chess fever

after the kids nagged him to, B set up an informal chess-school in the yard.

they caught on quickly and now our yard is the place to be -- there's an ongoing  tournament.

go figure.

$4 chess set + curiosity fostered = some really thinky kids.

suh-weet.

kid vs. cat

Sebastian chose a $4 chess set with his birthday money (gotta love this kid's sense of value!).

mostly he acts out the Pixar-short (from the beginning of A Bug's Life, i think) where the old man plays chess against himself. he even fakes the heart attack.

sometimes Snowbell plays too. :)

*back-dated post because last week was...well...not conducive to sitting at the computer. ;)

Back to school....NOT!

aaahhhhh.....empty parks!

we spent a leisurely morning...(french toast and smoothies for breakfast)...Savannah decided what she wants to learn next (telling time) and then we headed out to do some errands.  which of course ended with a side-trip to the park....

although we don't really plan exactly what we do each day...we are finding our way back to a certain routine and rhythm.  the lazy chaos of summer (and the heat-induced sloth) doesn't really suit us and it generally devolves into madness.

it was a warm and humid day again today -- nothing compared to summer -- but it meant lots of outdoor time.  just how we like it.

i'm feeling very blessed for the life we lead....not always the easiest or most popular path...but so very worth it.

French River 2010

our annual (okay, second year in a row) pilgrimage to the French River -- to a little cabin by the river -- the children immersed themselves immediately in the wildness....computers, television, video-games all forgotten in an instant in favour of fishing poles and river-puddles.

and yes, Savannah is embarking on a dread-journey. after much discussion and research, we are in the process of dreading her hair. she's the coolest kid, ever.

amazing how a fishing pole in the river can ease the tensions of the busy-world. in the time it takes to bait the hook, the worries melt away.

for me, it was sunrises down by the river....pen-on-page meditations and reconnecting with dreams...

and there were walks in the woods....

and, of course....the fish...

lots of fish...

and sky....gorgeous, endless horizons...

yep.

it was good.