The Secret Life of Maya (and Grandma)

Here are the long awaited photos of Maya's secret life with Grandma.

Having scrambled eggs for breakfast

Playing with Nikki and Heidi. Heidi is a real dog. She is not a robot. Her eyes caught the flash in a really weird way.

Then it's off to Captain's Coffee for a vanilla steamy.

Then play group at Boys and Girl's Club with Levi and Mimi.

Then Maya and Grandma come home for lunch. Maya takes a nap. Then the boys come home from school. They play for a few hours, have dinner, then Mom picks them up after work and an exhausted grandma gets to relax.

Day 1 without Dad

I said the next post was going to be about Maya's secret life. But Matt is away in North Dakota for 3 days, evaluating electronic medical record systems for the hospital. So I wanted to keep him up to date with the goings on here in Homer. We chatted on Skype for a few minutes but it wasn't the quality heart to heart I expected. Most of the conversation was trying to figure out the technical aspects of the webcam. I must add the most interesting part was noticing the change in Maya. The last time we used Skype was when Matt and I were in Vietnam and the boys were at home. Maya was in the hotel with us, fascinated with the computer but clueless about the people on the screen. This time she was climbing into the chair, wedging herself between the boys, jabbering excitedly to her Daddy about the hot dog tattoo she got from Jim at the hockey rink.


First, Chris woke up and refused to go to school. Then, Maya woke up and refused to eat breakfast. Another typical day in the PhoWise household. I actually got both the boys to school on time. I didn't even have to take Chris in his pajamas as I had threatened to do. Maya did not go to Ly's house today. Ly went to the spit to photograph one of the last sanctioned eagle feedings. We will go to Ly's house for an hour after preschool tomorrow for Maya's Vietnamese lesson.


Finally, I wanted to share a few excerpts from a book Chris brought home from the library. Chris brings home such an interesting array of books that I really enjoy reading. Tonight I read to him from a book called "Beyond the High Hills; A Book of Eskimo Poems". The poems were collected and translated by a Danish explorer named Knud Rasmussen from 1921-1924. There are photographs taken by an Oblate priest named Guy Mary-Rousseliere, who was doing mission work among the Eskimos. Here is one of my favorite poems.


I arise from rest with movements swift
As the beat of the raven's wings
I arise
To meet the day.
My face is turned from the dark of night
To gaze at the dawn of day,
Now whitening in the sky.


I will walk with leg muscles
which are strong
as the sinews of the shins of the little caribou calf.
I will walk with leg muscles
which are strong
as the sinews of the shins of the little hare.
I will take care not to go towards the dark.
I will go towards the day.

Hockey, Science Fairs and Basketball

The days have been getting longer, Praise God! Over the weekend I saw surfers in the bay! I wish I had my camara with me (For a photo of a surfer in Kachemak Bay, go to the Greear Family Blog). We have been so busy with 4 hockeys games every weekend the last two weekends. I always have great plans for what I am going to accomplish between games. But when I get home and the sun is pouring into my living room, heating the house up to 80 degrees, I just want to curl up in the big easy chair and take a nap. Fortunately, I have a good book to curl up with. It would have been funny had Matt caught me napping with my book: "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People". I don't think napping is one of the habits Steven Covey was writing about, but I wouldn't know, I haven't been able to get past the second chapter. I get exhausted just thinking about what it would be like to be highly effective.

No, these are not all the things I'm giving up for Lent. They were the chemicals Riley subjected his father to for the sake of science. He wanted to see which chemicals would make Matt's blood pressure go up. His teacher was disappointed that we could not get Matt's blood pressure elevated after one of these beverages. I told her I thought it was dose dependent. Apparently, ONE cup of coffee or ONE glass of wine does not increase Matt's blood pressure. Besides, you cannot draw conclusions from a science experiment where there is only ONE subject. It would have been interesting to document the effects of STRESS on Matt's blood pressure. Here's Matt's blood pressure when he first gets home from work. Here's Matt's blood pressure when he opens the VISA bill. Here's Matt's blood pressure after Mom tells him she's going to play women's hockey next winter and go to a women's surf camp for her 45th birthday.

Riley learning how to check a blood pressure on Matt.

In addition to his science project, he had a book report due yesterday. I tried to encourage him to work on it a little everyday instead of putting it off until the last night. It didn't help. He still morphed from a sweet little boy into a whining, crying, tantrum throwing emotional wreck. "I don't know what to write!" I swore I would not let myself get sucked into the melodrama this time. I gave him lots of room to do what he needed to do. This is his third book report this year. He should know what to do by now. He doesn't seem to be able to get down to business without the meltdown first. Then I have to sit down and ask him leading questions. What happended first? Then what? How does it end? Tell me about the characters. What did you like about the book? It's like pulling teeth, everytime.

We've been trying to find a niche for Chris all year. Well, yes he does already have a niche with his love of cutting down trees, chopping wood and building fires. I mean an age-appropriate niche that would help him get along in society, not just survive in the Alaskan wilderness. He is actually quite popular with his peers. He has no trouble making friends at school. He is smart, funny, and charming. But he never seems to want a play date. He gets left out when his brother has a friend over. He gets dragged to hockey games and never wants to be involved in an activity of his own. We really don't care if he doesn't want to play organized sports. We just want him to be happy doing his own thing, hopefully something that doesn't involve sharp tools and pyromania.

He finally has his own best friend: Cole. He loves Cole. They get along so well. He also expressed an interest in playing basketball. So we signed him up with a basketball program called Upward. It's a Christian based program that teaches skills and gets kids involved in a team sport without all the pressure of competition. He went to his first practice last night and seemed to have fun. My mom took him while we were at work. He also wants to take an art class. So I'm on the lookout for kids art classes being offered in the community.

Maya has no problem finding a niche. She has niches all over town. People are always telling me, "I saw Maya at the post office with your mom" She goes to Boys and Girls' Club with my mom for playgroup on Mondays and Fridays when I work. She has her own friends there that I have never met. Friday she came home wearing hot pink boots that Mimi gave her. Mimi's mom made her a little hula hoop of her very own. This Friday, I'm sending my camara with my mom so they can document their day. Next blog topic: "The secret life of Maya and Grandma."

Valentine's Day, Celebrated

Chris made the valentine on the back left, Maya the front left, Riley made the clay pot full of Valentines on the right. My favorite hearts said "I am faithful", "Love is a great shield", "Mr. and Mrs. Awesome" and "Thank you for signing me up for hockey". Chris' valentine said "You are the sweetest mom in the world." He made on for Sarah that said "You are the best sister ever". And the one for Matt said "You are my favorite". Chris gave me a coupon for helping me make my bed. He also set the table for our feast.

Some of our favorite red and white foods.

Grandma and Nanna were invited to join us.

Everyone loves spaghetti. Maya even eats salad now. She likes lettuce with balsamic vinegrette!

Friday night after work I was picking the kids up from Grandma's house. As I was putting her jacket on she said "Darn it". I asked "Why?". She said "Uh, home!" meaning she didn't want to go home, she wanted to stay at Grandma's!

Maya is not as pensive as she looks.

Cheesecake with cherries on top for dessert.

Presidents's Day Weekend

We spent the weekend in Anchorage for the President's Day Weekend Hockey Tournament. I went up one day early to take a seminar on time management. I really enjoyed the class, now I have to start applying some of these principles to my daily life before I forget everything. The rest of the weekend was spent running around, doing lots of different things so it was hardly Valentine's Day for the Wises. I'm planning to make up for it with a special dinner tomorrow night. I'm going to serve everyone's favorite red and white foods: beets for Matt, radishes for Riley, strawberries for Chris, red pears for Maya, roasted red peppers for me, spaghetti for everyone, and for dessert: cheesecake with cherries on top.

Maya looks very Vietnamese with this balloon hat.

Riley, Boo and I attended an Aces game on Friday night.

Matt got to eat pho on Saturday. Chris chose pho over Chuck E. Cheese!

Chris was appalled that I ordered fried rice instead of pho.

Maya eating pho.

Chris chose to go bowling while Riley went to the movies with Bradley.

Michael celebrated his birthday with a few of his favorite girls.

Riley listens to directions for a skills competition. He competed in the "fastest skater through an obstacle course." He did not win but he had fun trying. We won one game and lost two. The two teams we lost to played each other in the championship game. Our kids made a valiant effort and have improved so much. The first time we played the Jr. Avalanche, they beat us 14-2. The second time it was 15-3. This time we only lost 6-1! We have one more month to go before the state championship.

Winter Carnival

Last Saturday we bundled up and headed to town at noon for the annual Winter Carnival Parade. It was sunny and warmer than most years, a balmy 26 degrees.
Why would we want to stand around on Pioneer Avenue on a cold winter day in February?

Three words: I want candy. Candy is thrown from the floats. This tot is ready!

Then there's the ice racers. This is how Homer's kids learn to drive on Beluga Lake.

No Brazilians here but you can sense the Carnival atmosphere.

Keep this awesome curling ribbon mermaid hair in mind for next Halloween.

Mark Morath, our cowboy poet who never misses a parade.

Chris helps Maya in the jump house at Paul Banks Elementary school.

Maya smears whipped cream on Principal Abraham's face.

Time to deflate the jump house and return it to Ulmer's Rentals. Maya is not really under there, just her boots. (I know it's awful, I couldn't resist).

Bradley and Riley worked the hockey shootout booth for three hours. Next year we have to have a little talk with them about letting 2 year olds get a goal once in a while.

The boys were wiped out Saturday night. Trevor joins the slumber party.

Of Lunches Boxes and Lizards

Look who's back in town! Yes, Alana's home. She came over for coffee on Tuesday, did a lousy job of trying to convince me to move to Saipan, and of course, Maya got her nails painted.

Today Maya started her Vietnamese lessons. She is going to Bill and Ly's house for a couple hours once a week so Ly can speak Vietnamese with her. I don't know how much she remembers. She repeats things after Ly but I don't don't if she understands everything Ly says like when she first came to Homer.

Yesterday was Maya's first day back at school after being sick last week. She was a little hesitant at first. She clung to me and did not want to join in the game in the gym. Her teacher asked if there was something she was attached to in her backpack that she could hold while I left. I thought about it. She is not attached to dolls or stuffed animals. Although she likes her blanket, she is not attached to it. Then I remembered her Curious George lunch box. She takes it everywhere. She even packs a snack to go to Grandma's. I told the teacher the only thing Maya is attached to is her lunch box. Ms. Baechler had her assistant, Nicole, go get Maya lunch box and bring it to her. She let go of my neck, grabbed onto the lunch box and I was able to walk out without a single tear.

Sadly, our anole lizard died this week of natural causes. He shared a habitat with a tree frog and a fire bellied toad. They coexisted peacefully for several years. He loved to bask under the heat lamp on a log, plotting his escape. His only regret in life: missing that job interview with Geico to go surfing on the Amazon.

Welcome home, Alana!

Why do I bother buying toys? This is Maya's latest obsession, the Vietnamese noodle dunker. You can use it to catch balls.

It also makes a very good hat.

You should always wear goggles when eating breakfast. You never know what's going to fly out of the cereal bowl and hit you in the eye. Just look at my mom!

The boys love making kitty condos out of cardboard boxes.

A magnificant coffin for our anole. He will be buried in the traditional Alaskan way:

His body will be frozen until the ground is soft enough for him to be buried late spring.

I'm ready to go to Ly's house!

Got my Curious George lunch box in my backpack!

This is a beautiful oil pastel portrait of Maya, a gift from Midge at South Peninsula Hospital.

Of course, the photo does not do it enough justice. Thank you again, Midge!