Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Together Again

They're home.

My man & my boy arrived safely this evening. Not as bedraggled as sometimes, since the campground in Kansas Saturday night had showers. But plenty tired and oh-so-glad to be back at home. Sixteen days is plenty long to be gone, sleeping in tents, and traveling with all sorts of personalities. And without their daily fix. I stocked up this afternoon, and I think they've already consumed almost a gallon of the six gallons (2-skim, 2-2%, 2-chocolate. We need a cow!) that I bought.

The benefit, however, to some of the interpersonal challenges my boy experienced is that he actually missed his sister and voluntarily participated in hugging her when he got home. Twice!

Not too many tales of the trek yet. They did say they saw a grizzly about 100 yards away when they were backpacking. And Mount Rushmore (a schedule change due to some Yellowstone trails still being closed because of the snow that first week) isn't as huge in person as in pictures. But with my guys' personalities, the stories generally trickle out over the course of several days as they get rested.

It's just as well. Because there is no "trickle" to my girl. She has to catch them up on the whole two weeks that they missed. In one fell swoop.

On the way to bed, she had to give Dad the tour. Because she is finally purging. Not the bulimic kind. But the empty-her-room kind. And it is amazing what one room can hold. She has virtually single-handedly filled up our trash container and our recycle bin, and there are multiple bulging plastic bags ready to be donated. Hence, "the tour."

Once the bug bit, she began clearing out with a vengeance. While she is keeping some things that do have sentimental value, she is definitely being logical and discarding everything that "has absolutely no meaning to me." Including a plethora of stuffed animals. (Woohoo! Why is it that girls are such a magnet for stuffed animals?! And where do they all come from?)

And seemingly a bazillion bookmarks, tiny erasers, pens, pencils, markers, stickers, notepads, and all sorts of other little doodads. Apparently stuffed animals are not the only things that spontaneously appear and procreate in a girl's room!

She's still not done but she's well on her way, and she's enjoying the feeling that comes with bringing a pile of junk stuff out into the hall and whittling it down until only a small amount goes back into the room.

As I was straightening up the living room before the guys got home, she even reorganized the DVD disaster area and we rearranged a couple of side tables to give us a bit more room.

I wonder if I could convince her to clean out the hall closet next. . . .

It's so good to have my family all under one roof again.

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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Hangin' Out

UPDATE/ADDENDUM:

My heart is heavy for the families of the 4 Boy Scouts who were killed when a tornado struck a Boy Scout camp in Iowa yesterday, as well as for the others who were injured. I pray that God will wrap them in His arms of love and comfort.

While thousands of Scouts, including my own boy, are having relatively uneventful summer adventures, and I don't turn into a paranoid worrywart when I hear such news, it is a sobering reminder of the importance of cherishing each day.

* * * * * * *

Some things that have made me smile this week:

1. Seeing my girl play the piano for her granddaddy at the facility where he is. He hasn't responded to the music like we had hoped, but he did recognize her.

2. Going to Space Center Houston. My girl had a great time and her abilities on one of the special activity exhibits caught the eye of the men who were there to film a commercial, and they included her in the filming (along with the other 2 kids they had brought in from an ad agency). She may get edited out, but she had a blast and it will be a fun memory.

3. Chili's new Sweet Shots. I never get dessert when we go out because of the cost (both to the bank account and the waist!), but one of these is the perfect ending when you want just a taste of something sweet. The chocolate brownie with syrup was wonderful, and it was about 3 bites.

4. A quick phone call from my man today. They are surviving the cold. When he called they were getting ready to watch Old Faithful. It was 30 degrees and blowing snow.

5. Finding this online after my mother-in-law's pastor read an excerpt on Sunday. We laughed until we cried.

6. Getting the results of an MRI I had last week - "totally normal." Thank you, God!

7. Anticipating Friday, when I'll finally get to meet and visit with Xandra!


Don't forget to comment on the post below by 5:00 Thursday for a chance to win the book With Endless Sight!

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Monday, June 9, 2008

Brrrr!

Oh. My.

We've been at 100 or 101 degrees for 5 out of the 8 days of June thus far in our fair city.

But I just checked the weather at Rocky Mountain National Park, where my guys are camping tonight on their way to Yellowstone. As I type this, it is 27 degrees there. With a 30 mph wind, making it feel like 11. Yes, they are in a tent. Boy Scouts don't believe in cabins.

And the forecast for Yellowstone this week? A 40-60% chance of "snow showers" 3 of the 5 days they are there.

I'm sure Kelly thinks this is hilarious. I, on the other hand, am no longer concerned about "black" bears - I think polar bears seem more likely!

My bed is going to feel awfully nice tonight!

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