The Kids with Gramma and Grampa Kendall

I surely haven't updated many pictures on the blog in forever as well.  Need to keep the blog footprint alive.  Look at everyone and their smiling faces.

Back for 2016!

We've been idling a bit on the blog but I promise to come back in 2016 with lots of new random information...

Mary Jane, Jack, and Betsy have wandered their way into the new year.  Only Mary Jane so far has wondered what this whole "New Year" thing is all about.  According to her, the new year starts on December 7 every year.  Well, it is her birthday after all so that at least makes sense.

I gave the girls a treat today and drove them over to "Mama Place" (aka McDonalds) so they could have a Happy Meal as well as some playhouse time.  Unbeknownst to me, the toy right now in the Happy Meals is none other than Shopkins.  Oh dear, not the Shopkins.  Yes, the Shopkins.  I don't even know how to describe them.  Miniature shopping items?  Something like that.

Anyway, Jill has now updated the look so I can go back to the website and not worry about it saying it's 2007 or something.  More tomorrow...

Mary Jane Erb: the Next Vin Scully

Mary Jane and Betsy Jo have both learned the art of announcing.  Here Mary Jane tries her first attempt at hitting off a tee.  Betsy Jo follows with slightly better results.

Much Delayed Blog Post: Mary Jane's First Flight

Due to overwhelming laziness, illness, and distractions, I have not tended to my blog as much as I should have in the past six months.  But here are some pictures of Mary Jane's first airplane flight: a brief jump to Phoenix.

Here Mary Jane is gleefully pulling her luggage through LAX.  Most people think it's a complete drag but for her, it was a badge of honor.  Many times I offered to hold her bag for her.  She declined adamantly every single time.

Here Mary Jane enjoys a dinner out with Daddy.  She gets to chow down on a burger, some fries, and an orange juice.  Wow.  Special!  Normally she doesn't respond to close-up pictures like this but she was so in the moment regarding her food that she was surprised. 

She took over the camera at some point and took a nice photo of me completely zoned out by the window.  I guess I went into my own sleepy Zen mode waiting for the call for our plane flight.

 

I love this photo.  Here Mary Jane stares off into the vast blueness of sky and sea.  We had taken off and are slowly turning around from the westward trajectory of take off to the eastern path we must take to get to Phoenix.  The awe that she has mirrors the glow from the window.

And down there is the Palos Verdes Peninsula.  Somewhere down of the far eastern side is San Pedro.  Go Stars.

Trash Truck Day!

 Betsy and Mary Jane had a fun-filled Saturday morning as they went to the Sanitation Festival in West LA.  Trash trucks galore!!!  There was even a rolling, talking blue recycling bin (ok, maybe it was remote controlled by someone ten feet away but the little children didn't know that).

Daddy and Jack beside a trash truck.

Impromptu Reunion

Well, Mister John couldn't quite make it to his 25th high school reunion on Saturday so instead he met with a few of his Loyola compatriots from 1990.  For those keeping score, he graduated in 1989.  There's Scott on the left and Pete on the right.  Mister John is in the middle with the dorky NASA shirt.  Then again aren't almost all NASA shirts dorky?  Wear it loud and proud, man!

Anyway, Scott, Pete, and Mister John all had children running around at some point during the day.

It is important to note that after all these years, the people that Mister John hangs out with most are still his old HS buddies.  Others may come and go but the Loyola bond remains.

Jack Is Concerned That His Father Is a Goofball

Little Jack may be about 9 1/2 months old now but he's already starting to get concern over his father.  He thinks that Daddy is a bit odd.  While it was a Three-Hat Tuesday for Mary Jane, Daddy decided to wear one of her "hats."  This just looks silly as Daddy has a pink bucket on his head.  He then later sang something to the effect that "he keeps in there all day."  Mommy was nowhere to be seen during this photo shoot.

The Mad Hatter

Jack on the Move

While Mommy and Daddy are off conversing with family members, Jack has taken up to crawling around on the floor.  He calls it exploring as he has managed to get himself up on a small table next to where Aunt Nita usually sits.  Upon asking Jack why he did this somewhat dangerous stunt, his only response was, "gooooogaaagooo!"   No words have been more appropriately (are dare I say cutely) said.

It's also a great way to sneak up on a rabbit but I'll save that for another post.

ABCs on Guitar

Every once in a while, the girls just need to rock out.  In this video, they play the alphabet song with Grampa.

Why the Face Pics during Eating?

 Mary Jane, Betsy Jo, and Jack have all inquired as to why Daddy takes the majority of his pictures when they are eating at the table.  They have complained that they rarely look good in these photos and they usually have food on the face (or in some cases with Betsy in her hair!).  There has been no comment so far from Daddy.  He just keeps taking pictures.