Dancing with Young Republicans

"Can we watch TV?"

The answer to that question is a big fat NO. Yesterday I was babysitting my cousins who are staying with Grandma while my Aunt is in the hospital for surgery. I never get to watch them, so I was really happy to have the chance, and since I really hate television, especially for kids, I insisted on other fun things to do with them (read that: I get to act like a big dork and they think it's wonderful). We made cookies, and I learned a valuable lesson: never let an eight year old crack an egg. The cookies came out alright, but there are some that have extra crunch to them. During the cookie making they asked me who I voted for, and I told them John Kerry. They said they voted for George Bush because he was for their religion.

Future young Republicans of America. *sigh*

We also invented a game we named On the Couch. To play, you have to grab hold of your feet, or put your hands on top of your head, or cross your ankles and not uncross them, or any other silly thing you can think of, and get yourself onto the couch. It's pretty funny, but I almost broke my nose at one point (which THEY thought was pretty funny).

Later, we played Uno and Checkers, and Emily says I'm a better Checkers player than Grandma because sometimes she could beat Grandma, but not me. I didn't tell her as much, but it's because Gram is nice and will let her win. I say she'll never learn properly if I don't wipe the floor with her a few times.

Also (and this is what happens if you let me near your children) they are now Beatles fans. I had my copy of Abbey Road still in the stereo at Grandma's house, so I played it for them, and they decided they liked the "song about the Octopus in the Garden" the best (and for the record, I hate this song). They made up an Octopus dance, and thankfully, I had my camera.

I was declared a great babysitter.