How to Earn a Dollar

The other day the girls really wanted to go swimming, so Bobbins told them they could when Dad got home, thinking that it would be too cold and they would not really get in.  Well, of course they did.  They were in their suits waiting when I walked in the door, and over to the neighbors we went.  The girls got right in to their waists and started playing.  I told them to jump and swim, but MM protested that it was too cold.  I told her I'd give her a dollar if she jumped in and swam from one end to the other.  Without hesitation, she hopped out, ran to the side, jumped in and swam to the other side where I was waiting.  It was a moment of pride for both her and I.  She ran in to tell her Mom of her feat, then collected her earnings.
V I D E O     (http://youtu.be/79WDNWLE_U4)

Where Does She Get the Energy?

We'd just had a long day, including getting up at the crack of dawn for the MP9K, but somehow MM still had a bundle of energy.  If only we could bottle that up.  It was 9:30pm and here she was:
V I D E O    (http://youtu.be/1ckEAqBr-Wg)

MP9K 2013

This year the Schaefer's made it out to join us at the Race for Maggie's Place at Tempe Town Lake.  Kevin and I ran the 10K.  I finished in 51:37, which is just about 8.5min/mile, a little slower than my usual 8's.  But after the long day of yardwork and lack of sleep from the previous day, I wasn't too bummed.  MM wore her yellow shirt while I donned last year's orange shirt.  MM warmed had to warm her hands in the cool temp's.

MM found her ole friend and the kids posed by the water before the start.  Bobbins got a good shot of Kev and I taking off.

 

I was really proud of the girls.  Both ran the whole distance of the kids dash (200 yards), finishing strong.  They are going to be good athletes.  And yes, they had fun.  JoJo esp. liked the chocolate milk at the end.

 

Winter Grass

A couple Saturdays ago I tackled the lawn, cutting back the bermuda to plant winter rye.  I only did the back as usual, to save water and mine own effort down the road, as well to keep our X-mas decorations dry in December.  After her nap, MM came out for the fun part of spreading the seed.  Hopefully the birds don't eat too much and hopefully the grass comes in hearty, to withstand a trampling from my work party tom. night.

Jack O Palm

Without fear, Jack took on trimming the palm trees at the Weldon house.  More power to him.  Of course, Diablo ran off to snap this photo instead of holding the ladder.

New Desks

Bobbins saw these old desks at Goodwill and just had to buy them.  Maybe homeschooling after all?

Goofing Around the Backyard Faces

 

Goofing Around the Backyard 5cent Kisses

 

 

 

 

Goofing Around the Backyard Pt. 1

Julia snapped a bunch of photos of the girls for her photography class at school, goofing around the backyard in the early evening.

 

Baxter

The girls got to go to a D-backs game with Aunt Katie, Grandma D, and Aunt Pearl.  MM got up close and personal with Baxter, the D-backs' mascot. JoJo was too afraid to meet him.


We'll have to re-create this photo in ten years.  I'm sure MM will be just as cute.

Coloring with Baby Mo Mo

The girls wanted to show Baby Mo Mo their coloring skills and wanted to play with him/her.  Somehow I have a feeling it was just the first taste of what's in store for Mo Mo with his/her older sisters.  Julia is convinced Mo Mo's a boy.  Hopefully s/he wasn't harmed by the markers' chemicals.

Last Biltmore Day

The girls got one more pool day at the Biltmore in.

 

No Shortage of Doll Toys

The Caspian Corrections

I'm still reading The Chronicles of Narnia to the girls.  We're on Prince Caspian, which is 4th in the currently published series (but was second when I read them as a kid, the original order).  It's taking us a bit longer on this one but we're almost finished.  JoJo's favorite character is still Aslan, while MM like to play as Susan and Lucy.

It was a nice coincidence that Caspian appears in the latest novel I read, The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen.  I had really enjoyed his book Freedom and needed a read for the beach, so I downloaded it into the Kindle app on our iPad.  That was a first and I have to admit, I enjoyed reading that way.  Easier to transport and put away, and no need to store something after finishing it - although it does use a lot of the battery.  At any rate, I enjoyed the stories of the children in The Corrections, but the parents (Alfred & Enid) got a little annoying after a while.  The climax in the last ten pages was quite satisfying.  I appreciate that Franzen doesn't over-do it on the gay characters, and all the sex is 'traditionally' hetero.  The married characters' marriages were ... less than ideal, and instructive & enlightening to me.  And another reason the end was so great, explaining the title (basically Enid hounded Alfred their whole lives together).

So This is What They Do All Day

V I D E O    of MM having "fun" on the couch.

(http://youtu.be/-nfbCFc6r2c)