My favorite summer things

Last week felt like the perfect summer week and was filled with some of my favorite summer things:

1.  Books - it is no secret to any of you who know me that I love books.  Love reading, love bookstores, love author events, love talking about books, love thinking about what I'm going to read next, love reading books to my boy.  Love books.  This summer has allowed me to read more than usual (hooray!), spend more time at the library, and spend time outside reading the additional said books that I get at the library.

I'm sort of in love with Maisie Dobbs right now.  I just finished the sixth book in the series, and am about to start the seventh.  Her books make me realize a) how much I like historical fiction (some might call these mysteries, but I think of them more as historical fiction) and b) make me want to go to Europe.

I'm also reading a really interesting book called Homeward Bound: Why Women Are Embracing the New Domesticity by Emily Matchar.  Remember when I was listening to the autobiography of Steve Jobs and I managed to work it into most of my conversations?  That's sort of how I feel about Homeward Bound right now.  Matchar writes about how things have been shifting in our culture and the various pieces - urban chickens, domestic blogs, retro cookery, attachment parenting - are more than just a trend.  As I have been reading, I have almost wanted to take notes.  If this was my copy and not from the library, I probably would be marking in the book. She writes about how women who blog about food, craft projects, etc. have many others who view their blog and photos, give feedback, and allow some of these women to get reinforced for the work that they put in at home rather than at the office.

I skipped the chapter on knitting and crafts because, let's be honest, I don't do that.  I will say that my dream is to one day quilt, but that's not on the table for years and years.

Right now I am reading the chapter on food (called "Cupcake Feminists, Hipster Jam Canners, and "Femivores": The Rise of the DIY Food Culture").  She says right at the beginning, "It's not about buying stuff these days, it's about making it (if you're middle-class, liberal, and white, that is)."  Ouch, but so true.  She references some of the books that truly made me change my views on food (Kingsolver and Pollan) and the movie Food, Inc.  I had all of these ideas about how I was going to feed our family and how I wanted to buy local and organic, but then time and money got in the way.  She actually has a section of the chapter called "Women, Food, and Guilt: Suffering the High Standards of Today's Food Culture."  I have had several moments of feeling bad about not buying organic apples or strawberries (I know they're on the "Top 12" list), feeding my kid hot dogs that aren't nitrate free (hey, he eats them!), and not buying local as much as I'd like.

2.  Walks/hikes in nice summer weather - last week I went on two great walks while Trey was at daycare.  On Tuesday I went to Cooper Mountain Nature Park with Nyree, went on an awesome walk which equated to 46 flights of stairs on my fitbit, and then came home and had mimosas on the deck.  Perfection!!

On Thursday, I went on another hill walk with Kerry around Portland Heights.  This one equated to over 40 flights of stairs as well on the fitbit.  We walked around some really fancy houses and had some great views.  Then we went to lunch at Vista Spring Cafe.  Super cute, outdoor seating, great food, delicious beer, fabulous company.  Such a good day.

3. Summer classes - It makes me really sad when I think about parents who work full-time and can't participate in classes with their kids.  It makes me super grateful that I have summer time to do different types of activities with Trey that I can't do during the school year when we are in the grind of daily life/work/dinner/chores/bedtime/rinse/repeat.

This summer Trey and I are doing swimming, art class, and trampoline class.  I have been really impressed with the Tualatin Hills Parks and Rec classes (art and trampoline).  Trey has been so engaged and he seems to have a lot of fun.

Trey running the relay race 

Sweet Grady 

Chowing down on freshly picked blueberries after trampoline class 

4. Dining al fresco - there's not much I love more about summer than dining outside.  I thought I'd really miss the deck at our old house, but I like the deck at our new house even better.  We have been enjoying several meals outside during our nice stretch of weather.

Dinner with Kris 

This time I made the margaritas.  

I told Kris the only thing better about these margaritas than hers 

was that she got to sit and enjoy them rather than make them.

Saturday night Yahtzee after dinner 

Using my parents' old Yahtzee game with the retro-dice thrower

5.  Extra time with Trey - my boy has been killing me lately with his sense of humor, drama, music, silliness, and all around spirit.   I'd say my all time favorite thing about summer is watching him grow and learn and being able to spend so much time with him experiencing things as he experiences them (I also like Tuesdays and Thursdays when he goes to daycare...don't get me wrong).  

During some morning gardening, Trey needed to wear his raincoat, rain boots, snow hat, and snow gloves.  I told him it was sunny and he didn't need those things which were for winter, but he did not care and demanded this attire.  Okay, kid, whatever floats your boat.

As Trey rode Blackie, we played "store."  He asked me what I wanted and I would request an item.  This is where he said that apples come from cows (he really does know where they come from - I asked him later) and strawberries come from the refrigerator.  As an adult I just saw broccoli grow from a plant a few years ago, and I think last summer was the first time I actually saw peaches on trees.  I do not want this to be the same experience for Trey, and this conversation definitely motivated me in the gardening department.

Picnic in the park before art class 

Trey is really in to his horse right now, which, of course, includes bathing.  I'm not totally thrilled to have water and soap on the floor as Trey washes Blackie, but he gets so excited (and persistent) about it that it's hard to refuse.  

And, finally, just so I have record of it, last week included three really awesome bedtime stories.  On the first night, as I was reading Trey his last story lying next to him in bed, he said to me, "I really like you, mama."  On the second night, same situation and he said, "I love you, mama."  (He often reciprocates but rarely initiates.)  On the third night, as I was reading him his last-last story, he said, "Mama, I like books."  Oh, you sweet boy.  You make me so happy.