How do you handle summer vacation? I never thought about how lucky I was that my mom was a school teacher and had the same school breaks and holidays as me. (Or about whether she thought that was lucky or not.) I went to a few day camps here and there, including a very uncharacteristic, week-long cheer camp one summer. (Probably inspired by Cindy Mancini in Can’t Buy Me Love… anyone else who remembers that Patrick Dempsey instead of the Dr. McDreamy one?)
Hudson’s preschool isn’t offering summer school this year (a first in their history… which goes back to when Aron and his sister attended the very same one). This was something I learned when Skyler was about a week old; they handed out the notice and I nearly keeled over! Seriously: those of you who are home for the full day with both children… hats off to you. Those are long days. And I don’t say that just for me: Hudson loves going to preschool for those morning hours and I think a full day at home sometimes feels long to him, too! It’s a challenge to think of new, fun ways to keep him stimulated and engaged.
We’re still figuring out our alternative plan.
But if you’re in the Bay Area and you’re looking for ways to keep your children engaged during the summer, you might want to check out Galileo Summer camp. I first learned about (and wrote about) Galileo last year—their mission is to create a world of fearless, collaborative innovators by offering fun, imagination-sparking programs for kids from pre-K (age 4) through 8th grade. The older kids can do things like choose a week-long “major” (creating a video game, designing a fashion line…), which sounds especially awesome.
Save $30 when you register for Galileo with the code 2014INNOVATION at the sign up page (and/or register for their newsletter for a chance to win a free week of camp).
Because, you know, there are only so many hours Hudson and I can fill trying on sunglasses together.
P.S. My most recent camp experience as an adult: Camp Mighty.
This article is sponsored by Galileo, who works with curriculum partners at Klutz, The de Young Museum, The Tech Museum of Innovation and The Chabot Space & Science Center. Thank you for supporting Hither & Thither.I admire Galileo’s commitment to fostering creativity, and to building confidence in kids.
There’s a lot to celebrate lately. Perhaps most notably, one of our dear friends came home from a 6-1/2-month deployment in Afghanistan on Monday and we are all welcoming him back tonight with a picnic in the park. He served as a surgeon and his Instagram account was often so inspiring (and eye-opening). He wrote letters to each of his two daughters every day he was away, and I think all of his family’s friends who saw photos of him being welcomed by them and by his lovely, 8-month-pregnant wife, at the airport couldn’t help but be misty-eyed. It’s a relief to have him back.
And, on a lighter note, it’s nearly Cinco de Mayo! Time for fish tacos, guacamole, grilled corn with lime and cotija cheese, spicy Micheladas, and these delicious-looking grapefruit margaritas!
Erin and her team at Apartment 34 shared this take on the classic Mexican drink and it looks incredible! Whereas most margaritas follow a 3/2/1 recipe (3 parts tequila, 2 parts triple sec or cointreau, 1 part lime), this one reduces the alcohol a bit and ups the citrus—with more lime and the addition of grapefruit. See the recipe.
Last month we got to send out these lovely letterpress birth announcements, welcoming Skyler, to our friends and family. My friend Eva, at Sycamore Street Press, offered to design them for us as a baby gift.
I can’t believe how different our little girl looks every day—this photo was taken when she was almost two-weeks-old. (Though she sort of looks like a wise old soul, doesn’t she?)
I first met Eva (in person) at my first visit to a Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn. (I think she was pregnant at the time with her lovely daughter, Ingrid, and we were all melting in the summer heat.) She and her husband, Kirk, founded the paper company with the mission of a “hand-drawn life” and have fashioned many beautiful things up in the mountains of Utah.
This year they announced two new collections—complete wedding suites and animal return address stamps—and there’s a new baby collection on the horizon. Actually, I was excited to learn that they are releasing a line of gift wrap and baby cards inspired by Skyler’s birth announcement! Be sure to have a look.
Good news:Sycamore Street Press is giving Hither & Thither readers 25% offeverything in their shop with the code Hither2014, through May 7th! And contact them if you’re interested in custom work.
