Madd Max Enjoy Day 2 In Central Cali

Jess woke up to the quails' morning commute across the wall - traffic could really build up if one quail stopped moving.

After packing up the house, we headed to Taco Temple where the kids entertained themselves during the wait.

Then over to Caucus State Beach.

Where Maddie dug a hole so deep she hit water and Max, Maya and Dexter played in the surf.

Todd, Kears, Jess and Sam all chilled on the beach in the perfect weather, sipping coffee.  Not a bad way to spend an afternoon with great friends.

The Scrapper Strolls With Curiousity

Following in his sister's footsteps, Max chooses to grip the stroller tray when out strolling instead of leaning back. Burbank is just too interesting.

Madd Max Lunches At The Mall

Whose escalators are better than Disneyland (we assume, having never been).

Plus, there was pho, which Maddie was served the Auntie Jamie way.

And Max choose to wear.

Madd Max Supports The Playoffs

The Kings are in the Playoffs. Tonight was Game 2. The Leonhardts came in appropriate colors.

The youngest supporters gathered around the chip bowl.

Then everyone settled in for a tense game.

Oh yes. Victory!

The Scrapper Smacks His Lips

But only when he eats pears and blueberries, and it cracks Jess up.

The Scrapper Goes Old School

In his hand-me-down Run DMC shirt, which he totally rocked.

Track suit next?
Here's his sis, same age, same shirt.

The Scrapper Loves His Dad

Because he came up with the idea of a giant bowl of puffs to go along with some lap time.

Madd Max Celebrates 4 Year Olds

With some bounce house sliding.

At the party of Emma, who is clasping her hands in anticipation of cheese pizza.

Proud mama Val took some time with Max.

While his sister messed around in the ball pit.

Before she decided to offer up rides around the space.

Then it was over to celebrate Lilly.

Through food and drink.

And animated convo.

Ending the evening with a celebratory Feldie tongue grab.

Madd Max Has Chili With DoZee

At Chili John's.

Followed by a jamoca shake.

And to work off the calories, some "1,2,3!!" with Dad and DoZee, formally known as Dzedo (Maddie's choice).

Madd Max Goes Under The Sea

"What's this dude doing?"

"Who cares? He's hilarious!"

Because it was a rainy morning, the fam headed to the Under the Sea Indoor Playground, where Max got rides from Dzedo.

Maddie got in on some driving action too.

Madd Max Celebrates Easter

It is a Kender tradition to have a scavenger hunt, beginning with the first clue attached to the Easter basket. With Uncle Wills at college and therefore no hunt in Leonia, Dzedo began the tradition for Maddie in picture form (first clue, the potty).

First, both kids got to dig into their baskets. Favorite for Max - the Easter grass. Favorite for Maddie - chocolate eggs; she took each one, unwrapped it, took a bite, and moved onto the next.

Then it was scavenger time which became very confusing. With the first clue being the potty, Maddie thought each additional place was supposed to be sat on like a potty, which can be hard when it's a bookcase.

The final clue lead to the penguin humidifier in her room, and a Big Bird and Ernie figurine set.
Then it was over to ELF's for her Easter Egg Hunt - this time the egg to kid ratio was much better.Even the teeny kids had eggs on a blanket, filled with puffs for munching.

Somehow, our girl still found a way to have issue with it.

Things got better, decorating eggs with Dzedo.

Elizabeth also had her grandfather in tow, who shared Dzedo's interest in the spinning, shiny things along the back wall.

And finally, the source of Maddie's pain was revealed when she demonstrated that eggs are meant to be carried under your shirt, not in a basket.

Madd Max Gets An Early Easter Present

The City of Burbank has an Easter Egg Hunt annually. Last year we showed up too late, but not this year. Parents and kids lined the edge of the baseball field and held back crying kids until the start was called. (Ok- not that many crying kids, but ours was one of the few.) As the grass settled, Maddie was the not so proud owner of... one plastic blue egg, which held... one individually wrapped mint lifesaver.

Max found the fascinating thing called sand much more exciting then any stoopid, old hunt for wrapped lifesavers.

Maddie found the game of hang-and-fall with Dad better then the hunt as well.

The best part of the day though, was when Dzedo arrived for his visit.

What an awesome Easter present.

The Scrapper Meets Glenn

Sam's cousin, Glenn, was in town for a conference, and stopped by to meet Max and extole the virtues of having kids 16 months apart (as are his Sam and Emma).

Although he and Maddie had met previously, she played coy which involved stretching out on these chairs and popping her head up occasionally.