The girls switch positions in the field nearly every inning, so they get to try it all, which is nice. It’s fast pitch, but most are balls and there are a lot of walks. The girls’ skills aren’t well developed, but the games are fun to watch and probably more fun to play. They all seem to have a great time and get along with each other well.

It’s fun to sit and talk to the other parents. I have really enjoyed cheering for Skye and her teammates.

Skye and I play catch in the yard nearly every day. She is very good at throwing and her catching has improved dramatically since the start of the season a few short weeks ago. It’s nice to see her progressing and refining her skills. It’s been a nice time for us to spend together doing something we both enjoy.

Slugger Skye

Skye is in scoring position

Skye trots home (BB RBI)

Skye on second base

Skye is ready in center field

Skye watches the pitch

Skye swings for the fences

The end of an inning

Fossils are the remainings of an animal covered in rock and dirt. Palaeontoligists are the people that dig up these amazing fossils and give them to the museum because the museum gives them money to find them.

Some popular places for a mammal to be dug up, are in a cave, a stream, or a good place where they can be covered without being ruined or eaten by a carnivore. That’s why a lot of palaeontoligists dig in those places. They can find fossils better.

Before they take them to the museum, they study them. When the palaeontoligists find big fossils, they take them apart and put them back together at the museum. It’s like a puzzle. If they are small fossils, they don’t take them apart. It’s a really cool process.

You know how you have a family tree with all your uncles, aunts, grandpas, grandmas, dad, mom, brothers, sisters, and cousins? It’s the same with apes. They have a family tree with their different species. We’re on the ape family tree because we are a species of apes. There are hundreds of species of apes. There’s neandertals, australopithecines, paranthropus, homo erectus, homo sapiens, homo antecessor, and a whole bunch of others. Our tree is full of ape species.

Most ape species come from Africa and climb trees. We apes, evolved through time. Instead of walking on four hands and climbing trees, we walk on two feet. It’s amazing how we can get new techniques as we evolve. We apes now have better speech and technology, thanks to evolution.

Walking to Starbucks

This morning our whole family walked to Starbucks in Saco to enjoy the beautiful weather, wonderful Starbucks concoctions, our books and each other. Along the way Kirsten and I demonstrated to Jenna the intricacies of sidewalk navigation and how to be a good and safe pedestrian. It was a glorious morning, and the sun was warming the air to an unseasonably warm temperature.

At Starbucks we ordered our drinks, found some comfortable chairs and began to read, play our iPod/iPhones and talk. It was wonderful. After a little while Hayley looked quite tired, so I offered to hold her on my lap as I read. She squirmed around a bit to get comfortable and dozed off to a restful sleep. Then she puked. All. Over. Me. Where in the hell did all that oatmeal come from, and how did two oatmeal packets turn into quarts of oatmeal vomit?

Photo: Kirsten Uhler

Dorothy, a frequent Starbucks customer and barista, kindly got me two clean wet washcloths so I could begin to remedy this embarrassing and completely disgustingly awful situation. When the worst of the vomit was off the chair and floor I went to the bathroom to clean myself. Kirsten had already rushed Hayley off to the women’s restroom so she could continue to purge the putrid oatmeal from her unusually gargantuan stomach.

After the chunks were off my shirt and shorts I walked home to get the car–alone, and soaking wet.

Hayley and I have now showered and life has returned to its usual blissful state. Hayley seems to be feeling well, but is carrying a bowl, just in case.

When they got back on the boat in the afternoon we drove up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain where we took pictures and ran around the rocky slope.

Jenna Loves Whales

Patsy and Richard

Patsy Is A Gamer Geek

Richard and Patsy

After lunch we stopped for ice cream. Mmmmm. Wicked delish.

Hayley enjoys her ice cream while I tweet

Bah Hahbah and Crown Princess

Yeah, it was Sofa King cold at the summit of Cadillac Mountain

Skye

Ain't we cute?

Richard and Patsy's ship, Crown Princess

Jenna, Hayley and Skye...and a boat

The loves of my life.

A bit past peak, but still gorgeous

Jenna is part mountain goat. She loves to prance on the rocks.

Kirsten

These girls are used to being posed

Skye. And a boat.

Jenna LOVES to dress up and be photographed.

Kirsten and Jenna atop Cadillac Mountain

Yes, I am the man.

Hayley

Skye tried hard to look like a gangstah. I don't think it worked.

Us

Yeah, I did good. Kirsten's, like, super hot.

Saturday morning we drove to the summit of Cadillac Mountain but it was completely enshrined in a cloud and fierce winds. Jenna and I walked around a bit before we retreated to the car.

The summit of Cadillac Mountain was IN a cloud. Wicked windy!

It was a wonderful weekend. I’m glad we were able to visit with Richard and Patsy again.

I would get a motorboat that is the size of a monster truck. My family and I would fill our backpacks and bring the motorboat to the ocean every now and then and ride for a little bit. Hayley, Jenna, and I would stand in the front and feel the wind blow on our faces while playing, “I spy something.” Sometimes I could sit in the back of the boat and read my book, or listen to my MP3 player. I could smell the fresh breeze and dad would take pictures. Lots of pictures.

We’d take an airplane to China and I would snack and read on the way there. When my family and I got off, we would check out the beautiful sights and eat the food. I could make some friends and I would memorize the language. My friends would help me. Maybe I could even see some Chinese animals. It would also be very exciting and neat to stay in a Chinese hotel. I would like to try a sport only played in China.

Every week my family would go mini golfing, bowling, and to the movie theater. At the theater we could go and grab popcorn to bring to any movie without giving the person in charge a ticket. I would like to watch new movies that just came out.

I’d also like to bring art supplies in the woods and draw the trees and nature. I would give away paintings but sometimes I would keep them to put in my own house. My parents and sisters would each get an autographed painting from me.

That is my paradise plan.

I’d jump out of airplanes often. And pilot them more often. To cities with libraries and museums.

There are other things my paradise would encompass, but this is a family blog.

First we went to nearby Saco Heath Preserve, which is a short 3.6 miles from our house. The hike through the woods and out into the heath were ideal. Skye and Hayley took copious notes on every sensation they experienced, including smell, touch, see and hear. They frequently stopped to sit on the boardwalk to search for frogs or to snack on the trail mix they had each prepared prior to our departure.

Jenna explores the Saco Heath Preserve

Hayley takes notes, like a good explorer

Sisters. Buddies.

Hayley in the Heath

These two enjoyed sharing their discoveries in the Heath

Hayley loves to hike

Maine and Dunkin Donuts. Bliss.

Jenna, Skye and Hayley love to hike

Taking a break in the Saco Heath Preserve

After we were done at the Heath we drove to Cascade Falls in Saco. The trail has changed much since we were there last due to development. We hiked around a bit, frustrated by “No Tresspassing” signs, before we finally found the new trailhead. The hike is very short now, but the falls are the same.

Cascade Falls, Saco, Maine

Hayley is so cute. She loves to explore.

Me at Cascade Falls, Saco. Photo: Skye

When we eventually got to the Falls, the girls snacked

Skye enjoyed exploring, and taking notes

Next we drove north to South Windham to spend some time at Babbs Covered Bridge, which spans the Presumpscott River. The foliage colors weren’t quite peak, but pretty, nonetheless. Again I was faced with a “No Tresspassing” sign at the trailhead leading to the prime photo spot for the bridge. Grrrrr. The girls enjoyed throwing acorns into the river and hiking through the woods.

Presumpscott River

Babbs Covered Bridge

Jenna hung out with me for a bit. I love that kid!

We ended the day at my favorite place, Fort Williams State Park in Cape Elizabeth. The sunset was glorious. The girls enjoyed running around in the grass and jagged granite cliffs while I snapped a few pictures and advised the tourists.

Portland Head Light

Despite the abundance of rain we had this summer we enjoyed some trips to the beach and to several lighthouses. Recently we discovered how much fun it is to play catch, whiffleball and baseball. The girls caught on pretty quickly, especially Jenna. She loves it!

We went to Boston a few times and purchased an annual pass for the Museum of Science. We all love it, and we have a great time every time we go. There is always something new to learn. We’ve gone to the Children’s Museum in Portland several times. The annual pass is worthwhile. One of the girls’ favorite things to do there is to dress up and perform on the stage in the theater.

We made many trips to the library and to the park with picnics. We frequented Starbucks, one of our favorite places to hang out and read. They have board games and children’s books there, so the girls really enjoy it. We enjoy their delicious beverages too. My new favorite is the Green Tea Latte.

INTERMISSION (and photos to view):

We always like popcorn and movie nights. The girls like to play “movie theater” and “restaurant.” One night Skye and Hayley were in the living room ready to watch the move “The Pink Panther 2.” Skye asked Jenna, “Are you going to watch the movie with us?” Jenna told her “No.” Skye asked “So why are you in here?” Jenna replied “Because I’m looking to see how dumb it is.”

Brent quit his photography job with Olan Mills and landed a contract position as a software developer with Tri-County Mental Health Services in Lewiston. It’s an hour commute each direction, but it is so much better than Olan Mills in many ways! It’s also giving him good experience for his freelance business. We’re very excited.

Dr. Florman, my neurosurgeon, scheduled a supra orbital craniotomy for me at the end of August, because the transsphenoidal surgery I had in May was unsuccessful in reaching my pituitary tumor. Brent took fantastic care of me. The girls were also great. Not only are they good about taking care of themselves and being independent, but they are always eager to help out and willing to do extra. One day as Hayley was cutting her sandwich with a steak knife, I cautioned her not to cut her fingers. She said, “I’m six, Mom, and I’m a ‘Danler‘. That means I got your and Daddy’s genes. I’m smart and I’m good at cutting with a knife.”

That pretty much sums up our summer here in Maine. The girls and I are back in school, and Brent is busy learning about and starting a web developing freelance business. Clusters of trees have already begun to change color, and the mornings and evenings are feeling cooler. We’re ready for autumn!

My mom’s co-worker, Jeff, invited everyone from CICU and R9 to a work party. The party took place at his summer house near a lake. Mom took Jenna, Hayley, and I to the work party with her. We had a barbecue and I enjoyed my hot dog. Afterwords, I went down to the lake and played with Stephanie (a girl between Hayley and Jenna’s age). When Jenna and Hayley came down to join us, we all got into Stephanie’s paddle boat. I was in the paddle boat almost the whole time we were there. I kept jumping out of it but I was disappointed when we had to leave. I’m going to have a paddle boat when I grow up.

My mom had brain surgery over the summer. I was sad and happy at the same time. I was sad because I didn’t want her to get hurt and I was happy because I wanted her brain to be healthy. Dad, Hayley, Jenna, and I got to visit mom at the hospital everyday she was there. I sat on the windowsill most of the time reading, listening to my MP3 player, playing 20 questions, or playing sudoku. It’s like I was glued to that spot. Finally, we decided that mom was going to come home. I was so excited! I’m glad the surgery is over.