that putt-putt is a little more nerve racking.  Swinging clubs, hard golf balls flying off the course, crying when that ball just won't go in the hole, nearby blue water to fall in.  It's not my first choice when I think of fun.

But, Carmen got her first golf lesson last weekend at Juan Pablo's work party.

The big kids started out serious wanting to keep score.  Yeah, that's not going to happen with little Carmen around, so we let them go on ahead and have fun without us.

Carmen was more like a golden retriever, as soon as you hit your ball she was off down the course trying to pick it up.  Pretty much a ball thief.

But this was one of the best games of mini-golf I've ever played.  No scoring is the way to go.  Plus it had just rained a few hours before and cooled the evening down drastically.  So while the turf was soggy and some of the holes were filled with water, it felt perfect out.

Diego has always loved golf.  He's a little wild with the club, but he loved trying for that hole in one. That is until he and I went back after 9:00PM for one more round.  He actually was yelling at me at one point.  "Mom!  You can't always tell me what to do!"  (I was simply suggesting he hit his ball straight between two rocks.  Sheesh!)

It got so bad, I left him a few holes behind.  One of Juan Pablo's coworkers saw me alone and was concerned. "Susan, are you putting all by yourself?!"  Ha! I had to laugh and explained that Diego was losing it a few holes back, so I had to move on without him.

And this is the face of someone that is too short to ride in the adult go-karts.

I didn't try the go karts, but Daddy and the big kids stayed here most of the night.  Apparently, Isabela is a beast on the track and wouldn't let anybody pass her.  Juan Pablo informed me, "She's never getting her license."

Diego couldn't wait to get in one of the batting cages.  I had images of him wandering into the 70mph ball cage and getting whacked in the head, but the slow pitch softball made him happy.

He's always been a great hitter.  

But mom doesn't normally throw that fast, and he was feeling it in his little arms.

He came out smiling and ready for me to sign him up.  Looks like a pro to me.  Maybe one day.

As much as I want to plan out our summer so it doesn't whoosh by, I have a feeling it's just going to happen to us like it did this night.  As long as we look back and laugh when it's bad and tear up when it's good, a summer of freedom is fine by me.

first road trip of the summer

My cousin's family knows how to throw a party.  An invitation went out, and the kids were begging to go.  And so we headed north for our first road trip of the summer.  Just the kids and I...poor Daddy had to work.

Of course, traffic was a beast.

I took votes several times along the way if we should turn around or keep going.  The answer was always, "Keep going!"

Right now, I can't remember how we kept ourselves entertained.  I'm an old-fashioned traveler, no electronic devices...just the radio and our minds to keep us occupied.  We played I Spy for a bit, danced to Honey, I'm Good, and talked.

We did have to break into the homeless snack bag halfway up.  Our church always thoughtfully provides ziplock bags packed with crackers, trail mix, water and other stuff just before summer with the hope that we will hand these bags out to homeless people in need.  Truly, it never fails that the very next weekend, we go on a road trip and the only thing in the car to eat are the homeless snacks.  We're shameful, I know.

On the flip side,  we have been known to U-turn to hand a homeless man a $5 bill and pass an apple out the window.

The pool at the party house was beautiful and heated to 88 degrees.  Perfect.

Carmen clung to Isabela.  While she usually prefers to hang with the boys, their wild water play was more than she wanted.  

Her big sister was the safest alternative.

These little doggies (there were three of them) were just the right size for Carmen.  She's normally scared of dogs, but these were more like stuffed animals.

And then, all at once, she was done with the pool.  She was ready to change and see what else there was to do.

I thought she might like to take a nap on the pool chair, but that was silly of me.

We ended up exploring the basement, with its cool animal seats.

And the boys began a serious game of foosball.

They were sweet to let Carmen participate by holding the handles nobody wanted.

When this float finally got blown up, there was another round of pool play.  That rocking horse was more of a bucking bronco in the water.

We're glad no one cracked their head open.

Just when it was time to leave, the whole reason we came up arrived.  Annum and her mommy and daddy.  The birthday girl.

She had an amazing decoration of a balloon octopus...

...and one beautiful cake.

Make a wish, Sweet Anaum, three is a wonderful year!

The boys nicely kicked Carmen's ball into a tree just before it was time to leave.  Isabela used the pool cleaner net to reach it.  Very creative.  The ball has since developed some invisible holes and spends most of its time deflated on the floor.  I guess they shouldn't have kicked it as hard as a soccer ball.

We left for home around 9pm.  No traffic at all and sleeping children all the way.  

Road trips are daunting in the beginning, but if I can only remember how wonderful they end, and all the fun in between, we might be able to take more of them this summer.

a two-minute story

Last night we brought Chipotle home for dinner.  We would have eaten in the restaurant, but my ten-year-old son left the house with no shoes on.  Don't ask me how that is possible.  It happens often.

Anyway, they gave us our rice bowls in a large paper bag.  The kids were reading it at dinner like people read their cereal boxes in the morning.  Joaquin decided to read it out loud.  It almost made my eyes tear up.  A story meant to be shared.

TWO-MINUTE ALCHEMY by Paulo Coelho

A legend tells of a man who used to carry water every day to his village, using two large pitchers tied on either end of a piece of wood, which he placed across his shoulders.

One of the pitchers was older than the other and was full of small cracks; every time the man came back along the path to his house, half of the water was lost.

For two years, the man made the same journey.  The younger pitcher was always very proud of the way it did its work and was sure that it was up to the task for which it had been created, while the other pitcher was mortally ashamed that it could carry out only half its task, even though it knew that the cracks were the result of long years of work.  

So ashamed was the old pitcher that, one day, while the man was preparing to fill it up with water from the well, it decided to speak to him.

"I wish to apologize because, due to my age, you only manage to take home half the water you fill me with, and thus quench only half the thirst awaiting you in your house."

The man smiled and said:  "When we go back, be sure to take a careful look at the path."

The pitcher did as the man asked and noticed many flowers and plants growing along one side of the path.

"Do you see how much more beautiful nature is on your side of the road?" the man remarked.  "I knew you had cracks, but I decided to take advantage of them.  I sowed vegetables and flowers there, and you always watered them.  I've picked dozens of roses to decorate my house, and my children have had lettuce, cabbage and onions to eat.  If you were not the way you are, I could never have done this.  We all, at some point, grow old and acquire other qualities, and these can always be turned to good advantage."

Maybe it's because I've been tending our school gardens for several years; it's hard work, but gratifying, beautiful, and surprising.  Maybe it's because that man had to travel long and hard for his water.  Maybe it's because I'm forty and can feel it.  What a sweet story.

Thanks, Chipotle!

health fair

Our school had a health fair the other night to go along with the book fair.  Since I'm part of the garden club, I thought we should participate.

I had way too much fun painting this photo prop.  Diego helped me with the background, but I got a little defensive when it was time to paint the details.  I always forget how much I love to paint until I'm actually doing it.

Isabela was a HUGE help at the garden booth...we were planting seeds.   The baby pool was a big draw...the kids would come running over --I guess thinking there was water in it--and were surprised to see a big tub of dirt.

Carmen, Diego and Daddy took a peek at the chickens.  There was also a farm bus with fresh produce, a soccer game area, a kids yoga instructor with lots of mats, food trucks...and donuts.  I'm not sure why the donuts were there, but I heard they were a big hit. 

We stuck with Kona Ice.

I think we got the most use out of the bug pictures.

The apple core was Isabela's idea.  The worm cracks me up.

And I think it's safe to say Carmen has discovered her tongue.  She is still very attached to her pacifier, and when I have her take it out, she loves to stick her tongue out.

Yep, she's something else.

zoo trip

Let's start with some pictures of little Carmen.  I've been experimenting with her hair.  She lets me, something I could never convince Isabela to do.

That's not how you say "Cheese".

Carmen and I met Diego and his class at the zoo the other day (along with MANY other schools).    That's something important to remember when you want to become a zoologist...there will be lots of kids around, not just animals.

These monkeys were in a deep conversation with the ones across the pathway.  We must have listened to them for fifteen minutes.

Here's one of the ones they were talking to...doesn't he look like a mini-big foot?

This friendly macaw said hello to us many times.

Carmen's peering at the giraffes...this was really her first time to the zoo except as a baby, so I couldn't wait to see how she reacted.  Interested, but cautious.

We took a stroll through the parakeet cage.  I got distracted at one point, and when I looked back, Carmen had crossed over the ropes and headed into bird-only territory.  I caught her just in time.

The peacocks are the kings of the zoo...free to roam all over the place.  I bet the other animals are jealous.

And here we go with the snow cone tradition.

Carmen and I bought a zoo pass for the year...I better hurry up and use it some before the other kids get out of school!

My future scientist...this boy sure knows a lot about animals and nature.  Thank you, PBS and Wild Kratts.