Seventeen Again

I came across this letter stored in the Werdsmith app on my phone. I wrote it for my son's 17th birthday last winter. It's sappy as hell but I'll blame it on the jet lag.
  
Dear Son, 

I am traveling to Japan today and you have been on my mind. The significance of my trip is big. I’m celebrating my 50th birthday this summer and I am taking a bucket-list trip to Japan with your aunt. I loathe that expression — bucket list. It feels trite or like some silly meme, but I suppose it’s the human condition to have things in this lifetime that you want to see or accomplish. Life goals, amirite? On our drive to the airport, we had a conversation about you. We both agreed that we each have a connection and big love for you and the incredible person you are. I always like to write you and your sister letters to commemorate each birthday, and it’s crazy to me that you’re seventeen. I was looking at a picture of you and your sister that was taken about four years ago...and I was struck by how much you have changed. Dude! You were almost unrecognizable in the photo — you were just a little guy, but now you hold the distinction of being the tallest person in our family. It’s all kinds of awesome. 

Dressed up for lunch with Poppa. 2011

G's college graduation. May 2018

This past year has been a really crazy one for our community. Between the intense fires right before Christmas to the devastating mudslides that shut our city down, it felt like the holidays were almost an afterthought. You missed a month of school and we were evacuated from our home for over a week. The novelty of staying in a hotel was short lived, but we made our own fun spending a day in Solvang, visiting Ostrich Land, going to the movies and having dinner at a hipster restaurant in Buelton (charcuterie, anyone?). I was happy to have the dogs along with us — it went a long way toward boosting morale. Yeah, I’m not going to lie...dressing Riley up in leg warmers was pretty epic.

[obligatory Flashdance reference]
'Just a steel town dog on a Saturday night...'

All of that coincided with an invitation for you to join The Caverns. They are a fun band with a big local following, and it’s so awesome that you’re getting paid for gigs now. You have been diligently saving Christmas and birthday money towards buying a car, so it’s neat that you’re earning money playing in a band as well. And, if you weren’t already motivated or busy enough as it is...you landed your first real job as a skate shop last week. Taking names and kicking ass.

The Caverns at Figueroa Mountain Brewery

It’s bonkers that you’re a few months away from finishing your junior year in high school. In a few weeks, you and dad are headed off to look at a colleges. It’s such an exciting time! Due to the timing of this trip, I’ll be too wrecked to travel across the country less than 48 hours after returning to the States, but I’m looking forward to touring University of North Texas together later in the school year. 

Grammy Camp 2018
This photo hadn't happened when I originally wrote
this letter...but it's my blog and I can take
time-travel liberties if I want to.

You are one of my very favorite people to spend time with, and I am looking forward to taking a few vacations this summer as a family. I am beyond proud of you.

Always,

Momma

Couch to Active

I have been a fitness ambassador for FitApproach #Sweatpink for almost 4 years. Sweat Pink is a group of fitness influencers with an online presence. I really love their philosophy of fitness and health, and the founders have been nothing but responsive and kind to me in the several interactions I've had with them.

Recently, I was given two Couch to Active workbooks - one to keep and review, and one to giveaway on social media. Written by Lyn Lindbergh, she has a practical and no-nonsense approach to fitness. It's like having access to a motivational speaker who also cuts to the chase: exercise is vital and not some unnecessary luxury.

I created daily prompts through my Instagram stories that such as myths about exercise or 'stretch' exercises (we want to try) out of our comfort zones. Spoiler: mine is one of those aerial classes where your are suspended in the air using strips of fabric or 'silks'. Crazy cool, right? 

I added that cool sunglasses IG filter to Lyn's
cover photo. I hope she doesn't mind terribly :)

Mine would be taking an aerial class.
They look beautiful and crazy hard!
Have you tried one?

Congratulations to Kashmira G. for winning my giveaway! She answered each daily prompt with thoughtful and positive comments. If you are ever in San Diego, check out her indoor cycling classes at Carmel Valley CycleBar. She received the Couch to Active workbook, as well as a few extra goodies from me. 

Congratulations Kashmira!