This weekend was Aubrey’s third birthday. The past few years, we just had her party at home over Memorial Day Weekend.

But since she’s a little older and has been to “real” birthday parties, we thought we’d throw a party with her friends this time.

Or at least for our friends who have kids…

We asked her what type of party she wanted, and we weren’t surprised.

Jessie's Hat Cookies

She wanted a JEZZI PARTY!!

That’s Jessie, from Toy Story if you couldn’t translate.

We had balloons and decorations, and a Toy Story themed gift for all her friends. Christy even got creative and turned boring sugar cookies into Jessie’s Hat Cookies.

Waiting for my friends to arrive

Exercising with her friend Nate

Ball Pit!

What is it?

As if this weren’t enough, we turned her birthday party, into a birthday weekend with a trip to PNC Park to watch the Pirates on her actual birthday. We went with some friends, but as expected, spent more time eating before the game, and playing in the water than actually watching the game.

Best View in Sports

Aargh!

Finally! A sunny day!

Soaked!

Related posts:

1. Pittsburgh Half Marathon Weekend

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

No, I’m not slowly morphing into Brett Keisel, circa Super Bowl XLV.

I promise.

This is for a much better cause. Last year, I participated in the NHL’s “Beard-a-thon”. I was thrilled to raise nearly $1,100 for the Mario Lemieux Foundation through the Pittsburgh Penguins run for the cup.

You can read about last years efforts here.

Let’s Go Pens!!

Related posts:

1. 2010 NHL Beard-A-Thon
2. My biggest fear in life

Image by Peter Fuchs via Flickr

At the beginning of this year, I set 3 personal goals for myself. I’ve never been a big goal setter. Typically, if I decide on something I want to do, I just start doing it.

I’m the same way professionally. I don’t always have a lot of patience for endless discussion around what we should do. I just want to get on with the doing it.

Having said that, I have found it helpful to lay out 3 areas I wanted to focus on this year:

Run.

Read.

wRite.

So far, so good.

Run: I’m nearing in on hitting goal number one, which was to run a half marathon. I’ve been able to steadily increase mileage since last year, with the goal of running the Pittsburgh Half Marathon on May 15th. In the past month, I’ve run a 10 mile and 8.1 mile race in preparation, and both were under my goal time.

As if that was going to be good enough, I also signed up for my hometown half marathon, the Ogden Half, two weeks later, on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.

Read: Setting this goal was likely going to be the hardest to accomplish. Historically I’ve had the habit of buying books, but never getting around to reading them. As a result, I typically only finish 2-3 per year.

For the first 3 months of the year, I’ve finished 11 books in 13 week. A little under the pace I’ll need, but well above my typical pace. I’ve tried to mix up personal interest books, business books, and ones that friends have recommended to keep it interesting. I’ve found using Goodreads helps keep me on track, but also in finding new titles to read based on what friends are finishing.

wRite: After starting a blog at McKinley Carter, I’ve committed to only writing about personal finance there. That was my main excuse for abandoning this site for several months last year. So far, I’ve been able to write here at the rate I wanted to, without just putting up filler posts to hit the goal.

March was light on posts, but I have several events coming up in April and May that I think you’ll be interested in. Stay tuned!

Related posts:

1. Goals for 2011
2. 2011 Ogden Half Marathon

On Tuesday, we had tickets to the Pens vs Blue Jackets game at Consol Energy Center. Because seeing the Jackets doesn’t elicit the same feelings as playing the Caps or Flyers, and considering we have events three nights this week, I decided to take my 2 1/2 year old daughter to the game.

Having half the Pens roster out to injury didn’t hurt either.

Although I didn’t figure she’d want to stay for the whole game, I new she’d enjoy going out to dinner, and seeing part of the game with me.

As expected, her favorite part was the “trucks” that cleaned the ice in between periods, and the music they played during tv timeouts.

That was, of course, until we took a walk before the end of the first period and found a “penguins” winter hat.

It’s a little big, and slips down covering her eyes, but she likes it.

As expected, we lasted about 8 minutes into the second period, before heading out for home. Just like when we went to see Sesame Street, we finished the night looking for the pictures of her and both Grandpas on Mario’s Mossaic:

Since we only had 2 tickets for the Pens game, we followed it up tonight with all three of us at the Wheeling Jesuit Cardinals basketball game.

Like the Pens game, we lasted just past halftime.

But had fun nontheless

Related posts:

1. Braving the G20 for the Pittsburgh Pirates game
2. Pittsburgh Penguins open Consol Energy Center
3. Pittsburgh Penguins Banner Raising Celebration

Image via Wikipedia

When I first started writing, I admitted that I tend to be somewhat of a technology snob. It seems that since that time, I’ve actually become known as much for being a “techy” as I am as an advisor.

Ideally, it would be nice to be known for what pays the bills, but we’ll get there one day.

Coming up in the next few weeks, there are 3 things that further my technology brand if you will.

In February, I will be flying to Florida, for this years T3 conference. It is the conference for the advisory industry when it comes to technology. I attended last year as an attendee, but this year have been asked to speak on a panel about how advisors are using the Apple iPad with my friend Bill Winterberg, and Sandra Goodstein.

Also next month, I will be a part of the Winter issue of “In Wheeling” magazines piece on Wheelings “Digital Generation”. From what I understand, they are looking at 10-12 locals who have either moved to the area because of technology, found their spouse online, or apparently just use the bejesus out of it like me.

Lastly, I will be talking next week with Amy Buttell, a journalist I met online (I know, right?) about the best smart phone apps for financial advisors.

I guess what they say is true. Everything happens in threes. Just strange that it’s all coming about in February.

Resolution Update

I hadn’t planned on doing this, but it felt ironic, considering the content of this post. Earlier this month, I listed 3 goals I planned on accomplishing this year. One, was to read a book each week for the year. So far, I am nearly two books ahead of pace, but the weird thing is that all of them except one were actual physical books. I assumed they’d all be on the iBooks or Kindle app….

No related posts.

Image via Wikipedia

Partially inspired by remembering my friend John Sterrett’s post this time last year, I’ve decided to “write down” a few things I plan to accomplish in 2011. As you’ll see on Monday, I’m not a fan of New Years Resolutions. Mainly because, if you decide to do something, why wait until a random date to start doing them?

In this vain, everything I’m listing is an extension of things I’m already doing, not new or life altering things. Even so, listing them here will keep me accountable, if only to myself, and therefore make them more likely to become a reality.

So in no particular order, here are a few things I plan on accomplishing this year:

Run

Early in 2010, I decided I need to get in better shape. I was in “go to the gym most days shape”, but nothing that would transition outside of the gym. As a result, I decided to starting running, and used one of the Couch to 5k iPhone apps to get ready for a 5k on my daughters birthday.

Two months later, I ran a hilly 5k in about a minute under my goal time. Two months later, I tackled a 10k.

This year, bring on the Half-Marathon!

Today, I’m going to register for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon on May 15th, 2011.

Read

I haven’t been much of a reader, but thanks to the iPad, I’ve plowed through a few books the past few months. Nothing consistent, but on and off when I have time.

I’ve always been good at buying books that look helpful or interesting, but not-so-great at actually reading them. I guess the dust cover does it’s job…

So this year, I’m setting out to read a book a week. Every. Single. Week.

At first I had planned on setting a goal of 2 per month, but after watching my wife blow through 3 over Christmas break, and then reading this post on how to accomplish one per week, I figured I’d man up and just do it.

wRite

I don’t know, it just felt like I need to keep with the R theme for some reason.

I started this site over a year ago for two reasons. The first was to see if I could write, and if so, actually enjoy doing it. The second was to see if having a blog would lead to tangible “real world” benefits in order to encourage a similar site be created at my firm.

As it turns out I do like it, have been told by people who write for a living that I’m good, and was able to parlay that into a blog on our firms site.

But because of writing there 2-3 times per week, I ignored this site for months on end. Although I’d like to be ambitious and set out to write here weekly, I’m going to be reasonable and set out to post twice per month. That will be the minimum, so at times I’ll write more, but for now, bi-weekly seems to be the way to go.

Resolution Schmesolution

So that’s my list for the year.

Sure, there are other things I’d like to do this year, but these are the one’s I plan on focusing on, and being held “virtually” accountable to.

Here we go!

Related posts:

1. Goals for 2011 – update

During today’s game against the Bengals, she heard the announcer say “Polamalu” when he had his pick six, and this was the result:

After hearing talk of buying dolls and kitchens for her for Christmas, I was beginning to think I’d need to prematurely pick up a softball glove to keep her at least a little bit sporty.

I guess all I need is a pick six, or Head n Shoulders commercial, and she’s back to being Daddy’s little girl..

Related posts:

1. Steelers begin title defense
2. The Steelers have an Oh Mama phone on the field?

I stayed in decent shape by going to the gym most weekdays at lunch, but it’s like Jerry Seinfeld said, I was only staying in shape for my next workout.

A few months ago I decided I needed something to train for on the calendar.  About that time I saw an announcement for the OVConnect 5k at Oglebay Park.  It happened to fall on my daughters second birthday, and was 11 weeks away.  Perfect motivation & timing for using the “Couch to 5K” training program.

Although at first glance it seems painfully easy, it gets the job done.  For 9 weeks you run three days a week, and build up very slowly.  The first week is three days of running for one minute, followed by one and a half minutes of walking for twenty minutes total.  Over nine weeks you slowly build up to running eight to ten minutes with a minute of walking for twenty minutes or so until you’ve eventually built up to thirty minutes of running.

This was helpful as I had been stuck on the CentreTown Fitness elliptical machine for too long.  When I did try to run outside or on the treadmill I always ended up with shin splints and then I’d be right back to square one.

Even though I knew I’d finish today’s race, I wasn’t too hopefully of finishing it quickly.  For those not familiar with Oglebay, it is fairly hilly. In fact most of the first part of the race is up hill.

After running most of the course last Saturday, I realized that if I didn’t start out under control, I’d probably blow-up halfway through and wouldn’t do very well.

Thanks to Runmeter, here is the map of the course and my stats.

Because it was overcast, and under some trees, the gps didn’t pick up the full course exactly.  I finished in 26:55, with was just over three minutes faster than I had hoped!  Of course some guy who apparently has no hips walked the course in 24 minutes, but seriously, have you seen how race walkers walk?  (The next closest walker was north of 30 minutes, so whatever).

You can see the full race results and photos on OVConnects 5k website.

Since the program worked so well, you guessed it, I downloaded the Couch to 10k app tonight.  I’d like to do the Faith in Action Caregivers Sprint Duathlon this July…

Hopefully this will get me back on the bike, and staying in shape for more than just shapes sake.

Related posts:

1. 2010 Pittsburgh Great Race 10k

Three games into the playoffs, and I’ve already been able to raise $500!

Take a look at my profile page on Beard-A-Thon dot com and see what you think.

***Update***

05/13/10

I’m very pleased to report that although the Pens fell short in reaching the finals for the third straight season, I was able to raise nearly $1,100 for the Mario Lemieux Foundation.  At last count, all “growers” had raised over $85,000 for this great cause!

Related posts:

1. Fear the Beard
2. Walletpop.com on 2010 Resolutions
3. Create WV 2010 is coming to Wheeling

Today, I was lucky enough to play 18 holes of golf in easily the most beautiful setting I’ve ever played in before.  Torrey Pines is a municipal golf course (i.e. not a country club) and home to last years U.S. Open tournament, and the Famers Open PGA tour event as well.

The most surprising detail of Torrey Pines wasn’t the green speeds, or fairway width, although both were ridiculous.  The surprising thing to me was the fanatical protection of the rough.  Most courses prefer you keep your carts off the fairways as much as possible.  We were told at the start, and once by a marshall after forgetting, to keep the carts parked on the path or in the fairway!  They want the rough standing up, and very difficult to hit out of.  Needless to say, it’s an effective tactic.

Normally I  shoot around 100 (not good, but not terrible), and being from West Virginia, it isn’t often that I play outside of May through September.  The last time I played was on Labor Day, in a 50 degree rain storm.  Even so, I figured it’s a once in a lifetime chance, and one I couldn’t pass up.

I played with two other guys from the conference, and we had a great time.  It was sunny all day, and somewhere in the mid 70′s.  I brought enough balls to lose one per hole, but in the end, only lost one total!  Considering I hadn’t swung a club since September, and it being a pretty tough course, I was pleased to shoot a 122.

If you’re every coming to San Diego, strongly consider shelling out the money for a non resident round.  The views alone are worth it!  These iPhone pics probably won’t do it justice, but I thought I’d share a few just in case:

Here are the rest of the pictures I took today on Flickr.

No related posts.