Sunday, August 22, 2010

savoring the weekend. one day at a time.

we had a full weekend but never roaming too far from home.
{beware, long post ahead.  ;)  }

i had grand hopes of an overnight camping trip this weekend.  preferable at a lake.  i called 5 campgrounds and then gave up.  no availability.  they book up in advance, that happens around here this time of year.  i was still determined we would have a fun camping night at home.  kellen and i tackled the tent by ourselves while hubby was still at work on friday.  kellen is the best helper.  the kid has a work ethic i cannot explain.  WAY beyond his years.  he was the perfect partner and extra set of hands i needed.  he hammered in the tent spikes all on his own.  he helped me with the long poles and fed them through the tent like a pro.  we did it!  when my hubby got home we had a cookout on the grill and toasted marshmallows on sticks.  smores mmmmm.  :)    the forecast was to be chilly and somehow we lost a sleeping bag.  ??????   still not sure what happened there. so i took blankets and sheets and the one bag we had, in hopes it would keep us warm enough.  hamburgers enjoyed, smores eaten, we went to bed.  the kids fell asleep quickly, i did not.  it got damper and cooler and my momma brain kept thinking "are they warm enough?"  "will they stay covered?"  then i took turns answering myself, "no probably not"  " they will wiggle out from under that and wake up cold".... finally i gave into the voices in my head and woke everyone up and we went indoors in the warm house.  call me silly,  i just didn't want to risk ruining a whole weekend for 1 cold night outside.  it was still fun,  and no one woke with a stiff neck or sore throat from being too cold.  mission accomplished.  now we need to get some new bags so come september when the campgrounds have availability, we are so there! 

on saturday we were trying to find something different to do.  it was not beach weather.  we have this book and found in it mention of a legal graffiti wall in Portland connected to a walking trail.   well hello!!!!  that just speaks to the kid/artist/rebel/creative/inner graffiti artist in me.  have i ever told you how much i love Keith Haring?  no?  well i do.  i always admire graffiti.  i love the freight train covered in it.  i love finding it out in the world,  now having an actual opportunity to do some myself?  i was excited!  we worried that perhaps the wall was no longer there since the book was over 10 years old,  but we took our chances and set out to find it.  and yes, i armed us with 2 partially used cans of spray paint,  just in case...  well we found it.  it was fantastic!  so beautiful and colorful.  pros had been there and then regular people like us just wanting to make a mark.  the layers on the wall are so thick a portion of it had peeled away and was lying on the ground. when you picked it up you could see the actual layer upon layer upon layers of art.  i find that fascinating.  tangible years and years of art right there to touch.  it was SO FUN!  super fabulous exhilarating fun.  kellen went right at it, writing his name and hearts, casey's little hands were too small and she had trouble pushing the spray can nozzle, so we helped her.  this wall is located on a very popular walking and biking trail.  it was funny to see the faces of the passers by.  some smiling, some looking surprised,  some saying "looks good", one girl on a bike even said, "teaching them to get in trouble early huh?"  i wasn't sure if she was serious or joking,  i just smiled back.  my hope is to teach them to nurture their creativity.  to teach them to express themselves in a forum that is appropriate and to be curious and seek out places just like this as they grow up.   i am sure not everyone shares my enthusiasm for graffiti or this wall,  but i will surely be back. taylor was at a wedding so did not see this,  i know she will love it and i am sure we can get some great senior photos by the wall.  the colors are amazing.

then fast forward to sunday.  
we had originally planned to take the kids to funtown splashtown,  but rain was in the forecast and it was already cool and damp,  just the kind of weather that makes me think of food, and cooking food.  hubby and i both loved the movie, Julie & Julia.  (mostly the Julia parts)  ever since then i have wanted to make beef bourguinon.  so i figured why not give it a try. we hit the farmers market in the morning for some of the ingredients and then picked the rest up at the grocery store and headed home to prepare the dish.  my hubby being the bread baker in the family, whipped up some dough and baked a loaf to go with the dinner.  it was all delicious.  the beef fell apart on my fork.  comfort in a simmering pot. we kept telling the kids how to say "bon appetit!"  just like julia child.  
now monday is approaching.  only 1 full week left of summer vacation.  summer is really ticking away now.  i guess i am trying to fill it with as much goodness as possible.  summer has been very good to us this year.

9 comments:

penandview said...

I too have a son with a worth ethic that is just too crazy to explain. He is such a hard worker and loves a good project. I think our boys will be good dads. :) And that graffiti wall is so cool!

Unknown said...

sounds like a heavenly time with family -- even better than a camping vacation -- and fewer bugs. love it.

Meg said...

Ok, so fact about me - I spent three years at art school in MA before I met my husband, and one of the classes I took was on graffiti! I love it and always have. I agree. I love the aesthetic of it, and i think it is so neat to see how and where people choose to leave their mark. I love the pictures that you got. I want to see if we have a place like that around us, I'd love to take the kids!

Sounds like you had a great weekend :) xo

Unknown said...

Wow, this post is utterly packed with goodness! Kudos on the camping attempt and awesome pictures. :)

Char said...

a yummy weekend...i've been wanting to try the beef too - maybe this weekend

Kylie said...

This post, and your weekend was packed full of goodness!
The graffiti wall is fantastic, I wish there was something like that here ... and the beef bourguinon? nom nom! Making that is on my life list :o)

jag said...

Sounds like your weekend was awesomeness!
xox

GailO said...

Not lurking today:)...Stopped to say that I have an unexplainable love of graffiti too...the photos are wonderful...and your weekend sounds divine...

allisondegeorge said...

have a few moments tonight and trying to catch up on a few blogs!

a first grader and a senior...
what directions your heart must be stretched to...
[and what is child number 3?!?!]
our four where all in 5 years!

but what I wanted to say was that I went to a little art school way back in the day...with Keith Haring...when he was just a regular guy!

he was already doing his graffiti figures...though.....