Monthly Archives: March 2015

Mini Fun

Posted in Uncategorized by

Tonight I laughed so hard watching Charlie play with his friends. We had a BBQ dinner and afterwards I loved just listening to the kids play together.

They decided to do a little skit, one that I shared with Charlie from my childhood days awhile ago.

One child sat on the lap of the other and then the show began. The person that can be seen has his arms in front of him, with shorts on up to his elbows and shoes on his hands, and a blanket over his lap. The person from behind hides and places their arms in the oversized shirt sleeves. Then the ceremony begins where the two become one and the hands and arms from behind start performing tasks.

IMG_6754

They brushed their teeth, brushed their hair, drank water, danced, ran in place, did jumping jacks and sang the head-shoulders-knees-and-toes song.  

IMG_6765
They itched their face and tucked their hair behind their ears. I couldn’t get them to pick their nose.  They went to sleep and did yoga. It is the funniest thing to watch, and all gathered around and enjoyed the show.

Life is good. Live it up and Laugh!! xo

My Little Sunnyvale

Posted in Uncategorized by

IMG_6202I live in a nice, semi-little town of 147,055 people.  After all, it’s called Sunnyvale, which conjures up great images of a sunny little town, doesn’t it? It fits my personality and I love living here for so many reasons.

It’s not fancy and it’s not pretentious. It’s the Heart of Silicon Valley and things work really well here.  The city streets are nicely laid out and it’s easy to get around the 24 square miles that make up this city, even at rush hour. There are beautiful parks and public tennis courts and golf courses, a library, and a quaint, little downtown. If you need emergency assistance, help is on it’s way literally within minutes.  The CalTrain runs through the downtown and connects all the cities up and down the South Bay, Peninsula and into San Francisco.  There is a lot of growth happening around the city and hopefully one day our downtown will be completely revitalized. We’ve been waiting for over 10 years for them to finish the project and hopefully the lawyers finally figure out how to call a truce and get on with things that are long past due.

We have great community sports teams, schools, churches, theaters, public services and places to shop.  We have great diversity, with 26 different languages spoken at home from our elementary school students.

I love my neighbors and knowing that we all support one another and watch out for each others’ kids. We carpool together and have potluck dinners and our kids play in the park together.  We work together to teach our kids right from wrong and support one another when there are disagreements. We tailgate together at Stanford Football games and go to each others’ kids events.  We share stories and learn from each other, because there isn’t a parenting manual and usually our friends know best or have been there, done that, or going through it right now too. I love that we’re going through this life journey together.

In the heart of Silicon Valley, there are still good old fashioned families like ours, who love being home and hanging out and BBQing, volunteering in our schools and in our community, and driving kids to and from their various events.

IMG_6199
The parents enjoy chatting with each other and catching up on the field, on the courts and at the school events, and even waving as we pass each other.  Even though we’re busy, we still make time to connect and help one another, and for this I am thankful.

I am thankful for all the moms and dads who share the journey with me and help me to raise my kids. Like the dad who brought Charlie home from practice tonight and came in my kitchen to discuss whether we should let our boys bike to practice or not. I enjoyed the discussion and sharing ideas about whether this was a good idea or not. I liked that we listened to each other and decided to wait giving them this freedom and to continue carpooling to protect their safety.  I love that Juliana went to a friend’s house to bake cookies for another friend’s birthday today. And I love that Christian got a ride home from a friend after his practice.

I am thankful for the public schools and the teachers and administrators who are very passionate and willing to help teach our kids and go the extra mile, even sponsoring and chaperoning trips to Japan! How cool is this?

I love that Sunnyvale is our home and that we have built a foundation here, filled with love, neighbors and a community of friends who I enjoy seeing and running into across town everyday.

What do you love about your community and where you live? What part do you contribute to making your town great?

I hope you had a good day and are living it up, right now, right where you are.  Are you??  😉

Spring is Here!

Posted in Uncategorized by

IMG_6640

Wednesday’s are one of my favorite days of the week. It’s half way to the weekend and I have a standing date with my BFF, ML.

What is your favorite day of the week? I also like Friday’s because it’s the end of the work week and we are less scheduled and more relaxed. I love us all just being home and hanging on the couch.

Today we went for a hike and slowed to notice the farm animals. There were two sets of baby goats, happily staying close by their mamas. They are 4 days old and already were up on their feet and playing.  There was also a mama sheep with her new baby close by, but it was hard to capture a picture from behind the fence.

Seeing the babies made me think of all that spring represents, especially new life, new beginnings and sunshine.   We hiked for over 5 miles and I enjoyed the scenery, the conversation, the exercise and the time with my friend.

It was a gorgeous day out today and I am thankful that I got to enjoy the great outdoors, once again. I am refreshed and happy.

IMG_6578

Namaste

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Posted in Uncategorized by

My little leprechaun set a trap last night, hoping to catch his sneaky little friend. He placed a gold coin inside to lure him in, but this year the leprechaun wasn’t fooled and never attempted to go in. He just left shiny foil wrapped chocolate coins outside the ladder and left fun toys.

IMG_6549

The leprechaun also made quite a mess of our house, turning the cushions on their sides, placing chairs on the table and bananas on top of the glass cabinets. He barricaded Charlie’s room and had Charlie up by 6 am to let us know that he was no longer at our house.

I love his spirit and excitement for the holidays. He brought his leprechaun hat and clover necklace to school today and wore a green shirt. I love this almost middle schooler, and just really admire his enthusiasm and way of celebrating life.

I made the traditional corned beef and cabbage and boiled potatoes that I make once every year on this date. Jeff and I shared a stout beer and celebrated a quick family dinner before going on with our nightly duties.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

IMG_6554

Wishing you the luck of the Irish and may all your dreams come true.

Life is good.

What Do You Notice?

Posted in Uncategorized by

What we pay attention to, we create.

If we’re in a good mood, we tend to notice good things and over look things that stand in the way of our happiness.

If we say we’re tired, we’re tired.

But what happens when we’re tired, and instead we say to ourselves that we’re not tired? What happens?  Maybe we don’t pay attention to the feelings of being tired and keep on going anyway. That’s what I do. I’m not tired.  Until my body shuts down and tells me I’m tired, then I believe it. Then I notice. But most of the time I refuse to give in to tiredness and keep going, enjoying all that life has to share.  It’s a state of mind.

I believe in the power of the mind to create our reality, which is why I focus on sharing positive thoughts and happiness every day. I want to be happy and I want to create it for myself, for my family, my friends and my community.

Usually, I can stay in a positive state of mind, but sometimes I lose it. I don’t like myself very much when I give up and succumb to the negative feelings and let them take over.  But that’s reality too. I know. I just don’t like it.

Tonight I was tired. I was also sick and up 4 times last night, so I know I was really tired. My body told me so. But I wasn’t paying attention and was very snappish tonight. I didn’t like that I lost my patience and got angry with one of my kids. It’s normal and real, I know, but I prefer the other side of me, much more when I can stay present and focused on the bigger picture of raising great, independent kids, patiently, and not overreacting to their childish behavior. Duh. They’re kids.  I know. But I was tired. I noticed how much they were bugging me and paid attention there and reacted accordingly. *big sigh*

Some days are just like that. Even in Australia.

Luckily feelings are fleeting and we noticed we were both tired and snappish and said our sorries so that we could go on living and loving and laughing again.  Ahhh… luckily that didn’t take too long.

And so it was.  And so it is. Perfectly imperfect.

Hope you noticed more good than bad today and lived your happily ever after. Today.  Namaste and good night.

Goodbyes

Posted in Uncategorized by

IMG_6515
We said goodbye to Akie today, with tears in my eyes. Juliana called me a sap. I just loved having her with me and sharing this experience together and I miss her already.

It was such a joy to have her stay with our family. We all loved sharing stories and laughter and bonding together. She was absolutely delightful and we all enjoyed her company in different ways.

Our family bonded through this shared experience too. I admired how Juliana was a little mother to Akie, making sure she was happy and entertained and understood. She was patient and kind and loving and unselfish and I loved watching her be the best hostess, even giving up her room for her.

Charlie made welcome signs and presented her with a handmade goodbye card that he translated into Japanese and English, all on his own. He played kendamas and war with her and loved having her with us.

Christian always stopped by her room when he came home, greeting her and asking about her day. He joined us when he could and was warm and welcoming when he was busy.

Jeff had fun translating words into English, Dutch, German and Japanese, seeing the patterns and making connections. He was there to greet her when she arrived, took her to see San Francisco, the Redwoods and Santa Cruz, and was there to say goodbye at the end too.

We all had a special connection with her and for this I am grateful. I loved how she enjoyed small bowls of soup, rice with sprinkled toppings, and long bath rituals. She was polite, kind, friendly, curious, warm and genuinely happy. When she left, I asked if I could hug her and she reached out to give me a hug with a smile. I loved her!

Our family shared an awesome experience and shared our life with a stranger who became like a daughter and sister.

I highly recommend hosting a foreign exchange student. There are so many benefits to both the hosts and the student and it makes the world a little smaller, after all.

Life is good.

Tomorrow I Will Rest

Posted in Uncategorized by

This is what I’m doing tomorrow.

IMG_6476
I tried today but it was too hot. Tomorrow I will celebrate Sunday with a day of rest, after we say our early morning goodbyes to Akie.

I am looking forward to a day of no expectations.

What will you do with your Sunday? Will you rest? Will you work?

Whatever you choose to do, I wish you peace and relaxation.

Choices

Posted in Uncategorized by

IMG_6457

I love my family so much. I also love my friends, as if they were my family especially since my extended family does not live close to me and this makes me very sad. I love to share this life journey together and they are so far away, which makes it hard to have a cup of coffee together or show up for dinner unexpectedly or hike or do whatever. I love to go to my nieces’ soccer games and plays and school functions and want to be there for the major events too. Instead I have to text them, call or Facetime, or send pictures and just miss out. This is how it is. I get it. And since they can’t be with me as much as I would like, I have chosen to adopt friends, as my local, bonus family. This makes me really happy and makes life good right where I am.  Do you do this or are you lucky enough to have family close by? This would be a bonus dream come true. Does anyone in my family want to move close to me??  Pretty please?

While I wait to see my family, I am enjoying and loving my friends and especially my adopted daughter, Akie. We have 2 more nights left with her before she goes back home. The one thing she asked to see in California was the Cheesecake Factory, while she was here. Tonight was her lucky night. She enjoyed the experience very much, and we enjoyed sharing this with her. She picked the pasta carbonara with shrimp for dinner, and the 30th anniversary chocolate cheesecake for dessert. She was amazed by the portion sizes, compared to Japan.  Some of her Japanese friends were also there tonight and it was nice for them to be able to speak in their native language and share stories.  I am so happy that she is having a good time and enjoying all that is here for her to experience.

IMG_6459

She fits in so well with our family. This morning when I was alone in the car with her before dropping her off at school, she said to me that she wished she could stay in California. I smiled (and cried) and said, “Me too.”  Me too.

Namaste.

Community Connections and Friendship

Posted in Uncategorized by

Today was filled with love.

I started the day with a special breakfast at Charlie’s school, called Moments with Moms. It was my last one as Charlie is graduating this year, so it was extra special. I loved sitting with him and his friends and mine, soaking it all in and enjoying every minute and all the kids and moms and teachers and principal.  

IMG_6238
I love our school and our international community and my baby boy.  I was filled with joy.

After breakfast and doing a few chores, I went to meet my volleyball girls out on the grass for some outdoor volleyball fun. I hadn’t been out for over a month, since I’ve been fighting pain in my neck and back. I received an “internal memo” from our team captain, who always makes us laugh with her spirit and creativity.  She pretends that we are an official team and sends out weekly reminders of upcoming events and helps to coordinate our schedules and encourages us to get outside and play. I adore her!  Here is what her memo stated:

Internal Memo To: A. Hartley
From:  WBVC Management
Regarding:  The Hartley Shuffle aka Happy Dance
Dear Ms. Hartley,
Please be reminded that according to your contractual agreement with the WBVC you will need to ensure that you
fulfill your 2015 public appearance schedule and perform your signature move “the Hartley Shuffle”
aka “Happy Dance”(listed per your, “Publicity Branding”) as specified in the language found in paragraph 4, addendum 23.8.
We are currently renegotiating our sub leases and incentives with our DVD sponsorship and we need to ensure that “the Hartley Shuffle” will be performed during the high season.  Therefore,you will need to rehab your shoulder in short order and provide a timetable for your future appearances.
For your reference note that as per the contract, “Player will cooperate with the news media, and will participate upon request in reasonable activities to promote the Club and the League.”
The Top 7 Sports Signature Moves:
1.) Colin Kaepernick’s “Bicep Kiss”
2.) Dennis Rodman’s “Jersey Toss”
3.) Jason Kidd “Blows a Kiss”
4.) The Bash Brothers’ “Forearm Smash”
5.) Deion Sanders’ “Prime Time Dance”
6.) Lebron James’ “Powder Toss”
7.) Adriana Hartley’s “the Hartley Shuffle”
Thank you,
The WBVC Management
The shortened version of this memo from M and others reads, where is Adriana and how did that happy dance go?  We need
the happy dance back to which management was requested to send a memo asap.  BTW All members reading said memo should attend all practices weekly as your schedule permits.

It was soooo good to be out on the field again with my friends, playing in the sunshine, sharing stories and catching up while working out with my girls. I was nervous at first to play again, and was on the injured list, which gave me a few privileges, such as extra serves.  After about an hour or so, I warmed up and the pain was less. I was so happy that N encouraged me to come out and play again, as this made me very happy.

The rest of the day was filled with catching up with laundry and work, before getting ready for the potluck dinner with our Japanese students and host families back at school. Every family brought something to share, which made for a fabulous dinner. We made bagel pizza bites and the girls made gluten free chocolate frosted cupcakes.

IMG_6245

The Japanese students provided entertainment that made me very happy.

IMG_6339

My favorite part of the night was watching. The kids perform. The Japanese kids practiced their English, acting as the MCs and directing the agenda for the evening. I loved the boys group dancing, the drama scene, the group song, and most especially watching  Akie perform a solo ballet performance to my favorite Frozen tune, “Let it Go.”  

IMG_6267
She was absolutely stunning and beautiful and graceful. I was so proud of her (as my daughter!) I left from filming, saying to my friends, “that’s my girl!!.” They giggled.

IMG_6375

Seeing and feeling the appreciation and gratitude and love between the students, the schools, and the families made my day.

IMG_6249
This is truly a remarkable experience and I recommend hosting a foreign exchange student in your house, if you have the means. We are all loving her and sharing in this journey, creating connections and friendships that we would never have had otherwise.

IMG_6399
I am thankful!!