puzzling in the book nook

Nature Kids

interesting review of Twilight...

...for those of us who liked the book and movie while
realizing it was a bit...sexist?!
Here's the review from salon.

Emmett started a story tonight. Here it is.

Three humans* lay on the earth one thousand years ago when the castles were tall, the knights were brave, and the damsels were sweet. Or so they call the medieval days. One man was inhumanly strong. One man was as fast as words come to your mouth. And last but definitely not least was a man who could turn into everything, from aardvark to zebra he could turn into any living things, even ameba’s.

*Well maybe not humans lets say super beings

The names of these inhuman creatures are as follows:

The strong was named Eric

The fast was named Alexander

And the shape shifter was named Andrew

And now to the story…

Once there in a cottage lived three men (witch you of course already now about) were having some nice jasmine tea. It was adequate because it was home made. They were sitting silently sipping the tea. Sitting there. Still sitting there. Finally Alexander broke the silence and exclaimed, “I am tired of sitting here I want to do something exiting!” ...

(to be continued...)

I hope he continues this story because I love it.

Here's some video I think is very sweet from last weeks piano lesson with Emmett. Now I get to sit and listen while Mac watches Silas for an hour on her own. It's amazing how great she is with Silas and how much he loves being with her. And I am so happy to sit in this room on Dr. Kranz's couch listening to this...




...while flipping through this very bizarre book that's always there on the coffee table.

good-bye blue bananas!

A great season!  They may not have won many games but this team had some serious heart!

Emmett says he already misses soccer. 

You will notice that Pablo is holding Emmett's "head" for the team picture because we were in New York for it. (click to enlarge this one for sure!) Max, our awesome goalie is also missing from the pic.

says it all...

from Talking Points Memo:

Breaking News:

Lieberman expelled from Pilates class in Senate gym.

(give me a break.)

two good things...

Matt and I watched Bullitt last night,

the best 70's cop movie I had never seen.

Steve McQueen is just too cool and reminds me of Matt except for the fact that this Bullitt character never talks or shows emotion which is very un-Matt. (But I still think he should get a blue turtle neck...:) Anyway, as we got all set up for a movie we decided that trying to snuggle our big personages on one teensy couch wasn't working. So we came up with this fabulous idea! Why settle for a couch when you can have a .....

...Couch Boat!

Turns out it is also an awesome trampoline (coucholine?) and a great place for 5 people to read. The dog likes it and I have a feeling it will make appearances at sleepovers

and will no doubt be the basic frame

of all future forts.

Nana and I were cracking up while we all watched "Ballet Shoes" while Silas 'skadoo-ed' over and over onto the couch. But he did very well and used his whisper voice most of the time!

I think I will retire to the couch boat now.

they keep coming...

Craig and Annie 1988 or 89

Matt background, Craig singing

Not sure when? anyone?

Blast...

...who knew that in a matter of days, through the wonder of "facebook", all sorts of hilarious pictures would surface of Matt and Craig. Cool then, still cool.

Spa Day for Mama...

Came home from the studio on Sunday to an invitation for a home spa day with Mac and Emmett. Such a sweet thing and perfectly timed during Silas' nap! I was fed delicious food, foot-soaked, sea salt massaged and toe nail painted. Awesome. Yes I am totally bragging. For Matt, a big moment he anticipated as a father was when he could say, "hey kid, could you get me a cup of coffee". For me, having another human I can hit up for a massage makes the fact that I need one now more than ever, worth it!

Thank you So Much Guys! XXXOOO

keeping SDCCS "cooperative" ....

what was built today?
an outdoor classroom, a mosaic round butterfly garden, two compost corals, 4 more raised beds, benches, a stage platform, wooden cut out art work to beautify the chain link etc etc...


check in to the SDCCS blog over the next couple of days for more garden work day pics!

It's amazing what the parents kids and teachers at this school can and DO accomplish!

lovin' up Emmett

At the wedding when we went to New York...

I just love this picture of Emmett coming in for

an unsolicited dance, just burying himself in the mama and papa sandwich.

A visit from Donna Frye!!

click here...so cool! (scroll down a bit to see our school pic!)

Donna Frye visited Emmett's classroom last week and spent quite a bit of time

with them, answering questions.

wahooooooooooooooo!

what a night! 

visualizing this family in the white house...

Oh, how this could change the world!

two feelings at once...about election day...

This is me. ------------------------------>

This is what I need.------------------------------------>

Halloween '08

Emmett="wolfman/ape/bandit/freakazoid" (love it...this was actually costume #2 after the Johnny Depp costume worn at school!)

Silas="babyranger/samurai/robinhood" (he actually likes this costume...a last minute throw together, thanks to Emmettand his love of Rangers Apprentice!)

Mac="reverse candy machine" (very cool...also costume #3 after a cowgirl at the dance and a "noisy bell lady" at school today)

(you must click on this picture to get the full effect of Emmett I think)

Fun night for all. Matt took Mac and Emmett around with the

gang and I went 4 times to see the "scary kitty" house with Silas.

Then came home to eat way too many peanut butter cups.

how change happens...

(from yet another Keillor article that asks how minds are changing about Obama)

"... how can they possibly go for a Harvard Law graduate from the South Side of Chicago whose last name is Obama, for crying out loud?
They can and they will. Colin Powell was right when he called the guy a transformational candidate. We walk through the door and we close it behind us and the simplicity of it is dazzling. That's how it happens."

for the whole article click here

;)

just love every thing he writes...

...click here for a great article from
Salon.com by Garrison Keillor 

(you may have to click on"Enter Salon"

in the top right corner to get to the article...)

Every week he writes something
short, sweet, and great (look under 

"opinion" to find previous articles). It's 

worth reading much of what he's written 

during this election season actually.

I just LOVE HIM and Prairie Home Companion

and completely agree with his brand of democrat.

leaf, laugh, love...the dreyer family band...october sessions

ok, this was definitely one of my top 5 experiences in LIFE
creating something like this with the family...being together and making songs in one of the most beautiful places during the prettiest 12 days of the year...just awesome
It was impossible to choose from the hundreds of pictures Cami took...I tried show a bit of everything...what the days felt like...