Life.

My son isn't a morning person. Actually none of the men in the house are particularly cheerful for a good hour after waking...actively trying to start fights with anyone who crosses their path. It sucks. I don't wake cheery but I am friendly. I am also very busy and, at my worst, if things aren't going my way, I am quiet. But when pushed I am BOSSY and LECTURING. My very worst qualities.
Yes, mornings around here are tough and often start me off feeling like I want to cry. By the time the kids are finally walking out the door to their carpool, I sometimes feel like we are leaving eachother after a fight. I don't like it at all.
But today, Caroline asked "How are you this morning?" and I said "Sucky" and rolled my eyes towards the kids. She laughed and said, "ah, life's rich tapestry." I don't know why but those words just hit me the right way at the perfect moment. Step-back-and-look-around words.
Then she said that it reminded her of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE when the banister knob keeps falling off every time Jimmy Stewart runs down the stairs. I love it that she's an optimist...and I know I am too.
Yes, this life if full of banister knobs falling off right onto your big toe.
But then there are always Zuzu's petals!!
Thank you Caroline!

Atheism and this Article which leads to this book.

Interesting. Haven't read any of the other books of his.
Have heard many things, good and bad about him, but I am all for keeping religion far far away from politics.
check it out the article here.

OK, there has never been a better 4th Birthday Greeting than this...

.....and the ending is SWEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!

Silas says "Thank you Finley I love you." then to me, " I thank them and love them."
and then "Please could we do BEE-BOP again!"
And then, "That Craigy is always playing that saxophone. He never leaves his cat alone."
Then, "Hey, where's Murray?"

We love you so much East Coasties. You are the coolest of the cool!

Day and Night

It used to be pokemon cards and paper-invented "video games" and comic books and chess and football stats and greek myths and inventions and on and on....
Now it is all about the guitar.
DAY AND NIGHT.
(and a little about football stats;)

Happy Birthday to Our 4 Year Old Boy!!!!

.

one , two , three, and FOUR!




We Love Love Love YOU Silas Loyal Dreyer!!!!




Birthday Quote:
"When I go to preschool they should call me OLD SILAS!"

Get out the tissue! Beautiful!

Someone is almost 4!

And it's not me!!

Check out the SDCCS garden blog

HERE!!<----------

Good Garden!

Ideas for the school garden.
A garden "bed"...kinda cutesy but very simple. It would be fun to make pillows out of one type of plant and a striped blanket out of others.

I also love this tunnel for the kindergardeners.

And the pumpkin teepee is great!




























Two of the greatest natives that bloom in fall!
pineapple sage (the variety with the green NOT YELLOW leaves is much hardier!) and enigma blue salvia!

Calvin and Hobbes

Emmett and Mac love Calvin and Hobbes completely and I have many memories of them lounging all over the house and the car and the cabin reading and giggling. So I love Calvin and Hobbes too.
Just the other morning Emmett asked when the last comic was written so we looked it up on the computer. 1995. And here it is. (clearer if you click to enlarge!)





I don't know what it is about this that made me cry because I just don't understand what happened to my mush-o-meter since giving birth. But for some reason this one really got me and I blubbered and misted and it was very messy and Emmett looked truly perplexed.
But the funny part was later (in the car, for christ sakes) when Emmett says to Mac, "Watch this." Then to me "...Mama, remember the last Calvin and Hobbes?"
And, on cue, I cried.

I give Silas the camera sometimes...

...and I am never disappointed. He likes to contribute to music day by taking pictures...blurry movement pictures or 20 in a row of Mabels fur. Here are just a few of his latest!



















I love his faces and his feet all over my camera. Such a great way to see into his mind!

Peace Day at SDCCS

Love it.

Thank you Again Stewart and Colbert

HILARIOUS and GREAT!!!!
check it out!

Mac's First Real Haircut!

Mama just can't manage the mane anymore. Especially since it is getting CURLY!
So this is my pottery student, Lauren, doing her magic. Mac wanted it thinned and the
curls to come out...but got to also see it flat-ironed in the process!

A Story for Feee!

So, Silas and I were playing with the felt board, telling eachother stories. When Silas jumped up and said he had a great idea. A GREAT IDEA! We should make a story movie for Finley. He would be the cameraman. So this one is for you Feee!

8th Grade, 4th Grade and Second Year of Pre-School

And they're off...


If the pictures are any indication of how this year will go...I have a feeling we will be in constant
motion.
.

summer 2010 is over. (here is where I complain a little.)

I am completely sad that summer is over. I want more sun, more beach, more reading, more tomatoes, more kids at home.
I completely reject making THREE lunches every morning and out the door by 7:30.
I am not looking forward to the carpool or the after school lessons or volunteering anywhere.
I don't like to be so bossy, "everybody up, everybody brushed and do you have your homework" ...etc.
I can not believe that three months can go by so quickly. I feel like I did as a kid and really every year since. Summer is easier.
I am not ready for halloween costumes, stuffing and christmas shopping and wrapping.
I do not want to sign my name up on anymore school party potluck lists.

I realize I need to get motivated and being that I am mostly a positive person I know I'll come around in a day or two. But right now I am sad sad sad.
Emmett definitely takes after me in this area.
He says he's really good at summer. I am excellent at summer.
As Mac told me today we have 283 days until summer 2011, starting tomorrow.
She is bummed that she has to go to bed so early. Silas is not entirely sure what the end of summer even means since he has 3 days of preschool year round...but he emphatically agrees anyway. I have infected the whole house. I know it's wrong to get the kids in on it but I just can't keep my mouth shut about how much it stinks that we have to get up so early and that our free time is limited to little pockets of time on the weekend.

And we don't even get a real autumn here. No leaves or brisk air. No fall fashions. Just dying garden and too much work to do.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! sniffle sniffle. nonononononononNO!
this sucks!!!! waaaaaaaa. boohoo.

Sigh.

Good night and see you tomorrow for the more cheerful back-to-school picture-post!

Mac and Emmett Rock Hotel California

I love it! Mac makes the song sound so haunting and sweet...

...Emmett Rips!

We had a really great time at this student showcase. There were all ages performing and everyone was really enthusiastic and supportive. My favorite way to spend a day.
The awesome bass player is Gethin. Super nice kid and just look at him...he looks like Matt and Craig at 14!

Happy Birthday Papa!

...a little home party with delicious nana made cake, some sweet
presents, including a BANJO POLICE shirt from Meg and Crys
and new a hat...
and a truly great beanbag guitar and amp made by emmett.


You have navigated a pretty miserable year and things are looking
up. We love you Matt! Happy Birthday!
And here's Matt stylin' with his posse and some Diggable Planet.
(This cracks me up.)