First day of Summer

First day of summer and already my two big ideas for summer projects are well on there way to completion. Now what to do with the rest of the 89 days of summer? In the forty minutes that both Dean and Miles were asleep Max and Mia sketched several designs for their own ugly dolls, together we drew a pattern on tracing paper and we painstakingly cut our patterns with scissors dull from family use. My good scissors were used to cut wood for a model rocket. Now dull, very dull. We muscled our way through the fabric and have what just may be an “ugly doll.” I appreciate by virtue of the name of the project we set our sights on a very manageable goal. Since when we moved into our home, five years ago this Halloween, I lost the cord to my sewing machine and is still MIA. Maybe buried in that one rogue box somewhere in the shed. Who knows?

Clearly I am not a sewer. I am not even a sewer on a long vacation. Hemming drapes is a bit beyond my sewing ability. Ugly dolls will be perfect. I am assuming they will be a success no matter what they look like! Sketches, patterns, and cutting complete in 25 minutes. Now the second project comes out: the kids make their own scrapbooks with Costa Rica pictures. This went even faster. 8 minutes, two glue sticks down, 30 pictures each filed away, and done. I suggested some decorations and writing both to personalize the project and to elongate the process. Looks like brainstorming and creativity will be in fast order for nap- time entertainment.

Mother of Boys

Mother of Boys
As the beginning of summer dawns with sun, cut up knees, and filthy feet I realized that I am most certainly a mother of boys. When Max came in the house after moments outside with a 4 inch scrape up his thigh and a 1 inch gnarly splinter in his palm I realized that I am a mother of boys. When mud, the hose, climbing, and running are the only things my kids want to do I sat down with the knowledge that I have a long life of blows to the head, mud tracked onto the carpeting, slipping on cars left on the floor, and cleaning up gushing blood from falls, punctures, and tricks.

Since I now have three boys I realized that I need to hone and practice some invaluable skills: Making and flying airplanes, using vehicle appropriate sounds, bandaging wounds, running, chasing,
throwing, wrestling, kicking and building. I should add to my list flying kites, making forts, and enjoying sports.

Toys such as planes, trains, and automobiles are not going anywhere anytime soon. Other toys such as dress up, dolls, and house may be under utilized.

How far you jump, how fast you run (for example Max can run so fast that he is convinced that he is invisible while he dashes across the room), how precise the upper cut and how many steps you can jump/fall from on the stairs are the new tests of house supremacy (Max 9, Mia 8, and Miles 2.)

The trade offs--from Sugar and spice and everything nice with Amelia to Snips and snails and puppy dog tails with my three boys. I cant wait to see what is dragged into the house!

Oasis interrupted—the Shower

I turn on the almost scalding water of the shower and simultaneously open the door to an other world-a world of peace, quiet and tranquility. While the warm steam calms and covers my shoulders, face and back relaxation is almost palpable. The soothing repetition of water drowns out other noises, the noises outside the bathroom door and beyond my peaceful shower paradise. Then, after only moments the door opens, screams erupt, “Mom he hit me.” “I’m hungry.” “I don’t know what to ware?” “I need help.” The peace and quiet was fleeting. In warp speed I travel back to reality. The (shower) curtain removed and the veil between the worlds irrevocably violated. Wet and toweled I quickly and adeptly get the band-aid, feed the child, dress the pajamaed, and solve a need. I am mother.

Impressive Ingenuity or Frustrating Cleanup

The Culprits












Is it impressive ingenuity or frustrating cleanup? Several times in the last few weeks I have been torn between consternation and pride. I am happy you are not TV watching, video game junkies who cannot entertain themselves without a plug but rather find magic in the mundane household objects that surround our everyday however these so called creative exercises are a lot harder to cleanup.

The first of these parentally confusing moments occurred when you had removed our old computer from its carefully packed box and made both the box and the Styrofoam into your special kingdom. The Styrofoam was covered with art because of course it was a school, desk and the incumbent school organizers. Amelia was the teacher and Max was in charge of making all of the worksheets for the students. That explains why a ream of 500 sheets of computer paper was spread across the floor of the cardboard school.

It was a snow day or at least a partial one—drop off was delayed two hours. A lot of trouble can be had on a snow day. It is unaccounted time. Free time. The day had begun simply enough. A quick jaunt in the snow with clothes not very suitable for the weather, German pancakes and hot chocolate for breakfast, and a few chapters in the book we have been reading. It was really a nice morning. I then sent the kids downstairs for the last half hour before we had to get ready for school. I made Amelia’s lunch, fed Miles his second breakfast, and listened to the quiet peaceful, happy sounds from the Amelia and Max downstairs. I remember remarking to myself, “my how well Amelia and Max are doing.” With about 15 minutes before departure I walked downstairs and saw all of Amelia’s bedding sitting at the bottom of the stairs. Throw pillows, sheets, stuffed animals, and mattress pad all removed from her bed and sitting at the foot of the stairs. I knew I was in trouble. I asked, thinking that this was the worst of it, “What are you doing Amelia?” I then walked into her room and the heavy old mattress lay on the floor and the top bunk is empty except for Max who has a screwdriver in his hand. Amelia recruited Max; “Max do you want to help me remove the top bunk and make our beds side by side?” Max of course was eager to join the project. With Max on the lower bunk pushing and bubbling the mattress with his feet from below and Amelia above using the leverage to shove the mattress over the railing of the top bunk, it came down in a cinch! I am happy Miles was up with me and not trapped under what with little to no exaggeration is a 50 + pound saggy, droopy old mattress. They then went into the storage closet, pulled out the toolbox and found an appropriate screwdriver. This in and of itself is no small task in our home. Screwdrivers are usually anywhere, but in the toolbox—the junk drawer, the mantel, the kitchen cupboards, but heavens, not the toolbox. Luck and vision were on their side! With this screwdriver Max unscrewed four or five structural screws from the bed while Mia stood below holding the removed screws and giving ample and specific instructions. I am impressed and upset, tired and awed, and applauding and crying. I think it is fantastic that you think you can do anything, evidently. You can take apart a bunk bed, remove it from the top, and set it on the floor without incident or injury. I don’t know how you thought you would get it down. Maybe it would fall similarly to the mattress. A little shove and it is on the floor. But you did and that is inspiring.

However I am glad that I came down when I did and tonight you are both sleeping on the floor because I did not have the energy to put it all back together again. Through your driven and focused efforts the bed is no longer structurally sound. We need our in house engineer (Dad) to put it back together again.

Valentine's Day

The day began with waffles topped with raspberries and whipped cream, homemade cards written for Dad, "the specialest" locket in the whole world with pictures of the cutest kids inside, the spiffiest pink computer, beautiful dress shirts with sleeves either too long or too short (after ten years of marriage I still cant quite figure out a men's dress shirt), a marble bag with marbles inside swung unintentionally at the head and of course the incumbent tantrum and pouting (by the hitter not the hittee) and a trip to the Chiropractor (not related to marble incident). Valentine's Day was certainly a family affair.

We came home to our weekend house, in other words, a total and complete disaster. Living room disheveled, dining room table cluttered, kitchen a covered with breakfast's undone dishes, and basement unmentionable. So we did what any reasonable and responsible family does, we quickly escaped the reality of our house and ventured out on the breathtaking sunny Seattle Valentine's day at the SAM Sculptural park.

It was gorgeous. The kids walked outside and ran the moment their feet hit the ground. The fresh air and sun was magic to their young souls. Within 30 seconds of being out of the car Max fell into a fountain. This would be merely a foreshadowing of future wetness. Dave chased the kids and the kids chased Dave. Max, Amelia rolled over and over down the perfect rolling hill. The moment they reached the bottom they turned around and sprinted up the hill again. Magic was in the air and it must us been contagious, because even Miles and Daddy joined in the rolling festivities (Dean and I opted out). Adults do not roll with the same lift and agility. It is more of a thump, thump, and thud.

We threw rocks into the beautiful, but icy sound and for some reason Max could not keep his feet out of the water. It was much more fun to throw and explore a bit closer to the chilling water. It completes the experience. Cold or warm, kids are meant to get wet.

Happy Valentine's Day. It was a day for family LOVE!

Costa Rica

Costa Rica welcomed us every morning with the perennial call of the haller monkey. Although their communication sounded more akin to a ferocious growl of a rabid dog than a friendly "good morning" among monkeys. The family, especially Miles, became experts at mimicking the haller monkey call. Everyday we stopped for cows, horses and iguanas as they crossed the dusty, dirt roads. The Costa Rican roads are like no other. They are beaten and weathered during the rainy season, leaving them replete with potholes the size of massive craters and crevices large enough for small rivers. We saw Armadillo road kill and the road to La Playa Guiones smelled of molasses.


My fabulous kids Just outside our house


Monte Verde cloud forest A sky bridge 500 feet in the air

In Costa Rica the large orange sun sets against periwinkle clouds, disappears into the water, and beautifully illuminates above, leaving its memory in vibrant orange clouds. The night sky has what seems thousands of stars. The stars cover the dark sky in light and beauty. Every day we were dazzled by the striking beauty of the water and beaches. The coast was equally stunning in the high, hot sun and in the soft warm light of the setting sun.

Zip line harnesses

Our favorite place to be was the beach. We went to many beautiful beaches

However the only hammock time we got on our vacation was when it was used as a propeller swing!

The kids liked the local festivals a-bustle with villagers all dressed up for a night out, various fried foods, and of course the Corridas (bull riding), Christmas palms decorated with lights and festive bulbs and driving straight through a river instead of having a bridge. At first Amelia counted the number of rivers crossed. but lost track around 49 (the actual number well over 100). Max loved to watch for babies on motorcycles riding with their parents, simply set between parent and handle bars. Bugs have never been so fascinating as in Costa Rica. Every morning was exploration time as Max and Miles picked up the various dead bugs from their nights toil and examined them in their fingertips.

Surf lessons with the kids. Everyone got up and did and excellent job!




Miles was a joy and a trooper

Costa Rica's rich landscape and culture gave us many wonderful experiences and colorful memories. Enjoy and we will let them each unfold in vivid color and description.

A Hanley Halloween

Halloween began in a very spooky way, indeed. It was pouring rain, we were late to school for a Halloween party, and everyone got soaked. When we arrived, just as the bell was ringing, we found out that the party had started 45 minutes before, not when the bell rang as I remembered. At least we were able to rush through the rain, wet from the knees down, with freshly baked pumpkin bread and three kids just for the heck of it.

The fun continued. Miles did not nap. I burnt the chili for the Ward Halloween party. The house imploded. I cried. The kids got dressed. Amelia got her hair in curlers. Miles wore chaps. Max's costume involved accessories like fierce arm bands and a shield. "Do Knights protect princesses?"

"Yes, Max. And they fight firey dragons as well." Enough said, Max knew exactly what he would be for Halloween.


We trick or treated. Miles had a knack for it. He walked up to anyone and everyone who would or would not hand out candy and cried until we let him eat it. It is unfathomable how much candy Miles ate. Detox will begin tomorrow.