By Clyde Noel

If you’re looking for the typical Los Altos family, Dan and Mary Lenehan are perfect candidates. Dan, an engineer from New Jersey, and Mary, a Las Vegas native, met at Intel Corp. 16 years ago and just celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary. They have two children - Sean, 12, and Maureen, 10 - and Molly, the 2-year-old golden retriever who keeps the family constantly on their toes.

Mary doesn’t work for Intel anymore. Today she takes care of her two children and the family home in Los Altos Hills. Dan is an engineer-director and still works with Intel.

Four years ago they purchased a home that had been on the market a long time and was in poor condition.

“I loved the setting. A creek ran through the property. It had a tree house, a pool and lots of space to play,” Mary said. “It could be made into the perfect family home.”

After a previous owner died in a plane crash, the estate sold the house to a Hong Kong investor who rented it to Phillips Electric management personnel for short-term stays. Eventually the house became run-down and went up for sale.

“We lived near Almond School for 10 years and hated to leave that lovely area, but this house had so much potential for the kids, my husband and I, so we purchased it,” Mary said.

The asbestos-wrapped heating infrastructure had to be replaced to make the house livable. The Lenehans then upgraded the yard. Mary started gardening and dressed up the front.

They added more benches around the pool, planted more flowers and expanded the patio. Then came hardwood floors throughout the house and double-paned windows. They painted inside and out.

“Finally, we installed a Craftsman walnut entry door with a tile entry,” Mary said. “The house still needs a lot more work, but we are happy with what we’ve accomplished so far to make it a comfortable family home.”

“We’re not the type to throw large parties, but we love to entertain family and close friends,” Dan said. “The kids have friends over to swim and play.”

“Because he’s an engineer, Dan’s a fixer-upper around the house,” Mary said. “He’s a consummate entertainer and keeps us laughing. He helps the kids with their school problems and works with Sean and his Legos.”

The Lenehans love the natural setting the property provides.

Hale Creek runs through the property, and each spring during March and April a family of ducks arrive to start a new family in the barn.

During the wet season the frogs come to life, croaking all night long.

Sean loves his new neighborhood and his new friends.

They go swimming, play basketball on the street and build forts.

Maureen hosted her class from St. Nicholas School at a swim party at the end of the school year.

Mary is a Santa Clara University graduate who worked in high-tech for 20 years with Intel and 3Com.

Today she’s a painter and works on her golf and tennis game besides spending a lot of time with the kids.

Many of her artistic works are hanging in the kitchen and hallways.

“When we arrived here four years ago, there were no other kids on the street. Today, with all the changes in home ownership, there are 13 kids on the street,” Mary said.

“That leads to a nice family neighborhood for the kids.”

Last week Maureen picked blackberries and made a pie from scratch with her neighbor friends. Two years ago

Mary purchased ready-made pie crusts for a blackberry pie.

Today they make the pies from scratch.

“We really enjoy eating them,” Mary said, “if there’s any left by dinner time.”

What does Sean like about the house?

“The cool family room downstairs. I enjoy this house and my room.”

Maureen enjoys her friends on the street and finds the pool and tree house lots of fun.

“Life is good” Mary said.