Wholesome
I felt like a wholesome weekend was in order after I encountered this rather scary sight:
Yes friends, it appears that “Panda Express” is a now cross-dresser. I was understandably upset. I mean, what Panda Express does on his own time is his own business but I refuse to tolerate his behavior while he’s living under my roof.
So while Panda Express enjoyed a time out and no dessert, we took Maya to The Grove for some wholesome family fun.
- We shopped (or I shopped) while Maya and Ali trailed behind, wholesomely arguing and pushing each other.
- We had lunch at Cheesecake Factory where I wholesomely swore at the fact that Maya had to go potty – numerous times – in quite possibly the dirtiest bathroom I’ve ever seen.
- We encountered not-so-wholesome Jason Alexander who once again reinforced my belief that most stars look nothing like they do on TV.
- We took photos at the conclusion of our afternoon, to commemorate our 4-hour wholesome family bonding marathon.
I was pleased that Panda Express was sufficiently repentant by the time we got home but then I encountered this even scarier sight, in the living room:
A scantily clad Fancy Nancy and Trampy Indian Barbie with a slit up the middle of her sari.
I’m about to enroll my child in a strict Catholic school. Seriously.
While I'm not going to win Mother/Wife of the Year Award anytime soon, I haven't killed anyone yet or shot myself in the head. And that, my friends, is how I calculate success these days. 
FANCY THAT FANCY THIS 
Love the piece about the Panda. Too funny. Glad the family enjoyed the wholesome outing.
hahaha – you’re too funny. What kind of family would you be if you didn’t experience good wholesome fun like that?
Oh my God – there is too much here to laugh at! Love the panda. Hilarious. You are so pretty – I love your sense of style!
And I still can’t believe you see all these stars…although I can imagine Jason Alexander looking unwholesome as you said…sigh, George no more (although he wasn’t ‘wholesome’ either!).
I wouldn’t blame Maya. I think the stuffed animals are just running rampant. Maybe it’s mating season and they can’t control their hormones. Who knows.
At least you got a “wholesome” family weekend out of the ordeal!
I am so seriously relieved to read you when you write because it affirms that my daughter is acting normally and is not some freak of nature with the things she does.
This was priceless.
1) I love the pic of you and Maya, so cute.
2) I didn’t know there was an indian barbie 🙂
3) Love the cheesecake factory, but have stopped going because about 70% of the time I get horrible stomach cramps after eating there 😦 its a shame cause i really like their eggplant sandwich.
*kisses* HH
Aww sweet pic of Maya and her hot mama in the pumpkin patch!
Lol…Panda Express is kinky 🙂
Okay, now you’ve got my attention: what DOES Jason look like in real life?!?
He looks kind of old and messy – if that makes any sense?
HA HA HA. It’s better than finding Barbie naked–ahem, between outfits–all over the place. She’s like that often, if I remember my childhood correctly.
Ameena, the picture of you & Maya is so cute. I’m in love with your outfit, esp. your flats!
I want to go to The Grove just to look for stars and realize that they’re just normal-looking people. 🙂
Thank you Laura!
I’m practicing taking compliments better…I think I’m making progress. 🙂
Panda is just experimenting. I’m sure he’ll turn out fine!
The dolls cracked me up!! Little hussies 😉
Well, it sounds like a fun weekend – I’m hoping that we can take the kids to the pumpkin patch this week.
I can’t believe how often you run into famous people! I think the only one I’ve ever really seen is Jerry Springer at O’Hare airport. And you’re so right, he looked about 20 years older in person.
Those dolls are definitely a bit disturbing. I tend to have the more masculine problem of swords and weapons of mass destruction strewn around my house for all to see.
Those Barbie clothes are scandalous! Looks like a great family afternoon, nevertheless… I saw David Schwimmer once in Beverly Hills and – agreed – most people like nothing like their TV characters when you see them in person. He was super grungy!
PS – I love your sweater in this photo – wear is it from?!
Thank you Emily! The sweater is from Anthropologie.
Your sweater is way too cute!
Fancy Nancy however needs a lesson in fashion.
fun outing! and i love maya’s tutu! i wish that it was socially acceptable for me to go out in a tutu. maybe i will anyway hahah
good to know you are keeping those dolls on a short leash. Could be mayhem at the Din home without it!!!
xoxoxox
we don’t have celebrities in our town. I think I would have a heart attack if I saw one in real life.
and we paid like 10 bucks for JJ to play in a pumpkin patch jump thing and it was literally like scrounging our pockets for cash….just for 4 measly jumpy tickets….and he got scared and wouldn’t jump. (but to be honest they only gave you 5 minutes anyways) so we paid 10 bucks for him to be scared for 5 minutes.
not bad for Halloween!
your outing looked like more fun!
Oh, you guys are so cute! And a welcome sight after that very troubling pic of Panda in his gown. I may have nightmares.
coming from someone who has experienced private catholic school, it will only get worse 😉
on the bright side of things, at least they arent in compromising positions.
cute family pictures.
if my comment goes up twice im sorry, but its being weird with me…
coming from a catholic school drop-out id say it will only make things worse 😉 but hey look on the bright side, at least they werent in compromising positions, if ya know what i mean.
cute family pictures.
Hahaha. I’m pretty sure the Barbies I played with as a kid had no pants 90% of the time.
I love your sweater!
Oh friend, your posts make my Monday better. I’ve been to the Grove once, I think. I found it fancy and slightly intimidating- just like any good shopping experience. Is Maya wearing a tutu? If so, she seriously needs her own fashion blog. I’d be a regular reader 🙂
Maya rocks her tutu every chance she can!
Have I told you how photogenic you and Maya are? Even when she’s about to get a pumpkin dropped on her head, she still pulls off the cutest pose. Just ADORABLE! Your family’s smiles always brings a smile to my face. Looks like a great weekend!
I’m so glad I have your blog to reassure me that my daughter is “normal” 😀
hahahahaahaha. i can not deal with the couch scene.
I love maya’s tutu!
Hilarious couch scene! Love the photo of you and Maya — you both are beautiful. Her tutu is amazing!
It looks like Panda Express and Maya share the taste in clothing! Too cute!
I remember turning my barbies and dolls into monsters with a pair of scissors and some glue. Terrible, terrible things happened to them.
Hi Ameena, thanks for stopping by my blog and for your kind words of appreciation, love reading you laughed 🙂 cute picture of panda and very picture of you and lil girl glad you had a great day out. oh ya most welcome to Finland, am obliged to know the reason of being obsessed with Finland 😛
I just LOLed about the Indian Barbie! I remember getting the first one and thinking that she looked HORRIFYING! Or maybe that was the Jasmine (of Aladdin) doll? Either way – I was terrified! Love this post! 🙂
Haha, Fancy Nancy – I like her for the name alone!
I always see such random celebs at the Grove and is all I want to see is the really super A list ones – maybe someday soon.
Ha, family time can be so nice and laborious at the same time!
Loved the panda and puppet stories! Especially your tags are always delightful.
Hahaha, Fancy Nancy – I need someone in my life with that name. 🙂
Liv does this to her barbies and her bears! dresses them up in her dress up clothes and doll clothes.. LOL too funny!
i love Mayas outfit.. seriously, she and Liv could be best buddies!
Lol, love the panda…sounds like a pretty wholesome time to me! 🙂 Maya’s outfit is seriously adorable!
I remember when they first built the grove. I went there and was like, “I think I’m in disneyland”. Turns out, its the same architect that did disneyland. go figure.
Ali looks like he wants to shut maya up by sticking her head in that pumpkin.
catholic school? how about boarding school. (Im totally joking because then we would not be amused by mayas daily fiascos).
Thank you for stopping by my blog! This was a cute post. I love Cheesecake factory so that made me love it even more.
Funny…, this parenting business seem fraught with all manner of pitfalls doesn’t it 🙂 Glad to know Panda Express was repentant after his time out but *tut tut*; Indian Barbie needs to check her manners a little 🙂 🙂
Hi! I found your blog from Lynn’s blogger meet up post and I must say that I am quite enamored by that panda! Is it the Beckett panda made by TY from Borders? If so I have the same one!
Hi Lin – Maya won this panda at Borders during a Beckett storytime! It must be the same one.
Lol I had originally bought Beckett (along with the book) for my landlord’s grandson but I liked the panda so much that I HAD to buy another one for myself 😛
Bahaha! Oh the your house must be the talk of the neighborhood! And I do believe that not only is Nancy scantily clad, but she’s sitting in a very unlady-like ‘spread eagle’ position!
I LOLd my way through this post and then guffawed at the tags (Indian barbie is a slut) oh man- hilarious!
I really wanted to comment on Fancy Nancy’s unlady-like position but I forgot. I guess her outfit (or lack thereof) distracted me!
You gotta watch out for that Indian Barbie! Too funny.
My dad wouldn’t let us buy Ken dolls for the longest time. Guess he was afraid there would be hanky-panky in Barbie land. 🙂
Just google Catholic school girl uniforms and that idea will fly out the window :)!
I love when little, little kids have no conception of gender or what is “thematically” appropriate. My nephew insists that his male toy action figures can birth babies, and when dress-up time happens, he’s the first to grab the feather boa. It’s soft and purple – what’s not to like?
I’m just glad that no one’s photo looks forced this time around…
Well, maybe Fancy Nancy looks a little forced.
LOL…at least you got some wholesomeness for at least a few hours. Though, it was inevitable that it wouldn’t last.
Oh. Ameena, when I was growing up, I made my barbies do all sorts of nasty things. They got murdered, raped, abused, whipped, and got into all sorts of cat fights. I think Maya is pretty tame! 😉
I made the mistake of reading this at work earlier today. I laughed…a lot. That panda…wow, Maya. That’s all I can say about that. And the three at the end…awkward. I do applaud Maya for being creative, but sometimes creativity freaks me out.
Cute pictures. You have a lovely family. 🙂
What a great picture of you two by the pumpkins. In reference to your last post?–you really do look very young! Got any good beauty secrets to share?
I’m so flattered you want advice from me!! I know zero about beauty so the only thing I can share is to avoid sugar. And the sun!
Still laughing at the four year bonding marathon comment….does that mean I’ve been enduring a 14 year bonding marathon with my family?….lord help me, I can’t take much more!
Love the pics, especially loved checking you out!..well, you didn’t post a pic and think I wouldn’t be looking you and down, and going, “Damn, she’s hot!” ‘Cause I do that!
Good luck with the remaining 20 years of wholesome bonding marathoning with your family.
Pumpkin, pumpkin every where, lovely read. Great clicks.
The panda is so funny 😀
Maya’s princess dress is so cute. I wish I would have been more like a princess than a tomboy when growing up 🙂
You are hilarious!!!!! Seriously. And photogenic. Beautiful picture of you and your daughter.
Thanks to this post, I am laughing a wholesome laugh which is very relieving (see my post why). Beautiful family you have there – Have a Happy Trick or Treat!
Haha love it! The Panda clearly has his own personal style. Its nice that he knows how to express himself. 🙂
i really love your sweater. Both you and maya look so pretty in that picture.
Haha, why is it that stuffed animals and dolls always end up in skanky situations. The subconscious mind? Catholic school may not be a bad idea 😉
Hey Ameena! You are too funny. I can’t say that seeing the top photo would have made me think of cross dressing, but I find it hilarious that you did;)
Oh, and I think Catholic school only worsens things (smile). I’ve heard that at least…
Some research shows that catholic school are MORE TOLERANT of big personalities than public schools. Something about having teacher’s more invested in individual creativity…I think private school teachers sometimes have more freedom and resources than public school teachers, sadly.
Have you watched Waiting for Superman? I wish I was in the states to see it!
I was talking to my brother about watching “Waiting for Superman” but as usual I’ll probably have to wait until it hits HBO!!
Haha, this post was hilarious. At least your daughter doesn’t have any Bratz dolls (at least none shown). I think those are pretty gross.
And I am so jealous of you running into all these famous people!! The only famous person I have half-seen was the cast of “Out of the Box” when I was a kid. It really wasn’t that exciting. lol
Catholic school??? Not so sure that would help, lol…
I love The Grove, one of my favorite Farmers Markets 🙂
Hilarious! This made me completely burst out laughing. Thanks for the giggle. 😉
You are SO funny. I can’t believe Indian barbie is such a hoochie!
I just pointed to your blog, and told my husband “This girl is so freakin hilarious”. Because you really are and your blog is one of the highlights of my web-surfing week. Maya and her dolls made me laugh so much. And you two look beautiful…on a more serious note.
that’s funny about Jason Alexander. the (very few) stars i’ve seen in real life actually DID look the same. Gordon Ramsay and Robert Duvall come to mind. nothing to write home about, but still.
Uh oh, she’s starting early. Find an all girls catholic school asap.
I have my hands full too with my niece. I saw her the other day trying to make herself cry in front of the mirror, lol!
Awww the barbies…lol. This is too cute!!
I can remember how skanky my barbies were 😐
Love your sweater in this pic, where is it from??
xxoo
Thank you Kris! The sweater is from Anthropologie – do you have that store in Canada??
Your post cracked me up – BIG TIME!! LOL on the cross dressing panda, and the slit sari Barbie…ROFL!
Thank you for the compliment! I can’t access your blog for some reason?
All in good fun… the outing looks like so much fun, not that Jason Alexander looks much better on the photo that you included… you look more like a movie star then most of them
Well that’s one hell of a post to stumble across. Great first impression. I’m so in love with your tag “Indian Barbie is a slut” that I’ve completely forgotten how I even ended up at your blog.
New reader for sure.
Welcome Amnah! Thank you for stumbling over here!
Oh.. um.. I think someone needs to inform those dolls that showing of your vag isn’t very appropriate. I kind of want to reach into the photo and close all their legs for them. Indian Barbie is definitely a slut, I mean, at least the other girls have clothes down there. For now.
Those dolls looks demonic, don’t they?
I saw your flats. We should exchange tips on flats ;)!
Maya is quite the dresser-crocs and a tutu! 😀
Just wanted to drop by and say hi!! Its been a long time since I have actually commented but let me tell ya, I have not missed any of your posts.
The slutty Barbie reminds me of my barbie liking phase!FYI my Barbie was not allowed to meet boys 😉
Yeah that Indian Barbie…yowza! And shouldn’t Fancy Nancy know better than to sit so unlady like?
LOL. I think it’s your tags that made me laugh the most. I’m wondering if anyone has come across this post by googling “Indian barbie is a slut.”
The two photos in the middle are so precious 🙂
Ameena, you are absolutely stunning in that picture of you and Maya! GORGEOUS! *as always!