Babysitting

Is that what I'm supposed to call it, now that I'm an adult?

Anyway, this past week, I told my friend I would watch her kids while she and the hubby went on a date.

Everything was going great -- I put the two little kids down, and the house was clean, and all of a sudden, I look up, and the two oldest kids Hyrum(8) and Savannah(10) are watching a TV show about ghosts. I made them change the channel, but the damage was already done.

During teeth brushing, the conversation went something like this...PS -- both of the kids speak with Aussie accents.

Hyrum: Ah ghosts ree-ool?

Me: No

Savannah: Yes they ah! What about ayn-jools???

Me: Angels aren't ghosts. 

Hyrum: ah the ghosts gang teh come through the wools?

Me: No

Savannah: Ayn-jools kin come through wools!

Me: If an angel ever comes through the wall, it will be because Heavenly Father sent them to help you with something.

Hyrum: But ah theh bad ayn-jools???

Savannah: Well, theh's like, Satan.

Hyrum: Is Satan gang teh come through the wools???

Me: Satan is not coming! Everyone calm down.

Savannah: He kin come and poot bad thoughts inya head!

Me: Well, uh...yes he can, but you can tell him to go away, and God will help you.

Hyrum: Oim steel sked!

Me: Do you want Savannah to sleep in your room tonight?

Hyrum: Nohr!!! She'll tell me chainsaw stoories!!

(I look at Savannah, confused)

Savannah: One time, in ah house in Yoo-taw, we went to this haunted house, and theh was thees goy with a chainsaw, and he was sawring body pawts in HOFF!!!

Hyrum: NOOOOOOOOOHR!!!

Me: No more chainsaw stories!

Savannah: Wot? Even Issac wint, and he's jist a baby! Hyrum, dent you remembah?

Me: Hey kids! I think I hear your parents! Run to your beds and pretend you're asleep.

End of conversation. Didn't hear another word. Both kids fell asleep.

Second Ultrasound

I am now 35 weeks pregnant. Where has the time gone?

On Tuesday, we had another ultrasound. Since we've switched clinics, they wanted to re-check everything, so that they could have their own results. It was bonus for me, because Reed and I got to see the baby again!

It's crazy now, because everything has developed -- fingernails, toes, eyelashes, organs, lips...  he could be born now and he wouldn't even be considered a premie. He's just chillin' inside me, putting on weight, and waiting till he's good and ready to come out.

The ultrasound lasted a long time -- I was in there for probably 45 minutes. Reed got to watch the screen the whole time, and the nurse let us both take a look at certain points, like when she checked the heart. It is so incredible to see a little heart beating on the screen.

Besides getting to see the baby, it was comforting to know that everything is looking perfect and healthy. No placenta previa...which they were concerned about earlier on.

I can't believe this little boy will be here in a month!

Swanton Ranch

In my mind, there are sort of two types of activities. Some activities, you try to plan, and things just don't quite go the way you want it, so you just try to have a good attitude and laugh about it later. Then, there are the rare, magical activities where the stars align and everything is just amazing! Wednesday, I had one of those activities -- it just turned out so wonderfully!

My friend Esther and I took her kids to an ocean-side farm to pick strawberries. It was so beautiful! I just had to post some pictures, because the view was unreal!

Above are Ess and her kids in the strawberry patch at Swanton Ranch. We had a stunning view of the ocean the whole time, and the strawberries were so delicious! The weather report said rain, and we were thinking of bailing, but it was gorgeous. There was a cool breeze and sunshine and big puffy clouds. And the people at the ranch were so nice -- good thing, because we had to take little Isaac back into the store to pay, and he was COVERED in berry juice...it was clear that he had done nothing but eat strawberries, but we didn't have to pay extra :)

Next, we drove through Davenport (population: 3...according to what we saw!), a tiny, cute little surfer town with maybe 15 wooden houses. This super friendly old surfer man told us where to eat (2 options), and we took the kids in and bought burgers and fries and hot dogs, but not before they all got nervous and said, in their Aussie accents, "Meegun, I think we're in a BAH!" (A Bar). I assured them that we weren't going to buy any beer -- they are such good little kids! They warmed up when they saw the bakery section...

After that, it was onward to the beach for lunch and exploring! Little Isaac took to the sand like a crawdad! Look how sandy he is -- he totally loved it!

Esther and I just couldn't believe that the day turned out so well -- everything was perfect. Those kinds of days a few and far between...and are always blessings.

Bath Time

This is just a little taste of Winnie's PBSD (Post-Bath Stress Disorder).

Enjoy...

Adam's Mission Farewell

This weekend, Reed and I drove down to Fresno to celebrate my cousin's departure on a two-year mission for our church. He is going to the Czech Republic, and we won't see him for a while...but don't worry -- I know a thing or two about sending packages to missionaries!

Meat Day

I hate Meat Day.

As you already know, this summer, we are sub-letting a place in Palo Alto while Reed does his internship.

The people who live here belong to several community agriculture groups, and while they're gone, we are in charge of receiving drop-offs, and distributing to the various members. We don't take it around (thank HEAVENS) -- the members come pick it up.

Veggie days and fruit days (each once a week) aren't too bad. I have to take out, and fold up and take in, tons of boxes from the garage, and buckets and checklists, but I don't have to be at home. I just leave the stuff out during the day.

Meat days are different.

Meat Days....are awful.

The first Tuesday of every month, we get a meat delivery -- literally hundreds of pounds of meat. And I'm talkin' funky meat, like ground goat.

The meat man is always late, which means that for about an hour, I have to answer the door every five minutes and explain to people that their meat is not here yet.

Then the meat man finally comes.

Then, I have to call everyone who came earlier, and arrange a time that they can come pick up their meat.

Hold on...the doorbell just rang...I have to go dig someone's meat out of the freezer. brb.

Okay back.

Meat Day also means that Reed and I have to start the day by finding the cats in the garage and moving them to the upstairs bathroom where they can't get outside. (The meat man has to open the garage door). The cat thing is a difficult process.

It also means that I can't leave the house all day.

Plus, the garage door is broken, so I had to push it up manually, and then hold it up while the meat man put the meat into the freezer in the garage.

All this for ground goat???

I HATE Meat Day.

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.