Arial and I were each reading books last night. Music was coming from Johann's room and we had the following conversation.
Me: The kids are listening to Shonen Knife. When did you give them that CD?
Arial: I don't know where they got it from.
After discussing it with the kids, apparently Johann had just grabbed it from our CD collection in the basement. He made a pretty good choice. It could have been pretty bad. We have some CDs that aren't appropriate for children, like the New Kids on the Block Christmas album that I bought for a quarter because I thought it was funny or the All-4-One disc that Arial has for no logical reason (possibly because she's a girl).
Johann liked the album but there is one song on it that sounds like a more traditional Japanese (or at least asian) tune. We heard Johann say "I don't like this song. It's too slow." and Frances chimed in with "And it's in Spanish too".
We didn't correct her. I'm sure that at some point she will learn that there are more than two languages.
Ben
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Frances' Tri
Frances had the second tri which followed Johann's. Arial and Frances hurried off to the starting line after Johann finished. When Johann and I made it back, Arial was waving for us to hurry. Frances' swim cap was nowhere to be found. It was imperative that she have one because she wouldn't be eligible to race without it. I ran to transition and a helpful volunteer grabbed Johann's cap for me (which was also the cap that I would wear the next day). After we got Johann's cap on Frances, Arial found the other one in her pocket. Frances wanted to switch to her pink cap, so we did.
After a long wait in the start line (she was one of the last in line, since we didn't get any better at lining up early), she was off on the swim.
The swim was just the right depth for her to walk or swim. And she swam a lot of it. The pattern was something like wade-wade-swim-swim-swim-swim-wade-wade-swim-swim-swim-swim. Most of the distance she covered was swimming. It still amazes me that she can swim. Later, she declared the swim to be her favorite part.
Out of the water, Arial ran with her (since for some reason a single parent couldn't help two kids, so the crazy pregnant lady ran into transition with her). Together they got her dressed (again slower than her competitors, we'll work on that for next year). When it came time for shorts Arial asked if she wanted to not wear the shorts. I yelled, "Skip the shorts. Get her out on the course". But Frances would have none of that. Strangely, she looked to me like she was going to cry if she couldn't wear shorts. (I understand though, I also put on shorts in T1. Were a modest family.)
The bike went pretty well but it was far (1 mile). I trailed along for some of it but I let her go when she reached the corner to a long stretch. When I got to the corner, she was long gone.
Then I waited.
And waited.
After a bit I grew concerned, so I started walking down the long road. Another dad was walking on the other side of the road. I asked him if he had lost his kid too. He said that he had.
Eventually, that guy spotted his kid and I spotted a kid that I knew was ahead of Frances. Apparently, a mile bike takes some time, especially compared to Johann's bike around the parking lot.
Frances finished the bike strong. She later told me that she passed a few people on the bike. I'm not sure if it was during the time she was missing or on the last corner when I was there and wasn't paying attention to the competition. Maybe it was both.
Arial went with her in transition. I quick took a long range photo of them racking the bike, then told Johann, "We should go to the run-out. That's when I saw her running out of transition. It was a fast transition.
Arial took charge of Johann and I ran along with Frances, cutting corners when I could and snapping pictures.
Her age group had an aid station on the run. We hadn't talked about that. But she did a great job walking and drinking like a pro. The only issue was that she didn't know how to get rid of the partially full cup. I'm pretty sure she would have taken it with her the rest of the race (careful not to spill) if a volunteer hadn't noticed and asked another to take it from her.
She ran her heart out and crossed the finish line just as tired as Johann was. I got a picture of her with her medal and let her pick out two things at the concession stand (she chose two different types of granola bar, Johann had chosen trail mix (w/ M&M knock-offs) and a giant rice crispy treat).
We were all very happy with her performance and I couldn't be more proud.
The kids played on the beach, while we waited to get the stuff out of transition. They probably like that just as much as the triathlon.
All in all a great weekend and three great Tri's.
mwz
After a long wait in the start line (she was one of the last in line, since we didn't get any better at lining up early), she was off on the swim.
The swim was just the right depth for her to walk or swim. And she swam a lot of it. The pattern was something like wade-wade-swim-swim-swim-swim-wade-wade-swim-swim-swim-swim. Most of the distance she covered was swimming. It still amazes me that she can swim. Later, she declared the swim to be her favorite part.
Out of the water, Arial ran with her (since for some reason a single parent couldn't help two kids, so the crazy pregnant lady ran into transition with her). Together they got her dressed (again slower than her competitors, we'll work on that for next year). When it came time for shorts Arial asked if she wanted to not wear the shorts. I yelled, "Skip the shorts. Get her out on the course". But Frances would have none of that. Strangely, she looked to me like she was going to cry if she couldn't wear shorts. (I understand though, I also put on shorts in T1. Were a modest family.)
The bike went pretty well but it was far (1 mile). I trailed along for some of it but I let her go when she reached the corner to a long stretch. When I got to the corner, she was long gone.
Then I waited.
And waited.
After a bit I grew concerned, so I started walking down the long road. Another dad was walking on the other side of the road. I asked him if he had lost his kid too. He said that he had.
Eventually, that guy spotted his kid and I spotted a kid that I knew was ahead of Frances. Apparently, a mile bike takes some time, especially compared to Johann's bike around the parking lot.
Frances finished the bike strong. She later told me that she passed a few people on the bike. I'm not sure if it was during the time she was missing or on the last corner when I was there and wasn't paying attention to the competition. Maybe it was both.
Arial went with her in transition. I quick took a long range photo of them racking the bike, then told Johann, "We should go to the run-out. That's when I saw her running out of transition. It was a fast transition.
Arial took charge of Johann and I ran along with Frances, cutting corners when I could and snapping pictures.
Her age group had an aid station on the run. We hadn't talked about that. But she did a great job walking and drinking like a pro. The only issue was that she didn't know how to get rid of the partially full cup. I'm pretty sure she would have taken it with her the rest of the race (careful not to spill) if a volunteer hadn't noticed and asked another to take it from her.
She ran her heart out and crossed the finish line just as tired as Johann was. I got a picture of her with her medal and let her pick out two things at the concession stand (she chose two different types of granola bar, Johann had chosen trail mix (w/ M&M knock-offs) and a giant rice crispy treat).
We were all very happy with her performance and I couldn't be more proud.
The kids played on the beach, while we waited to get the stuff out of transition. They probably like that just as much as the triathlon.
All in all a great weekend and three great Tri's.
mwz
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Johann's Tri
Johann had the first tri of the day. He was one of the last kids to start (timed start not wave) because we aren't very good at lining up early. We were concerned that he would be to "shy" or scared to do it. But that wasn't a problem. He waded through the water like a champ.
Coming out of the water, Johann looked like he was having a great time. We took too long in transition putting on socks and such. It was better than Frances' first tri where I made her do everything (I thought it was the rule) but still not good compared to the other kids. We're learning with every kids tri we do.
Of course, Johann took off on the bike. He even passed a few kids (after I told him to). Later he said that the bike was his favorite part.
T2 was quick and he was off on the run. Johann was getting tired at this point but he kept gutting it out. The one problem with the run was that he kept trying to follow me, rather than the path. That slowed him down a bit since he was unsure of where he was supposed to run but he kept going and made it to the finish line.
I am terribly proud of his effort. He was completely spent but happy when he got done. And now he is a triathlete.
mwz
Coming out of the water, Johann looked like he was having a great time. We took too long in transition putting on socks and such. It was better than Frances' first tri where I made her do everything (I thought it was the rule) but still not good compared to the other kids. We're learning with every kids tri we do.
Of course, Johann took off on the bike. He even passed a few kids (after I told him to). Later he said that the bike was his favorite part.
T2 was quick and he was off on the run. Johann was getting tired at this point but he kept gutting it out. The one problem with the run was that he kept trying to follow me, rather than the path. That slowed him down a bit since he was unsure of where he was supposed to run but he kept going and made it to the finish line.
I am terribly proud of his effort. He was completely spent but happy when he got done. And now he is a triathlete.
mwz
Friday, July 30, 2010
Triathlons
Everyone in my nuclear family that gets their oxygen directly from the air is now a triathlete.
Johann, Frances and I all did triathlons this last weekend. They all went really well.
This retelling will be in three posts. First the least important (mine).
My race went extremely well, especially for not really having trained. Nothing terribly interesting happened (which is good).
However, toward the end of the bike, a guy that I had been trading passes with the whole time sped up after I had legally passed him (my front tire was significantly passed his. I had to push to complete the pass. That irritated me a bit. He passed me on the run and for a while I thought I'd catch him but I never did.
The other odd thing was that my brother (who I don't know if I've given him a pseudonym, so I'll call him "my brother") passed me on the bike without either of us realizing. (He started later than me so it took him a bit to catch up). We did see each other on the run going opposite ways which was nice.
We both finished (he significantly before I) and had a nice rest of the morning culminating in eating at a restaurant that appeared to be a nursing home cafeteria masquerading as a bait shop.
mwz
Johann, Frances and I all did triathlons this last weekend. They all went really well.
This retelling will be in three posts. First the least important (mine).
My race went extremely well, especially for not really having trained. Nothing terribly interesting happened (which is good).
However, toward the end of the bike, a guy that I had been trading passes with the whole time sped up after I had legally passed him (my front tire was significantly passed his. I had to push to complete the pass. That irritated me a bit. He passed me on the run and for a while I thought I'd catch him but I never did.
The other odd thing was that my brother (who I don't know if I've given him a pseudonym, so I'll call him "my brother") passed me on the bike without either of us realizing. (He started later than me so it took him a bit to catch up). We did see each other on the run going opposite ways which was nice.
We both finished (he significantly before I) and had a nice rest of the morning culminating in eating at a restaurant that appeared to be a nursing home cafeteria masquerading as a bait shop.
mwz
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Bad Jokes
Apparently, I go with the lame jokes a little often.
We watched The Never Ending Story a week or so ago. All the expected jokes were made.
Yesterday, we went to the library and picked up The Never Ending Story II.
On the way home, one of the kids asked if we could watch it that night. It was getting close to bed time so I said, "We can start it but we won't be able to finish it tonight because...".
Johann broke in with a weary sigh "Yeah because its the never ending story".
mwz
mwz
We watched The Never Ending Story a week or so ago. All the expected jokes were made.
Yesterday, we went to the library and picked up The Never Ending Story II.
On the way home, one of the kids asked if we could watch it that night. It was getting close to bed time so I said, "We can start it but we won't be able to finish it tonight because...".
Johann broke in with a weary sigh "Yeah because its the never ending story".
mwz
mwz
Xtreme
The other day, I was working on the computer and Johann was playing with a PlaySchool motorcycle. I said something about a wheelie and he asked if motorcycles could do wheelies on their front wheel.
After a brief explanation of the techniques behind doing a stoppie, I pulled him onto my lap and went to YouTube.
We spent the next half hour watching various X-Games type sports. First, we watched motocross tricks which lead into skateboarding, followed by BMX videos and ending up a flatland bike tricks.
It was a lot of fun. Only once did I have to stop a video because the lyrics were bad.
When I told him why we were moving on, he wanted to know what the naughty words were (which seems reasonable but I figured it was better if he didn't learn them quite yet.
Then Johann said, "I know one naughty word". I asked him what what letter it started with and he said "P". Curious, I suggested that he whisper it into my ear.
He got really close and sheepishly whispered, "Pee".
I laughed and told him that it wasn't a naughty word as long as he didn't call anyone a "Pee-pee head".
mwz
After a brief explanation of the techniques behind doing a stoppie, I pulled him onto my lap and went to YouTube.
We spent the next half hour watching various X-Games type sports. First, we watched motocross tricks which lead into skateboarding, followed by BMX videos and ending up a flatland bike tricks.
It was a lot of fun. Only once did I have to stop a video because the lyrics were bad.
When I told him why we were moving on, he wanted to know what the naughty words were (which seems reasonable but I figured it was better if he didn't learn them quite yet.
Then Johann said, "I know one naughty word". I asked him what what letter it started with and he said "P". Curious, I suggested that he whisper it into my ear.
He got really close and sheepishly whispered, "Pee".
I laughed and told him that it wasn't a naughty word as long as he didn't call anyone a "Pee-pee head".
mwz
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Father's Day
Outside of working on a race, I had a very nice Father's day.
Frances and Johann made cards. Frances' was very nicely colored with her and me holding hands in the middle with text that she wrote saying "Have a great day everyday".
Johann's looked really simple in comparison. It was just bunch of shapes and two people (Johann and me). I didn't really get it until he said that it was a depiction of when he and I drew shapes in the wood chips at the park last week. That made me happy.
Both cards are now displayed at work.
Frances also decided to try to ride her bike w/out training wheels again. (The last time we tried, I got overly frustrated and Frances wound up crying in Arial's arms. It was horrible and I'm not really proud of that.)
So, with pads in place, helmet on and a promise that I would hold on to the handle bars like Frances wanted, she tried again. We went up and down the street until I could no longer ensure her safety. (It is really tiring to run hunched over a little bike.)
She did great. There were brief periods of balance. But more importantly, she is getting better and wants to try again.
Oh, and for Father's day, Thrice kicked me in the face.
mwz
Frances and Johann made cards. Frances' was very nicely colored with her and me holding hands in the middle with text that she wrote saying "Have a great day everyday".
Johann's looked really simple in comparison. It was just bunch of shapes and two people (Johann and me). I didn't really get it until he said that it was a depiction of when he and I drew shapes in the wood chips at the park last week. That made me happy.
Both cards are now displayed at work.
Frances also decided to try to ride her bike w/out training wheels again. (The last time we tried, I got overly frustrated and Frances wound up crying in Arial's arms. It was horrible and I'm not really proud of that.)
So, with pads in place, helmet on and a promise that I would hold on to the handle bars like Frances wanted, she tried again. We went up and down the street until I could no longer ensure her safety. (It is really tiring to run hunched over a little bike.)
She did great. There were brief periods of balance. But more importantly, she is getting better and wants to try again.
Oh, and for Father's day, Thrice kicked me in the face.
mwz
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