Redwood Autumn

Rm 3 Self Portraits, Nov

The Rock House

Sugar skulls

Dreaming of Adventure

The Minnow

There was a spider in their room

Tolay Harvest Festival

Story time

Spy cams. Watching me. Everywhere.

Dear Fairys

First Day of School!

Another school year begins with Juju in first grade, and Zoe as a third grader. Can you tell who intends to major in class clowning?

Summer lovin

The Sea House

Their beloved Sea House at Refugio Beach

Hay Ride at Avila Farm

Swimmin' Hole

Lynn Valley river day

Dr Zoe visits Eric

Summer Campers

Morning scenes

Zoe on the track

When little girls are left alone with their cat

Poor Punda. I found this image on my phone this morning. It may look like Punda has been in a fender bender, but this look was no accident. His morning nap on top of the laundry was interrupted by a bored 8 year old. Much to Punda's terror, the kids have taken a recent liking to his extreme handling. They no longer fear the fangs and grappling hooks, and he is sort of getting used to them picking him up like a frightened sack o' potatoes. They need constant reminders to "be gentle" and "if he is under the bed, let's leave him there. It's his 'no thank you' spot." I've taught them how to give him a 'hug' from behind, by picking him halfway up from under his arms, so that they can nuzzle his neck and rub his tummy without lifting his back legs off the ground. I'm hoping that helps. Sorry, Punda.

Little Big Girl

Afternoon water fights

Laying in wait. It's ambush time.

He rides again

Julian trots on Fanny for the final performance at the end of "Everything Horse Camp". This was Julian's last day of horse camp. He had a great time, and charmed the pants off of all the counselors. I spend a lot of cash buying carrots at the grocery store. On the first day of camp, I received a phone call while shopping at Target. "Hi, is this F....Farleigh? Yes, this is Julie from Redwood Stables- " Uh oh. "Is everything okay?!" "Oh yes! Julian is fine... but he took a little fall off of one of the horses. We have him icing his leg and..." "Did he hit his head?" "Just a bit, but he didn't loose consciousness, and it doesn't seem to bother him. We checked him over carefully, we just wanted you to know before you come to pick him up." Turns out, on Julian's 2nd time riding a horse, ever, he fell off after the horse was spooked, and took off running- with little Julian holding on for dear life. It seems that Mac & Cheese has some psychological issues. And when someone walked by the track holding whip, Mac & Cheese caught sight of it and flipped out, taking off and ignoring Julian's pleas to "HO!" The counselors all commended his amazing bravery for holding on as long as he did before falling towards the ground where a front hoof knocked his helmet from it's seat on his head, and the back hoof grazed that spot on his forhead on the way by. It was a very close call. Luckily Julian, though a bit bruised and shaken, was not injured and after a good spanking Mac & Cheese was sent to his stall and taken out of circulation for the week. The best part? Julian went to bed saying, "I can't wait to wake up and see the horses in the morning". And see them he did, from high in the saddle, no fear. By the end of the week, guess who was his favorite horse? Yup, Mac & Cheese. I guess they have a special bond.

Horsie nuzzles

Julian is having a wonderful week at horse camp. He goes to bed at night saying, "I can't wait to wake up and see the horses tomorrow!"

Bike rides & smackeroons

Old fashioned hay ride

This week the kids and I took a trip down to SLO to stay in our favorite hotel in Pismo on the beach. I found a wonderful farmstand on the road to Avila. They have a great little shop and market and deli. Zoe and I bought matching chicken aprons and some romaine lettuce to feed to the goats. Then we took a hayride through the fields and orchards, driven by tractor. The skies were bright blue, and the farm in it's peak of the season. Fat squashes ripening on the vine, corn taller than me, peaches blushing on the trees. It was really lovely there in the Avila valley.

Peace, love & patriots

Small victories

Julian lost his first tooth today!

Waiting for the fall- out

I finished Julian's tooth pillow tonight. I printed fabric using an xray of his teeth, and used it as the pocket where he will stash his little tooth for the tooth fairy. The pillow was finished just in time I think, as his tooth is very loose!

Vertically Challenged

He has the courage, but not the height. For this summer, he has to stay in the pool. Hopefully next summer he will slip down the big slide.

Nails did

Good Reads

Afternoon

Legos and Playmobile to pass the afternoon.

Studmuffins

Yesterday, I took The Kids out to SF for a bike ride. On the weekends when the weather is nice, we've been doing this more and more. They can really ride well, even uphill and for longer and longer distances. We started out riding in Golden Gate Park, and then pushed further and further into the park, and once I felt comfortable we ventured out into the neighborhoods a bit. We practiced all the rules of the road in the Panhandle- using the bell, stopping at the light. Following each other carefully. Warning and passing pedestrians, stopping at stop signs. We took turns leading and following. We always park on Fell, at the start of the Panhandle, where it's easy to unload the bikes from the van (and we are close to their favorite pizza place). Next, we took a trip down into the Mission to visit Tia Michelle via a route called "The Wiggle". The Wiggle is an old route that is now marked by a special bike lane. It's known to locals as the easiest way to get between the Mission and GGP, while navigating the easiest slope. Going back and forth through the lower Haight and climbing up to the Panhandle. The kids loved it! It's so great riding through SF, looking at all the pretty houses, and winding through the neighborhoods. Next, we tried riding out of the park into the Inner Richmond. Zoe loves going to Green Apple (used book store Mecca), so we rode there, and back into the park. Yesterday, we topped ourselves. We rode from Baker St., all the way into the park to the Windmills, and finally Ocean Beach. After some sand play, we rode up Balboa, up the hills, and into the Inner Richmond to the bookstore. The kids were amazing. Ocean Beach is about 45th Ave or so. Green Apple is at 6th Ave. Then we stopped for a break at Toy Boat dessert cafe for ice cream cones before heading back into the park (up another hill 5 blocks over) and through the Panhandle to the car. I didn't map the miles, but I am so impressed by their effort. The craziest part? The kids want to do it again!

Greekfest 2014

Every year at Greekfest Oakland, Zoe sits in this man's line for her turn to request a balloon creature. I have photos of Zoe sitting here every year. Patiently waiting on her little plastic seat while he makes Elmos, and Nemos, and butterflies, and swans, and swords. Each little plastic stool made for a tiny bum has the photo of a famous personality taped to the seat. The Little Mermaid. Cinderella. Thomas. Oprah. And every time a balloon creature is finished the child stands up, accepts their prize and dutifully taps the bell, hits the buzzer, bangs a gong and then drops their tokens into the mailbox. At which point you'd better be paying attention because it's time to move down. Everyone stands up like the wave at the ballpark and moves down one seat. If you aren't paying attention, the man with the whistle in his mouth and flacid balloons in his hand will grasp your head and while gently tooting the whistle turn it back and forth until you realize that there is an empty seat to your left and a line of children waiting to your right. You'd best get up and sit down on Dorey before that line backs up any more. By now, Zoe knows the drill. And this year, as every year, she waits patiently for 30, 40 minutes or more to make her request and watch the balloon fill from one end to the other, softly bent and twisted by expert hands, folding, joining, until finally there it is, eyes drawn on with a waiting sharpie. Her swan, handed to her in swirl of whistles, whirrs and buzzes from the noise makers (Greek balloon man never speaks) is tucked under her arm while she taps the bell, hits the buzzer, bangs the gong and drops her tokens into the mailbox, as she watched 20 kids before her do the same. And the Swan will sit patiently, next to her bed for 3-4 days, slowly deflating, fading until someone asks me to take a pair of scissors and put it out of it's misery. Until next year, balloon man.

Heat Wave

Tennis Stars

With the greatest of ease

The Snit

He is the most beautiful snitter of all time

Rainbow Fish Play Self Portraits

At Aurora, it is a tradition that the children draw self portraits throughout the year, and post them in the hallway next to their classroom. It's so fun to see how the children see themselves, and how they change as they grow. Just before their play, the K/1 class was asked to draw a self portrait as their character from the play, The Rainbow Fish. Now, this is my 3rd year in Rm 3, and I've seen a few of these self portraits. Usually, the kids draw themselves in costume- their hair, their face, their eyes, freckles, nose- and a costume on. This year, most of the kids drew their actual animal. I'm especially of fond of the one in the middle- my little hermit crab.

Neighbors

Bee sting #7

Birthday Party

Scrapbooking

Dreams of Adventure

Sick Day

Poor poor baby. So sick with strep.

80's Day

Chalkboard