Sunday, June 19, 2011

Multiplying

The children next door are multiplying.

No, I don't mean that way. Gross. They're kids. This isn't an "After School Special."

I've already told you about Liza. She has two older brothers. So, when they moved in we were glad to learn about the family of five. The little family of five.

Then the two nephews moved in. One came because he wants to play football at the high school. The other obviously is trying to clean up his act and needs his uncle (who is a pretty imposing man) to help him out. Okay, so a family of seven. Still small by Utah standards. We could handle it. And only two of the kids were little, right? The rest are teenagers and young adults trying the best they can to be mature and responsible.

This weekend, the mother's daughter from her first marriage moved in -- with her two kids. So, now we have the parents, a young female adult, a young male adult, two teenage boys, a pre-teen boy, a six year old girl, a four year old girl, and a five month old baby living next door.

I am expecting a partridge in a pear tree to show up any day.

So far we haven't had any real problems. Ryan is getting the worst of it as the two little girls (Liza and the even chattier Channa) have decided to "keep him company" while he works in the yard. I don't think it helps that they know he likes to eat popsicles to cool off. And if Ryan isn't enough of a draw they have practically formed a fan club for our cat Olive. It's only been two days and I have already told them both at least a dozen times hissing does not mean happiness.

Meg is loving all the action. Every time we go outside now there is someone in the yard, and she happily shouts "kids." She used to shout "Liza" at all of them, but when they would correct her it got confusing, so now she just stays generic.

I just hope there aren't more coming. And that the parents don't feed any of them after midnight.

That's when it will really get ugly.

17 comments:

for a different kind of girl said...

I think we might be neighbors. We've all heard the whole 'it takes a village to raise...' sentiment, and I quite think the people who live behind me are taking that to heart and have moved three-quarters of their village of origin into their home, and then they stay up all hours of the night. Loudly. And they don't mow the yard, but that's an entirely different story...

Riot Kitty said...

Wow, that's enough people to have a strike! Can't wait for the day when Meg walks outside, looks at all of them and says, "Crazy!"

LL Cool Joe said...

I'm waiting for the Partridge to arrive...

G. B. Miller said...

Party on the patio!

Anonymous said...

You do realize that whole setup screams "TLC Reality Show", right?
You should pitch it - at least you'd have a chance to make a buck. Plus, you guys can play the part of the wacky neighbors.

Anonymous said...

Mea is constantly screaming over the fence, or out her bedroom window, at our white trash neighbors. She loves their two youngest daughters. She loves their cat, Shim.

I have recently learned that I need to watch what I say about them in front of her, otherwise it gets repeated back to them.

No need for them to know that "Momma thinks their yard looks, yucky." At least this is all she said, then again, she knows better then to say the F-word, to other grown ups.

Rob said...

At least it's not a motorcycle gang.

Jen said...

What, no extra set of grandparents too? C'mon!

Unknown said...

I felt very cramped just reading that. They have bigger hearts than me. I don't even let people from unstable homes stay the night. I don't want them getting too comfortable. I know. Selfish bitch. Party of one.

Anonymous said...

Poor Ryan. Hubby has a neighbor friend who chats him up while he works in the yard to. I stay inside.

Stephanie in Suburbia said...

There's a different set of people living in a house down the street like every week. A new car shows up, new people peek out, and then it's back to the originals. It's really odd. Almost like a weekly rental only I don't live anywhere scenic, so I'm guessing meth lab.

BugginWord said...

Don't let Ryan water the lawn! You know what happens when those things get wet...

Anonymous said...

Holy. crap. Where are these people all sleeping? The closets? (Don't think that's far fetched. I knew someone who had his bedroom in the walk-in closet once, because his parents didn't have room for him.)

Unknown said...

That is so funny! How odd to see so many adults in the house. I have a feeling there are a lot of sights I would consider odd in Utah. I have heard there are a lot of houses with two Master Bedrooms, for example.

Granny Annie said...

I am trying to arrange that large family in my home. Counting love seats and hide-a-bed couches plus two people in each double bed, we could sleep twelve so we could manage the night time but ten milling around in the kitchen would be a bit much. I could give everone more space by putting them in our large barn and getting out the air mattresses and assigning times small groups could rotate inside. Now I've got a headache.

Phil said...

Well good for your neighbors. Are you sure there aren't any 'Sister Wives' shacking up there to help with all the kids. Being from Utah, I think you may like my blog post today. And chances are, you can correct me on any of my wild innacuracies.

Samantha said...

KIDS! (I mean "Liza!")

I've heard this is what Utah is like. ;)