Puppy Sitting :)

On Tuesday, I got to puppy-sit three cute dogs! It was non-stop wildness and fun. Think of how cute ONE puppy is when it's playing or on a walk or something, and then multiply that by three, and that was how cute my day was.

Look at these puppies! The grey one is named Phineas, Winnie is in the middle, and then on the right is Beckett.

Honestly, they look small, but I think they could probably pull a dog sled with their combined forward thrust. Gosh, when they all see something they want, and go for it at the same time, good luck!

Phineas is such a love! He is very adventurous -- he's like the kid who always wants to get into something mischievous...and all the other kids follow him and get in trouble, too. I love his shaggy little face: I think it makes him look like Einstein. He is very brave and very sweet. I love his black vest that he wears -- it's a harness for his leash, but I think it makes him look like a spy, which totally suits him.

Winnie just wants to be where the party is. She has such a happy, adventurous little personality. Beckett followed the two of them, but I think he was a little nervous (he had never been to Winnie's house before, and he had never met either of the other two dogs).

This picture totally describes Beckett. He is so sweet, but he has a hard time standing up for himself sometimes. Here, Winnie started eating out of is bowl, and he just looked up at me like, "Do something!"

Notable events from the day:

Dust Buster Terror: I was cleaning up my aunt's kitchen, and was using the dust-buster to clean the floor, when suddenly I realized that all three puppies were standing, tense and fixated, watching the dust-buster's every move. Turns out, vacuum animosity is a universal dog trait.

Once I realized it was scaring them, I turned the dust-buster off and put it on the counter, because I am kind to animals.

Reed, however, thought it was way to fun to pass up. He started chasing the dogs around the kitchen, and man they were freaking out. Scampering puppies everywhere. Beckett got so scared that at one point, in desperation, he cleared the doggie gate separating him from the living room, where my grandma was sitting with her broken shoulder, and jumped up on her seat for protection, which started her screaming for help.

After we rescued Grandma, we realized that poor Phineas had been so scared he had tinkled. I cleaned it up.

Later, when debating which puppy cleared the gate (I thought it was Phineas), my grandma said, "Oh whatever, it was some HUGE animal," which sent Aunt Heather and I into hysterical laughter.

The biggest of these puppies is probably 12 pounds, soaking wet.

Visit from Diana and Chris!

This weekend, Diana (Reed's sister) and her husband Chris drove out from Utah to spend the weekend with us. We had so much fun! We were all debating whether or not it was worth it for them to make the trip, since they'd only be here for 2.5 days or so, but it was SO WORTH IT!!! (Well, definitely worth it for us...hopefully for Di and Chris as well!)

Saturday, Reed and Chris woke up at some horrific hour of the morning to make a golf tee-time at 7:00am...Di and I crawled out of bed around noon -- perfect timing, because the boys were just finishing their 5-hour golf game! That's how we roll...

We had a delicious lunch at Pluto's (a yummy sandwich/salad place in Palo Alto, where I proceeded to ruin our day by ordering a plate of garlic fries...which I claimed were "for everybody"...thank goodness Diana had gum. I love being prego), and then drove up to the city, where we spent the next 5 hours of the day FREEZING OUR BUNS OFF!!! :) As you can see, in the progression of the photos that follow, I start with no sweatshirt, and end the day with a sweatshirt. My hubby is very patient with, and responsive to, my whiney neediness.

We drove down Lombard Street (it's the windiest road in the world or something). Plus, we accidentally cut in line, and so we skipped out on probably 45 minutes of backed-up cars, waiting to drive the street. Sweet!

To appease my love of all things historical, Reed took me to the Harbor Museum. But then, he made up this story about the Bay Ark Ghost (Bay Ark was the name of one of the ships there), and I was kind of terrified, but more just mad at him for always teasing me...and how I always fall for it!

You can see how foggy and cold it was in this picture. I guess it's not San Francisco's fault that I wore flip flops and bermuda shorts. It was very pretty, though.

Okay, this picture deserves a long, long caption. So here's the story: we were walking around outside, FREEZING, and wanted to get the chowder bread bowls (we were doing the tourist thing!). We decided we wanted to get two bread bowls and split them. Total cost = $10. Well, there were TONS of places, outside and inside. Since we were freezing, we decided we'd sit inside. Well, after our waiter brought us our drinks, he informed us that there was an $11.00 minimum for each person. Hmmmm... well... we weren't that hungry, and we really just wanted two soup bowls, so I kind of whined/pouted at the waiter, and he said he'd just overlook it, which was VERY nice of him. However, we could tell that he was totally ticked about it (as he had a right to be), and when he brought us our food, none of us could look him in the eye. We ate as fast as we could in order to free up his table, and left a really good tip, but there was no saving it... we had doomed ourselves to an awkward situation...

This is me in the sweatshirt that Reed bought for me. I think I'm kind of high maintenance.

Quick Weekend at Home

In the midst of Palo Alto crisis (aka my Gma's broken shoulder and surgery), I flew home to be a bridesmaid in a wedding. My close friend, Cara, got married this past Saturday! Congratulations to her and Jeff!

That said, everything about my weekend was rapid...

Friday:

1. Went to Costco with my mom to buy 27 cantaloupes and 10 boxes of grapes for the wedding. My mom had the job of cutting enough cantaloupe for 275 people -- WOW!!!

2. Helped my sister, Rachel, write a four page essay about Latin American Peace and Trade organizations.

3. Went to Ring Ceremony rehearsal.

4. Went to Rehearsal Dinner. Delicious and beautiful!!!

5. Got home, proof-read Rachel's essay and printed.

6. Helped my brother, who had wiped out hard core on his bike at a Fathers-and-Sons campout.

7. Went to bed.

Saturday:

1. Started helping Markie, who was wrapped in ace bandages, type up 31 pages of English notes for his final project.

2. Checked on Rachel, who was making a poster board for her Latin America Project.

3. Went to the temple for wedding pictures.

4. Went to the wedding brunch.

5. Went to the Barton House for pre-ring-ceremony pictures.

6. Sound check with Brother Bogh (I was singing at the ring ceremony).

7. Called Rachel to see how Prom prep was going (she had prom that night).

8. Mom arrived with the fruit. Go mom.

9. Ring Ceremony was totally beautiful.

10. Post-ring-ceremony pictures.

11. Sound check with brother Bogh (I sang at the reception).

12. Helped mom arrange fruit.

13. Practiced song in bride's room.

14. Reception.

15. Went home, and typed up Markie's English project while Hannah dictated it to me. Markie was asleep, dosed with tylenol.

16. Hannah went to bed, mom took over.

17. Went to bed.

Sunday:

1. Finished Markie's project. Started formatting project.

2. Church.

3. Tried to help my mom as she collected permission slips for Youth Conference.

4. Prayed I'd never get called to be Young Women Girls' Camp director.

5. Home. Mom got dinner ready, I continued formatting Markie's project.

6. Dinner.

7. Printed Markie's project while my mom packed my bag for the airport.

8. Hugged goodbye and sped off to the airport, late of course.

9. Said goodbye to my mom, who had to race back for the Seminary Knowledge Bowl that night.

I'm back in Palo Alto with my grandma now, and I'm still trying to catch my breath. Luckily, grandma and I have a pretty relaxing day ahead...napping, lemonade...the usual!

Even though the weekend was rushed, it was still so good to be home with my family. My brother is so sweet. Everytime he walked by me he would give me a hug, or talk about how he was going to be an uncle -- he's only 10, and already so sweet!

Rachel and Hannah and I had fun teasing and talking all weekend. Rachel is seriously turning into a supermodel -- Hannah, too.

They are certainly tall enough, and both so pretty. I'm so proud of both of my sisters for working so hard in school. Way to go, girls.

My dad told me probably 20 times that he was happy I was home -- that was very nice to hear. Thanks, Dad.

And of course, mom time is always the best. I can't wait to see my family again when they come up for Camping in a few weeks. I love you all!

Poor Grandma Linebarger

My Grandma Linebarger broke her arm pretty badly this morning. She flew up to Palo Alto for a visit -- she just barley arrived last night. This morning, she was sweeping the back steps of my Aunt Heather's house, and tripped and fell on the bricks.

Heather and I have only talked briefly on the phone, and she says that grandma has completely snapped her humorous bone in her upper arm, and that it will probably need to be surgically pinned in order to heal properly.

I think she called Heather, and then Heather called me and told me they were in the ER and were going to meet with the Ortho about the shoulder bone pins.

I think grandma was alone when she fell -- that seems so scary to me, to be alone and hurt. Poor Grandma!

Winnie the Puppy!

Besides eating watermelon and walking, one of my favorite Palo Alto activities is playing with my aunt's 6-month-old puppy, Winnie. Isn't she cute? And she is very smart, too. She has a lot of energy, but is very good at her obedience commands. We (Reed, Aunt Heather and I) took her to the dog park yesterday -- it's pretty much Disneyland for dogs! She is fearless, and loves to meet other dogs, but its great because she is very submissive and friendly, and does not give the other dogs attitude, so she makes friends with everybody. I love love LOVE her!!!

Pictures of Our Current Place

Hello everyone!

This is mainly for the parents, who have been asking to see pictures of the apartment we're subletting, but perhaps you'll enjoy them, too!

This is our front door:

The building is essentially three stories: small garage on the bottom, then the main room and kitchen, and then two bedrooms upstairs.

This is the living room on the main floor:

This is our kitchen:

This is in the main room again -- a little door that leads out to the balcony:

Shot of the balcony:

This is our view from the balcony -- a very cute little neighborhood:

This next shot is terrible. It is a picture taken from the other side of the main room. I was trying to show where the kitchen and the stairs were in relation to the main room, and this is the picture that resulted -- sorry!

This is our bedroom -- on the top floor. There is also a kids' room and a bathroom on this floor.

Another shot of the bedroom + closet:

These are the stairs that lead from the main room/kitchen down to the front door and the garage. The garage door is the one on the right, and the front door is straight ahead. This is where I cornered "El Jefe," -- the scene of the kitty slasher movie.

Here is the little garage -- where the cats live in exile now:

Just to prove that the cats have food and water, and their big stinky love-sac bed thing, which I dragged down two flights of stairs pregnant. The little box and scratching post are in here, too.

This is the view from our front door:

This is the main building, just down the street from us:

Man vs. Cat

Did I say the cats and I would be friends soon? Let me re-phrase that: we are mortal enemies for all time.

While we were getting ready to come out here, I was considering moving them and their litter box and stuff to the garage, because I'm not supposed to be around them while I'm pregnant. But then, I would just imagine their sweet little kitty faces, and suddenly I'd be flooded with nesting hormones and would banish the thought.

Lucky for me, these are awful, beastly cats.

Well, I should specify. One cat is like...a South American dictator: Lazy and corrupted, waiting around all day for the things he wants, no humane interests, etc.

I like to call him "El Jefe," after Trujillo of the Dominican Republic.

The other, I've decided, is one of his mindless women -- bless her heart she is as dumb as a post -- you know, just sort of along for the ride, looks pretty and doesn't say too much.

On Monday, I decided that they needed to be exiled to the garage. After moving all of their stuff down two flights of townhouse stairs, I went in search of the pair. I found the dumb one very quickly. She didn't really put up a fight, just kept looking at me every 30 minutes or so, freshly surprised.

El Jefe proved much less cooperative. He wouldn't let me get near him, so I had to spook him from one room to the next, shutting doors behind me as I went to cut down his options. Finally, I chased him down the second set of stairs, which ends in an entryway with only two doors: the front door and the door to the garage.

It was like a kitty slasher film.

Jefe started meowing a meow that seriously sounded like he thought I was going to kill him. He reached up and pawed at the doorknob and kept looking frantically back at me as I came down the stairs.

Well, when I opened the door to the garage and threw him in, he turned and bolted out and up the stairs so fast I couldn't shut the door in time. The dumb cat followed him. They both raced up the stairs, but tried to jump through the bars of the kid-gate at the top and got stuck. They were both struggling frantically, but I think the dumb one forgot what was happening, because I had no problem putting her back in the garage. Jefe was determined. Finally, the humane person in me helped him get unstuck, but then he clawed me and bolted, and the whole process started over again.

In the end, however, I was triumphant. The evil kitties are confined to the garage with all their food and poop, and I have since vacuumed every inch of the cat-hair-covered apartment and scrubbed everything with Lysol.

Be assured, they are safe, well-fed, and comfy on their stupid cat beds. I don't abuse animals, I just don't allow them to abuse me!