Sunday, July 14, 2013

More Beach Photos

 Nothing says summertime like spending some time on the beach.  Here Betsy looks off toward the ocean and wonders what is up with all that noise.
Here Daddy holds Mary Jane as they look down at the waves.  He reminds her that the waves are dangerous and she needs to be by him at all times.  He will remind her of that until she is at least 21.
Betsy Jo runs about the sand having a good ol' time.  Who cares about having sand in your toes anyway?

Who Needs Sleep Anyway?

Clearly Mary Jane does not.  She crawled out of her crib repeatedly tonight to remind Mommy and Daddy that they should also be going to sleep.  In a span of about ten minutes, she shuttled from Daddy (flopped on the couch playing Sudoko on his Kindle Fire) to Mommy (feigning sleep in the bedroom) kissing them both good night.  This repeated over and over... finally she thought of climbing back into her crib and she did.  For about ten minutes.  Then she came back out to check up on the sleep patterns of her beloved parents.  Finally... after she walked into the master bedroom and saw Mommy and Daddy both "asleep," she climbed on the bed and nearly jumped on Mommy's ribs before Daddy had to place her to sleep.  Now... quietly... peacefully... calmly... Mary Jane sleeps.

I think Mommy is asleep too.

Daddy blogs.  What's up with that?

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

The Wheels on That Bus Went Up and Down... Too Much

Mary Jane and Betsy Jo took on their very first amusement park today as they went with Mommy and Daddy to Adventure City in Anaheim.  It's geared towards the smaller set.  There was a carousel (Daddy had never ridden one before), a train (a good slow ride), and a crazy bus among other rides.  Mary Jane went on the ride twice... Betsy could only manage it once.  Afterward Mary Jane said, "I don't like bus.  Up and down too much."  Indeed!!!

Overall a thumbs up for the park as it entertained our two girls for the two hours we were there.  Why so short of a time?  Hey now, they're toddlers.  They have nap times to deal with!
Crazy Bus!

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Half-Marathon Result








Full Results


John Erb


Los Angeles, CA
Bib #: 1458 | 41M

Time: 2:21:46
Pace: 10:49/M
Division: HALF MARATHON


Overall Place: 858/1791 | 47.9%
Age Group: M 40-44
Age Group Place: 76/126 | 60.3%

For Inquiring Minds... Palisades 10K Result




is is me, post to my social media site >>
Runner DetailsRace Results
Bib:918
Name:John Erb
Gender:M
Age:41
Hometown:Los Angeles, CA
Overall:513 out of 850
Men:368 out of 540
M 40-44:57 out of 73
Age/Grade:47.63% Place: 652
Finish:1:00:06 Pace: 9:41
Tag Time:1:00:06
Gun Time:1:01:55
Split Times
5 Mi:48:01 Pace: 9:37




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Visiting Grandpa on the Fourth

 After running a 10K for the first time in probably a decade, Mister John rested for a few hours before heading eastward with Miss Jill and the two girls to visit his sister's house.  There Mary Jane and Betsy Jo got to spend some time with cousins Garrett, Trevor, and Manny (the eldest of the whole cousin brood).  There was also an Aunt Jo and Uncle Jose sighting which is good for Mary Jane as she quite the memory and it makes it all the easier for her to look at pictures and point at them with the proper names.
In this picture, it's Aunt Pat, Daddy, Betsy, and Aunt Jo.  Alas, Mary Jane was already in her car seat when this impromptu picture was taken.  Pat and Jo were talking about sibling rivalry and how sisters bicker about certain things... perfect to know before Mary Jane and Betsy Jo get older.  Then again Mommy also had an older sister so she knows all about that.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Modern Art

Betsy Jo and Mary Jane had their weekly art fest in the backyard this afternoon.  If it's Monday, it has to be art day.  With each work I've learned more lessons... no more shirts to be painted upon, mix the paints with water, paint on grass, let them be.  Yes, whisper words of wisdom: let them be, let them be.

While that piece might not look like me to the untrained eye, one can clearly see a red pterodactyl in the upper left hand corner of the work.  I don't think that Salvador Dali could do any better.  OK, maybe he had the really cool mustache but Mary Jane has the artistic pacifier.  Normally I say no pacifiers unless you're sleeping but if it spurs such artistic genius, I will let her use it as her muse.

The girls especially like art day because early bath time follows that (yeah, extra time to wash out all the paint that ends up on their skin... and hair!).

Dare I say I feel like I need to sneak out there the next time the girls have a nap and work on some paints myself.  I have no idea what I would paint but there's always inspiration.  I'm not using a pacifier though.

Vote for Me!


Girls, Garbage Trucks, Good Times

Mondays are quite the fun-days with Mary Jane and Betsy.  You wouldn't believe how much excitement they receive watching trash trucks go down the street.  And the best news: three different trash trucks and they have to go east and west down the street.  Six times to see trash trucks!!!  No greater joy than seeing that arm reach down, grab the receptacle, raise it high into the air, fling it over the top, release the garbage, and then slamming it back down onto the ground.  Try it some time.  It might not awe you but watch it with a toddler.  Now I understand why little kids were so into Bob the Builder and stuff like that.

Of course that would just be six times to see the trash trucks doing their glorious deeds.  To maximize trash-dumping viewings, I pulled out the stroller and followed them down Dewey Street.  Interestingly enough, the trucks eke ahead a little more than the casual stroll a parent would use.  Yes, I could haul it with the Double Bob but I had my sandals on and as Mary Jane knows, I only run with my white shoes.  Sandals?  Maybe a deliberate pace... but never fast.  Regardless we did see lots more trash dumping today.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Post-Modern Art


 Betsy Jo and Mary Jane have now taken up art.  Or at least coloring anything that moves as is apparent from the picture above.  They were given three colors: red, blue, and yellow.  So one can see all the varieties of dipping they did to get their colors as perfect as they can be.

Of course there is no better canvas that the human face.  At least these paints are water-based so all the paint comes off the face and hair easily enough.  And I already learned from the first outing, no clothes except diapers!  Otherwise everything gets stained...

More masterpieces forthcoming.