Earplugs, Boulder, Panguitch, Oh my!

On Monday I remembered something Andrea once told me. She said she used to wear earplugs while Ian was throwing fits. Luckily, I found one pair in our medical supplies. Ahhh, relief. When Anika throws a fit, I can't give in. The fits are extra bad when Emmet is around and I have been watching him everyday, all day, for weeks. But Anika is relentless and will go on for an hour or more. Earplugs. I can still hear what the kids are saying to me and respond, all the while soothed by the sound of my own heartbeat and breath. I can't hear the cartoons or the washing machine or even the sound of the dishes clanking as I unload. It takes the edge off just enough to keep me calm and responding to the kids sympathetically. I highly recommend it.

We have made much progress in the fit department. I just ask Anika if she would like to stay upstairs and be nice or if she'd like to be a mad girl, she can go to her room. Sometimes she'll stop screaming to stay up and sometimes she goes to her room and has alone time. Sometimes she even runs down to her room by herself. It's too funny. (And on Monday required earplugs.) She has learned that she likes alone time and needs it to calm down.

Moving on... The Big B just left for his fantasy dream week: Boulder Mountain with his Dad and two brothers-in-law for five days. Remember how I mentioned I have been knee-deep in black marabou jigs since 2003? Well, this time Brandon decided to tie his own. He worked on them for weeks. Five days of camping and fishing on Boulder would be perfect enough for Brandon but no, the fun doesn't stop there. He also has a BLACK BEAR TAG! Yes, he drew out. I already miss him and hate it when he's gone but it makes me happy just knowing how happy he is right at this moment. I must admit that the thought of Brandon mercilessly killing a furry, intelligent creature without cause... totally turns me on! I'm serious. It must be my inner/very outward Primal Woman but... bear hunting? HOT! HOT!

I thought my week and weekend would drag out but I just got a phone call from Cara saying she is heading up tomorrow morning. I planted the seed last week, just mentioning it once, and that was enough to get her to come up! So I guess I wont be too lonely after all.


This is a picture from last Saturday when Brandon went up to Panguitch with his cousin. Go Brandon, that is a big fish. I asked him what happened to his lip that day. He said, "Oh, I got a fish hook stuck in it." Oh, that's all?