Tanski Family Picnic

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsLiXuUSSUI

Kisha Lynn Patterson-Tanski
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Vegan Maple Cinnamon Roasted Cashews Recipe | ChooseVeg.com

http://www.chooseveg.com/display_recipe.asp?recipe=324

Sent from my iPhone

This is why

The heating bills so high. He said he was cold and procceded to be a
stool and go turn up the thermostat.

When I woke up this morning

I realized something really quite interesting. My family lives in a city (Buffalo) with an African-American Mayor, in a state (New York) with an African-American Governor, in a country (USA) with a mixed-race/ African-American President. This is a lot of executive brownness, you know I think my city council person is Hispanic. So I should feel that we have "overcome" and racism is a thig that my son will never have to encounter.

He's just a bit over two years old, and Kindergarten is not until 2011, but I have serious reservations about sending him to public school. I'm not so worried about a thin curriculum or lack of art and gym, I feel that I can supplement those. I'm more worried that because 1 out of 2 of the African-American boys in our city don't graduate from high school and that because of this his Kindergarten teacher will have lower expectations from him. I worry that she his brown skin and assume that his curiosity, exuberance and spirited-ness are liabilities and a discipline problem. Or worse yet, knowing that he only has half a chance at achieving a basic education she'll just protect her job and teach to the state test and leave out everything else. Our school staff and administration isn't all white, in fact the superintendent is another accomplished African-American. After some of the things that the public has said about Barack Obama I'm also worried about what some of his black teacher and classmates might think about him. Kiran is multi-racial, like most Americans, but he wears it on his face and in his crazy curly hair. Will someone say he's not black enough because his father is Polish, and his mother went to college and speaks standard English. This is one of the most hurtful things that anyone can say to you, or think about you. I know because since I was in honors classes in high school, students and teachers implied that I mustn't be really *that Black*, right?

So there's always private school and if we scrimp and save we may be able to pay for some of that. The parents and teachers with no doubt be a little more familiar with multi-racial children, and maybe a little less prone to stereotypes and there will be little room for low expectations. I went to private school for most of elementary school but I clearly remember the mother of one of my classmates giving me what could simply be called a reading test when I went over for a play date. Are you kidding me? no. Can President Barack keep that from happening to Kiran? Can I?

I'm not sure that I should try to protect him from everything, and if I do succeed in protecting him, what about all the other children in my town, my state and my country. If they have to encounter these little injustices, these big injustices how will they be affected. How can I protect them too?

I know its been a while

Very much has happened in the last months: Kiran's growing each day, and I've been very busy with work, both very exciting. But the most exciting thing to have happened in the last few months is that I've found out that I'm pregnant again! some part of me is a little surprised that I'm up for it all that again, but I guess so. I'll be 10 weeks pregnant on Tuesday so that will put my due date at May 24th, but you know they should never give you a due date, it more like we'll have a Taurus/ Gemini cusp child. I'll be posting the tummy pictures here and facebook

Playground Spring

Wild curly hair
Smiles
Jump and sing
Spring sun on
Caramel skin
Elbow scrape
Dirty socks
The playground is yours
Because the other boys nap
Your second summer
Is almost here

The 4th, the Festival, and more work than I can handle

I don't have too many photo's from the this years Great Blue Heron Festival, because I took tons of video and not so many stills.
But I'll share them with who ever actually does read my little blog-y-poo. We had so much fun, I was so sorry when it was over.
The weather couldn't have been nicer.
Our friends came too, so the little boys got to play together.
There was tons of terrific music and lots of stuff for the kids to do, including riding behind a tractor, playing in hay, sand box, pond swimming, dancing, and singing along as well.
We drank a little beer, ate some camping and festival foods too.
I didn't' make it to the all night dance tent but that's hard to do when you've got a toddler who still doesn't sleep the night just yet.
Besides even with my after noon nap I just couldn't stay up all night. maybe in years to come. its alright I got to dance just plenty. :)

So now back to the real world I have more work than I can handle and hot summer days just do not motivate a girl to do work! (house work or architecture.) Why can't i just get paid to be my fabulous self? I did get up and go out to a meeting yesterday. I really enjoyed being all showered and lip-glossed. I love the music festivals, with all the barefoot dirty hippies, but ultimately I like wearing heels and jewelry. I should get Kiran up from his nap now.

Last summer's Great Blue Heron Festival