Week Three of My 52 Week Challenge

Week Three

We did a lot this week! Started and ended with cultural events and had a few hikes and visited a couple parks in between. And Grandma Carol and Pap Pap Al arrived half way through the week!

On Sunday we headed up to Dawson Park in NE Portland, and although it has been well over a year since we've been to this park, I did not count this as one of our new parks for our 52 Week Challenge. We went for the tangle ball climbing structure which Lake likes, and because Chris had recently reminded us of this park. I wanted to take Lake again now that he is older, also, I can't get over the 70's ashtray merry-go-round.

 On Monday we did two different things for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. First we headed over to the Mittleman Jewish Community Center in SW Portland and attended their toddler MLK Service Day program. We donated some new socks, gloves and a few of our gently used jackets. Lake listed to a few songs, colored a place mat, and picked out a new book from the book table. After that, Lake enjoyed some time at their indoor gym, jumping on the trampoline, riding cars down a ramp, and navigated an obstacle course.

Then we took a trip to North Portland and joined a few hundred other folks in the 4th Annual Children's March for Social Justice. Lake was great, if not a bit serious when he joined in the chants. I was both proud and very sad to hear his little voice "Black Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter", "Brown Lives Matter, Brown Lives Matter, Brown Lives Matter", "Hands Up, Don't Shoot, Hands Up, Don't Shoot, Hands Up, Don't Shoot". That last one was particularly hard...and I'm a white mother with a white son, I can't even imagine how terrifying it must be to raise a child of color in today's America. I hope that I am doing right by Lake and the future by teaching him (and reminding/learning myself) that it's up to us to be peaceful and loving towards all people.

Hike #3
Date: Tuesday January 16th, 2018
Place: Cooper Mountain Nature Park
Route: Loop - Cooper Mountain, Blacktail, Little Prairie Trails.
Distance: 2.9 miles

Cooper Mountain Nature Park was lots of fun. This was supposed to be my second Hike it Baby hike, but I put the wrong date on the form when I submitted my hike to the calendar. I sure hope if people did show up when I wasn't there, that they had a good time anyway. Lucky for me, I had let a friend know that we were going on Tuesday and low and behold, she and her two boys were there when we arrived. I sure was happy to have them with us on our adventure. Along the trails are hearing funnels...to better hear the bird life. It was pretty windy that day, so all we really heard was the wind...the boys didn't care. We did see a pair of Red Tail Hawks flying overhead which was awesome.

Park #3
Date: Thursday January 18th, 2018
Place: Oxbow Regional Park
Route: River trail from the boat ramp
Distance: 1 mile

On Thursday we took advantage of Portland Metro's free day in the park program and took a drive out to Oxbow Regional Park. Even though it is only $5 to get in usually, it was nice to not have to pay. Although we have been to this park before, I've decided it does count towards my 52 Week Challenge because we explored a part of the park we have not visited before. After playing in the sand and rocks down by the river we took a short hike down the river trail and checked out one of the group camping areas. Grandma Carol came with us and we toughed it out even though it was raining. Once we started moving it wasn't at all cold, so that helped for sure. We all loved looking for special rocks and each of us brought home a few super pretty ones.

   

On Saturday. I wrapped up the week with two cultural experiences/events. First I went to a Chinese dumpling cooking class. It was offered for free through the Multnomah County Library and even though it was taught in Chinese, I was still able to get quite a bit out of the demo and practice. At the end of the class we were asked if we'd be interested in another class, we all said yes and suggested bao. Will be keeping my eye out for that one!

  

After cooking class I cam home and got Lake and we went to the Winter Pow Wow at PCC Sylvania Campus in the far SW. We got there just in time to get in line for the free community dinner of chili and corn muffins with fruit and cake. After eating we wandered up stairs and found a seat to watch the Aztec dancers and listen to the drummers. Somehow, through all the noise, Lake fell asleep in my lap for about an hour. He woke up just in time for the grand entrance, a parade of representatives from all the attending tribes in their amazing outfits and head dresses....the drums got really loud!

After that we headed home and relaxed at the end of our big week of hikes, parks and cultural events.