chess for breakfast

i watched for a while but couldn't quite decipher what their rules were...if there were any.

but that's okay. they were thoroughly engrossed, not arguing and i got to drink my coffee in blessed peace.

life is good this Tuesday morning.

celebrating the Love along with Stephanie...

what does Love look like for you today?

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. ;)

retro fun

cooler temperatures = way more outdoor fun....

a visit to the park with friends...friends who will soon be leaving us to return to Pakistan...each moment holds more weight now..the fun just slightly more fierce. still, how nice to be able to run and jump and climb without collapsing from heat-stroke.

it took multiple attempts and a whole lot of laughing to try and capture them all running together...alas, the delay on the camera and the difference in speediness made it quite impossible...

traditionally done on ice-skates...this grassy version of the game was just as hilarious....it's all about the 'whipping' after all...

and of course a photo session isn't complete without the goofy face poses...

and yes - i'm very much addicted to this fake polaroid business....:)

How we learn numbery things...

How unschoolers approach simple math and financial transactions....

Step 1: Invite over your BFF

Step 2: Get dressed up

Step 3: Play Fairy-opoly (like Monopoly, only with faeries)

Much hilarity ensued. Learning something was a mere side-effect.