Thanks to Julie Diaz of Davis School for including this awesome info in the most recent school newsletter. I’m going to pass it on to y’all, since I know some of us are still scrambling for summer camps, etc.

Summer Camp Guide from Bear Essentials

Free Concerts — The Concert “Music Under the Stars” program is held at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center in Reid Park with László Veres, Conductor and Music Director. Sundays, May 12, 19, 26 and June 2 with all performances starting at 7:00pm. Please keep in mind the popularity of the concerts which means that concert goers should plan to arrive early to ensure a good spot on the grass, as well as a good parking spot. The concerts and parking are free. SHUTTLE INFORMATION: Free shuttle beginning at 5 p.m. from Randolph Golf Course parking lot to the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center in Reid Park.

The Concert Under the Stars program is held at the outdoor László Veres Amphitheatre in Udall Park, Saturdays, May 18, 25, June 1, 8. While the Udall performances start at 7:00pm, their popularity means that concert goers should plan to arrive early to ensure a good spot on the grass, as well as a good parking spot. The concerts and parking are free.

Splash Pad Park — Get out and enjoy the new Catalina Park splash pad at 900 North Fourth Avenue, in the Historic West University neighborhood. Amenities include not only a splash pad, but a new, covered playground and accessible walkways. The splash pad has been designed with a manual activation system to allow residents to turn on the water features as desired.

Summer Aquathlon Series — Monday and Wednesday aquathlons starting at Quincie Douglas —

Summer Tack and Field events every Tuesday at Roy P. Drachman Stadium —
*Running events, long jump, high jump, javelin… $3 per youth, $4 per adults
*no experience necessary to participate! A fun family event!

Free Bowling for Kids —
*Registered kids can receive 2 free games of bowling every day during the summer

Pima County Library Summer Reading Program — May 24th – July 20th

This was my morning

slept for an unspeakable number of hours (in a row!!). The kids kept coming in to ask if I wanted the paper, or breakfast, or the paper (that’s how they said it). I said tea and water please, and the paper. I read the ENTIRE New York Times. Midway through I accepted their offer of breakfast–scrambled eggs cooked with green chiles, by daddy, and toast. And more tea.

Then an hour+ long workout, cardio and weights.

Then Clementine insisted that it was her job to choose my clothes. So, well, I’m colorful.

Then the kids and I walked down Bean Street (our alley) to visit my good friend Carrie and her kiddos Daniel and Henry. I love them. I love living near their family.

Even when things are hard, ridiculous, exhausting, what-the-fuck-am-I-doing, I am grateful.

Thank you.

Let’s talk about them. As one of my friends said to me a few years back, finding herself single as an adult in the new millenium, “I don’t even know how people are wearing their pubic hair nowadays!!”

Sounds silly, but I kind of get it. I really don’t understand the expectation that women should be hairless except for lashes, brows, and head–and that hair must of course be lush!

I’m all for a little grooming when wearing a swimsuit, but the whole Brazilian thing? Not my thing. I think it would be confusing to my kids, too, like “what on earth is going on with that”. Not to judge anyone who like that, but hairs being pulled out by their roots? OW. And also, hair that is underneath the bikini? Can’t it just, you know, stay there?

(Which reminds me–I had a brilliant idea when I had my epidural before having my babies–why don’t hospitals give free bikini waxes since you’re all numb and stuff? I tried to talk my mom into going to Walgreen’s and getting a kit when I was 8cm dilated with Clementine….)

Anyway. I’ve always done the shave-and-deal-with-red-bumps thing. Not sure which is more appealing–hair, or red bumps–but I don’t have the money for the waxing, and did I mention HAIR BEING PULLED OUT BY THE ROOTS? Yeah. Not going to do that. Especially because it doesn’t last all summer!

So why am I talking about pubic hair, really? Okay. The cool women at Estudio de Piel (a Tucson Mama sponsor/partner) let me try out a laser treatment on the bikini line. Yeah, I was skeptical and a bit frightened, but they put numbing cream on and promised not to do anything crazy, and….it wasn’t so bad. It definitely stung a bit, like a snapping feeling, but overall not bad. They gave me three treatments and now I am ready for summer, no red bumps. (Sometimes it takes more than three treatments, but that worked for me.) It works best if you have dark hair and light skin (check!).

Anyway–it’s usually about $100 a treatment and people need 3-6 to fully get rid of the bikini line hair.

But here’s a super special get-ready-for-summer deal: For $99, you can have three sessions of bikini waxing (or another small-medium area) at Estudio de Piel! Call 882-5050 and tell Kim that you’d like to book a TucsonMama laser hair removal treatment. (And if three treatments isn’t enough, they’ll give you a good deal if you want more.)

I only get all recommend-y and pushy about things I think are awesome and worth the $, b/c I don’t have $ to spend on things that don’t work. (I don’t have $ to spend on things that DO work, either, but let’s not dwell on that.) I had their IPL treatment which got rid of all the brown spots I got with my pregnancies, and after years of living near the ocean, and highly recommend those as well.

Anyway–if you want to treat yourself for a super reasonable price and never again deal with red bumps or stubble or getting-hair-yanked-out-by-the-roots-every-month, you might want to give it a try! It’s in the lovely Mercado San Agustin, so you can treat yourself to a nice glass of wine afterward…Or go with a friend and make a date out of it. Hey, I’ve had weirder dates.

(And I’m all for rockin’ the giant 70s style pubic hair, really–I just haven’t felt like doing so in a skimpy bikini bottom and boy shorts look crappy on me.)