The Nanny.

Did anyone watch Dancing with the Stars this last week?

I won't be shocked if you say "no" because I think i've watched it one other time in my life, but this week we happened to turn to it right when it was "The Brady Bunch Theme Song". I got all excited and Ryan was like, "wow. I had no idea you were such a fan of the Brady Bunch." AM I EVER.

I loved that show. And still do...(kind of even want to get the series on DVD for Emma to watch when tv no longer produces shows we'll want our children to watch.) I mean look at this perfect, cute family.

But i've been thinking about the "brady bunch life" this week and now that I am looking back on it, I can't quite remember what the mother was ever really doing. She always looked great, and would come home from "things", but what was she doing?. Hmmmm....

And then I am remembering a few weeks ago when I went to lunch with a good friend I know through work who just moved to Salt Lake from the East Coast. Before we went to lunch she sent me an email and told me to be sure to bring pictures of little Emma. I thought that was a little interesting and of course, replied that I won't need to bring pictures because i'll be bringing HER.

When we got to lunch and started talking, she shared how she wasn't sure if I was leaving Emma with the nanny or not.
OH.
THE NANNY.

Of course.

Alice. The Brady's Nanny/house cleaner.
It's all coming together now.

How flattering that she would think I, litte miss Chrislyn herself, would have a nanny. I mean...wow. Am I really that mature? I'll take that compliment any day!

So the thing is, I was actually a nanny once. And absolutely LOVED every minute of it. And still ADORE the Katzmann family. Best people in the world! But I think once you ARE a nanny...you kind of always are the nanny...and the mommy...and the house cleaner. It's just the world I have always known. It's what I "do" as a  "stay-at-home-mother".

And so as I sit here on a Friday afternoon enjoying the cloudy day in my pajamas, cleaning the house, working from my laptop, changing diapers and cleaning spit-up off the couch....I am realizing that I may not ever have the Brady Bunch family or home. And I may not ever be in a position to have a nanny to take the little ones so I can have peace and quite while I work...but it's okay...

Because I AM THE NANNY.
And i've dreamed of this since I was 5 years old.

And lucky for all of you, BOTH of us didn't stay in our pajamas...and one of us was cute enough for a few pictures to share!

Yep, 3 months old next week, and the cutest, LITTLE PEANUT we've ever seen. (And a whole 9.3 pds and 23 inches!).

Meeting the Family

Emma finally met the "Barnes Family" this last week...and also learned how lucky we are that they live in such a beautiful place to visit (that would be the great Coeur d'Alene, Id...also known as "hometown" for me.)

Here's a little rundown of everyone she met and the adventures we had.

First stop: Grandma Lori & Grandpa Larry's House (including a little exercise/tummy time with daddy.)

The GARDEN & POND

And this is not just ANY garden. I think we counted 18 different things we could pick including corn, potatoes, beans, strawberries, carrots, and asparagus...yes, asparagus. Who grows that, anyway??? We have learned not to put anything past Mom & Larry!(if you look close, you might see where Emma and I could be found while the boys were working...).
Ryan always jumps right into the fun of Larry's projects. This time it was taking out the garage concrete floor and working the gas powered wheel-barrel. And it's never a trip home without shooting the guns with the boys! (Ryan's first time shooting a pistol.)

Second Stop: The Cousins! And AUNTIES, of course! (Emma is the 12th grandchild and she made it 6 girls, 6 boys.)

BRANDON- the football player!

Kailee- the beauty!
Aunt April with Cousin Lilly May
Elijah- full of giggles & smiles (and great dance moves!) (We missed a picture with daryl..sad!) Aunti Michelle and Emma are reunited! Thanks to Michelle, mommy's house stayed and clean and mommy got more than 2 hours of sleep at a time during that first week of life!)

I didn't realize unitl we got home that we didn't have any pictures with Amber & Traci's family! We LOVED playing with them and can't wait until Emma can play WITH them!

Third Stop: The Lake We can't wait to come back next summer and take her for a swim in the best fresh water lake you'll ever find.

Fourth Stop: The Wilson's My HS best freind from, Marni (Hayes) Wilson had her first little girl in December and to our fun surprise they named her ELLA JANE. It was evident they are going to be bff too! Ella couldn't get enough of this live "baby doll". SO excited to see them grow up!

Those are just a few of the fun adventures we had. It was definitely a fun new experience to go "home" with my new little family. Definitely a "dream come true".

xoxo!

And for those of you who want to see ALL the pics...here's a little SLIDESHOW.