Happy Birthday Silas Who Is FIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the birthday boy on the morning of his 5th birthday!
Yes, this boy is really getting big and learning so much every day. Last night he told me that he now knows how to make his "Th" sound correctly, not like "F".
So now his favorite sloth stuffed animal that was named "Fro-ee" after being thrown across the room upon first meeting is now "Throw-ee"
Hence, his second favorite stuffed animal, Frankie the Owl, is now called "Thrankie".
I love his logic and his energy and his sweetness.
Happy Birthday Silas Loyal Dreyer xoxoxoxoxoxo

They did this for 2 hours straight.

Like puppies with hilarious ideas.

Kinder Contentment

I know it's a bit blurry but I just love the feel of this classroom.

The Light at Night

Being A Girl in this world...

(Thanks Morgan!)

I have to see this!

99%

Very dramatic music aside, I think the 5 changes proposed in this video are good ones.
And after the very rich and the huge corporations freak out and say it's the end of freedom, the end of the world even(!) and try desperately to fight it.... if these changes were made...after all was said and done, truthfully they could handle it and would still be ridiculously rich and FREE. AND they would be living in a more decent and equitable world. Jeez.

1. add a tax bracket for millionaires
2. scrap overseas tax havens
3. introduce a modest financial transaction tax
4. revamp the estate tax
5. end preferential treatment on capital gains tax

And if you've gotten this far into this post you won't mind reading a slightly off topic and badly named article that is still very good (and, I'll admit, grim) that pretty much sums up a sad truth that's been on my mind. HERE IT IS<----(click there:)

Old Town Fair

And they're off for their annual trip with Don to stay at Iz and Benj's grandma's house where they go to the Old Town Fair. It is described to me every year like this: we eat cookies and deviled eggs and go on rides have freedom and go to the beach and it's awesome. Fourth year in a row! (yes, I can't believe that Emmett was only 6 the first time. I think it was his very first overnight, far from home!)

I don't want to forget the name of this plant again.

So....I am putting it here on this blog

Hypoestes Aristata

.
I love it. It gets big, takes over ugly space and blooms from Sept-Jan. Looks green and great the rest of the year too.

he likes to spend much of his time up-side-down

sometimes right-side-up

Common Sense.

Peace.

Three slips of paper handed to me by 5th graders after the SDCCS Peace Day assembly.
They read.

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten we belong to eachother
Mother Teresa

Establishing lasting peace is the work of education...
Maria Montessori

If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbors,
If there is to be peace between neighbors,
There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.
Lao Tzu

Great Place to Buy Halloween Candy (on-line!)

The Natural Candy Store! Free-Trade, Organic, Huge Variety AND even Vegan options!
It's not cheap so I either buy the SALE stuff or a I just give out one or two per kid instead of my over-exuberant handfuls!
They also have holiday stuff like big Easter Eggs pre-filled with candy and chocolate leprechaun gold as well as vegan marshmallows (a favorite around here!) As you get closer to these holidays they sell out so order early!

upstairs, revamped

So it seems that while Cami and Craig and Finley were changing up their Brooklyn digs we were doing the same here. (bandana in hair, furrowed brow, dust bunnies, slight nervous breakdown, way too many cartoons for Silas...)
Matt had a great idea to move the record player out into the living room since our 12 year old bose cd player died. This, of course, set all sorts of change in motion.
New homework/art space, reading area AND Emmett's new own private room/nook that we
sectioned off with a dresser and a screen and a curtain. He loves it. Silas also likes his privacy now too with a new curtain.




(think I took enough pictures? jeez.)

silas in kindergarten = lots of new pots

I love this illustration.

Dulac's Princess and the Pea

**HIGHSCHOOL!***5th GRADE!***KINDERGARTEN!**

Back to School and So Far SO GREAT! Glowing reports all around.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA!!!!

mac here...

happy birthday papa i love you.

(i do not own any of these songs played on the video above)

(comment if you like this video and want more)

yes. tell your kids.

Emil posted this on facebook and I love it. Thanks Emil, thanks Mr. Glass. I will pass it on.

oh. my. god.

check this out.
GLAMPING

and particularly THIS ONE!!!!

two pictures

tree with moon sun 3 birds and naked swimming mama. great.

catalina

It was really pretty and I would totally do it again...but NOT in 4 days because camping is
too much fricken work for anything less than 6 days. Period.
Highlight: Snorkeling with Leopard Sharks. Lowlight: Silas' 103 fever.
Perk: Restaurant just a little hike away. Must: Tent cabins with cots and mattresses!!!