Pleasanton

When we first got home Blake was terrified of Missy. He soon calmed down and they became buds. He liked to feed her Kix. He called her Missy Dog all day long.

We visited wih friends Jen and Michelle from Sunnyvale. It was so fun to catch up and see their cute kids.

We met up with Chicago friends Marianne and Mya at a park.

Lots and lots of parks.

My mom and I like to go to Bianca's for pulled pork sandwiches on sour dough rolls. So good.

Here we are saying goodbye at the airport. We had such a great time!

More Newport

Bear Creek Lake Half Marathon

When I signed up for this race I knew it was going to be hard. The course was described as "not for wimps." It also told about how the first 3 miles were uphill as well as miles 6 to 8. "Your feet will get dirty" it read. So I didn't have very high expectations for my time. Just wanted to practice running and run as much as possible.

My dad took me and Blake to my race. Here is what I heard from fellow runners before the race. "Take a map so you make sure you don't get lost." "Man, I already go attacked by a swarm of bees." "I'd opt for the 10k because those hills are brutal." I started to get nervous.

Blake likes to stretch.

I told my dad my last half marathon time and told him to expect me a littler longer than that because of some hills. After I saw the first mile of hills, my expectation of 2.5 hours quickly jumped to 3 hours. The hills were awful. The whole race was a huge hiking trail. There was hardly any flat land to run on. Even going down was hard to run on because it was so steep. I almost fell a few times because I was going down too fast. I knew I was going to be so sore because of all of the breaking I had to do going down. Then I thought that 3 hours would be a great time--I started to shoot for 3.5 hours. I was huffing and puffing along.

I'm not really a fan of dogs (except for Missy of course). Funny how a man, who about my speed, brought a dog with him on the run. I ran/walked/hiked the majority of this race with "Moose." Sometimes Moose would stop right in front of me. He would run next to me instead of his owner. Not cool. I didn't sign up to do this with a dog.

Part of the race was only wide enough for a single file line. At one point some people had stopped in front of me clogging the way. It was because there was a rattling rattlesnake right next to the path! That made me pick up my pace.

At the end we had to run through a creek. Feet soaking wet. I finally made it and had no idea how long I had been gone. But I knew that it was way more than what I had told my dad. Blake ran with me across the finish line and even got his own medal.

I asked my dad if he was worried because it took me so long. There were plenty who had finished before me. I hoped my dad didn't think that I was lost somewhere. He said he wasn't worried until a certain lady finished the race. I think you can guess who that is above. I'm hoping it was the lady in pink but she is not in the center of the picture. A) I can't believe my dad took her picture and B) WHAT???

My number one fans. I'm so glad they both came with me. Pretty sure I will neve sign up for a hiking half marathon again. Maybe I should have read the course details more carefully. I am glad I did it because it caused me to exercise a lot more than I would have. I was the most sore I had ever been in my life. Sore for a week.

Southern California

We had such a great trip to Newport this year. Our whole family was there including all seven little kids. It may have been slightly crazy at times. My poor parents and grandma endured us all well. I don't have many pictures, but we also went to the beach, Cafe Rio, Olive Garden, and Yogurt Land. We played games every chance we got which made all the adults too tired. Kim and I went for a few good runs. I was practicing for my half marathon and we did 11.5 miles one day. It was great and perfect weather. Eric and I played tennis one afternoon. I have only played a handful of times but do want to keep practicing and improving. I was getting so frustrated because I felt like I was barely swinging the racquet and the ball would fly out of bounds.

It took Blake a little while to finally get comfy in the water. He shed his yellow inter tube, swam by himself with floaties, and got tossed by grandpa.

Some of us went to an Angels baseball game. Blake was loving it and asking Eric tons of questions until fireworks went off when the Angels hit a home run. It scared him pretty good and he couldn't quite get over it.

Mr. Blake

Blake is something else.

When we were swimming he noticed it tasted salty. He asked "Did someone put salt and pepper in the pool?"

His favorite cereal is "Frosted Yummy Wheats."

He repeats himself over and over and over. I'm trying to teach him that he only needs to say something one time.

Always asks "What did you said?" and "Why?" and "What?"

Has a lisp

Was watching Looney Tunes and was upset that the characters were fighting. He said very seriously, "Thats terrible."

I took him to the mall and showed him an outfit I tried on. I asked if he liked it and he said "No I don't like it. Because I don't think it's cute."

My dad gave him a Junior Mint which he I guess had never had before. Blake said "Ooooh I like that a lot."

After getting over his fear of my parents five pound dog, Blake couldn't get enough of her. He called her Missy Dog in a higher pitched voice. One morning he knelt down close to her and almost whispered "Hi Missy, it's me, Blake.

I was using parmesan cheese at dinner and he asked if it was glitter cheese.

He randomly quoted a line from a library book. I asked him how he thought of that and he said "I just thought of it in my throat."

Janie - 18 Months

I guess I can't get enough pictures of her in her bathing suit. My sisters have a bunch of pictures from our vacation on their cameras so I'm waiting for them to send them. So I'll just give a Janie update for the records.

She stopped saying "ccc" for cookie and "wawa" for water. She can say cookie and water and I was sad. I liked her code.

Janie copies everyone, especially Blake. I love watching her wheels turn as she tries to do what he does.

Her favorite movie is the Letter Factory. She calls it "Aaaa" and it is one of the few movies she will watch in its entirety. Since she was able to watch it a few too many times on vacation, she knows her alphabet and sounds. She is now obsessed with letters. No credit to mom.

My sister Maggie attempted to paint her toes. We all kept telling her how pretty they looked. That night after I brushed her teeth I said "so pretty" referring to her smile. Then she pointed to her toes. She thinks the word pretty is associated with her red toenails.

She often puts her arms out and says "hold you." She also started saying "thank you welcome" when she gets or gives something.

Screams and falls apart whenever I change her diaper or put her in her high chair.

She has been sick a few times lately (got her 4th molar in). She blew a snot bubble (gross) and said "bubble, pop!" Now snot=bubble=pop.

My kids favorite song to listen to right now in the car is one by Nickel Creek. Not sure of the title but they call it the "fox song." It is fast paced and they light up, squeal, and dance when it comes on. After it is over they both yell "more!" Sometimes we listen to it 6, 7 times before we get somewhere. Today for the first time Janie requested and said "fox song" when we got in the car. Cute.