Teamwork

Nothing quite like Mary Jane and Betsy Jo both taking turns on their wagon ride around the block.  It's about a 1/3 of a walk but they sometimes rotate the riding and pulling.  Or even the pulling and pushing as seen here.  Usually it's Daddy pulling, Betsy Jo riding, and Mary Jane tagging along.

Do note in this video, Mary Jane has some extra old bamboo leaves for Paul the Panda upon their return.  He's been quite happy with her bamboo collections as of late.  The DudeManBro has been singing a lot more recently and not knocking over supermarket carts.  But more on that later...

Typical Lunch with the Girls

Messy-Faced Betsy

Just your typical afternoon but nothing quite like checking in with Betsy Jo and Mary Jane to see how well they liked their lunch.  Betsy, as you can clearly see, thoroughly enjoyed her smoothie. Meanwhile Mary Jane and Betsy have discussions over lunch while the Pengoon sits in the background and waits for leftovers.  Sorry, Pengoon, no fish for lunch this week.  Then again if it's Lent, you never know.

Lunching with the Pengoon

Rabbits Don't Do Brackets

While Mister John looks over his brackets and ponders the fate of his UCLA Bruins, the rabbits in the back yard prepare for another Rabbit Independence Day.  Heidi and Cookie Sue, both new to the household, have helped holiday veterans Ruby Jane and Prince Phillip with their preparations.  Fortunately for the rabbits, the humans don't always know of their independent leanings.  Signs reading "More Carrots Now!" and "Hop for the Right to Be!" have been placed in the backyard.  These have left Miss Jill and Mister John a bit confused... they thought Mary Jane and Betsy were up to something.  Something indeed.

Shifting into Park

Mary Jane and Betsy Jo had a great time a few weekends ago in a Westwood park (the area just outside of UCLA, fight fight fight).  They ran about and played for quite a while and tried out all the different apparatus that they could.

Watch out, here come the furiously furry feet of Mary Jane.

 Betsy Jo has an interesting way of going down slides.  She climbs on her belly and slides down backwards.  No reason to lie on her back and ease down the slide. This way she can keep an eye on the  camera-holding parent, in this case Mommy.

Betsy was not so keen on the large banana swing.  She kept begging to go into it but then wanted out as soon as she started swinging.  Oh well, that happens.  You can't always get what you want, Betsy.  But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.

Mary Jane in the Tunnel

Tunnel!!!  Mary Jane starts her way through with the help of Daddy at the far end and Mommy with the camera on the near end.

Happy baby!

Betsy rocks back and forth and is in her own happy land. Seeing pictures like this puts Mommy and Daddy in a happy land too.

Where's My Breakfast?

Cookie Sue is hungry.  "Where's my toast and eggs?  Where is my oatmeal?"  I'm guessing she's been hanging around one Mary Jane for a little too long.

Pope Francis

Mary Jane shows her appreciation for the new pope in this video.

Honoring the Pope's Namesake

Chilling with St. Francis

Betsy Jo and Mary Jane wander to the back yard to pay homage to St. Francis.  While they may not yet realize he is the patron saint of animals (and thus reminds the four rabbits in the back yard to keep an eye on Betsy Jo and Mary Jane), they do realize he has a water dish.  Ooh, free water!  Splash!

Maybe Mr. John will put a papal hat on St. Francis.  OK, maybe not.

Ultimate Peace

Mary Jane Erb in the Land of ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Is a toddler sleeping in her car seat.  I hate the fact of even thinking of waking her up.  But this was after the relatively long drive to Santa Ana for the birthday party for Baby Charlie this weekend.  She had to go and get her cupcake.  Wake up, sleeping bunny!

Our Girls Love Pizza

 Who cares if it's Little Caesar's and it's $5 pizza you can just pick up at the counter.  It's got tangy sauce the girls love and they wear... er, eat it all up!

Mary Jane truly loves her pizza.  Look at that face.

A Brief Afternoon at the Santa Ana Zoo

Charlie's Cake

Daddy in Charge of the Kids' Table

The Girls and Their Cupcakes

Wagon Time with Baby Charlie

Mary Jane, Betsy Jo, and Daddy went to the Santa Ana Zoo today for Baby Charlie's first birthday party.  Mommy was actually in Atlanta for an adoption conference so she was not there.  That gave Daddy a chance to show his mad skeelz as a Dad.  Well, the girls didn't open up any cages and let the animals out.

They did have some snack food which was not in their typical diet.  They might have both had a cookie each, a small box of chocolate milk (Betsy never really could figure that one out), and the cupcakes (seen in the photo).  Betsy loved the frosting; Mary Jane preferred the cake itself.

At the end of the day, everyone went on a train ride around the park.  Fun was had by all and the girls came home tired and a bit cranky.  That happens after festive days.