27 Cup Holders

The drama kept on going this past weekend. It didn't just stop with Poison Control. After the big boys found out that we went hiking without them the week before we heard lots of whining. "You always do the fun stuff when we aren't here!" I remind them often that we don't choose to do things without them but that we don't plan on sitting at home and pouting. So since our store was closed last Friday for the holiday weekend we planned a hiking trip with all the kids.

We went to the same place as the week before but took a side trail as soon as we got on the main trail. None of us had hiked this one before and it wasn't as long as the week before. It was more up and down compared to the week before of easier hiking. Blaine carried Bryson's back pack for him with his pull ups, wipes, and a water bottle for each of them. Once again, I expected to end up carrying it but I didn't. All the boys did really well. The last time we took Brayden and Blaine they whined a whole lot, but that was several years ago and they have grown up a lot since then. We hiked an hour to a watering trough that was used to water horses when soldiers past through during the Civil War. I think I put that in my last hiking post, but was wrong last time.

We got to the end of the trail and poor Brayden had to go to the bathroom. Really bad, if you know what I mean. I told him he could go in the woods. He could use Bryson's wipes. He looked at me like I was crazy. I guess he didn't have to go as bad as he thought. He would die if he knew I wrote about this so...shhhh! We took a short water break and ate a granola bar. Then we headed back up the mountain. We made it back up the mountain in an hour. We were hiking quickly since Brayden had to go. We got to the parking lot and hurried to the car.

Brayden opened his door and asked, "What is that?"

As I walked around to Bryson's side to put him in his car seat I was asking him what he was talking about. And then I figured it out.

It was glass. And Bryson's window was busted out. There was a rock as big as my head sitting in his car seat. Then Bryson started crying cause someone broke our car. Then he saw the rock in his car seat and could see his blanket underneath it and cried harder.
I called the police and Stephen got on his phone to call the insurance company. We looked through our things to make sure nothing was gone. My purse was in there and I still had my credit/debit cards, all my checks were still there and my id. Stephen's wallet was locked in the glove box and he checked his and all his was there too. All of our Cd's were there and our cooler. We couldn't find anything that had been taken, so it was filed as criminal mischief with the police department. The boys asked me why someone would break out our window and not take anything. I told them the van was so messy that they probably thought someone had beat them to it. They thought I was joking and they laughed. I gave them the look and they realized I was serious.

Then while I am giving the police officer all my information over the phone I hear Stephen telling the insurance company that something was crazy and I could tell he was mad. They were telling him that our insurance doesn't cover our side windows!!!!

What?!? Are you crazy?

Now keep in mind that we had roof damage over Easter and they only covered half our roof. Now they are telling us they only cover half our van? I guess I need to be sending in half the payments! Then we finally got through to the person on the phone that a rock didn't hit our window, someone threw a boulder through the window! They then realized we were talking vandalism and they said it would be classified as that. By that point it was 4 minutes after 5pm and all the glass places were closed.


And what happens when you have kids around glass and both parents are on the phone? This.
There is a total of three bandaids there. Luckily for us our first aid kit was with us so I bandaged everyone up and went about our business.
Stephen's dad had to leave his mom who had just had surgery two days before to come and get us. My parents were in Canada and Stephens' sister was in Japan. I asked him to come get the kids because of the glass and obvious bathroom situation. By this time we had been by our car for an hour. Two hours after needing to go to the bathroom. Poor guy. We followed them home and then Stephen's dad drove him to my parents house to get their van that they had thought to leave the keys for on the kitchen table "just in case".

And the 27 cup holders? That is how many is in my van and every single one of them had glass in them! I vacuumed for 2 hours while Blaine entertained Bryson in the backyard for me. He is such a good helper. Then I decided since it hadn't been cleaned for awhile that I would shampoo the carpets too. It looks so much better.

The next day we were getting ready to go to our boss' house for the 4th and went to get Bryson's diaper bag. I couldn't find it. I asked Stephen if he had gotten it out of the car on the mountain and thought maybe we had left it sitting on the bench where we were waiting. He told me he had not, and then I realized that it had been stolen!! Bryson cried again. So I had to call the police department back and explain that the diaper bag was stolen.

"Your diaper bag? That is all?"

"Well...and everything in it!"

So then I had to list everything that was in the bag and how much I thought everything cost. On our way to the 4th of July get together we went back up on the Mountain to see if it had been ditched when they realized it was a diaper bag and not a purse, but didn't see it. And I really liked that bag too. It was a perfect size and was actually a tote so it didn't look babyish.

So they finally got my window fixed yesterday. They had to order the glass. And people don't work on holidays. Bryson was so excited when he rode in the car last night.

Stupid kids with nothing to do.
Sara

Huntin' Monkeys

That is what we did today. Stephen, Bryson and I went monkey hunting. Or hiking. However you want to say it. We headed up to Monte Sano Mountain to take Bryson on his first hiking trip. It would have been even more fun if his big brothers were there, but they had to go to their dad's house. He was very excited. He has new hiking shoes, little Keens, like his daddy. He thinks he is big stuff now! We packed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, granola bars, bananas, Gatorade and water. He carried Blaine's Superman back pack with his extra pull-ups, wipes, tissue (never leave home without it!), blanket and sippy cup.
We hit the trails around 3:15 after an hour nap in the car while running some errands. We got their and woke him up. He looked at me like I was crazy when I woke him, but when I told him it was time to go hiking, his head popped up and his eyes got big.

We took his picture by the sign at the front of the trail. He could hardly contain his excitement! He saw the trees where the trail started and took off. We had to remind him not to run because he could trip on tree roots or rocks. He did everything that he was told and was a very good listener.

This picture was about 10 feet into the trail. He talked...and he talked...and he talked some more. He told us how fun this was, how he loved to hike, how daddy was his buddy and he loved him. Told me how silly I was...not sure why.

This picture was .2 miles into the hike. (I had on a pedometer).

The superman back pack? I ended up wearing it. Which I thought would be the case and that was fine. Not even half way to the end of the trail we heard a bird and he thought it was a monkey. He kept asking where the monkey was so Stephen told him if he kept hiking we might see monkeys at the end. That's how we got him to hike so far. He actually hiked at least half of the hike if not more. It was just a little over 3 miles there and back. He would hike the even parts and daddy would carry him through the rocky and hilly parts.

We saw dog tracks and deer tracks. We talked about how God made the trees, the grass and all the rocks for us to enjoy. We saw spider webs and got tickled by the plants as we walked by. Which were probably poison ivy. I guess we will know soon enough.


I realize now as I post this I should have told him to look at the camera so I can see his face. Hey...I never claimed to be a good photographer. He has on his Hard Rock Cafe' t shirt from Beijing. His Aunt Aimee brought it back to Blaine when I was pregnant with Bryson but it was too small for him. So I kept it out for the "new one" and it has been deemed his official hiking shirt.

What is he doing now? Following daddy around the backyard like he isn't even tired! I think we will all sleep good tonight!

Sara