fire on the mountain

Last night was quite dramatic! Unfortunately there was a fire on the mountain above our house. If you are a regular reader, I'm sure over the years you have seen photos of the mountain. Around 8:00 a fire started & took off like you know.... wild fire. We are so fortunate to live so close to such a beautiful mountain! It's the mountain we hike on a regular basis- so we were all rather sad & concerned (okay, okay- I don't hike it, but the rest of the family does.) Sad- until the fabulous fire department got moving! Wow- they were great!!! They got up there & took that fire down. Yes- it took a while, flames were still flying high (we could see flames with the naked eye from our street) after midnight. This morning it is all contained & it has even sprinkled a bit, with more rain on the way. Let me tell you sister- if we were not sure that Trent had anxiety before tonight- it is completely apparent now- holey hysteria! He really had a rough time bawling his eyes out, screaming at us, and obsessing about his baby pictures & toys, etc. It didn't help that the county government sent out a reverse 911 call & told our neighborhood to prepare to evacuate- not that I'm saying they shouldn't have, the whole neighborhood was just outside talking it over & Trent was of course taking it all in. I didn't realize Trent was freaking out so bad outside- I mean hey, his dad was with him? Most of the time I was in the family room laying on the couch watching the Style Network (have you seen this show? I watched it for the first time last night & I loved it) obviously, I wasn't worried one bit. Hell0-- there are 3 blocks of houses between us & the fire & there was no way our very competent fire fighters were going to let it get that out of control people!? There have been many fires over the years on the mountains around us & not one house has ever burned down or even. come. close! Anyways... Brett had to take him aside & yell over him to shock him into listening for a second- then I brought him in the house & sat him on the couch and talked it through. I rubbed his legs & Hailey brought him hot cocoa. We watched an episode of Arthur... this morning we had a lot of "lessons learned."

Thank goodness that is over & hopefully we will all be a little more prepared for the non emergency- emergency.

Life-- it's all good.

life catch up

It's been a busy weekend. I wanted to do a little update on what's been happening in my life.

(karrie & I ran into Wende's brother- funny huh?)

Friday I went to my second day at the PTA convention at BYU. Man, I love that campus... anyhow, blogger mom Karrie came with me. I was so thrilled she let me drag her along. We went to a class, looked around, picked up some important information for next year
then went to lunch at ZUpas!
All I can say is-- why, why isn't there a ZUpa's near my house??
The food is delicious & healthy.
It was so fun to go with Karrie & get the chance to talk & get to know her better. She is amazing, she has a great family & she's a fantastic tennis player.
Saturday I took Trent to karate, ran errands & yep- cleaned the painted floor. It's an all day project. Only because I hate it so bad that I have to do a little- take a break & do something else, like laundry- then go back & scrub a little more-- yada yada yada. I got it done! woo hoo. Brett & I went to dinner with blogger mom Wende & her husband rich- really cool guy.
Brett took Hailey to her two lacrosse games- me being mother of the year, didn't go. I feel terrible that I haven't been to one game yet. Someone has to get other people other places- it's just been me lately. Besides, it was really hot- like HOt. I can't do HOT. Seriously, I just about die in slow painful misery when it's too hot- which for me is anywhere about 85 degrees. Maybe it's my Northwest upbringing, but I hate hot.

Today was another missionary farewell. Out of the missionary's closest six friends three are left still at home waiting for their 19th birthdays. These farewell's are fantastic- but the homecomings are going to be even better!!

This is Cory (corn chip)- going to Guatemala in July- Ryan (rye bread) who has to get his wisdom teeth pulled & the doctor's okay before he puts his papers in - and Spencer he's the one who is leaving in two weeks for Leeds, England. I am so excited for him- he is a wonderful young man & will make a fabulous missionary!

Tonight Brett put the kids up to testing the smoke alarm in the family room. This of course, put Trent into a tizzy deluxe.

Jack of course, was willing to do whatever he needed to help. It of course went off immediately?? What- I swear the house was FULL of smoke last week. Don't you hate it when you tell your husband something- like the house was full of smoke & the alarms didn't go off- then when he tests it they do??? I know he thinks I was exaggerating.

This is going to be a really busy week around here. Only 9 more days of school.

Oh my, you know what the good book says...

if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.

I'm not prepared. I guess that explains my fear.

I will be though!!!

I'm gonna start working on it right away, starting with my attitude. Actually, it's gonna be a great summer!

oops... (cough, gag) I almost burned the house down

It was such a boring day. I got a lot done but nothing to blog about.

Then because of the hot weather coming I decided I better set the oven to clean. You see I had this brilliant idea to make bacon in the oven last week. I saw it on The Barefoot Contessa- really. She put bacon on a cooling rack then cooked it in the oven. Well it worked great but left a puddle of grease in the bottom of my oven that had to go. I just figured I would put it on self clean & ... done.

Nope. Bad idea.

CAn I just say I am so glad Jack is home tonight!

(this is an afterward action shot)

I set the oven on clean, sent jack to the store to buy a brownie mix (chloe has to take a homemade treat to school tomorrow (does a brownie mix count as homemade?)- I know, I know- how was she supposed to cook them? I'm an idiot), put trent to bed, then went downstairs to see that the whole main floor was enveloped in thick smoke.

Oh my gosh. There was thick black smoke pouring from the oven. Not to mention two foot flames inside of the oven.

Jack came home from buying the brownies & thought the house was on fire.

(can you see the black smoke coming out?- the picture doesn't even really show it- & this is after Jack turned it off & it started to cool down!)

I called my neighbor to ask what to do - duh- turn the oven off. Usually it won't turn off, but it did. Jack & I ran all over opening windows - then down to the basement to get a huge fan.

I found the masks we bought in case of the flu pandemic. We were coughing & gagging, running outside between opening windows to get a breath.

My eyes are still burning from the smoke.
Does it bother you as much as me that

NOT ONE SINGLE FIRE ALARM WENT OFF

My whole house is full of thick black smoke!!

I don't know if I can sleep now.