A Few Vacation Pictures...

 Ah, it was a busy ten days or so in Arizona.  Here are just a few of the family photos there.  We'll be catching up with more photos and family news shortly.

Wearing Your Food

No one ever said that Miss Betsy was the cleanest of eaters.  Yesterday at Gramma's house, she ate most of a peach but did manage to wear much of it upon her face.  And you wonder why parents give their toddlers bibs to wear.

Never mind that she devoured two large slices of pizza later in the day.  Eating machine, I tell you.

Busy Days in the Desert

 As the previous video stated, Miss Jill and Mister John were out visiting family in Arizona over Presidents' Day weekend.  Nothing quite says the desert like riding through the dry wilderness as seen on the picture to the left.  Mister John is looking stylish in his prescription Ray-Bans.  Being cool and being able to see; there's a combo for ya.

Grampa Kendall kept an eye on the girls in the back yard.  Betsy Jo and Mary Jane walked here, there, and everywhere in search of birds, lizards, and rocks.  They found many of each.  Mary Jane was looking for a rabbit in a rabbit hole when suddenly a lizard popped out!  Oh goodness!  Hopefully she won't be afraid of lizards for the rest of her life now.

Here Miss Jill is getting the Desert Mobile ready to ride through the dry Arizona desert.  Not much to show there of cacti.  Some other pictures had them but not with Miss Jill styling behind the steering wheel.  She made sure that she hit the bumps nice and fast to scare her husband into thinking she was trying to kill him.

There's Doug the Dog.  He showed up on Saturday and Betsy and Mary Jane didn't really know what to do.  They prefer rabbits and most of the dogs they have met were of the scrawny kind.  At least Doug was a real sized dog, not one of those who could be carried by idiot Hollywood starlets.

Betsy Jo wasn't big on it at first but she managed to like being carried by her dad in a walking carrier.  He put in a decent hike with her as the sun set behind them in the Arizona desert.  Note: such rosy cheeks in Arizona for Betsy.  Maybe it was the dry climate.  Ironic as she was born in Lake Havasu City... you'd think she were a native city girl with her reaction to the desert.










Miss Betsy struggled a bit with the weather but did get in a solid 2+ hour nap on Sunday.  While the rest of the family thought she was asleep, she broke out of her confinement and Mister John found her smiling.  Guess the nap was over for Miss Bets.

Off-Roading

While Mary Jane and Betsy Jo were napping in Arizona, Miss Jill decided to take Mister John for a ride through the desert.  Due to Mister John's lack of ability to drive a stick shift, Miss Jill took it upon herself to ride through the bumpy desert as seen here.  This is only a 30 second snippet; otherwise this might have been a bit too nauseating to watch.  While Mister John claims that the stadium where the Super Bowl was held is off to the right somewhere, it is quite difficult to see.  Maybe a little pause and some squinting will help.

None of the cacti were injured during the filming of this video.

All-Time Bruin Rushing Leader

All Hail the new Bruin Rushing Leader

That Arizona game was quite impressive: nothing like a 66-10 victory to make you feel a little better about yourself.  But still three games remain.  Just make sure we win the one in the middle.

Paul Getting Ready to Hang Ten

Showing a bit of profile

No one is more serious about their surfing than Paul the Panda.  He was chilling on his board out in Arizona this weekend.  Why Arizona?  Long story.  He's got a love/hate relationship with that state.  (Recall he was exiled there and left stranded in a children's hospital until an ill Mary Jane rescued him on Christmas Day.)

Getting serious with his board

But this weekend, the Panda was ready to go.  While the other members of the family were tooling around with motorcycles, he snuck off and knocked down some waves.  Yes, waves can be found in Arizona.  You just have to go by one of the canals and have some foolish person ride a boat next to you and create a large enough wake to make you hang ten.  Or in Paul's case... who knows.

Mary Jane was not there to see much of this as she is not allowed that close to too much open water.  In the picture to the right, she was looking quite festive.  Maybe in a few years she and the Panda will go surfing together.  But not until Miss Jill and Mister John approve.

The Power of Sunglasses

Mary Jane has displayed her own Hollywood image.  I'm hoping that when she has to worry about her own paparazzi, she still finds time to call us.

Or at least talk to Cherry Bugg...

Doe, a Deer? A Female Deer?

Mommy, Betsy, Mary Jane, and a Deer

What about us?

Miss Jill and Mister John took their two splendiferous girls on a summer trip to northern Arizona for a little over a week.  After a brief stop in Lake Havasu City, they continued upward (to an altitude above 7,000 feet) to the Flagstaff area.  But before reaching there, they went a deer petting farm just off the 40 (and Route 66 for that matter).  There the girls were surrounded by a menagerie of animals.  Mostly deer, but a few other animals were found as well like the llamas in the picture on the right.  Always watch out for the llamas on the bus as they spit, spit, spit.

Silly Goat

Boy girls were still a bit under the weather so they didn't completely appreciate the animals around them.  Next year upon the next visit, the girls will be overwhelmed (happily hopefully) by all the creatures.

Jinx

I finally post about the Kings... and they lose.  And so it goes.

Anyway, the rabbits are well and it's time to start grading more papers.  Only one week left of school. 

Our movie today is Mary Jane wandering through the desert.  Where art thou going, o little one?

Hiking in the Desert

 A week or so back, Miss Jill and Mister John went on a brief hike in a desert park west of Phoenix.  (No, they didn't leave their girls by the side of the car for the live snakes, coffee, and trail maps to take care of them.)  It was just for a few brief hours but it was quite relaxing to walk through the clear (but dry) desert air.

With the picture on the right, Mister John shows how small he is compared to that of a mighty saguaro.  There were footprints right where he was standing so this wasn't the first photo at this spot.  However, it does show the wonderful contrast in nature.

Mister John with the "Valley of the Sun" behind him.  Yes, a good trip to have sunglasses.

 

Miss Jill is quite the master of the snap picture in which she manages to get the two of them without any decapitations.

It's that time of the year again when spring makes on think about... swimming!  Mary Jane swam all last summer and enjoyed it immensely.  Those first few classes at LMU were a bit rough but she learned to enjoy the splashing and then spent most of August in Arizona pools.  Good thing as last August was the hottest August in Arizona history.

Somebody likes playing with water.

This year Gramma and Grampa Kendall brought out a small portable pool which is the perfect size for little Mary Jane.  Note: we'll try it out on Betsy over Memorial Day weekend.  As for now, we'll just let her try out her water-loving skills in the bath.  Mary Jane had a great time in the mini-pool.  She didn't quite learn the word "pool" yet but she did point at the outdoor mini-pool (from inside the Kendall's house) and say "bath."  Good enough for me.

The Best Laid Schemes o' Mice and Men Gang Aft A-Gley

Well, Miss Jill and I were planning on driving out to Arizona to visit her family this three-day weekend.  Unfortunately, one of our dear little girls got "sick" on the ride out.  Luckily, it was only two miles from Aunt Pat and Uncle Brent's house.

So instead of random musings from Arizona, we're having a "slow" weekend at home.  But there are so many things to do and right now I have so many pages to read to work on Salome paper so I best be going.  But for now, please enjoy the following two videos that I have recently downloaded on this site.

Some Extra Pictures from Christmas

 
 Nothing quite like going back and downloading all sorts of pictures onto the computer.  Since we use two cameras: the small pocket camera and the "good" camera, they don't always get downloaded at the same time.  In fact, sometimes it's a matter of finding the right connecting cord.  Yeah, hate it when that happens... have a great photo and then can't find the right cord.

Anyway, here are some great photos to enjoy as well.  Yes, many are on Facebook but somehow these come with just a little more personality.

Betsy Rolls Over

It took a while in this video... a full 30 seconds or so... but Betsy rolls from her belly to her back.  She's been wiggling and moving her arms and legs for weeks now but she had never quite put it together for an all-encompassing roll.  Sound and fury signifying nothing up to this point (what, can't a Brit lit teacher bust out some Macbeth from time to time?). Do note that in this video, the voices that are in the background are of Grampa Kendall talking to Mary Jane.  In the meanwhile, Daddy has the camera focused on Betsy waiting... just waiting... for the right moment.

This was actually the third time that Betsy rolled.  The first time was only for Daddy's eyes.  Then he recruited Grampa Kendall to come over and watch the rolly-polly girl in action.  Alas, Mommy, Gramma Kendall, and Aunt Nita were out shopping and missed the action.  That's OK, that's what this blog is for.  That and blaming Cherry Bugg for things like biting through our sound cord for the computer.  Argh!   Cherry Bugg!

Do They Know It's Thumpmas?

Thumpmas time is back again! Time to get out your cards and give them to your favorite neglected rabbits. What? You don't know about the most significant event in the rabbit calendar? For shame! And a thump at thee!  You need to know these important events!

Let me recount the backgrounds of this hallowed day of Thumpmas. On that night of December 25th so many years ago, a tired Joseph and a quite pregnant Mary were trying to find a place to stay for the night. There was no room in the inn so they had to stay out in a nearby stable. All the animals all were allowed to stay: sheep, donkeys, raccoons, dolphins (I mean dolphins?  really?)... everyone except the rabbits! They were forcefully moved out by the Shepherds. Then the Magi later came by that night and tried to eat them! How intolerably rude!!! Thus the rabbits on the scene were quite upset and rightly so. The birth of the Baby Jesus startled them with His commotion. With all the Seraphim singing and the Choirs and Hosts rejoicing, the rabbits could do only what they knew: they THUMPED. And with that thump, that startled the Baby Jesus and He cried with His mellifluous voice for the very first time. Granted a few windows broke -- most windows in the Bethlehem area were not Divinity-proof -- but still the upset rabbits helped create one of the seminal moments in Jesus' life. The rabbits look back on Thumpmas with mixed emotions. Yes, the great Jesus was born but they were also kicked out of their home, thus starting a tradition in many nations: the chasing of rabbits out of hutches on December 25th.

Ironically, Miss Jill and Mister John are with two new children this Thumpmas. But no rabbits were kicked out. Instead they shall be fed at home by a bunny sitter.

Rumor has it in the bunny community that Miss Jill and Mister John adopted a second beautiful baby girl this year for the sole purpose of not bringing a bunny out to Arizona for Thumpmas.  Not to worry, Mary Jane and Betsy Jo will learn the true meaning of Thumpmas when they return home... and a rabbit steals an apple from them!

In an inglorious turn of events, our dear Miss Bugg had her e-mail hacked and spam was sent from her account the day before Thumpmas.  Talk about having no respect for rabbits on their solemn day of contemplation (and irritation).

Pictures from Mary Jane's Party

 Here are a few pics from today's party.  It was quite the busy shindig this afternoon as family members from both sides represented.  Ironically enough, the closest relative on either side, my sister Pat, couldn't make it due to illness (never good when other children are there) but my other sibs from the Inland Empire and Jill's family from Arizona made it.  Lots of tables there and all were occupied.  Good thing we rented all of those chairs!







Hmm... cake!

  Mary Jane tried cake for the first time and shivered quite a bit at it.  She had a little bit but not much.  She much preferred all the other food that people were giving her.  I think she really likes meatballs.  Then again you can't wear meatballs on your face as well as you can with cake.


Betsy is only eight months away or so from her first birthday party.  Wow, she's almost four months old herself!

Hopefully Mary Jane will have a much healthier Christmas this time around.  She'll grab a stick like she did on the right and smash any illness that dares try to confine her.

Perfect weather today... always have to wonder about December birthday parties but this was ideal.

Mary Jane didn't quite hit the pinata all that well but give her a few years.  Then she'll really be able to give it a whack.  I'll work on that swing with her.

Birthday Visitors

Mary Jane and Grampa

Betsy with Aunt Nita

 With Mary Jane turning one this week, her grandparents and an aunt sneaked into town from Arizona to say Hello.  Gramma and Grampa Kendall along with Aunt Nita have graced their presence in Chez Erb and have done a great job cheering up both Mary Jane and Betsy Jo.

Miss Jill and Mister John (aka Mommy and Daddy) actually could give Mary Jane a walk around the neighborhood this evening to look at Christmas lights on the houses.  That's always been a tradition for the two of them and they'd love to pass it onto their girls as soon as they are old enough to stay up late to see them.  At least the sun sets early enough now that Mary Jane gets an hour or so of outdoor darkness before she goes to sleep.

Meanwhile Cherry Bugg is not amused.  But is she ever?

First Week Home

Betsy Jo did quite alright in her first week home with Mommy and Daddy. She just has to represent with her voice and then we know it's time for food. As for Mommy and Daddy... well, back to work with all sorts of errands in between. Daddy is back to running 12-15 miles a week for cross country (yikes). Mommy has a very long drive from work and then had to re-stock the shelves after our Arizona sojourn wiped out our fresh produce.

As for Mary Jane, she's still very cute. A little cranky at night two evenings in a row but she's still a keeper.

118 Outside, Nice and Cool Inside

It's quite odd to walk around the hospital grounds and think, "My feet are freezing!" Of course as soon as you leave the sliding doors at the entrance, the overwhelming heat hits you like a pro linebacker on HGH. Yes, nice simile.

While I've always been one to leave it on the Weather Channel (hey, the soothing music on the 8s can put me to sleep!), I refer to it even more so in desert climes. Nothing like seeing the searing heat of the Arizona desert.

I'm sure Cherry Bugg would not approve.

Mary Jane Dances for Grampa Kendall

Ah, look at her go! This is from Mary Jane's visit to Gramma and Grampa Kendall in northern Arizona a few weeks ago.