Bad News Bear -- The Weekend Update

Well, the weekend got off to a great start Saturday morning. We were being our slothful selves when Dave decided to call his dad to borrow the truck. (We had the intentions of making a dump-run with all of our empty, post-moving boxes.) Next thing I know, Dave is jumping off the couch and running around trying to get the kids dressed because we needed to go to Grandma and Grandpa J's RIGHT NOW!

As many of you know, we live in a rural area. And what, you might ask, does this mean? It means wildlife. Now I'm not just talking about the bats that used to live in the eaves across from the front door of our apartment in Provo; I'm talking big game. In the evenings you can hear the Coyotes from our back porch in the greenbelt by our house and we can't leave Sampson the super dog outside unatteneded. (Coyotes and Hawks might mistake his 4 lbs. for a semi-large rodent.) We frequently see deer and I am a bit ashamed to admit I have run over my share of rabbits and skunks out here. Even a rattlesnake once!

Now, we don't have it as bad as my in-laws who live literally at the base of Sierras (across the valley from us). The last few months they have been experiencing bear problems. Bears getting into their garage and dumping their garbage. Well about 10 days ago my FIL heard a noise coming from thier kitchen downstairs. Thinking it was his wife, he was concerned as there was a lot of banging around going on downstairs and thought he would check on her. Down the stairs he comes, flips on the lights and sees, in his kitchen A BEAR! Needless to say, he ran back upstairs and called the sheriff's dept. and the bear made hasty get-away with a tub of sour cream and a stick of butter in each paw. Later that day the good guys at the Dept. of Wildlife showed up with a bear trap.

So daily, we've been waiting to hear the report of the trap to see if a bear had appeared in it. And every day we had been bitterly disappointed...until Satuday morning! Of course, like the sane, good parents we are, we gather up our children and run out of the house to go see the bear at Grandma and Grandpa's!

Obviously, we are somewhat astute and kept our kids from sticking their fingers and toes inside the trap. DD decided he didn't think the bear was all that great and spent most of the time either inside the house or riding on the tricycle. The Sophster, on the other hand, enjoyed smiling and waving at the bear who clearly wasn't having as great of a time.

We stayed on with Stanley (DD decided he needed a name so he and Dad determined that was a fitting name, coincidentally also the name on the padlock keeping the trap shut) until the DOW guy arrived. We watched him give Stanley a bath with the hose and we all said goodbye as Stanley was carted off to an unknown fate.

Sunday was greeted with it's own excitment as DD figured out how to put on his own sandels "by self". After of course the kicking screaming fit about having to wear clothes in the first place. I know someday I am going to be greeted with the argument that God created us naked and what kind of rebuttal will I have against that?

We also, in an attempt to get a little time away from "The Poppins" introduced DD to the movie "Meet the Robinsons." This has easily become one of my most favorite movies of all times. For those who don't know, it is the story of a little boy who is an orphan who desperately wants to meet his birth-mother. However, through a series of events meets his future family and realizes it is not about what happens in the past but what you make of your future that is important. Obviously a theme which resonates with us! It has also been a good way to introduce the topic of adoption with DD. I can't believe that at 2 years old we are starting to talk about this, but we have found with all of our friends who have adopted a child, or been adopted themselves that there is a much better outcome when the topic is familiar and a way of life rather then a big secret revealed when the child becomes "of age" whatever that age may be. Such a sensitive and hard topic to think about! We just want DD to know we love him more than anything and it has never mattered to us how he became a part of our family; just that he IS a part of our family!

Monday was Labor Day which meant another day off for Dad! (Now that dad isn't working 60-80 hours a week with several overnights at the hospital it seems like everyday is a day off for dad.) But we once again, lounged around the house, worked on cleaning out the garage from post-move chaos (we will get our cars in there!) and drove back up to Reno one last time for Ribs. Having eaten our fill we will look forward to next year. For those interested: This years winners are...Bone Daddy's Ribs (my favorite this year, Texas Outlaws came in 3rd) For the rest of the results click here.

By the way, the gross exploitation of our children in the previous post was the hysterical e-card we sent to Dave's sister for her birthday! As DD would say: "Happy Cake!"

So, now that it is done...Happy Labor Day...now back to laboring. (Have you seen my pile of laundry?!?)