No Fooling! Erb Family Back at Home

The Venetian, where we stayed last night

After a long vacation in Utah (no worries, many pics and videos to be placed on the blog in the next few days), the Erb family stayed one night in Las Vegas before heading home this afternoon.  There is no truth to the rumor that Mommy taught Mary Jane to say, "Vegas, baby!"  Mary Jane only can say, "Las Vegas!"  And no, Daddy did not teach her to say, "Viva Las Vegas!" either.

Before leaving for home this morning, Daddy wisely placed some action on the Dodgers this afternoon.  A 4-0 victory over the Hated Ones gave Daddy, a lifelong Dodger fan, double satisfaction: an Opening Day victory as well as money in the pockets.  As the old saying goes, "Baby needs a new pair of shoes!"  Indeed, I think Betsy Jo does.

The Dodgers iconic logo

Bunnies Not Amused by Basketball Tournament

The only March Madness that Ruby Jane wishes for is a huge bucket of carrots.  That is all.  Rabbit Independence Day is coming...

Jor-El Made the Right Decision

The Erb Women

Oh, how could one not look at Miss Jill, Mary Jane, and Betsy Jo and not love their infinite cuteness.  And they all adamantly remind us all that, yes, Superman was indeed adopted as well.  Jor-El and his wife made the right decision. 

Mary Jane and Betsy Jo will be Supergirls... our Supergirls.  Will they bend steel, fly faster than a speeding bullet, or leap tall buildings in a single bound?  Maybe.  But we don't need them to  in order to be our daughters.  They will love us as parents and we will love them as children.  And I'll do everything in my power to prevent whatever metaphorical Kryptonite there is out there from harming them.  Now if for some reason, they pick up a few supervillains along the way... that's on them.  I can only give advice.  (I think I'll cut the Superman conceit here as you and I both know Clark Kent's adopted father doesn't make it much past the first act.)

At some point there should be a musical score from John Williams backing this post.  OK, maybe not but that's how I feel.

Mommy Playing with Our Girls

Amidst all the bunny comments, Bruin basketball, and Academic Decathlon triumphs... sometimes I just need to step back and admit how much I love my women.  They are strong.  They are funny.  They are the best.

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.