TEXAS

Russ and Laura asked me back in July if I would like to come to Texas to babysit their kids while they went on a trip. I of course said yes, because I love their kids, I have never been on a plane, and I miss their family so much since I pretty just see them once a year. So ANYWAY. I said yes and I left on Friday. It was my first time on a plane, like I said, and I was freaking out. I was so nervous! I didn't know what to expect with security and I didn't know what to pack. I was so bummed that I couldn't take perfume.. I always have perfume. But I packed up and my dad drove me to the airport.. (on his birthday) thanks dad :) I was SO NERVOUS. I don't even know why. I asked my dad to follow me as far as he could go, and when I got through security, I called him and didn't hang up til I was seated to get on the plane haha. But I survived.

I had a layover in Pheonix, then onto Dallas.. I was SO SAD to be leaving my UT mountains. How pretty huh? Right as they were starting to change too.

 

 

When I finally landed in TX, Russ and some of the kids were in the van to greet me. It was so good to see them, I missed them so much!

They drove me to their house and showed me around. It was dark when I got there so I couldn't see the yard but Russ showed me how to work with the pool and how to take out the garbage and open the front gates and such, then Laura sat me down and went over the whole schedule with me. By the time I got to bed it was after midnight and I was so nervous because I hardly remembered anything they told me. But the next morning we dropped Russ and Laura off at the airport and we drove home. (PS Driving a mini van is a whooole different experience). As I was driving around Texas, I kept looking out at the horizon expecting to see mountains.. But NOTHIN. It was bizarre, I had no idea how much I loved the mountains until they weren't there anymore. Well we finally got back to their house and we went swimming. Because Texas is HOT. Even in September. And it was light enough to see the house and the yard so they gave me a little tour as well.

 please note that we are watching the BYU game :)

 that ^^ is my view from the bathtub... pretty cool right?

 the view from the front door. Notice their house is gated. Along with every other house on the street. Kinda cool.

 cutest house.

I also learned that bugs are bigger in Texas. I'm not really afraid of spiders, but when you see those all over your shoes? Little creepy.

They live right by a lake, so that was a fun little walk that we took a few times. Besides the fact that it was about 500 degrees. Humidity man, it'll getcha. Anyway, look at the houses they live by.

EVERY SINGLE HOUSE looks like this. I felt like I was on another planet. Also, everyone had horses and that was pretty neat.

Yes, that is one house. Talk about ridiculous.
Through out the week, the kids left for school at 6:50. Whaaat. So we got up early and read scriptures and made breakfast and beds and washed faces and combed hair. Then I got about 20 minutes before Benson and Max were up to clean the house and get dressed. Then they woke up and we started the day! We usually read some books, played outside, went shopping, went swimming, played Candy Land about 50000 times, colored, went on walks, watched movies, went to the park, made snacks, little things like that. I loved having those two with me for the day, we had so much fun and they are SO CUTE.

Who needs diapers?
Benson was SO funny. He was so cute and such a good sport. I'm sure he didn't love the fact that his parents were gone but he was happy asa  clam regardless. He was my little shadow, every time I got more than two feet away he would say "Ashton, where are you?" and it melted my heart. Haha it was so funny.
I had such a great time in Texas and it was such a good experience for me, I'm so thankful to Russ and Laura!