The Daily Discoveries of Gustavo Valentine

The Great White Twister Birthday Party

2012-03-04T18:54:00.000-08:00

Going back a month and a half to show you my big birthday party:

7 years old...finally! Weird being the youngest in my class when I look like the oldest. But the birthday came and we celebrated with quite a house party.

All my pals came, except Stuart who had to stay home on account of barfing, poor Stuey! He missed a whopper.

The giant floating remote control shark that actually swims through the air from my Uncle Nick was a gigantic hit. Everyone had a turn sending the shark nose into people's heads.

And, let's see, I got more BayBlades, Ninjagos, HeroFactories, StarWArs legos and Diary of a Wimpy Kids. Thanks everyone, they were all just what I wanted!

2012-02-26T21:36:00.002-08:00

Third Dimension of a Good Time

2012-02-20T19:34:00.000-08:00

I GO, YOU GO, WE ALL GO, TO HUGO. IN 3D.

Fat Family Photos

2012-02-17T20:17:00.000-08:00

When the family deWitts get together we usually go straight to fun with fat apps.

Everyone looks sweeter and funnier with 100 extra pounds.

We could do this for hours (we do).

Christmas Part Deux

2012-02-14T09:12:00.000-08:00

And then we came back to Portland for second Christmas...

The family is good and tight...

The family Thornhill-deWitt is super glued they're so tight...

Rolling out the goodness and joy of holiday love...

And Grandpa and I work on our watercolor washes.

Peace is with us.

Christmas 2011

2012-02-12T14:08:00.000-08:00

We spent the Christmas in Palm Springs with GP's and cousin Ondine, Cari & Brad.

Ondine is my cousin and now really my pal also because we are on the same level and can play all the same stuff.

Went to the Living Desert to see all the lights at night at this big fat jolly guy was there. Ondine went over to talk to him but I was too cool/shy, opted out.

The traditional game of Bocce was played, girls against boys, and although I don't remember because it's not important, I think the girls won, again.

But it is always a real close match which is why Papa carries a little measuring tape in his pocket so we can be precise and fair about these things.

It really is a treat to leave cold wintry Portland and then the next thing you know you are warmed by the summer desert sun, of the wintertime.

Missing my sweet cousin O and the taco hugs we like to make using our bodies, and the love between us.

Pat's People

2012-02-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

Going backwards to catch up on the Christmas time...we spent the holiday in sunny Palm Springs at Nana and Papa's...

First thing upon arrival in Palm Springs....a Patrick deWitt book reading! At the Clubhouse!

Dad charmed all of Nana's book friends and she was in her glory.

Happy BlazerDAy!

2012-02-08T18:45:00.000-08:00

Birthday Blazer game with Mom.

Undefeated at the Rose Garden!

(Until tonight.)

STill, Rip City Uprise! Great night!

WELCOME BACK FRIENDS & FAMILY!!!

2012-02-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

THE DAILY DISCOVERIES OF GUSTAVO VALENTINE RIDES AGAIN!!!
I have to say I'm sorry about all these weeks and months with no photos and no words and no phone calls even to let you know what I'm doing or what sport season it is for me or what my hair looks like. We have been busy and preoccupied over here. Did you know we are leaving the country soon???
Anyhoo, here are some much overdue postings to get everyone up to date, going backwards to bring us up to the now of today. I have missed you my good pals of the inner web!

Let it!

2012-02-07T18:57:00.000-08:00

Waking up to snow is one of my top fave things. I like the cold and I don't really like the sun. I would rather freeze than burn.

Best Portland perk is the once a year snow time.

Not enough to call a snow day though.

By nightfall, the real beauty of full-on snow.

Good Bye to The Blog!!!

2011-08-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

HELLO TO ALL MY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FOLKS! I AM LEAVING THE BLOG FOR THE MORE MODERN TUMBLER: This is the new address:

http://gusdaily.tumblr.com/

New, weird look as I grow into a new, weird boy. Ist grade coming up and all. See you on the tumblr!

Tubby Time with The Hansen Brothers

2011-08-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

Missing Jay

2011-08-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

This was our last visit with good ole Jeremiah. We are missing him and wondering about him.

Mentoring gives to both the mentor and the mentee and the mentor's son.

We are trying to track him down in his new state. My mom has to ask the agency if they know his mom's new number because it changed again. I really want to start being his pen pal and continue our friendship through the postal service.

Last puppet show.

From our last trip to OMSI the science museum.

Other kids sometimes ask if we are brothers.

A kid here asked and we said No, and then he asked if we were best friends and we said, Kinda.

Anyway, just wanted to show you these final photos so you could also remember Jay.

He's probably having fun in his new town and his mom was going to get him a new mentor.

But pretty much a longshot his new mentor would have a son who would also become his kinda best friend.

Good luck, Jay!

THINGS I'VE BEEN DOING:

2011-08-06T20:33:00.000-07:00

T-BALL !

I was on a T-ball team this year. No outs, no score, everybody hits. Awe-some.

My Team, The Alameda Dentals.

Connecting. Slugging. Secret weapon: Lefty.

T-ball is just the beginning of my sports activities for this summertime. It's very hard for me to decide which one I like best and which sport I should go pro in because I am pretty pro at all of them already, I think.

Capped it all off with the BBQ at Jen's

2011-07-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

The LA trip grand finale was a small intimate gathering of just the old schoolers closest homiest family friends.

With the new addition of Auntie Jenna's crazy girl posse.

Mom and dad's sisternlaw. Look at all that hair!

Who here remembers Corey Granite?

The laughing uncle.

The serious uncle.

Mom's got her own crazy girl posse.

Viva La Raza! Adios amigos los angelenos!

Soap Plant 40 Year Reunion Weekend

2011-07-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

While my mom was in LA, she went to a 40 year reunion of her old work the Soap Plant/Wacko/Zulu/La Luz de Jesus Gallery, which has been a Los Angeles icon since the 70's and my mom gave a decade of her life to being part of the weirdness. She saw friends from the Nineties and beyond and it was really strange and kind of fun:

Who remembers Roxy?

Or Paz?

Everyone brought their babies and kiddies.

Pinky of Melrose.

The infamous Estefan Bravo.

Wise ole Joseph Brooks.

Renee! This was my mom's best pal from those days on Melrose Ave.

And the man behind the myth, who started it all and still keeps it going -- Mr. Billy Shire.

HAPPY FOURTH!!

2011-07-23T17:24:00.000-07:00

on the 11th!

Big Night for TERRI

2011-07-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

When in Los Angeles, my mom and dad went to the LA premiere of Terri, the film my dad wrote that Uncle Aza directed. Here is Aza feeling large in his SUV chauffeur situation.

It was for the LA Film Festival and they made my dad get in the photo which if you know my dad is not his favorite place to be, inside a photograph.

The cast of Terri: Creed, Bridger, Olivia, Jacob and Big John.

Terri! Jacob!

All our friends met us at the after party. Anton, Erica and Jen.

Uncle Mike and Aunt Jenna on the rooftop.

Diaz, costume designer on Terri.

Uncle Nick walking around.

Aza working the rooftop.

But no one works a rooftop like this guy. Also the last to leave the rooftop. JCR.

La Familia Los Angeles

2011-07-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad went down to LA for a trip of reunions with family, friends and others.

Mom went a few days early to get the jump on the party train. Dad arrived just in time to hop on.

Saw a lot of old friends of the LA past. It had been many years without seeing some of these people.

Dancing with my uncles and aunt...wish I were there!

Toot! Toot! and Chugga! Chugga! Here we go.....

Goodbye Kindergarten!!!

2011-06-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

I had my last day of school, of kindergarden, and my last day with Mr.Retherford as my teacher. So super sad about that last part! You can ask my parents about the bond I have with him and the hugs I have to get from and give to him everyday. Sure I'll see him in the hall next year, but man am I going to miss him as my teacher.

This is me and one of my best pals Jake, giving Mr.R our final Kindergarten hug. You can see from my face the sadness beginning as I realize the finality of this embrace. Jake got a new play structure in his backyard so we're planning on having a lot of playdates at his house now that school is out, so you see I am glad it's summer and time for play all day, but I still can't stop missing my teacher!!!

All Things Must Pass

2011-06-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

So it looks like Jeremiah is leaving the state. And me, and his mentor.

There are some family problems and his mom has to move Jay and his brothers and sisters across the country to escape them. We are all pretty sad. It was a real good thing we had going here for a few months.

So we will make the most of these next few weeks and we will try to contemplate the hard philosophies and realities of life = Nothing gold must stay.

Meet Jeremiah

2011-06-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, this is Jeremiah, my mom's mentee. She is his mentor and I get a new friend in the deal.

And we really, really like each other.

We do stuff together every week, but so far our favorite activity to do with each other is Karate Moves.

We do karate moves at each other, or at trees, and sometimes we do the moves in slow motion.

You almost karate chop or you almost karate kick the other guy and you say "Hatcha!"

What you're witnessing here is a beautiful friendship.

RIP Henrick

2011-05-31T15:16:00.000-07:00

Well, would you believe that we found something this small and this cute in our backyard bushes? I know. Dad and I were tending to my pea pods in the vegetable garden and we heard these tiny little squeaks. And then we found this guy, all tangled up with his two brothers in vines and umbilical cord. Mom and Dad got them out of the dirt, cut off the vines and cord so they could move, and we brought them inside. We started feeding them kittie formula with a dropper. Well, these guys were VERY small, too small to be out in the world yet it turns out. Smokey didn't make it through the night.

And, I hate to say it, but Popeye only made it a few hours into the next day. But Henrick here, he was the biggest and strongest of the tiny weak babies. And he was a fighter. We kept him warm with a hot water bottle and my dad helped him poop and pee with a Q-tip and I got to hold him, finally.

We found someone on craigslist who takes care of abandoned newborn kittens until they are old enough to be adopted and my mom drove Henrick to her. I DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HE COULDN'T STAY HERE. I thought we were taking good care of him. But my parents said Henrick needed really really extra special attention or he would fade away like his brothers. So I cried into my pillow all night long. We all missed that little guy as soon as he left, but I was what they call inconsolable. My mom told me he is doing well at his new home. This is what she told me, so this is what I'm going to believe.

Happy MOther's Day

2011-05-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

To my mom, the B-E-S-T. I tell her she's the best just about every day. You should see the cards (2) I drew for her today, my best work to date.

This is us in bed, cuddling, which we've done every single night (every other night, cuz dad takes a turn too) since I came out of her belly.

And, to my mom's mom too. If it weren't for her I wouldn't have my mom and if it weren't for her good mothering I wouldn't have such a good mom. Etc, and etc, it's a trickle down mother effect! Thank God!

Cousins 2010 Continued...

2011-05-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

The birthday girl, Skylar.

Luckiest girl in Marin. Tinkerbell came to her birthday party. All her little girl friends were in total awe.

Mason and I could NOT care less. Sheesh!

Tinkerbell brought pixie dust and spoke a fairy language and sang fairy songs and played the fiddle.

It was a five year old girl's fantasy day come true.

Mason and I peeked at the action but we did not go near, no way, dude.

Once the birthday party part of the day was done, we hung out for the rest of the day, playing the Wii dance which I already told you was my favorite.

Cari and Ondine danced off against each other, Mom and I danced off against each other, and then I danced off against anyone who would have me.

My mom tried to sell the Wii dance idea to my dad as a way of keeping fit through the dark and rainy winter months of Portland. But he is not on board. Because he hasn't done the dance.

Once you do the dance you are a slave to the dance. Slave to the riddum. Like me.

NOVEL #2 COMING AT YOU

2011-04-25T21:45:00.000-07:00

HYPE HYPE HOORAY My dad's second book is in the bookstores TODAY!!!

Go get em, Pop!

Family in the Bay

2011-04-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

Cari and Brad and Ondine's house in San Francisco. It's just so San Francisco! They finally moved back from the country of New Zealand back to our country where we can visit them freely.

The living room view of the bay and the city and beyond.

My cousin Ondine. Super duper cutie pie and a great person to hang out with.

We went to Aunt Stephanie's house for Skylar's birthday party so Mom got to hang out with all her cousins while I hung out with all mine.

Cousin Everett.

Cousin Ceci.

Cousin Little Teddy. First time I met this guy. He's such a cool kid. He always says, "Let's do this!"

Mom's Uncle Bob and her cousin Melanie.

My main man Mason.

Two whole days I got to spend with all these guys. Wish San Francisco was next door to Portland, that would be something.

Wii Dance All Day

2011-04-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

My cousins have a Wii game where you dance against your other cousin copying the dance moves from the dancers on the tv. I FELL IN DEEP LOVE with this game. Every chance I got I was up there, practicing and perfecting my moves. Hours later, when everyone else had moved on to other things, I was still out there, out in the lights of the dance floor, feeling my music.

Gus Is My Co-Pilot

2011-04-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

Every time I board an airplane the stewardess asks me if I'd like to go in the cockpit, and for a reason none of my parents understand I always say 'no thank you'. Until this trip.

Not only did I go in the cockpit but I sat in the co-pilot's seat. I put my feet on the gas pedals. I touched the thruster.

I sat up there with the real pilot and chatted and he answered all my flying questions and basically seemed like he wanted me to hang out with him for as long as I wanted. It was WAY cool. But we had just landed in San Francisco and I was ready to start my vacation....

Get on the Bus Gus!

2011-04-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

I'm back! As promised.

The reason I guess I haven't been showing you much is that basically I'm in school a lot and my mom doesn't take a bunch of pictures there. Unless she comes to class WITH ME, like on this special field trip.

We, my whole class, and other classes, took a school bus downtown to see a play. My first time ever on a school bus.

And these are all my friends from class. Nicole, Laila, Asasia.

Lemar.

Charlie, Sam and Ava.

These is my weekday posse.

So we got to see a play of Go Dog Go, which is from a book that I have at home, a book that I can read every single word of. If you are ever in my house, just ask me to read it to you and I will. It's a good one. And turns out it makes a good play also, especially if the actors dressed up as dogs are all on roller blades! We clapped and laughed and shouted things out from our seats in the audience and some kids like Lanaia even got to go up on stage.

But some kids like Arion tried to go wild crazy and climb over the benches and so had to sit next to Mr. Rutherford the whole time.

This is Mr.Rutherford who I love so so so much with all my heart and this is my class of super great friends. When you don't hear from me for a while, this is where I am!

Gift for Mike

2011-04-12T22:07:00.000-07:00

For my Uncle Mike's birthday I finally changed the post! I know how frustrated he has been with no news from this blog so here I am back to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE MIKE! And I promise to post some real new news very soon. I LURVE U.

Just Thinking of This Guy Today:

2011-03-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

My Great Grandpa Ainsley. He flew planes in WWII. He misses my Great Grandpa Daphne.
I love you, Great Grandpa....love, Gus

the ole pigskin

2011-03-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

I'll I want to do is play football. My mom says to enjoy it now because she won't let me play on a school team or professionally on account of the concussions and premature dementia. Again--what is she talking about???

Poulsbohemians

2011-03-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

Our Rodriguez pals came for a little overnight visit, just cuz. My old buddy Himal from my Washington days.

And his kooky kid brother Kai. He can tear it up.

A walk to the park on a sunny and brisk Winter day.

Stop to take in a bit of bike polo. I wish you could hear the bad metal music blaring from this picture. Oh Portlandia!

And always the new games on Leo's phone or iPod or whichever. I've got some old school Play Stations now, did I tell you? Haven't quite made it into this century where the video games are concerned, and that's the way my parents want to keep it. My mom says her family was the last to switch from beta to vhs, for whatever that means. My mom says she'd go back to horse drawn carriages and ink wells if she had her way. Half the time I wonder what she's talking about...

Snow Day - vid

2011-02-27T22:30:00.000-08:00

SNOW DAY !!!!!!!!

2011-02-24T12:48:00.000-08:00

How can something so beautiful also make it so there's no school? It's like if eating candy cured my cold. Stuart is over and we are living it up today. The snow's already melted by the schools are still closed! Doo doo doo doo doo, I'm lovin it!

BELATED BELOVING

2011-02-23T10:11:00.000-08:00

I am so bad at the blogging lately that I missed wishing everyone a Happy Valentines Day. I was actually sick in bed with a fever that day so my parents had to postpone their romantic lunch and movie date until I got better and went back to school. I truly hope all you lovers out there had a lovely day no matter who or what you were with. Personally, I love everyone.

Let Freedom Ring

2011-02-12T12:04:00.000-08:00

In honor of freedom around the world and the news I have been watching with my parents about Egypt's people, here is a bit of my Martin Luther King Day assembly at school where each class performed something. You can see my teacher Mr. Retherford who is totally awesome and you can see my classmates and see how good I am at singing and feeling it.

The words are: "M is for mutual respect: Don't put me down and Don't hurt me!" That's all anyone in this world wants really.

CREATIVE HOUR

2011-02-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Photographs and self-portraits by GVD:

One hour of creative time equals one hour of tv time. Most days I get so involved in my creative projects that I forget to watch tv. Mom's grand plan.

The Terri Party

2011-02-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

Here he is, the man of the hour, entering the party for the movie he made.

Talking with the fans...(there were many!) So many questions to answer about what and how and especially why. Aza was very busy with the press and the people all week.

Aza's lovely WIFE, Diaz. Like a sister to my mom. Also the costumer on the film.

Alison, one of the film's producers extraordinaire.

Tobias the cinematographer and Mandy the musical scorer.

Outside there was a line of enthusiastic Terri lovers who wanted to get in and party with the real Terri and the people who made him. Or maybe they weren't all Terri lovers, maybe some of them were just party lovers who wanted to get inside and see what kind of party it was.

All in all, the Sundance experience was very new and exciting but most of all it was great for my parents to share this crazy fun experience with their closest friends. We are very proud of uncle Aza and dear old dad (even if his face has been smudged out!)

Sundance Film Festivities

2011-01-30T13:53:00.000-08:00

Park City, Utah, home of the Sundance Film Festival where my parents went to support the Terri movie which my dad screenwrote.

Uncle Aza the director and his star Jacob "Terri". A super great kid.

The Terri team. Very proud and very happy to be there.

Aza introduces the film, "Hope you like it..."

The world premiere begins...And....it was GOOD! This was the first time my mom had ever seen the film and she loved it and we all know how critical of films she can be!

After the film, and all the applause, Aza brought everyone up for the Q & A. My dad tried to sneak out of the line up by going to the restroom.

But they forced him up and he got to hear people say some really nice things about his writing. It was an incredible night for all. Once in a lifetime kind of stuff here...

I forgot to wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-01-20T16:11:00.000-08:00

My New Year's Eve was pretty mellow. Just me, Nadine and a babysitter. We whispered and giggled in my bed until late though. My mom and dad, and Uncle the Chief and Ingrid who were visiting, and all my parents' Portland friends, got together at the Ballroom and had a lovely soiree.

There was an elegant potluck banquet.

And DJ Brooke on the turn tables.

And my mom and Britt and co on the dancefloor.

Dawn brought her cookies.

DJ Monte took a spin on the tables, Dad ran the heated dice game, and they partied in the New Year of 2011 and beyond.

The next day was slightly less of a party.

Yet my mom still made it out the next night to see Mahmoud Ahmed, the Ethiopian pop legend.

Where the Portland Ethiopian community joined with the Portland cool white kid community to make one major fun dance party.

Britt still had her New Year's hangover headache and my mom could barely stand on her tired wobbly legs but they committed to the night, and a new year, of fun, adventure and excitement. Same for me!

SIX is the new five!

2011-01-17T16:46:00.000-08:00

Saturday was my birthday. Woo! Pee! What a great day of my six year long life. I got really great super cool presents:

The favorite, maybe, being my VERY OWN RECORD PLAYER FOR MY OWN ROOM!!! What a revelation. Now instead of begging my dad to let Stuart and I play Black Cabbage or Queen over and over, we can just go in my room, close the door, and get to rocking in private. Though, the first record I put on was the Nutcracker Suite.

Tie for first place of best gift probably was the hand-me-down PlayStation with a dozen games from my cousin Patrick. My parents already put a bunch of rules around it like only 30 minutes a day and I have to have a clean room before I begin but I'll do whatever it takes. There's a football game and a Star Wars game. Bam.

I also got Perfection which is a game and a song from my mom's past that she always sings..."put the plunger down, set the timer..." Now I know what the song and the deal is all about. It's sort of scary for my nerves because I fear the explosion when the timer goes off but this is good training for the frightful surprises in my life to come.

I also got another very cool game called Mr. Mouth, which I wanted, which is a game and song that my dad remembers and sings from his own past. We are all living and reliving good times over here. Other standout gifts were the giant floor-size air hockey game from Nana and Papa (wait til you see this, Bobby!) and the Magic Treehouse Books 1,2, & 3 from the S-Man that are totally interesting even though there are hardly any pictures in them.

For my bday celebration I got the choice between party with my pals from school at the museum or an All Day Fun Day with one friend. I chose the latter. And I don't need to tell you which friend I chose.

We started off at the arcade, then went to the movies (Narnia; awesome), then pizza, then ice-cream, then Revenge of the Sith in bed sleepover.

Day to night partying, past 10 o'clock even! Seriously, seriously, very very cool.

Thanks everyone for all the presents and cards and calls. I love being six. I think it really suits me.

Holiday Hodge Podge

2011-01-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

Gaming with the Kimball beauties.

The cutest boys in Poulsbo County.

With the kindest parents...we are very thankful to them for all the Nepalese guru good vibe help lately.

Just a couple of soccer guys.

A family in camel.

Riders on the storm.

A lot of good long visiting this holiday season. We appreciate all the traveling our way. We'll come to you soon....

Xmas Vid

2011-01-09T22:58:00.000-08:00

Christmas Past

2011-01-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

I know we are well into the new year (2011) and just getting to finally doing a Christmas posting of pictures. We had visits from friends and family for 3+ weeks and now we're back to just us and our old routine.

Lots and lots of presents this year, always, every year. We do love those presents!

We wait patiently while the gifts are handed out by old Saint Nick.

I cannot tell you my favorite gift of the year because actually every one I got was one I really wanted and wished for, like the Soccer Guys and a dolphin pillow pet and this gigantic Nerf gun.

Rapid fire battery powered dart action. Incredible!

The day was spent with family and with me opening, assembling and playing with each present one by one. It took me days to get through it all.

Family pajamas courtesy of Uncle Twon.

Comfort Jungle.

I got some movies of the Christmas day, coming soon.....

THROUGH MY EYES...

2010-12-21T18:26:00.000-08:00

These are my pictures that I took with my own camera. This is what I see. This is what is important to my world.

My Strange Bedfellows...

2010-12-18T17:30:00.000-08:00

Just feeling nostalgic and grateful at this time for all my friends and family who have shared my bed throughout the year...

Turns out I'm pretty easy to get in bed! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Knot in my house!

2010-12-13T19:28:00.000-08:00

Our good friend Britt had her very first art show and this is the stuff she created.

Giant knots: beautiful, crazy, soft, textured, interesting, strange, and very amazing to see.

How these things got from her mind onto the wall in a few months is very impressive to me.

Piper was so proud of her mom that she fell asleep on the floor.

We are all very proud of Britt and excited for her future as a true fine artist. Super fine.

THANKS AGAIN!

2010-12-08T20:37:00.000-08:00

Well, we couldn't have Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving on account of being trapped and because there was no power at Great Uncle Mikey's house and they were cooking the turkey.

But the snow melted and we had the fest on Friday.

Our hosts: Isolde and Mikey.

I was really excited about a fun thing they had over there -- this really awesome hockey game.

And Uncle Big Vic was really excited about another fun thing they had over there -- a gigantic bottle of Jamesons.

Brotherly love.

My second cousin Erica is a pretty-much-almost Olympic swimmer.

Ian is a professional wild man.

Family ping pong!

Everyone pinged!

And everyone ponged.

In every which way. This was my favorite part of the whole trip.

And the bird, stuffed with New Orleans style oyster stuffing.

And the pies, the pies, the pies.

And I whipped the whipped cream. What a day. What a holiday. What a family.

Thanks Given

2010-12-05T18:37:00.000-08:00

It took us a while to get to Bainbridge for the Thanksgiving holiday, due to snow and icy roads, but we got there eventually.

Well, almost there. Our car made it all the way to the very last hill on Bobby's street before the wheels started to spin on the slippery slope and slid back down again. Oh well, we got to the house even if the car didn't. And that's basically what life on the island is all about: being trapped in the house with no way out.

But who better to be trapped with...than Uncle Nicky!

And Scrabble! They FINALLY let me play!

And snowman-making with Mom.

And Uncle Mike! Who just wants a hot cup of joe!

And sweet Mamop, who just wants a cool drink of wine. And a cuddle with a grandson.

And good ole Grandpa and Uncle Big Vic who brought me great stuff as always like the Hansen Brothers action figures from Slapshot. Lots of fires and football and movies and games and closeness with each other. I'll give thanks for that any day of the year.

Look Who's Twee!

2010-12-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

Siggy!

Taking the frosting when Mama's not looking.

Busted!

Tasja helped by giving her little brother his gifts. I helped by opening them.

And then playing with them. That's what friends are for.

And Piper helped by seriously rocking out on guitar. Great birthday party, Sig! Congratulations on becoming 3. Love you, man.

More Desert Doings:

2010-11-29T18:56:00.001-08:00

Let me just say, as these pictures clearly show, how much fun I had on my trip to the Palm Springs desert this month. Not only did I get to swim and sun in the middle of Winter, but I got to spend dayS with my cousins and become even better closer friends with them and I just love them SO SO SO much now. I have pictures of them all over my room and I miss them every day as well as my Nana and Papa who are just the best to me. I want more. Family!

DESERT SKIES

2010-11-20T11:06:00.000-08:00

My mom and I flew to Palm Springs, through the late night sky.

To see my Grandparents and my Great Aunt and Uncle, my mom's cousin and my second cousins.

One of which is Mason, who had about 100 surgeries (inside his head and brain!) this year so he is my #1 hero, better than any of the cartoon superheroes because he is true in real life.

And his older brother Hayden who I really look up to because he is really nice and really good at all sports. (Here I am looking up to him.)

And his younger brother Everett who is a complete wild man! Love this guy!

And we played non-stop sports. First stop, the putting green. Nana gave me pointers.

And then I put the pointers in action. Hole in six!

Nana's got some action herself.

Next stop, bocce ball. Course.

Next stop, tennis. Pointers from Papa. Real good stuff from a real live pro.

Pointers in action. Papa says I don't really have a backhand, I have two forehands because I'm ambidex-something, This is going to be my "ace" in the hole!

Next stop, baseball. Papa gave me pointers here, on how to catch grounders.

Pointers in action. Totally improved my field game.

My mom's first cousin and my second cousins' mom, the sweet Melanie, who my mom says is an actual saint.

Next stop basketball, where I showed these guys my stuff.

I can make shots in the regular basket just like the big guys but Hayden here can make 3 pointers from practically anywhere, that's from downtown I'm talking.

Turns out Papa has a few smooth moves in the paint himself!

So, we all had a wonderful wonderful time together in the desert where it was a warm 77 degrees compared to the not so warm 47 degrees back home.

Adult talk and kid talk, it was good for all.

RIP CITY !!!

2010-11-10T13:01:00.000-08:00

My mom took me out on a date, a very special night for the both of us...our first time seeing the...PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS!!!

Opening night, against my favorite team the Pheonix Suns!

Warming up...

It was UN-believable! So super super cool! I've never experienced a sports game like this in my life before.

Favorite part was this giant inflatable SUV that floated around and dropped McDonalds coupons on us.

Favorite part until the game started...holy moly, you talk about excitement. Boy!

And then there they were, our Blazers. In the flesh!

Of course I rooted for Portland, even though I love the Suns. I"m no dummy!

Second favorite part, the Blazer dancers. Woo-wee, I wish Stuart was with me to see this!

I have to tell you how much I love my mom for taking me, for thinking of this, for loving basketball like I do. We had the best time together, from burgers before to the game and our cheering and dancing and holding up my NOW sign, to the running through the night in the dark afterwards, yelling Rip City and laughing. It was special and magical and I will never forget it. And, yeah, Blazers won.

Adieu Paris...A Bientot

2010-11-10T12:29:00.001-08:00

Saying good-bye to this very pretty very exciting very romantic city was not easy for my parents but the crazy protesting kids were threatening to shut down the airports so they just had to leave, in order to get back to little ole me.

Adieu to my mom's favorite oldest wooden steeple atop of Notre Dame.

Adieu to the Seine River...

And all its beautiful bridges...

And all its beautiful things...

So many things...

All beautiful...

All permanent...

No tearing anything down here for a Starbucks and a Nail Station...

And adieu to Philippe and Emma's sweet apartment in the 11th, where the real people live...

Real cool people...

Adieu to all the new friends my parents made...writers, publishers, translators, directors, readers, lovers of art...these friendships will continue.

Adieu to Paris, France. My mom and dad sure love you now. I can't wait to see you for myself...2012!!!

More Paris...

2010-11-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

A stroll in Le Jardin du Luxembourg...

With it's tree-lined paths...

Forget the name of this beautiful church...

My dad in church! Take that!

He even lit a candle...

Le Palais Royal...

A royal arc...

And here is my dad's French publisher, Marie-Catherine of Actes Sud, and his French translator, Philippe. They found out over this dinner that Actes Sud will buy my dad's next book and Philippe will translate it. (Must have been that candle.) Drinks all around!

The beautiful Emma, Philippe's wife, who is also the agent who brought Ablutions to the attention of Marie-Catherine in the first place. Merci BEAUCOUP!

Roses all around! This was a marvelous dinner. Dad had the foie gras. Marie-C is a laugh riot stand up show and Philippe and Emma and my parents became instantly close friends. Vive La France!

PARIS

2010-11-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

So after, New York, my parents flew across the Atlantic Ocean to Paris, France. Paris, France! My dad has an editor and an agent and a translator there that he'd never met so more of this so-called working vacation.

There she is. La Tour Eiffel. Beautiful in pictures, but truly amazing to look at in detail, in person. I have a little miniature one in my room now. I can show you where Paris, France is on the world map if you don't know. I can also show you Thailand and the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Just ask me next time I see you and I'll point them out.)

Check in at the hotel in the 6th Arrondissement and then go across the street to the cafe for a French coffee and an omelet. Tres tres bien! That's the hotel across the street, that's their window with the flowers.

The window with the flowers.

And then for an exploratory stroll. Every single thing you see in Paris, every single structure, is BEAUTIFUL. Like, if we had one of these buildings here, people would line up to look at it, but there it's just one knockout after the other, with nothing ugly and nothing new in between.

Then the night falls and everything is sparkling and golden and still old and gorgeous. You don't have to imagine what it was like to live here in the 17th Century or the 1920's, because you're looking at it, you actually are living it, but it's today.

St-Germain-des-Pres, the oldest church in Paris. 6th Century I think. Uh, I think that's about 1200 years older than our oldest church here. It's right across from Le Deux Magots, a very famous place to drink.

St.Suplice. And Mom. A genuine French lady tried to pick up on my dad after he took this photo. L'amour, l'amour!

(more to come...)

Hallow-After

2010-11-03T16:06:00.000-07:00

This is the set up, every morning. I lay out every piece of candy in different designs, categorizing. And then I choose which piece to put in my lunch box. But I can never decide! And my mom's yelling at me, "come on we're going to be late for school, choose!" But I can't! I can't choose! (Like today, I finally chose the M 'n Ms and then half way to school I got so bummed because I wished I had chosen something else. This is the tricky part of Halloween.)

HALLOWEEN '10

2010-11-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

Third Star Wars Halloween in a row. For both of us. Jengo Fett and whoever Liam Neeson played in the new ones.

The wicked witch of the West (Piper).

And her mom Britt de los Muertos.

The whole fam got decked out.

Heading out...

First doorbell...

We tried a house where we saw a lady in the window but then she didn't answer but then we knocked again and then she just stuck her hand out holding a single banana and said bye-bye! One banana!

Little Ainsley found a Halloween kitty.

Spook houses.

One house was so spooky with a fake witch on the lawn but when we got closer the fake witch jumped up at us--it was real! We jumped back a hundred feet! So scared, for real. But it turns out we will face even our biggest fears for Raisinets.

We were out way into the black darkness. On a school night!

So fun.

So successful.

Ta da.

Happy Halloween last night everyone! Don't forget to vote in your midterm elections! Scary....

The Parents' Globe Trots

2010-10-30T21:26:00.000-07:00

First stop: New York City.

To meet up with pals Andy and Ali at the Electric Literature offices.

And go immediately to MOMA to see the Matisse show ending the day they arrived. (This painting is not a Matisse.)

And the next day to the Guggie.

And the next day to see Gerhard Richter drawings. And two days in a row at Central Park.

Three beautiful days in Brooklyn and Manhattan, dining with Dad's agent and new editor, meeting all his new people.

This is what a working vacation looks like.

My Globe Trots

2010-10-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

Here I am! In a scuba suit at the Seattle Aquarium. I had a vacation with Bobby and Mamop while my parents had a vacation with each other, somewhere else. Mamop took me to the Aquarium where I saw a squid and a great white shark and tons of other ocean type things which my class back home happened to be studying at the same time. And I brought all my school homework with me to Bainbridge in case you think I was playing major hooky or something.

If there's anything you want to know about sea life you can ask me because I probably know the answer. For instance, do fish urinate? Answer: you bet they do.

I also went to work on the job site with Grandpa and Uncle Victor and Justin, always a good bro time. Big Vic gave me a box full of fun and exciting found gifts as always. Like Santa Claus with a tool belt.

And, Bobby and I drove all the way up into Canada, the BC part, to visit my Great Grandfather Ainsley Dagg. This is my second trip to Canada to meet my second great grandparent. It's like a thing Grandpa and I do, a very special important thing. My Great Grandpa showed me pictures of my Great Grandma Daphne who isn't around anymore which is sad, especially for Ainsley. But I think we perked him up just a tiny bit with our visit and he seemed happy to meet me.

And this little guy was also happy to meet me! He's my cousin Ian's pet lizard and he crawled all over me like I was some kind of tree. Super fun time all around. I had a great vacation, filled with movies and football and more pancakes than anyone has ever seen. Thanks to my GPs for taking such good care of me especially Mamop who played about sixty games of UNO with me. I had a really really really good time!

Here I am!

2010-10-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

To all of you who still check in every once in a while to see what little old me is up to, I'm really sorry that it's been such a long while since I've told you anything that is up. My parents and I have been traveling the world a bit: Bainbridge Island, British Columbia Canada, New York City and even Paris, France. I still don't have all the pictures in order, but stay tuned and I'll show you and tell you who went where and how it was. For now, know that I have missed YOU! And also for now, just for tiding over purposes, here's a little video from my toddler past, waking up from a nap. Mom, Dad, Stuart and I have been watching it and laughing at it and quoting it a lot lately.

"The Easter Egg Bunny, you know"

HAPPY NEW HOUSE DAWN!

2010-09-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONTE!

2010-09-29T17:04:00.000-07:00

First Day of Back To School

2010-09-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

Started school. Kindergarten. Got the teacher I wanted. And Stuart and I waited all year long for the day when he would go to my school and we could walk to school together and play at recess together and walk home from school together, for every day.

And we did this, one day. And the next day, he got into the Montessori school he was on the waiting list for and he goes there now. We just had that one day. Stuart bawled like a baby when his mom broke him the news but now he likes his school and I have some already good new friends from my class and we are cool with things. He's usually at my house when I come home at 3:15 and we play until dinnertime, so.

The Unbreakable Bonds of Improvisational Dance

2010-09-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

Summer Friends

2010-09-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

In between all my sports camps and campouts and river and lake trips this summer, I played and played and played with all my buddies. Every spare hour I had, I was at a friend's house or they were at mine and I had sleepovers up the wazoo.

Humphrey, Luca, and me. Blokus.

Luca and me. Archery.

Sig and me. Dinosaur sleepover.

Nadine and me. Tubby time and applesauce.

Neighbor backyard dinner. Julia and Gabe, my across the street babysitters.

Neighbor World Cup watch.

As fun as all these playmates and playtimes were, no one came close to the amount of time or the quality of time I spent with my number one best pal probably forever that is Stuart, Stu-Baby, The S Man. From first thing in the morning to late into the night, we played and played and played and played, usually eating lunch and dinner together also. We don't need anyone else. Just give us a tub of legos and a Star Wars soundtrack and see ya later until we are hungry.

I love you Stuart. (I tell him that all the time, and he says it back.)

Mens Finals

2010-09-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

I'll give you this video while we wait for it to stop raining in New York so Nadal can beat Djokovic.

Papa: notice the forehand. Notice the backhand. Notice the footwork. Nothing gets passed me!

This Sporting Life

2010-09-09T13:30:00.001-07:00

Well, summer vacation is coming to a close for me and I must say it was a doozie. Jam packed with physical fun. I went to many many fun camps: soccer camp, t-ball camp, little picassos art camp, tennis camp, pirate camp, another soccer camp, and two sessions of swimming. And I still found time to play with Stuart for hours and hours on end.

Soccer camp was my favorite, though it's hard to choose. I have mastered the dribble and the trap and all the kicks. And the pouring water over your head at the end of a game.

Dad came to my last day of soccer and saw me make the winning goal with 3 seconds on the clock. You should have heard the cheers! Too bad no video. Here's some, but I didn't make the goal in this one, but my team still won.

PLUNGES

2010-08-31T19:26:00.000-07:00

Brooke and Nigel!

Ah, the refreshment!

Random teens flying off every cliff!

Nick sizes up the rope to river ratio!

Nick goes in!

Heidi sizes!

Heidi goes in!

David goes in!

Nigel goes in!

Dad goes in!

Mom goes in!

And Nick takes it a step further, goes higher than the rest, then crosses to the other more dangerous rope swing and attempts this:

River enthusiasm does eventually lead to river wisdom

The Washougal River

2010-08-31T19:03:00.000-07:00

In the summertime in Portland, you're always hearing people talk about going swimming at the river. We finally went to the Washougal, all the way to the end of it, past where the road stops, and we found out what all the fuss is about.

Well, the water is crystal clear and when it's scorching outside it is the ultimate refreshing temp.

There are perfect little chairs in the rocks for sitting and sipping beers or juices. And in the river there are natural chairs in the limestone so you can sit in the middle of the river and take it easy just like you were home in your lazy boy.

Note my cool new life vest. I barely need it now that my swimming lessons have totally kicked in.

We took Uncle Nicky here when he came through. He is the ideal river enthusiast.

On one end is a private peaceful family pool for us kiddies, but if you walk up river a bit you get to the real party, teenager style. There are people jumping off every available rock and cliff, rope swings and natural pools, swimming and sunning and music and mayhem.

And all along, these winding roads of river, shallow and warm.

Little kids play in them like nature's water slides. This is the apex of summer Oregon fun right here in this river bed. The jam. For serious.

The beauty of the limestone will knock your tevas off. Up next, The Jumps.

River Deep Mountains High

2010-08-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

on another beat-the-heat family excursion...

We found a place, a viewpoint, a short drive from Portland, where you can see FIVE mountains from one spot.

Mt. St. Helens on the left, Mt. Rainier on the right.

Mt. Rainier on the left, Mt. Roosevelt on the right.

The Mighty Mt. Hood. To the far right is Mt. Jefferson, but you can't see it here.

And then the Columbia River also. A cool summer tip: Twenty degrees cooler up here than in town.

And then the majestic never ending forests of the Pacific Northwest. Thank you thank you so much to whoever decided NOT to cut down all these trees!

We see your beauty, oh great ones! I am the Lorax! I speak for the trees!

summer art fare

2010-08-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

Pickathon

2010-08-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

My parents drove out to Boring, Oregon for the Pickathon folk music festival. Not boring!

Beautiful!

Good old friends the Cave Singers and company were out there too. They were camping up in the hills with hundreds of other campers. The real deal of folky fun was found up in those hills in the night time. There are twinkling Christmas lights that light the path to all the tents and to the stage in the middle of the woods.

Bands played for 3 days at across three different stages and two barns.

Pete and Derek and Marty Cavesinger fit right in.

They just built up a festival right around the farm of Mr and Mrs Pendarvis.

And it was clean and eco and not a plastic bottle in sight. You got a tin cup that you used all day for beer or free water. You write your name on your cup and hang it up on a peg when your done. Simple. Portland philosophy at its finest.

Mom and Dad said there were a lot of kids there running around dancing and hula-hooping and doing archery so maybe we'll all go together next year.

They stayed the night out there and I spent the weekend fishing with Bobby. And, I don't have fancy pictures of my trip, but I will tell you that I now can cast and fish all on my own, no help, and this day I caught a BUNCH of little fish and one regular sized rainbow trout that grandpa says "anyone would be proud of". It's on.

But I would have liked to have seen our pal Michael Hurley play in a rustic old barn, talking about the songs and answering everyone's questions.

We have about 8 of his records and play them all the time and I know all the words so I could've asked him some good questions about when he was a puppy dog and stuff.

As you can tell, my mom was sort of transfixed by the billowing sails overhead and the gorgeous sky peeking through.

It was good for mom and dad to get out, into the world, into the world of freedom and friendship and song.

Good ole Justinee Wienee was out there trippin the light fandango.

And then the night came, and Bonnie Prince Billy took the stage. He's one of both mom and dad's all time favorite men.

And they sat on the grass with their arms around each other and the music played and the breeze blew and the people whistled and sang.

Frog Lakers

2010-08-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

This is Frog Lake, with the view of Da Hood, where we went camping.

The lake was so shallow that you could almost walk across the whole thing with your feet touching.

Real tent camping, no cabin. No showers.

Best parts were that Himal and Kai, my old pals from Bainbridge met us out there. And we all brought our bikes.

We made a dirt bike race route through the camp.

At the end of the race route you jump a tree root and pop a wheelie. You should have seen the air that Himal could get. I'm still working on my air. We all fell a bunch, but whatev.

Barbequed chicken.

Barbequed chicken.

The lake was so warm! We got in trouble for swimming and splashing too close to a guy fishing. Watch your lake etiquette everyone! That"s my pop way out there in the middle of the lake!

I'm saving up for a life vest of my own by the way so I can float without trying. I'm still a few bucks short but I'm cleaning my room everyday for quarters. Sure hope I don't drown before then.

The brothers Rodriquez. Solid men of the earth.

Dad getting some help in from Shilo.

We have been on the search for our favorite campgrounds this summer. Frog Lake did not make the top of the list by my parents standards but for me it was a bullseye.

Alpine Slide

2010-08-05T13:40:00.000-07:00

We've been up to Mt.Hood a few times and on the way we always pass the Alpine Slide which my dad is always very curious about. This time we made a point to stop and Dad checked out the situation and came back saying very surely "Oh, we're going on."

I was a bit (I mean VERY) apprehensive about the chair lift but the thing is that it doesn't give you anytime to think about it or change your mind because it just comes around and they scream at you to jump on then they scream at you to sit back, sit back! And then you're on the damn thing. Way, way up in the air. With your feet dangling and a little bar across your lap that I could just slip right under and...Well, I was scared the whole time but my mom was with me and I was brave and also excited at the same time. Happy/Scared.

And when I got to the top and saw how far and how long we got to slide down I was all the way just Happy.

My dad and I went together and there's a lever that you can control your speed, forward for fast, backward for slow.

And so you just push the lever down and whoosh you are off, sliding all the way down a giant beautiful green mountain with the view of Mt.Hood in front of your eyes the whole way.

Mom went behind us and swears she had her lever pushed forward with all her muscles the whole way down but she just couldn't seem to pick up a lot of speed (bummer for her cause she's a speed demon) and there were a whole bunch of unhappy sliders piled up behind her too.

This was just an incredibly fun pit stop on the way to camping at Frog Lake. This you will see next time you check back in with the DD of GV.

Still a Penguin

2010-07-31T23:29:00.000-07:00

Swim class 2010. I haven't yet graduated to being an otter, but at least I'm not still a goldfish, right???

I had great improvements this session though. I can dunk my head all the way in the water and I can almost float on my back without the helpful hand of my very lovely swim instructors. I think I can probably do it on my own, I just love those lovely helping hands on me, woo woo! Megan and Molly, woo woo!

This is my back floating heavy concentration face.

Also used when I am doing my back floating big kicks. On my report card, they said I was a great listener, I worked very hard, and I had the biggest kicks in class!

My best pal Stuart had class after me (he's almost a polar bear!), so he comes early so he can watch over me at the side of the pool and cheer me on.

I'm saving up for a life vest which does all the floating for me, but I will continue to learn and practice my swim stuff. Next time you see me I'll be slipping and sliding through the water like a real live otter.

Bathing Beauties

2010-07-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

This is our local soaking pool...have I told you about this before? I've been bloggin since I was a baby, who can remember?

Anyway, it's a short walk down the street and it's free if you're a local in the hood and its a giant tub that's a pool under the trees outside.

I took Emily and Greta Bug there when they spent the day with us for a good ole hang out. Pretty nice to show up with two sweet ladies.

I'm a tub man myself but I love the outdoor shower, as you can clearly see! And another perk of the neighborhood soak is that you are allowed to skip your bath at the night of this day. Rub a dub reggae dube!

BattleGround Lake

2010-07-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

We had a little 3 day heat wave last week so we got the heck out of dodge and into the cool shade of some douglas firs.

And into the cool clear water of Battleground Lake, half hour drive from our house in Washington.

Our preferred mode of "camping" -- The Cabin. God, I love a bunk bed.

The view through the trees from my bed to the lake.

Early morning walk around the lake. Spending the night is great because you have it all to yourself in the morning before the local Washington yahoos show up to party.

Dad after he kicked a rock with his middle toe and broke it black and blue.

You can see right into the water and see the fish swimming around by your feet!

This is a girl I met named Savannah who took to me very quickly, asking my name and all kinds of questions about me. So I quickly went into my "talking to a cute girl mode" which is I started talking and acting like a robot. I've heard about these lakeside romances!

Dad took me out into the lake, way out. I'm taking swim lessons but I can't really master any strokes yet.

My parents bought me water wings which I was excited about at first but quickly realized they were not the cool lake swimming wear and I ditched em.

We would like to hit a new lake every week but we are already lagging due to many fun day camps and parent work days, but there will be more tranquil and exciting pictures to come just you wait!

Happy 18th of July!

2010-07-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

So, I'm pretty behind on my blogs. The summer is just too busy! But I'll try to catch up.

This was 4th of July celebrating over at Britt and Monte's backyard.

Watermelon, corn and chicken sausages and kids to play with. I fell off the hanging bar onto my head and banged it so hard on the ground that I saw stars. I was surrounded by grown ups that I didn't really know so I held onto my cool and kept in my tears until I reached my mom's shoulder, but man it really hurt. Mom told me to just let it out so I soaked her shoulder. It's weird, I used to cry all the time anywhere and everywhere but now it's like I have to pretend I don't want to cry when I really really do. I think this has something to do with being a man?

Monte is studying to be a biologist and got a summer job in "the field", so he's out all day studying maggots. Cool job!

Don't fall on your head, Piper!

And then sun finally set which means magical sparkler time.

I stayed up really late this night and on the drive home I saw about a hundred major big firework displays from all over the city. Riding in the backseat in the dark with my eyelids growing heavy but trying to keep them open to see more magic color bursts exploding in the sky...these are the type of memories that sink into the deepness of your mind.

Happy Independence everyone! Bless this country we live in!

Hamma Time

2010-07-09T21:23:00.000-07:00

David Hamma and Heidi, this was her bday picnic in one of our parks. (We have thirty.)

Humphrey Hamma, art nut, my pal.

Great day for some leisure and sunshine and park activities.

My frisbee stance.

Dad's.

And also giant bubbles.

And then popsicles. Bam.

Skools Out For Summer!

2010-07-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

A little behind but these pix are from my last day of school. Said goodbye to all my classmates and my teacher Ms. Coakley and her husband Mr. Coakley who is a retired principal so he spent a lot of time with us this year because he misses being in school. And here's something you should know about me: I DON"T miss being in school! I am loving the Summer!

I've already had 3 different sports camps and about 15 playdates. Every minute I'm shakin and groovin. I'm going to make the most of each day until Kindergarten next Fall.

And, by the way, my teacher nominated one boy and one girl from our class who was exceptional in a lot of different kind of ways and guess who the boy was? Gustavo Valentine, that's who. So I got this special t-shirt that no one else got. And I got all plusses on my report card so I got pizza and this special soda as a reward. And then days filled with rewards every since.

I MISS THEM MUCH

2010-07-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

ALL OF THEM...Ondine, Patrick, Kimberly, Nana, Papa, Brad, Cari, Nora , Gordo, and even the roadrunner I miss. I'm so so happy we got to spend this time together. I had more fun than ever before. Next summer we should meet up in Portland Oregon!

2010 Summer Games

2010-06-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

From the bocce ball court to the swimming pool and a dozen hide n seek games in between, I played non stop with my cousins for some solid summer days in the desert.

After a couple days my parents forgot they had a child because I was so completely absorbed with the happiness being with my cousins gave to me. They are more than friends, more than fun kids to play with. They have the same blood in their bodies as me and that takes the whole thing up a notch, a really cool notch of pure love!

Cousins 2010

2010-06-28T10:10:00.001-07:00

Fiesta! Forever!

2010-06-22T15:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone you meet, is dancing in the street, all night long...

This is a dance party at Hop Louie that was started by Uncle Aza and then turned wild when Uncle Anton joined him...literally! I didn't know boys were supposed to dance this way.

It took a lot of dollars on the juke box to keep this dance party going but they did it, for the love of each other.

We are home now, away from the dear old Los Angelenos posse and we miss them like always.

But it is sure good to have things like weddings and holidays and no good reasons for trips to see each other so that the friendships and loves never have to go too long without hugging and dancing. Look at the fun! Look how big the smile is on Anti-Jen!

Miss you lots Uncle The Chief. Please visit us soon.

Miss you lots Diaz and Aza. Please visit us soon. You HAVE to!!!

Miss you Nicky. I know you will visit us soon. And this goes for you too Uncle Mike and Auntie Jenna. 2010.

Don't forget about the fun I can show you!

Don't forget about this funny face guys!

Mike and Jenna's Wedding Reception

2010-06-18T16:52:00.000-07:00

Mike and Jenna's Wedding

2010-06-15T22:54:00.000-07:00

The Ceremony:

Next Up: The Reception

Reconnections from the LA Past

2010-06-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

This is when I first knew Bebel and then I left Los Angeles and didn't see her for four and a half years.

Boy, how she has grown! Yet I still feel the same way about her, which is really liking her a lot. We instantly took to playing: mercenary anthropologists.

We dug up bones and fossils and then fought each other with sword sticks.

She told her dad Nathan on the way over that she was afraid I was too young to know anything about math. I told her a few of the secrets I know, things more important than math.

Camille met us over there at Trails in Griffith Park for some delicious lemonade and chili and rhubarb pie.

And then we all went for a hike through a mossy trail to secret hobbit ponds.

I hope hope hope I don't have to go another four and a half years before I see Bebel again. My dream is of a Northern California or Southern Oregon camping meet up. I'm going to get my mom on this.

Guess What Happened Last Week?

2010-06-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

You don't have to guess...you were there! Probably. These guys became woman and husband.

And we celebrated for 5 days and 5 nights in and out of various restaurants and places.

It was wild and it was non-stop. We did more and saw more friends and family in these 5 days than we've done all year.

I've never seen my Uncle Mike more happy.

There was so much love and goodwill in the air. This happens when things are the way they're supposed to be.

Everyone who has known Mike for a really long time knows that this is a major event and the beginning of a very important era.

And there is mass approval, from therapists and mothers alike.

We were there for Mike and Jenna but we also had a really really great vacation tripping down the old skool highways of our Los Angeles roots.

MORE TO COME YOU BEST BELIEVE!

Hearting Portland

2010-05-22T21:11:00.000-07:00

It is time for me to tell you how deeply in love with Portland Oregon my family and I am. The rains of winter can be long and dark but the secret that we are not supposed to tell is that it didn't actually rain that much and the sun was out a whole lot of the time this winter. But none of that matters because once you get to the glorious spring your memory is wiped clean of anything wet and gray and all you can see is dazzling color everywhere you look. You step out of your house and are just instantly happy. You feel like you are the richest people in the country living in the most expensive part of town because the trees and bushes and flowers are so pretty. Pink and white blossoms cover the sidewalks like it just rained cotton candy. Tulips are EVERYWHERE, in every color from magic yellow to the darkest purple black. The wind blows and you smell jasmine and lilac and rosemary and it's like you're living in a perfume factory. And in between all this is green, green, and the lushest green. It's almost hard to take, like it's too much for one person's eyes. There is a new word I learned to help me understand all this, and the word is SUBLIME.

These are just the pictures and colors you can see from our house. Times this by a million and you will start to understand why we feel like we live in Paradise.

more CAPE LOOKOUT!!!

2010-05-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

It's hard to choose the most beautiful pictures to show you because they are all take you breath away beautiful.

I mean, come on!

120 year old lighthouse.

As far as your peeper's can peep.

Peepin aide.

Tranquility.

Hugging dad for taking me on the Cape Lookout hike along a cliff's edge trail looking down on the ocean.

Hugging mom for saying we can turn back when we saw a genuine bear track. Not joking, the sign says Warning: Bear Country!

And the ride home. Done for now. But we'll be back.

CAPE LOOKOUT !!!

2010-05-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

We went to the coast last weekend to a place called Cape Lookout where there was so so so much to lookout at.

This was our beach, a short walk from our yurt.

The Oregon coast can be chilly but when the sun comes out from behind the clouds you better get ready for more beauty than your little peepers can handle.

Lookout, I'm having a lot of fun!

This is our yurt, with its little deck and its little fire pit outside.

And this is my bunk, on top. Crazy! Excellent! Mom and Dad slept on the bottom bunk. I love it when we all sleep together like a family slumber party.

We brought a transistor radio and lucked onto the greatest radio show out of Astoria called Lost Highway which played all my parents' very favorite and obscure folk and county cuts. And I drew a picture of a rainbow and hung it all the wall to give our yurt even more of a homey touch. You're supposed to bring your own ambiance. We brought it!

And this is the Octopus Tree out at Cape Meares, a short drive up the Three Capes Scenic Route (very scenic!). It is a sitka spruce tree that's hundreds of years old and has 8 giant weird trunks. Whatever?!!

And this is the view from top of Cape Meares. You can see all the way across the whole Pacific Ocean.

We cannot wait to share these amazing sights with our friends and family so please plan your trips soon. Yer yurt awaits!

Nothing Better Than A Mom

2010-05-09T15:37:00.000-07:00

I usually put up pictures of my mom on this day and talk about how much I love her and need her and am thankful for her but today I am letting her use my blog to tell her mom those things. Her mom is my Nana and she says that Nana was the best mom in the whole world. I don't want to get into any arguments on Mother's Day but I am going to have to stick to my belief that no one is a better mom than mine. These are pictures of Nana when she was my mom's mom:

Tuesday Night Potluck

2010-05-08T20:37:00.000-07:00

And on some Tuesdays, we have the friends with kids over, for some take-out or potluck or something with less work in the kitchen and more visiting time in the living room. This time Tasja had a big essay due in school so she had to do her homework while we all were having a nice time visiting. I tried very hard but I could not keep myself from going into the office and talking to her and trying to get her attention because, as you see, I do really really love her attention!

Sunday Evening Picnics

2010-05-06T18:07:00.000-07:00

Up on Mt.Tabor for an impromptu picnic with Mom's girls and the kids.

Dawn and hers.

Me and Dad looking down on all of the city of Portland.

Britt and hers.

Moms can sit and talk and kids can run around. Sometimes kids can sit and talk too.