Category Archives: Parenting

Are there people inside the camera?

We are visiting Los Angeles and it is Mother’s Day.  Naomi, Simone, and I are off on an urban expedition. Above Simone (3) is sending a video letter to her friend Tanner (4) and about halfway through the video, Simone … Continue reading

Posted in Adventures, Family, Naomi, Parenting, Simone, Travels | Leave a comment

Creation and Re-creation

Posted in Family, Parenting, Smith Tower | Leave a comment

Tickle Time

There are quite a few tickle times.  There is the bedtime tickle time, the elevator tickle time and the Chinese Room tickle time. Meseret is helping out with the Chinese Room tickle-time.

Posted in Family, Naomi, Parenting, Simone, Smith Tower | Leave a comment

“To play without passion is inexcusable” or Rascal and the Minnie Bergman’s Park.

Naomi has Rascal for the weekend. Rascal is the PK classroom mascot.  Each weekend a student gets to take him home and show him their world.  We’re asked to document our adventures with Rascal for his journal. We can draw … Continue reading

Posted in Adventures, Family, Naomi, Parenting, School, Simone, Smith Tower | Leave a comment

Sleeping model

This morning, while David was sleeping, Naomi drew him.  Her model stirred and opened his eyes at one point and she, intently studying his face, said, “Stay still, I’m trying to draw your mouth.”  A minute later she asked, “How … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Naomi, Parenting, Simone, Smith Tower | Leave a comment

Two sisters outfit their digs and enjoy the design mishaps

We were picking up a birthday present for a classmate of Simone’s at Pottery Barn when the girls spotted this bunkbed.  We measured twice and measured again and though it would be really tight, we decided to order it and … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Naomi, Parenting, Simone, Smith Tower | Leave a comment

Bang Bang at Camp Casey

Each year at Evergreen School involves a retreat culminating in the 8th grade with a month in Vietnam. This year Simone’s class did two days at Camp Casey. Constructing forts on the beach to watch for Orcas. Head adornments followed … Continue reading

Posted in Adventures, Family, Friends, Gatherings, Parenting, School, Simone | Leave a comment

The importance of vulnerability

Rob Harmon sent me a link to Brene Brown‘s TED speech and I laughed so hard.  It was one of those cathartic crazy laughing things.  Brene Brown takes us on her personal research journey and then pulls everything together to show … Continue reading

Posted in Education, Family, Naomi, Parenting, Simone, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Which moments do you remember?

My neighbors and good friends, the Strains, were written up in the Seattle Times today. Jeff believes that living downtown proffers more family moments..those revelations, discoveries and “good times” that you stumble upon together during a neighborhood romp.  He says, these … Continue reading

Posted in Art of Entertaining, Family, Friends, Gatherings, Mavericks, Naomi, Parenting, Parties, Science and Tech, Simone, Smith Tower, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Naomi tells the story of Rosa Parks

Naomi’s PreSchool class is working on a play about Rosa Parks.  Naomi tells me about what they were learning here. Three year old Naomi tells the story of Rosa Parks

Posted in Family, Friends, Naomi, Parenting, Politics, School, Simone, Smith Tower, Stories, The Arts | 2 Comments

Half the Sky is both a brutal awakening and an unmistakable call to action. -Melinda Gates

Our friend Amber Vandermeulen, a third grade teacher in the Kent school system, said that she and her husband had just read Half the Sky to one another on their last road-trip and she thought I might like it.   … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Culture, Family, Friends, Ideology, Mavericks, Naomi, Parenting, Politics, School, Simone, Stories, The Arts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A half century of kids playing with Circuitry

A toy, similar to “Snap Circuits“ was covered in the September 1967 issue of Electronics Illustrated. Then and now, what you get is a box of domino like magnetic pieces that allow kids to snap together cool electronics such as … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Naomi, Parenting, Science and Tech, Simone | Leave a comment

Ten Favorite toys!

I’ve been thinking about Simone and Naomi’s favorite toys. 1.) A horse tire swing ($79.99)  We’ve tied this swing to a zip line across our living room and use it everday.  Sheets get thrown over the zip line to create a … Continue reading

Posted in Education, Family, Gatherings, Holidays, Parenting | Tagged | 1 Comment

Are you honing in on the virtues or letting them slide? Honestly?

My good friend Valerie Tarico writes a monthly column about developing virtues. She starts each post with a note about the particular character trait including a few quotes to ponder, discuss and share and then ends with an example of … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Family, Friends, Naomi, Parenting, School, Simone | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

First time

Naomi’s adventure came about when KOMO news asked to do a story on the apartment. Heather Reese and photographer Ben Barnett arrived when Naomi and I were chalking up the sidewalk outside the Tower. The crew let Naomi lead the … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Naomi, Parenting, Smith Tower | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Circumnavigating 100 feet from home court

Pausing to enjoy the adventure of life in the Pioneer Square neighborhood. Simone and Naomi love the rush of “urbanity and motormania” that hits you as you step out the giant doors of our building. Simone has her bull and … Continue reading

Posted in Adventures, Family, Friends, Naomi, Parenting, Simone, Smith Tower | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Daily Rituals or Off to School

In the morning, the girls pack their backpacks with school stuff (lunches, sweaters, sneakers) and after-school stuff (leotards, swim suits, snacks) and then head downstairs to say good morning to Kumar, Hamilton and/or Nelson running the building elevators and Michelle, … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Friends, Naomi, Parenting, School, Simone, Smith Tower | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The BIG DIG Treasure Hunt or Simone’s 5th or Great Traditions

We have a few traditions. One of these is the annual sailing trip, another is the annual BIG DIG treasure hunt that happens every year for Simone’s birthday. We bury chests with treasure across the Global Gardens beach, pass out … Continue reading

Posted in Adventures, Birthdays, Events, Family, Friends, Gatherings, Holidays, Naomi, Parenting, Parties, Simone | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Santa stopped by the tower a week early

The presents have been opened and the girls have left the scene for a few moments to pack up some toys for our afternoon plane ride to San Francisco where we will join in a second wave of Holiday festivities.

Posted in Family, Holidays, Naomi, Parenting, Simone, Smith Tower | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Legislation Trumps Jurisprudence “Deciphering the Siberian Wolf Code”

On Saturday morning we headed North to Simone’s ski class at Snoqualmie. En route Simone asked me to turn on the radio. So I did and “Stop in the Name of Love” by Diana Ross came on. Simone said, “That … Continue reading

Posted in Birthdays, Family, Friends, Gatherings, Naomi, Parenting, Parties, Simone, Smith Tower, Stories | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment