Thunderstruck

Zot!

Hopefully the first thunderstorm to hit Los Angeles in quite a while will not keep my girls up tonight.  Mary Jane and Betsy Jo are probably too young to be scared by such things.  As for Mommy, TV Turtle, Cherry Bugg and Clifford?  I'm not so sure...

Dancing Queen

Mary Jane this morning was in quite the festive mood.  Some days you just have to dance.  And that's exactly what she did.  As seen in this video, she removed her weight-bearing pullover to get into her dancing gear.  Subsequently she started dancing to Soundgarden, a classic grunge band of the early and mid 90s (saw them once in concert and sadly was not impressed as they sounded exactly like their CDs {note: CDs are things once used in the 1990s, nowadays they do things like download music} so I might as well have played the CD and it would have been the same), and it was quite the locomotive scene.  She has mastered all sorts of moves before her 16th monthday.  She'll be on Dancing with the Stars soon enough!  Hines Ward can be her idol (half-Korean Super Bowl MVP, I think that was the year the refs gave the Steelers the Super Bowl over the Seahawks) on the dance floor.  Anyway, enough of my ramblings... watch her bust a move!  Go, girl, go!

Driving Prepares You for Dancing

Mary Jane didn't make it too far today as she wanted to walk/drive her car down the sidewalk.  Alas, she stopped after about 10 strides in and then planked.  Yeah, nothing quite like prostrating oneself on the ground and planking some.  After that, MJ just sat down and thought about life.  So Daddy decided to do the same.

While sitting down, Daddy came across two different neighbors who were quite intrigued about the sit-down.  Was this a protest of some sort?  Was this a hunger strike on behalf of starving rabbits throughout America?  Was this about the inequity of the distribution of the money given to banks and automotive giants?  No!  It was just a day to sit down on the sidewalk and relax.

On a side note, look at those sunken cheeks.  Who stole the 20 pounds of that guy?  Oh wait, Mary Jane stole his Cheez-Its.  She better not have; imagine all that processed fat in that stuff.

Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Baby, You Can Drive My Car

Mary Jane loves getting out on the open road -- or the open grass for that matter -- with her automobile.  While most people drive their cars, Mary Jane is quite the "green" person.  She saves money on gasoline by actually pushing her car instead.  Luckily her car does not weigh two tons like most of the vehicular behemoths out there.  But hers does weigh enough that Mommy or Daddy will have to help her when her car tires run up against a hose or a slightly broken sidewalk.


According to Mary Jane, it's the new fad in exercise.  Get out and push your car!  Daddy did that many years ago with his friend Pete when his car died and they pushed it home while it was in neutral.  But I think that's a completely different matter.

For Cherry Bugg, Every Day Is a Hunger Game

Misunderstood.

According to Cherry Bugg, every day is a battle just to see who gets to eat.  "My life is one giant battle just for a carrot," says the discontented rabbit.  "No one ever looks out for me so I have to look out for myself.  Besides, I don't opposable thumbs to open the refrigerator... yet."  She added with a subtle wink.

Never mind that she's been indoors all week staying warm and getting carrots while her nieces freeze outside.  "Serves them right," quoth she.

Dudemanbro Needs a Cleaning

Unfortunately for the Dudemanbro, Paul the Panda, he smells a whole lot like coffee these past few days.  So much so that even Mary Jane holds him at a distance.  He doesn't have much to add to the comments saying it's all just speculation, "Dude, it's not like it's me.  I'm telling you, it's that Miss Jill that's the problem.  It ain't me, man."  But no one seems to be buying his excuses.


The next time the clothing goes through the wash, so might the Dudemanbro.

Running Free in the Backyard

Hello, Daddy!

Sometimes it's just fun to get out and about and run around in the afternoon.  Sometimes it's better to hold onto a rubbery yet chewable ball -- nevermind that Betsy likes that toy as well -- and run around all afternoon with it.  And sometimes it's just fun to let out a large happy scream to show how much fun you're having on a sunny spring day.

The Double Bob

Hey, give that back!

Miss Jill and Mister John are now in possession of a "double Bob" which is basically a twin stroller.  It has a much lower and closer center of gravity so it can really roll over these tree-addled sidewalks.  Curbs are not much of a problem either.  But as the picture might attest, there still is that binkie stealing problem.  Eh, not a big deal of which to worry. 

Now Mister John can use this stroller with some of his running.  Nothing quite like summer cross country practice with the "double Bob" going up and down those hills.  Quite a workout indeed.  Now just don't steal any binkies during the run.  Mister John might even try to go on a run with Cherry Bugg.  I'm sure she'd love it!

Bust a Brief Move While Walking the Car

Mary Jane loves to walk the car every day.  Never mind that it should actually be ridden (on the way back I tried but she hasn't quite mastered the foot movements for that yet), she'd rather push it down the road.  So in this video, Mary Jane powers on only to pause for a few seconds, go to the front of the music-playing car and presses a button for a tune.  A brief little clap and dance and off she goes again!

She should be do for another walk at 4:30 or so but it is a bit windy out so I'd rather not see Mary Jane and Betsy Jo flying off into the wind like wannabe nannies in Mary Poppins.

Meanwhile the bunnies are hiding in their cages today.  It's a bit too windy for them and Phillip detests wet grass.

Get Your Running Out

Not quite sure if Miss Jill was selling it upon Mister John or watching the Marathon this morning, he thought, "Heck, I could do half of that."  But in either case he might be signing up for the half-marathon in Pasadena in a few months.  At least he'll know the roads as Miss Jill lived in Pasadena for many years before finally giving in and marrying Mister John.  And if he doesn't run... oh well, back to a lazy Sunday.  Pancakes?  Or something like that...

But then again if he does, maybe he'll get a cool running t-shirt like he did last year for the Palisades 5k.  Then again what are t-shirts anyway other than remembrances of things of the past?  Better than nothing!  Besides, a t-shirt with someone running on it makes one look ten pounds lighter.  Just don't be seen on TV otherwise you'll gain those ten pounds right back.

Cherry Bugg would be happy to get Mister John out of the house.  More time for her to flop in the living room.

The DudeManBro

Standing Tall

Nothing gives a little girl more of a calming influence than a favorite stuffed animal.  In Mary Jane's case, it's Paul the Panda.  He also goes by P2theP.  Don't ask, we're all just players in his theatrical production.

Paul originally came to our family via the Phoenix Children's Hospital.  Ever since then he has jumped to the top of Mary Jane's animal list.  We often thought it might be TV Turtle or Clifford but no, it's definitely the panda.  He has a hankering for "bambuu" as he spells it.  He loves to surf and spends most of his free time chilling in the back yard and working on his tan.

During the evenings though, he is primarily in the arms of Mary Jane.  If Betsy somehow comes across the soft furry panda, Mary Jane elicits a rare bit of jealousy and takes Paul away with a frenzied grab.

Dinner with P2theP

Paul also makes his way to the dinner table.  There's no way he's not getting in on some of the food.  He's lucky though.  Mary Jane often feeds him the rest of the bottle when she's done.  He doesn't complain much although at first he thought it was a bit awkward.  There's some sort of pride one feels when they are the most wanted.  And for the DudeManBro, that's what it's all about.

Proud Product Placement

No one in this proud is too proud to do a little promotion.  In this case, Mary Jane holds up a piece of taco from Tito's Tacos, a very well-known Mexican restaurant on the Westside.  Technically it's in Culver City but that's neither here nor there.  (Well, we live in Mar Vista which is the literal here nor there as it's between Santa Monica and Culver City.)

The basic taco was truly favored by our little girl.  Not too much salsa though.  Keep it moderated.  Mommy and Daddy both enjoyed tacos.  Mommy wanted a bean burrito but Daddy forgot to write that down on the menu list.  Not to worry, the family will go back again in another month or so.  Mommy's parents are big fans of Tito's so there are often apt to allow us to get some over the weekend.

Another Day for Smiling

Can't stop a happy girl from posing for pictures.

On the Road Again

Mary Jane is taking to the road every afternoon.  While she's supposed to be riding in the musical car (seen on your right), she prefers pushing it.  But late in the day as she tires, she either collects leaves or just pulls it along.

The rabbits have no say on this matter yet although Cherry Bugg does wish to have a taxi service on order.

Nothing Quite Like Chilling on a Lawn

Betsy Jo was looking splendid for the camera this weekend while Gramma and Grampa Kendall were visiting.

Happy Weekend from Betsy

 It's time for everyone to smile their Sunday best!