Camping? Camping!

It's hard to believe it's already been just over 2 weeks since my very first camping trip! Emil, Indio and I headed north for 5 days to a KOA Kampground near Lake George, NY with 17 other friends.

I have to admit, I was not initially looking forward to spending 4 nights sleeping in a tent, worrying about mosquitos and when my next shower was going to be. Emil allowed me to back out of the trip until the very last minute, but because I really thought this would be a great experience for Indio, I sucked it up and went along. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would actually have as much fun as I did! [Up until this point in my life, camping was on my NOT to-do list!]

Luckily, KOA sites ar equipped with electricity and running water on each site, showers and flush toilets nearby, and get this, free wifi! Our friends who organized the trip also ensured that we would have the comforts of home: freshly made coffee every morning to go along with a hot breakfast, Emil's iPod playlists, and more food and drink than we could consume.

playing hide-n-seek at our site

floaty overload! [campsite pool]

Each day, we ventured off the site, which I think was key to me enjoying the trip. I don't know how much fun I would have had sitting at a campsite all day.

On our first full day we drove to Corinth Beach, where despite the cold water, the kids and dads jumped in for a swim.

That evening, we ventured to Lake George Village for delicious ice cream. [I think the chocolate peanut butter ice cream from The Pink Roof may have been better than my all-time fave: Haagen-Dazs choc pb!] We also got to see the weekly fireworks show over the lake.

shark eating goldfish while a mermaid looks on

rare family photo [+will!]

The next day, we went tubing down the Hudson River with Tubby Tubes Co.  Indio was in awe of all the tubes floating not-so-lazily down the river and loved that we stopped so he could swim in the river.

floating down a river

On our last full day, we rented a pontoon from Chic's Marina in Bolton Landing, NY and cruised Lake George for 3 hours. It took me back to my childhood when I spent a lot of time at my cousin's cottage. It took us awhile to figure out the anchor, but once we did, we all went for a swim. 

el capitan

piggy back rides are always more fun in the water

bbq chicken lunch before taking a dip

smiles after a swim

tuckered out

I am so glad that I had the chance to try camping once. Even sleeping in a tent wasn't bad [other than the last two nights when it was unbearably hot and humid]. Indio had the most fabulous time and Emil and I made more family memories together. I don't know that I'd ever go again, but at least I can say I did it once.

cozy campsite

indio was enamored with all the "big boys"

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From the mouths of babes

In an effort to stay cool during the current heat wave, yesterday evening we walked over to McDonald's for soft-serve cones.

Indio: Mama, I want the one with chocolate on top.

Me: You want the chocolate sundae?

Indio: No, Mama!  I want it now!  I don't want it on Sunday!

not taken yesterday, but seems like this has already become the summer of ice cream

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World's Greatest Dads

Though it's not always easy and sometimes it seems like we're doing things blindly, I couldn't be the mother I am without having you be the father you are. Happy Father's Day, Love.

circa 2012

And to the man who will always be my "World's Greatest Daddy",

Happy Father's Day!

circa 1979

Love,

Your favourite child.

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Card Catalogue: Behind the Beautiful Forevers

I haven't done a book review post in awhile because, well, I haven't been reading as much as I'd like to.  But in the last two weeks I started and finished a fantastic new read.  It was so good, I'm having a hard time starting something new for fear it won't measure up.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo is a nonfiction book about the "undercity" of Mumbai -- particularly one slum and its inhabitants.

^via

Katherine Boo does for Indian nonfiction what Rohinton Mistry did for Indian fiction [for me] with A Fine Balance.  As a person of Indian descent who has visited India, I've always been aware of the slums in India, but have never read a nonfiction account of life in the "undercity."  I've always felt that India is so acutely divided by haves and have-nots, but this poignant book really takes that to another level.  After reading BTBF, I was both amazed at the lives of the slumdwellers and ashamed that I had not taken notice of those same lives in a more substantial way.  India's big cities truly cannot run without these people who are essentially invisible to both the wealthy and the government.

Boo's writing captivated me by giving such a thorough depiction of life in Annawadi, a Mumbai slum, that I had to remind myself this wasn't a fabricated story.  I really felt like I "knew" the characters in this book, and my heart ached along with theirs as they lived through such poverty and hardship that I can't even imagine.  The hardest part of this book was seeing how corrupt India actually is.  My first instinct was to research charitable organizations to somehow help the people of the slums, but after reading Boo carefully point out that even the "Western" charities didn't follow through with their aid, I'm really at a loss of what I can do from here.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes anthropological studies, but also loves a really well written story.  At no point was I bored or tired of this book. Definitely a top contender for my best book of 2012.

What have you read lately?  Suggestions would be much appreciated as I'm at a loss of what to read now.

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Oldies but goodies

I haven't been using my cameras much since getting an iPhone, but found these photos from a visit to NYC last April. Now that we live here again, I don't always stop to relish in the beauty of the city.

making our way into the city as the sun comes up

blooms in the 'Heights

mini bridge in Cobble Hill

my favorite house in Cobble Hill

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