The Rainbow Connection

Evan's kindergarten teacher had a little talk with Stephen the other day when he came to pick Evan up after school. Apparently, Evan has the tendency to sing while he's working. His teacher has told him to stop multiple times, but she says it's almost as if he doesn't realize he's doing it. And that could certainly be the case. We have music on all the time at home; we're constantly singing and dancing around here. And you know how it is when you've got a song stuck in your head. Sometimes you find yourself singing it without really even thinking about it. At least I do, particularly when my hands are busy doing something.

Mrs. Clarke, I am sorry my son is interrupting your class. I really, truly am. I know it can't be an easy job managing a class of 25 wily kindergartners for 3 1/2 hours a day, 5 days a week, and I respect you for the work that you do. We have spoken to Evan about when it is appropriate to sing and when it is not and we have tried to show him some ways to be more aware of what he is doing in the classroom.

But, you guys, the song Evan sings in class is The Rainbow Connection. If he's going to get in trouble, I really can't think of a sweeter infraction. And although I hope he is able to control himself in the future and not interrupt the class with his lovely, if occasionally off-key, singing voice, I really can't help but smile at the thought of it.

In honor of my sweet little dreamer, who gets lost in song while doing his school work, I share with you the lyrics to one of our very favorite songs around here...

The Rainbow Connection

Written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher

Why are there so many songs about rainbows

and what's on the other side?

Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,

and rainbows have nothing to hide.

So we've been told and some choose to believe it.

I know they're wrong, wait and see.

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.

The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

Who said that every wish would be heard

and answered when wished on the morning star?

Somebody thought of that and someone believed it.

Look what it's done so far.

What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing

and what do we think we might see?

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.

The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

All of us under it's spell. We know that it's probably magic.

Have you been half-asleep and have you heard voices?

I've heard them calling my name.

Is this the sweet sound that called the young sailors?

The voice might be one and the same.

I've heard it too many times to ignore it.

It's something that I'm supposed to be.

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.

The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

*   *   *

And, for your viewing pleasure, one of my favorite versions of the song, performed by Kermit and the impossibly cool Debbie Harry, during her guest stint on the Muppet Show in 1981:

Debbie, I just dig songs about rainbows too.

Don't you?

Hot Fun In The Summertime (Project 358: Day 230)

The other day, my mom and I decided to make the most of the hot summer weather and take the kids to Bertha Henschel park in East Sacramento. Located on 45th Street between A and B, Bertha Henschel is a real gem. In addition to standard playground equipment, basketball courts, a soccer field, and picnic areas, there is a small fenced-in wading pool for children 7 and younger. On one end of the wading pool is a giant, mushroom-shaped fountain that dispenses a constant stream of water for children to play in. The kids had a blast and my mom and I had a lovely time relaxing in the ample shade watching them play.

Unfortunately, due to dwindling city funding, the pool at Bertha Henschel park may not be open next summer. Volunteers are working hard to raise the $22,000 dollars necessary to save it (yikes!). It would be a real tragedy if this pool were to close. It is obviously well loved by children and parents alike; the place was packed.

If you'd like to help out, all fundraising is being funneled through the non-profit Gifts To Share. Send your tax deductible donation (Tax ID # 94-29285546) to:

Gifts To Share, Inc.

915 I Street, 5th Floor

Sacramento, CA 95814

(Please write "Bertha Henschel" in the memo line.)

Or donate online www.giftstoshare.org by clicking on their "Donate Now" link and then designating Bertha Henschel Pool in the "Program Designation" tab.

Note: all money raised will remain with the park even if the City is unable to fund the pool. The money will then be used for desired park improvements.

I do so hope that we are able to keep the pool open another year. Just look at the fun we had...

Day 230: Pure Delight

Photo by my mom (KP) (Edited by AS)

Photo by KP (Edited by AS)

Project 358: Days 209 - 215

Day 209: Fail. No Photo.
Day 210: Fail. No Photo.

I've been writing that so much these days, it almost feels silly to say that I'm still taking part in the project. Except, after taking a moment to figure out exactly how many days I've missed, I discovered the number is only 15. Out of a total of 221 days so far, I'm thinkin' 15 misses ain't bad. And so, I continue on with the project for the remaining 137 days. In fact,  I think I'll challenge myself to make it there without missing any more!

Onward!

Day 211: Miss Mazzy's Birthday Crown

Evan, and his lifelong friend Mazzy, were in the same parent participation preschool class this past year and, as  participating parents, Mazzy's mom Keri and I were strongly encouraged to take on duties that went beyond the requirement of helping out in class once a week. The job I chose was that of "social coordinator" which, as it turned out, really just involved making crowns for the children whose birthdays fell within the school year. I thoroughly enjoyed this crafty task but was saddened by the fact that I wouldn't be making one for Mazzy, as her birthday is in August. So, Keri and I decided it would be fun for Mazzy if I made her a crown anyway and brought it to her 5th birthday party. Pictured above is Miss Mazzy's crown. I may have put a little more bling on hers than I did the other children's, but can you blame me? I mean, she's practically my neice! I wanted that crown to sparkle as much as she does. (It doesn't even come close.)

Day 212: Volunteer

This little green friend pictured above was not planted by me, nor anyone else that resides in my home. He volunteered himself as an addition to our garden, right smack in the middle of some irrigation tubing. Still, we decided to let the little guy grow. I'm still not sure what he is, though. At first, I thought cucumber, because the leaves are similar and, much like cucumber, this plant has those delightfully "grabby" little curlicue tendrils. But then the thing bloomed and I realized it couldn't be cucumber; the blossoms were much too large and resembled those of zucchini. Except, zucchini doesn't have the curlicues, so I'm confused. Our little volunteer continues to grow at an alarming rate, but has yet to bear fruit. Anyone out there have any idea what it is? (I'm hoping it's winter squash!)


Day 213: Fail. No photo.

Day 214: Adventure Village

A week after Evan's two night visit to Grandma Kim's house, he had the chance to do it all over again. This time while he was away, we decided to take Elinor to the Granite Arch, a rock-climbing gym in Rancho Cordova. She's always been a climber and we thought she might have fun with a little bouldering at the gym. We chose the Granite Arch over Pipeworks (where Stephen and I had a date earlier this year) because they have a play area for kids that they call Adventure Village. It turned out that Elinor was not the least bit interested in bouldering, mostly because she was intimated by the size of it I think, but she had fun playing in Adventure Village, pictured above and below. That said, I don't think we'll be going back. The climbing and bouldering areas were very nice, but the play area didn't look very well maintained and, with shredded old tires used as the floor covering, it felt really dirty (Elinor's face, arms and hands were dark grey by the time we left). I mean, sure it was bouncy, and I'm all for recycling, but old tires? In a playground? Seems kind of, I don't know, toxic? Anyway, we definitely didn't feel the experience was worth the $9 drop-in fee. Live and learn.

Whoa, trippy.

Peek-a-boo!

One of the best parts of having Evan gone for a couple of days was watching him come home and give his sister a HUGE hug, lifting her off the ground and squeezing her with all his might. As much fun as he had at Grandma Kim's, he missed his sister. And she missed him. Having one child may be simpler, but man I'm glad I had two, if only for moments like that. And this:

Day 215: Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Project 358: Days 202 - 206

Day 202: Fail. No photo.

Day 203: Summertime Snow

Day 204: Evan Art (Buzz Lightyear)

Day 205: Fail. No photo.  (Seems I'm getting lazier these days...)

Day 206: My, How He's Grown!

Evan recently had the chance to spend TWO WHOLE NIGHTS at his grandma's home in Sebastopol ALL BY HIMSELF! The photo above was taken the morning she came to pick him up. Looks just a wee bit excited don'tcha think? On his lap is a map that he drew showing Grandma Kim how to get to her house from our house. Elinor felt it necessary to do a thorough safety inspection of the vehicle before their departure. She's like a mini Stephen.

Upcoming post: how we spent our time during our brief journey back into the relative simplicity of life with one child.

Project 358: Days 196 - 198

Day 196: Mr. Catalog Head, by Evan

Day 197: Inner Workings of the Parsons Family GOPP (Grand Old Player Piano)

Day 198: Tossin' Rocks in the American River

Project 358: Days 188 - 194

Day 188: Fire In The Sky

Day 189: Lunch.

Tempeh bacon, golden heirloom tomato, avocado, baby spinach, sunflower sprouts, mustard, and Vegenaise on whole wheat bread. On the side: arugula, golden heirloom tomato, avocado, and sunflower seeds tossed in balsamic vinaigrette. Yum.

Day 190: Uncertain

Day 191: Breakfast.

A big ol' hearty breakfast hash made from red onion, green bell pepper, red potatoes, and crumbled Organic "Hemp-fest" Breakfast Patties. Topped with tomato, avocado, and a dash o' Chalula hot sauce. This was so freakin' yummy, but the photo does not do it justice. In hindsight, I realize I shoulda' thrown a piece of toast in the mix, if only for compositional purposes. Oh, well. C'est la vie!

Day 192: Dinner.

Peanut Stew:

1. Chop half an onion and cook in pot.
2. Add a can of stewed tomatoes, a half cup of crunchy peanut butter, and a half can of garbanzo beans.
3. Chop a potato and add to pot with a sprinkling of thyme.
4. Cover pot and cook on low heat for 20 min.
5. Serve on rice.
6. Munch.

I snagged this recipe from The Vegan Stoner, a charming and aesthetically pleasing blog dedicated to food that is "cheap, fast, and vegan." I've been following the blog for a while now, but this is the first recipe that I felt compelled to try (they had me at "crunchy peanut butter"). I did have to cook it for almost twice as long as directed to get the potatoes soft, and we did end up adding salt, black pepper, and cayenne because it needed a little kick, but overall, this recipe is bomb. I will be making it again in the future fo' sho'.

Day 193: Have Wheels, Will Travel

Elinor's legs are now long enough to pedal the tricycle! Evan, nine whole months after receiving a bicycle for his birthday, finally decided to try riding the thing!! Dreams of family bike rides are dancing in my head!!! I LOVE EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!

I am a happy mama.

Day 194: So Close, Yet So Far Away

My childhood pool, closed for the summer due to budget cuts. Sigh. This kinda' broke my heart a little, truth be told.

Project 358: Days 172 - 176

Day 172: Pals For Life

Day 173: Fail. No photo.

Day 174: In Her Own Little World

Day 175: Fail. No photo.

Day 176: Happy Birthday To Meeee!

Project 358: Day 171

Day 171: The Artist At Work

Warm Weather Delights (Project 358: Days 163 - 165)

Day 163: A Magically Misty Summer's Eve in Grama & Grampa's Garden

Day 164: Dining Al Fresco

Day 165: Christmas In June

Project 358: Days 151 - 158

Day 151: Lavendar

Day 152: Birds On Wires

Day 153: If You're Happy And You Know It, Shout "Hooray!"

Day 154: Fail. No photo.

Day 155: Backyard Boogie

Day 156: Snuggle Buggles

(I have to stop taking pictures of my kids while they sleep...The flash of my camera is bound to wake them one of these days. And yet, how can I stop? Impossible...)

Day 157: Boys And Trains: A Classic Combo

And because Day 157 presented me with a difficult choice, here is one more photo of two of my very favorite Y chromosomes...

The Man I'm Raising and The Man Who Raised Me

Today, I sat down to draw with Evan. I grabbed a red pen, took it to the upper right-hand corner of the paper and drew a small curved line, creating a shape much like a slice of pie. Evan asked me what I was
drawing and I said, quite honestly, "I don't know." Over the course of the day, this is what developed:

Day 158: Art Therapy

What a thoroughly relaxing activity this whole drawing gig is. No wonder I did it so much as a child...Need to do it more often as an adult.