Crazy Raccoon

We have a raccoon problem.

I can still remember when we first moved into this house three years ago, coming home for the first time by myself with Gabriella to a dark, empty house. I was pretty scared. We had only lived here a few weeks. Joe was working late and I forgot to leave a light on. I wasn't excited about getting out of my dark garage (where the light had burnt out) and going into my dark house.

I decided that I would wait in my car until the garage door closed behind me, then I would unload the car and Gabriella. I pushed the button to close the garage and it starts to go down, then the light for the garage door flickers on and off three or four times and the garage goes back up. My heart started pounding.

I tried again to close the garage.

Same thing. Light flickers and garage door goes back up. I'm freaking out. Because I know the garage isn't closing because something is in the way of the sensor. Not good. I didn't want to get out of my car.

I finally opened my door to peek back behind me to see if I can see what's going on. Nothing.

I still can't close the garage.

I get out of the car and start to walk around to the other side when something moves in the dark. My heart literally jumped out of my chest. Right in the entrance to our garage I see standing there, the biggest, mother of a raccoon I have ever seen. It was starring right at me. It was gigantic!

I jump back in the car, honk my horn and finally close my garage.

That wasn't the only time I saw her. She's there at night outside our garage ever now and again. I know it's her because she is so fat and so huge. And I know it's a her...well, because that's what I decided it was.

She gets into our trash often. Knocks the thing over and spreads around our garbage. It's really irritating. But she eats well, we've got good trash. Steak bones. Rib bones. I can understand the appeal. And the reason she's so fat.

Well, she did it again this week. Except she was really neat this time and took out the rib bones on top, licked them clean, and left. Not much of a mess.

While Joe was picking up the little mess, he told Gabriella what had happen.

Later that day, Gabs went into the bathroom where a basket full of towels was knocked over. When Joe asked her what happened, she responded, "Maybe it was a raccoon." Joe wasn't buying it. Luckily, I came to her rescue and explained that I did it, but I had my hands full and hadn't gotten back to pick the towels up.

Then, that same day, we were playing outside and we noticed a tomato from our tomato plants was on the ground. Joe again asked Gabriella if she knew what happened. She said, "I didn't do it. Maybe it was a raccoon." I really didn't know what had happened this time, but I was laughing that she was blaming the raccoon. Right then, Gwen snapped off a tomato and we knew it wasn't the raccoon. Or Gabriella.

But later, I walked into the kitchen while Gabs was eating yogurt at the table. I stepped in some yogurt. I started walking towards Gabriella to ask if she had dropped the lid when I stepped in more yogurt. She told me she didn't drop the lid, but was making foot prints. I looked down at her foot and saw Lemon Cream Pie yogurt across the whole bottom of it. And there were prints clear to her seat at the table.

I was flabbergasted. I could hardly speak I was in complete shock that she would even think to do such a thing. I had never been so blindsided by such a silly act of childishness. I was too stunned to be upset. All I could think to say was, "Let me guess. It was a raccoon?"

So for now, instead of blaming Gwen for something, Gabriella has found a new scapegoat. The raccoon. That crazy, crazy raccoon. Pretty funny.

Side note here: Today, for some reason, everyone-Joe, friends, perfect strangers-kept mentioning how much Gabriella looks exactly like me. Can I just not see it because I'm her mother? Does she really look just like me?

Reality

"Photography is nothing--it's life that interests me." -Henri Cartier-Bresson

This is our life. This is our reality.

Everyday.

After lunch.

1:00 p.m.

Meltdown.

Time for a nap.

Sleep tight little mama.

Anyone else's life this interesting?

Gabriella

Where does time fly to?

I need to go there right now. Time just keeps flying away from me and I can't stop it.

The saying "time flies when you're having fun" just keeps popping into my head. We certainly been having fun. Over the past 18 weeks, we have either had company at our house, or been gone of vacation 11 of them. It's been fun. And the time sure has flown by.

The weeks seem to drag by all winter long...all 9 months of it. I wish the days away. It's dark and rainy and I want them over with. And then summer hits and there aren't enough hours in the day for everything. It's just go, go, go. A fun go, go, go, but none the less, it's still going away. And fast.

I realized time was going by too fast for me when I saw this little girl playing our last day in Utah. The little girl was my Gabriella. She wasn't a baby anymore, or a toddler. But a pretty young girl. She has changed into a little lady. I don't remember seeing her that way before this summer. I'm pretty sure she was still dependent and needy.

Not anymore.

She can walk herself up to her friends doors. She can get her own water from the refrigerator door. She can answer the phone. She can get herself dressed. She can walk through the store with me and not stop and pull everything off the shelves. And I want her to come with me on errands. If Joe is home, I still love to take Gabs with me. She's great company. She's gentle and loving. She's polite and kind. She's sincere when she tells you she loves you on random moments throughout the day. She's sensitive and emotional. Not in a bad way, but she'll tear up when she misses her daddy or watches a sad part in a movie. She has the most beautiful smile. It lights any place up. She's hilarious and has a great sense of humor. She even has started getting freckles on her nose. A dozen little freckles across the bridge of her nose...now if that doesn't say "grown-up" I don't know what does.

The other day while Gwen was sleeping I was playing horses with Gabs. It hit me like a ton of bricks the emotion I was overcome with. I feel so grateful that she was sent to us. That we are the lucky ones to have her in our family. I told her how special she is. She's the oldest. She's the big sister. She's the example. She's the first born. She's mine.

And I'm totally hers. Always. Even when the time is flying by.

Scofield

I can't quite remember when it was. It was either right after I met Joe or while we were engaged. Either way, it was definitely before we were married. I don't know if he told me to warn me, or if he told me inform me.

What he told me was that he would own a boat before he owned a home.

Well, we own a home. We don't own a boat...yet.

Joe's family got a boat while he was in high school and his dad said that if he had known how much fun a boat would be, he would have bought one a lot sooner. Their family also owns a beach front cabin on Scofield Reservoir.

Cabin+boat+family=a great week.

We just returned from our annual road trip to Utah. I love driving to Utah. We leave on a Friday after Joe works and drive through the night. The girls fall asleep and Joe and I are able to visit and talk without any interruptions. It still amazes me that I can learn something about Joe that I never knew before after all these years. I love when that happens. Getting to Utah is part of the fun for me.

Last year we went to Flaming Gorge to camp and boat, but this year we stayed closer to home and went to the cabin. Eight adults, a nine year old, and seven children under the age of six enjoyed four sun filled days, two boats, one canoe, one paddle boat and one homemade water slide off the dock.

I learned to combo ski last year, so this year I was determined to slalom ski. I am happy to say I was successful! I feel like as I get older I am finding fewer opportunities to learn something new. I am always wanting to learn something that I don't know how to do. I think it's healthy. So I am pleased that I've learned to slalom ski. Next year, I'm on to wake board.

It's so much fun riding around on the boat and being with family. I can see why now Joe made that declaration to me so many years ago. I can get use to the boating life. The day we own a boat is a day I am already looking forward to.

I wish I had more pictures to share, but living on sand and water and keeping my eyes on the girls, I just didn't feel like tending my camera too. I enjoyed my vacation without being paranoid about ruining my camera. It was all about relaxing this week!

Peace. Love. Happiness.

What more can be said about the 4th of July? I said it last year and I'll say it again...the 4th is at the top of my favorite holidays list. In fact, each year, I love it more than the last.

I love that on the 4th of July we don't have to worry about presents. Or candy. Or hiding baskets. Or making a gigantic dinner that takes 3 weeks for my little family to eat.

I love that on the 4th of July every house and street light in our neighborhood hangs a flag. I love our cutest ever little home town parade. I love that children decorate their bikes in red, white, and blue. I love that people dress up their dogs in patriotic costumes. I love that I dig out the only red shirt I own because it's okay that I don't think I look good in red...it's the 4th, everybody looks good in red. I love that we have a tradition of smoking ribs or pulled pork for dinner. I love that we get to go to the nearest Indian Reservation and spend more money on fireworks than if we had just bought plane tickets and flown ourselves to Stadium of Fire or some other really great show. I love that once it's finally dark enough, it's acceptable for husbands to turn into teenage boys again and go crazy shooting off fireworks, setting things on fire, and blowing things up.

The 4th of July is simple. It's about our country. It's about our freedom. It's about family and friends. It's about peace. It's about love. It's about happiness. It's about feeling grateful and being proud to be an American.

And I am so proud to be an American.

Stinker

"Yes Gabsies," I answered.

"You are in trouble...

...but first let me take your picture because you're still just too stinkin' adorable!"

Do you think that's sending mixed messages?

Imagination

I have always been amazed at the imagination of little children. Their little minds are always at work figuring things out and thinking things up. They're usually in a far away place, far removed from where they actually sit.

They can play and pretend all day long. I try to pretend with my girls, but I can only last so long. I just don't have that kind of imagination anymore. Adults simply can not imagine like children.

I love it when Gabriella comes up with creative games or things to keep herself entertained...like the static sheet veil. I just think it's such a talent to be creative and inventive.

Today my mom and I sat and worked on projects. Within minutes of cutting fabric for 4th of July dresses Gabriella asked me to tie the fabric around her neck so she could be a super hero. Gwen immediately joined in. And of course, baby had to be a super hero too.

The girls ran around the yard yelling "Sssuuuper Herroes!"

As I sat and witnessed their genius idea, I wished I had thought of using the fabric for capes instead of dresses. That is obviously a way better idea. And much more fun.