September 21

I have not blogged in way too long.

Last week I took three days off work so I could hang out with Taylor and Emma. It was wonderful. It was also very hard to get back to work again. Thank goodness I had a weekend to adjust and now I am back in the swing of things.

Taylor and Emma are very cute together. I adore Emma and so does Robby. I think Taylor is very lucky. Emeli told me that when she walked up to the house on Friday and didn't see Taylor's car, she started to cry. She hates it when her siblings are separated by states like they are. I told her that she is lucky to have a wonderful "sister" in Emma. They will always be good friends and she is blessed to have her. Emeli agreed.

On Saturday, Robby and I went to the zoo. That was a mixed experience. It was so crowded because they have a baby elephant and it was the second Saturday she was on display. There were several groups of obnoxious teenagers. I don't mind teenagers when they get a little silly, but these were rude. At the black bear exhibit, one kid yelled out, "I wish I had my bow and arrow." I wanted to yell back and say, "Yeah, let's see how tough you are with that bow and arrow if you're standing face to face with the bear." Jerk. At the orangutans, another kid was throwing ice chips at the orangutan. I was livid. Then his twit girlfriend reached into her mouth and said, "I should throw my gum in there." I turned to her and said, "Do NOT throw your gum in there!" she looked at me with surprise and said, "It's not like it would kill him or anything." I wanted to slap her. I said, in a very quiet, slow voice (the one that my kids are very familiar with--it's the one that means I'm going to beat you in a second)"Yes, it will." After that, I turned and stalked off. I knew that if I stood there for another second, I would toss them both over the wall in with the animal. Meanwhile, Robby was seething as well. He is not a man who swears, but as we walked away, he was muttering things like, "If you throw that gum in there, I will kick your ass and toss you in after the gum..." The two of us found a zoo worker and reported them...that's the best revenge. Sadly, she told us that happens a lot.

Brett came home that night. I had baked caramel rolls. He walked in, took a huge sniff in the air and walked right into the kitchen and dug into the rolls.

Twenty minutes later, Emeli called me and wanted me to pick her up. I refused for a couple of reasons. 1) I was in my pajamas and in bed and 2) if I pick her up every time she wants rescuing, her dad will accuse me of stealing the kids away from him on his weekend. If she wants to come home, she has to get him to do it. Twenty minutes later, Emeli was home. Her dad told her that it is my goal to keep them away from him. Whatever. On Sunday, I took her back to his house...drama.

We found a free desk on Craigslist and picked it up. Robby didn't like it, so Brett claimed it. He rearranged his room and was using it last night. It looks really nice in there.

Tonight for FHE, we are going to the Bean Museum and then to the BYU Creamery for ice cream. That will be nice. I will take pictures and put them on Facebook.