Give a boy a pulley...

 One day with Makili in Home Depot, he became obsessed with the clothesline pulleys we saw.  That is just the sort of thing that he latches onto.  So I bought him two nice $3 pulleys for his birthday.  Which of course produced the accompanying obsession with where to put it and "will you please hang it NOW!"  I really am too short, so I put Raph on the job.  Next thing I knew, he had chopped down trees to make a 2-level tree fort, because according to him, "there wasn't another place that it made sense to use the pulley."  Makili now can use his "crane" to get things into the (totally unsafe and a insurance liability) second floor, which happens to be where he spends ALL his time now.  Unfortunately, I gave him two pulleys and he just found the second one.  I hope that doesn't lead to a another floor!

End of an Era

Today is Ege's last full day in the United States (for this year any way.)  We had a lovely visit with his family, and now I REALLY want to go to Turkey.  I wonder how I can convince Raph to go to Turkey with me instead of Hawaii:)

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This hot

Birthday List

Unlike Remick, Makili is acutely aware of what comes with birthdays: parties, kids, pinata, and of course gifts.  I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get away with the "no gift" thing at his party again this year.  We'll see.  It doesn't help that he has a working list with Annma that I found on the table today.  Apparently, they regularly review the list, makes changes and add new items.  Here is the list today:

• watch
• art supplies
• pants
• shoes
• bracelet that glows in the dark
• rope
• plain toothbrush
• shirt with cape
• calculator
• eye patch

The following items have been crossed off the list:

• basket with cover
• computer that fits into our pocket that slides open
• pencil with hook to hang
• letters
• Zapper
• mask
• case, like a pencil or eyeglass case

Spontaneous Trip

I was convinced to go to Acadia with my children and 9 other people this week (8 teenagers!)  I drove 5 hours in the rain, slept in my car with my children (maybe sleep is the wrong word), drove 5 hours back the next day in the most glorious sunshine imaginable.  It was so beautiful!  and exhausting! 

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No bites

My Dad sends my kids regular packages in the mail.  Surprises for no reason.  Such that every time "the man in the brown truck" (as Makili used to call him) pulls into the driveway, Makili looks at me with a twinkle in his eye and says "I bet it's a box from Opa!"  They've received gyroscopes, and hula-hoops, kites and whirligigs.  And recently - fishing poles!  They spend a lot of time fishing off of the back deck, though they haven't caught much.  Isn't that fun?  My Dad is so cool.

Who needs pants?

Last Weekend in the Sunshine

Last Weekend

I feel like I need to post some pics from last weekend before the new weekend is upon us:)  Delivering my first flowers of the season to market today.  Gardens are almost completely planted.  So we can have more lovely afternoons like this one sea-side.