A lot to catch up on....

Seth and I babysat our cousins two weekends ago. Now that we have fully recovered from that Thurs - Sunday escapade I can share it all with you.
My grandparents and Aunt & Uncle went to California for the BYU football game and to visit family. Seth and I agreed a few months ago we would be willing to watch their 5 kids (ages 14,12,8,5, and 13 months) for the weekend. We knew we'd be pretty busy and it would not be easy - but an overall learning and good experience.
So! Bedtime stories, helping with homework, basketball practice and games, going out with friends, a birthday party, the first snowfall(wanting to go out to play, but you're grounded!)... and the dog wanting all our attention when it was inside - we got quite a well rounded experience of the busy family life. (Which we both decided we'd be okay with not building of our own any time too quickly. It was quite effective birth control).
Drake's bball game was fun - and he rocks at that sport. Mason is the easiest 13 month baby to take care of. Hayden was very helpful throughout the whole weekend. Andra - my respect for her is so high, as the only girl - she has to really defend herself. Weston was grounded.
My favorite stories of the weekend:
Saturday when we got back from Drake's basketball game, and Andra was still at her birthday party - Weston wanted to go a friends house, we all said no - because he was grounded. Ten minutes later his friend's mom called and said he showed up at their door - NO COAT!! (it was snowing)... and I told her he didn't have permission, he was grounded, and I would be there in 5 minutes to pick him up. When I got there... Weston saw me and went straight to the couch - embarassed obviously. I said "Weston, did you have permission to come down here?" And he said "Well, I asked you!". and I asked, "What did I say?". "You didn't answer me...". We went home, and all was well.
As we were leaving Sunday night, all the kids were in bed. (the parents had yet to arrive home for a few more hours.) Andra came down for a drink of water, we gave each other a hug and as she was walking up to bed with her water she said, "Thanks Megan, I wouldn't have survived the weekend without you.". I was relieved and thought, "oh good, I must not have yelled at them as much as I thought I did. They still like me...."

They said they had a lot of fun, and that's great for us to hear. For those who know the Anderson bunch - they're quite the bunch to handle and keep in line!! But we had great times too... Put together a gingerbread house together on Sunday and went to see Enchanted. We had a fun weekend all in all... Would we do it again? Uh... there better be a pretty good bribe involved!!