Pirates, Beasts and Thomas Paine

Friday, I had to be at work super-early so on the way, I stopped to take a picture of this particulary magnificent sunrise.

Saturday, we went to Leo's 5th birthday party - pirate themed obviously! The kids had their faces painted, had a gold dubloon hunt, jumped on the trampoline, ate cupcakes and bashed a pinata. Super fun!

Sunday, I took Taylor to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D at the theater....it was pretty cool though I admit my kid is still not a movie kid. I thought he was enjoying it when at the end, he looked at me eagerly and said "can we go now?" :)

Last night, we celebrated Thomas Paine's birthday....an annual event at our home...we eat by candles, wooden plates, with no utensils, cloth napkins, cheese and bread and grapes and wine (colored water) much like the common man would have done 270 years ago. We talked about why we chose to name Taylor after Paine and what kind of man he was. We read our favorite passages by Thomas Paine and talked about them with Taylor. Dan's was "We have the power within us to start the world anew." Mine was "When man yields the privelege of thinking, the last bastion of liberty quits the horizon." In 4-year old speak, I am pretty sure those equated to "You can always change something you do not like" and "always use your brain." :)