Summer Solstice

All this talk about summer solstice and the longest day of the year. I think I have been had. There still are only 24 hours in a day. That is not enough to take full advantage of all the fun things? Seriously! I keep discovering new things to do but I'm still only left with the same old number of hours. 24 measly hours to cram in my fun. What's a girl to do?

Here I am, lounging in the rec room of the Annenberg. It is so fun here. There is a ping pong table, Twister, checkers, Connect 4, Candy land, memory and the bean bags. All just in the rec room. Outside, a pool, splashpads and.....the waves. I see dolphins A LOT from the beach. To keep things interesting for the tourists, occasionally I point at them and yell "Sharks!"

 

Here I am at the Galaxy game. I love soccer games. They are so worth staying up late for. My Mom foolishly thinks maybe I will sleep in the next day. 

I know rest is the friend of an athlete but seriously do you think Mia Hamm got to where she was going by sleeping in. Doubt it! Dream on. Forget rising with the roosters. I say "beat the birds".

While residing in LA it's important to practice keeping a low profile. You never know when you might make it big. I know just how to blend in. Flower camo!

In my own home I am quite a performer.

In public I am quite a performer too. Life on the sidelines? How about "NO"

 Douglas Park is a great place to see ducks, turtles, and borrow a scooter.

 Rumor has it I get my pink bike next month. I am hoping for a scooter too!Why stop there? I am ready to drive.

Speaking of drive. Santa Barbara is a great "Get out of LA for a day" trip.

And the Santa Barbara Zoo is a great place to meet your COUSINS!

 Oh, for the record. I was only in the stroller for this picture. This zoo is such the perfect place for "young walkers" to go on foot. The children's play and picnic area is so Michelin One Star.

 

Don't forget to wear a hat. The day will likely be warm and sunny.

 You probably think my Mom and I just play, play, play. Well here is the photographic evidence that we were hard, hard at work. I bet I would be great on the demolition team.

 In addition I'm volunteering to be the official taste tester for the Farmer's Market on the Promenade. I declare this peach ripe, juicy, and a sticky mess.

 Let's be honest, when the weather is right. Food just tastes better outside.

 Who can argue with that?

 

Gather your balloons and party on folks. It's summer time.

Happy Father's Day!

I skipped the block walk to my neighborhood Papyrus for a card and used my weight, all 26.7 lbs, at the Pitter Patter Productions studio to make and dedicate the movie trailer to my Dad.

Love you Da Da. Yours truly Annika Ruth

Accessorize Your Life!

 

It's been a while since I last checked in.

Clearly I have been busy and on the run.

 That being said I'd like to emphasize the importance of essential accessories and sunshine.

 When at the beach it is "No sand toy left  behind"

 

 When on Montana Avenue you better have the whole ensemble

In case you didn't get the jist I'll itemize:

1 pink car

1 hibiscus flower

1 pair of sunglasses (scratched and upside down)

1 pacifier multicolored preferred

1 pair red patent leather shiny shoes

1 puppy backback otherwise known as baby hackpack

1 barette

Mulitple discarded stickers remnants of the last Trader Joe's run. Only those who spot the monkey hidden in the store get stickers.

 

I'm practically an "F" list celebrity as people were snapping pictures of me with their I phones. I'd be headed straight to Hollywood if my Mom would run me there. You'd think Santa Monica was an island with no with no departing ferries the way we live.

 

I can't complain. My life is full of roses.

I've attempted to stylize and accessoirze my Mom.

Apparently the look was not appreciated by my Grandma, who less than 24 hours later sent a photo which I will withhold of a girl properly wearing a headband. The girl in the photo was about my age. You could tell she was a real  goodie two shoe with her headband on. I"ll bet she was a real thumb sucking baby.  

See I am far beyond that! I use my paci to accessorize my outfit and I wear my headband with flair. Hmph!

 

With that folks I've got work to do. Father's Day is tomorrow.



May's Days

Boy! The days of May sure went by in a hurry.

 

I think I am time. Time goes by fast. I'm fast. Time does not stand still. I certainly do not sit around standing still. Well if I am not time, I'm a lot like it.Can you tell I have been reading a lot of Frog And Toad lately?

 No wonder why when we are at the pool and I am "walking" on deck my Mom is always booming "Slow Annika....Walk." See technically she shouldn't shout "No Running" because she'd be issued a citation by the politically correct parenting police. If they knew how many times she slipped and instinctively called "No Running on The Pool Deck" they'd send her straight to the time out chair. Oh wait, they don't believe in time outs. Well, I guess she gets off Scott free and speaking of Scott...

and speaking of Scott... and trying to slow down.

 We headed up to San Luis Obispo Get it? SLO,slow? for a second weekend in May. What could be more fun than a tub full of cousins. We celebrated my Grandpa and Grandma's 40th too.

 I really do love my Grandparents but I think at the moment of this photo shoot I wanted to do other things...like explore the kitchen of the restaurant or rearrange the baskets of organic hand picked and polished produce that were on display.

In other news another year of The Tour of California is in the books. My Dad was part of the medical coverage. As in every tour certain jerseys signify different things. Yellow for the leader, white for the best young rider, green for the sprinter, and polka dot for the best climber. As I said, the tour is in the books and I am wearing the polka dots for a good reason.

 

As we all know girls have more interest than boys in fashion.

 Case in point. My last dinner date. I'm dressed to the 9's in a halter dress and matching hat. My date doesn't even throw on a clean shirt. C'mon boys take some initiative and get involved. Somedays I positively insist on a outfit.

 

 Which is why I showed up at the YMCA to swim wearing a fleece snowsuit. As we were leaving in my stroller, I overheard the neighbor who was walking her dog, also in a stroller, suggest to my Mom to give me choices of what to wear. For example,  hold up two pairs of pants and let me pick. No Mom would ever think to try that ;0) I think she decided to save 3 hours of failed games and negotiations and go with the logic of the handout from the Dr's office stating it is ok for children to learn based on some minor consequneces of their action such as being warm or cold. As if I don't know there are more than two pairs of pants in that closet to choose from.

 As if I care that much about pants!!!! Well folks it's time to dance!