I should probably clarify the title- I mean, it officially is now LESS than three months until Christmas. Is anyone else out there as horrified as I am at that thought?
Probably not- because most people do not have a houseful of children and most people are not like us crazy people and only buy our children ONE gift for Christmas. I mean Santa brings one, but that still only equals TWO gifts for Christmas. Which, x's 7 equals 14. Which is a lot, but not for seven children.
So I'm freaking out a bit today as I sit here in front of my computer perusing the "Toys of 2015" which are nothing more than a bunch of electronic CRAP that I refuse to buy mostly because-let's do the math here, 7 gifts x's 200 dollars each- Hmmmmmm......yep- 1400.00 Pretty sure the superhero hubs would remove my credit cards from my possession and fire me as grand marshal shopper of our family... (which might be worth it because every year I get stuck with getting all the Christmas gifts and coming up with gift ideas for some of my minions is rather difficult because they ask for things WE CAN'T AFFORD!!!!)
It's pouring down rain, too, so the mood is less than exciting, because let's face it, when it rains, like it's raining today, that soft, constant cool rain, all we really want to do is sleep. Which is what my two youngest ARE doing....
But I'm really trying to find meaningful gifts. I do that every year, not that this year is any different, but gifts they really like, and have special meaning to them AND are practical. (which is tough- cause practical gifts usually involve a package of undergarments..... just sayin').
I feel like becoming nostalgic this year and making a list of the gifts I want my children to receive for Christmas.
My list would look something like this:
1. Good friends.
My children do not have a large abundance of friends. I'm sure they could list people they talk to, or play with at school, or do superficial chit chat with through out the day, but as far as good friends go? I'm talking that friend you could share your deepest darkest secret crush to? The one you could split a milk shake with, hang with and say two words together and yet communicate so much more... My children don't have that. And it's my fault.
I struggle with that greatly.
My husband and I both do. We had good friends growing up. But for some reason, life was either simpler than, or we are just horrible parents because we have chosen to raise our children with their faith ingrained in their lives. Interwoven. So many "friends" that are out there look at my kids like they're strange- they don't dress the same, or wear the "latest fashion" (which is really getting on my nerves after ALL THESE DECADES....), they certainly don't listen to the same music- seriously parents- y'all NEED to listen to the lyrics your little angel is singing, it ain't pretty. They don't "date" which frankly, no kid should date- come on parents, dating is an act that is supposed to help you find your soulmate- ya think your 12 year old is ready for their soulmate? Yea, no....
Sorry- rant over- so good friends. That's gift idea #1.
2. Stronger Faith.
I tell my kids all the time they must trust God. And that's hard. Especially when we live in a culture that "seeing is believing" and having "faith" of any kind in God, or religion is actually made to be a sign of counterintelligence. 'Only the stupid oxen have religion' I remember reading. Since we live in a culture that loves to make you think YOU are a god and people should worship YOU, it's only fitting that once again, my children are left in the dark on this journey of life. I want them to believe strongly that there is something more beyond this world. That living in the "now" isn't always going to make you happy, but that there is something so much more joyful to come. It's really hard. Sometimes painfully hard, to see my kids struggle with right and wrong. And seeing their friends, or acquaintances, do whatever and not have any worries about sin or forgiveness, or responsibility for that matter... Faith, and more of it, would give them the confidence in what they profess every Sunday.
3. Love in abundance
My kids have two parents who love them fiercely. Madly if you will. But they also have two parents who yell a lot. There are excuses we could give- it's loud in the house, people don't listen, some are upstairs, some are downstairs, but really the only thing we have to blame is ourselves. We yell and in turn, we are teaching our children to yell. I want them to speak with love. I want to give them so much love that they share that love with one another. I'm always the first to say they would treat a total stranger with better care than their own siblings. Which I could say about myself and them as well. But love. Abundant love. I want that for them.
4. A dislike of materialism
I'm afraid to say it, but my children are already, even though we limit so much with them, becoming materialistic to an extent. Unfortunately some of it is our fault, but some of it is completely out of our hands. They see things at school, children with the latest greatest gadgets and clothing and shoes and they "have to have it." They are forced to have electronic devices of some type to keep up online with their classes. (that one really bugs me) and therefore seeing all they have access to and "need." It's disheartening. I want them to just enjoy the world. To be able on a sunny day to just sit outside. Soak in the sunshine. Ride their bikes. Take a walk. Play with a younger sibling outside.
These are just a few of the "gifts" I'd like to "buy" my kids. I am feeling rather melancholy and hopefully this rain will pass on and the sun will come back out, but until then- it IS less than three months until Christmas.
First, I want to address something almost unreal going on right now....
There are TONS of people watching, visiting, listening, and GLUED to the Pope right now.... Why? Well, that's the phenomenon....
He's in the United States right now, and to be honest, I don't think there are many world religions who can garnish such amazing turn outs like the Popes of the Catholic church. Seriously.
But what is more amazing to me is the amount of people who LOVE him. I mean, deeply love him. Who are not even Catholic. My prayer is that despite what the media would LOVE to make people think, this Pope, who often, VERY often, quotes his two prior predecessors, is as Catholic as Catholic comes, and people recognize that....
He's staunchly pro-life- from the womb to the tomb.
He's staunchly pro-marriage- even mentioning to congress that is the reason why he's even HERE in the US!!!!
He's not changing anything in the Catholic faith. (he apparently said that on the plane ride from Cuba??) Which, duh. We knew that.
But what I loved most is that I think, just a teeny, tiny, tiny, super tiny bit, he's softening these die hard Catholics who just need to relax....
Because some of them have a hard time trusting him.
So, with that said..... LOVE the Pope, can't WAIT to see the pictures my friends who are there will post. Can't WAIT to hear all the stories that don't make the secular news -
Which, by the way- can't pass this up- read online last night that there was one very funny mistake a certain secular news/radio outlet ran-
It read something like this:
"Pope Francis wears green during ceremony to show solidarity in wanting climate changes."
OH.MY.HEAVENS....
Can I get a giggle sound inserted here????
Excellent....
No, I don't mean to laugh- well yes I do. Mostly because as much as I love when my faith gets on TV (in a positive note) I really get annoyed when media does NOT do their research. Or perhaps actually thinks to hire someone who is a practicing Catholic, or has at least been to Mass in the last decade or century, and can catch that tiny little error....
They must of realized the errors of their ways, because I can no longer find the article.
It's ordinary time. Priests and deacons wear green during ordinary time. FYI my non- Catholic, Catholic experts....
So onto my nutty family.
I need prayers. My whole family needs prayers.
The devil is real. Anyone who tries (and believe me, I've actually had close people in my life try to tell me the devil isn't real), anyone who tries, to tell me the devil isn't real, well, if you get near me? I'll smack ya. And no, it won't be that cute, 'oh you're so funny' smack. It'll be a 'hang on a sec, while I grab the blessed salts and the holy water and smack you with both' smack.....
The devil is real. And JUST like Pope Francis said to congress- marriage and the family are under attack these days. He didn't specify an attacker, but let's be real for second.
Does anyone read that best seller put together oh, about 1700 years ago called, "the bible?" If you don't, you should. If you've never, you better, and if you scoff at me, well, please stand back, cause it's real and even Jesus Christ talks about the evil one. Even if you DON'T believe the book of Genesis can help you see how God created and wanted the world to be before the fall of man, you can't dispute the fact that Jesus Christ, and his predecessors, have talked about the evil one, since the beginning of Jesus' ministry....
Shoot- one of my kiddos (the one named after a modern day saint who's DAUGHTER IS AT THE CONVENTION IN PA THIS WEEK!!!! And the daughter is actually a first class relic in the flesh- think about that one for minute..... uh-MAZING!) anyway- sorry for the squirrels today- my daughter who is #4 in the food chain named after St. Gianna Beretta Molla, loves the book of Job. Job loves God but God wants to prove to the devil that Job really does love God. Anyway- go read it, it's too much to type and I've got way too much to vent (oops, talk) about here, but honestly, we've been lamenting over evil for well on a gazillion years.....
The devil is destroying family and marriage at every place imaginable. First and foremost- babies can only come, (naturally mind you-take science, drugs, un-natural out of the equation) babies can only from a man and a woman during a specific act. (seriously, don't make me go there...I have seven children- should I draw a picture???)
Ok, I won't. But let's be honest. Babies conceived naturally, the way nature, God, intended, come specifically one way.
Families are being torn apart. And here is where I might lose some people.
Marriages are being destroyed, we can see this. It's a given. Between the culture of no-fault divorce, men AND women addicted to porn and therefore creating this incredible delusion of "love" and what love "looks" like, the world making us feel as though marriage is not a necessary part of life anymore since we have science and drugs that can "make" us have children. We don't have to look very far to see that even though we should UNDERSTAND that societies can not continue without "old fashioned" marriages producing and raising offspring to help continue the society, we can't see past the fact that the society wants us to believe marriage is obsolete. Archaic. And unfortunately, I've seen some say so much as, barbaric.
How dare a woman lose her identity to a mere MAN....
Did I miss something? Have we decided to stop the train a floor shy of the top floor? Cause we is heading down a track that is volatile with these ideas.....but I digress and darn it- saw another squirrel.....
Families however, are being destroyed much more subtly.
And the devil is hard at work with all his scary minions making it their top priority to destroy the family.
Pope Francis recognizes this and I can honestly say I can not WAIT to hear his homily at Mass for the world family meeting. I know it's been on his heart as well. I have been reading on the Vatican website his various talks/homilies he's been giving. (seriously, if people would just read from the horse's mouth, they would see that this man is about as Catholic as Catholic comes...)
And this is where I need your prayers.
You see, the devil is working overtime on my family. Which is what evil does. It digs into the deep recesses of your most intimate and personal part of your life. Mine? Is my children. I love each one of my babies with a passion. A healthy passion mind you, I haven't time to be a hovercraft parent, but it's a passion nonetheless...
Nothing breaks a mother's heart worse than seeing a child decide that no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, teaching them to know the difference between right, wrong, a lie, a truth, making good choices and staying away from bad, that making bad choices is just how they're going to live their young life.
I am broken right now. I thought I was making strides with this child. And before you say it- yes, kids do dumb things. Kids are absolute morons at times.... I get it. But when you decide time and time again to lie, steal, be deceitful, choose the bad choice, well, eventually, that life turns into a grown up life of making those same decisions.....and we all know what happens to grown ups who are deceitful, liars, and thieves....
So last night, my husband and I discovered that one of ours has been a little less than honest about school, school work, and lying to our faces about it all!!!
The first thing that happened is that several siblings started crying. They love this sibling, and have been rooting for this child to make good decisions. That turned into a huge debacle as my superhero hubs and I got angry.
Anger isn't a bad thing. Shoot, Jesus cursed the fig tree. He turned the money changers tables over in the temple. He got angry. Anger is ok. It's how we direct our anger and yes, there was some anger that was not directed in an appropriate way.
I'm going to be incredibly raw here. And pray to God no one calls child social services because, dammit, parents can't be friggin parents anymore without worrying about being arrested for being real.....so just relax and know we are about as normal as it gets....
I yelled. I told my child that time and time again I have been lied to. Eyes looked into mine and so easily and honestly lied. Without batting an eyelash! You know how kids can get that certain look about them when you know they're lying? This child doesn't have it. It's amazing (well, I need to see some positive...)but absolutely frightening at the same time. I suppose when this particular child is an adult and gets kidnapped by some horrible terrorist, they will believe the lies as well...
Insert a humorous face, please to somewhat lighten a depressing mood here....
Close enough...
We were angry last night. My children were all upset. We were not speaking to each other as parents/spouses.
See how sin/evil can tear a family up?
One simple, little, teeny, tiny lie.
One simple, little, teeny, itty, bitty lie.
Becomes two simple lies.
Which becomes three simple lies.
Which eventually becomes a few complicated lies.
Which eventually becomes more complicated lies and a few really difficult to explain lies.
One after another, after another until the light shines just a bit in the darkness. Exposes that original lie and the wall of lies comes out like a toilet overflowing with crap in it....
I know, before you say it. I have toilet issues. Clearly I have a potty mouth. Ok, that was funny and I didn't intend it to be....
But I also have six girls who I can assure ANYONE, are nastier than the one boy I have when it comes to toilet etiquette. I promise....
So back to the lava of toilet yuck flowing....
BTW- side note squirrel here- don't ever, oh Lord, promise me, EVER google images of toilets overflowing.
I have seen things that have been permanently burned onto my retinas and won't disappear until I die....
Anyway- the volcano of toilet water, AKA-lies, exploded last night after a few suspicious things came about. We got mad. We yelled. We cried. Siblings defended their sibling out of misguided love, but love nonetheless. Mom and Dad got mad at each other. It was pandalerium. And I'm not trying to make light of a very serious situation. My child needs to realize that life is all about choices and with these choices come consequences and these consequences can be good or bad-all dependent on the CHOICES we make. And choices can be both good and bad. Sometimes we get several GOOD choices, but most often we are faced with the dilemma of choosing between good and evil.
And let me remind you- I've blogged about how attractive sin is.... if it were packaged the way it really looked? We wouldn't choose it! Matter of fact, if it were packaged the way it truly looked? We would RUN from it!
Sin lurking in the box
But sin isn't packaged that way. It's tempting. That's why we call it temptation. And it's completely and solely up to us to choose to avoid it, or run into it's arms....
I worry about my children. I try not to. But we live in a world where morality has been made to look like a disease and immorality made to look like the best choice. My children are up against a stacked deck when it comes to battling this world. Everything we've tried to teach them, instill in them, raise them understanding, will be challenged. They will be faced, daily I'm guessing, with temptations that will test their very being....to the core.
And I can tell you, I feel it in my bones that the more this child keeps giving into the temptation of lying, stealing, and being deceitful? The easier it will be for the world to swallow this child up....
And that, my friends, breaks my heart into a million splintering pieces.
My baby. My flesh and blood. Part of my superhero husband and I. A piece of my soul. And all I can do is shout to the God of the Universe, "WHY?" Why won't this child of mine listen. Why won't this child of mine stop lying to me? Why won't this child understand that for years, we've been trying to teach that honesty is the best policy and no matter what, the truth always, always, ALWAYS, seeps it's way out, no matter what, because light can't be destroyed.
Needless to say, I fell asleep on the couch in a hot ball of tears and sadness and fleeting despair. My baby must of sensed it as well, because she was up from 1:30-4am this morning upset and crying as well.....so I sit here, on this stupid little blue box and type. While the crazy Taz eats snack number 23 at 9:43 this morning. And I drink my sugarless coffee and eat my glutenless breakfast and have my 30th pity party this morning....
My family left this morning angry, tired, hurt, sad, and lost.
And that is why I need your prayers.
It's Friday. It's the weekend. For the love of God and all that's holy- spend time this weekend in prayer. Spend time this weekend in prayer alone in silence, with your spouse, and then with your entire family.
And also- go to Church.
It's an amazing love story, where you're brought up to Heaven, ever so quickly, and united with the angels, saints, and our Lord. I need it. If I need it, I know we all do.
So I'm nursing an injury I received last week doing something that should not have caused me to become injured, but now that I'm in my old age- I suppose I should get used to them.... My husband has asked if I need one of those "I've fallen and I can't get up" buttons to push....
He's a card.
But the last week, up to today, I've not been able to really do much around the house. Not that when I do much around the house you can really tell a difference, but today, for some reason- perhaps it's the hormones which are continually trying to work themselves out and through me, I came down the stairs, rounded the corner and just sighed at the sight.
The first thing I noticed was how amazingly beautiful the sun looked streaming into my home (so see, I'm not completely focused on the yuck) but that immediately changed when I saw the sliding glass door. The glass looked as though entirely too tall of children have been licking my windows. What DO they do when I'm not hovering over them? There were the usual smaller, lower to the ground smudges produced by the usual culprits- the 2 year old and 7 1/2 month old, but the other smudges? Entirely too high for them. And it was covering the entire glass. And the window beside the door, and the front windows that are beside my front door- and so on and so on.... *sigh*
Then I came into the kitchen and several children had still not taken their laundry up to their bedrooms, two laundry baskets were still on the table, 8,000 pairs of shoes sat waiting for the 7 1/2 month old to begin chewing on by the garage door (why did we buy that big ole shoe storage again?)
There were dryer sheets all over the floor. Pieces of egg and popcorn on the floor (someone had supposedly swept for me last night). And there were about 2,000 little pieces of a baby wipe that someone had ripped into shreds.... (I'm guessing the Taz 2 year old...)
It got worse when I saw that no one cleaned up their breakfast mess on the counter. The mounds of papers that have to be dealt with over the next few weeks were all over the other counter. The dishes from breakfast hadn't even been rinsed off-( have you SEEN how oatmeal hardens on bowls??). There were already a ton of dishes that needed to be washed.
As I made my way into the dining room, I stepped right into the pile that someone at least swept up last night..... Not sure how I feel about that, but perhaps I should be pleased that at least the child in charge of sweeping that room had 1/2 done their job?
I was feeling flustered. And to top it all off, Monday started my husband and I and my oldest daughter's new meal plan. My oldest daughter struggles with acne in a terrible way. We've tried everything. I mean everything. Medicines, all the "old wives tales," you name it. So this weekend we talked to her about 1)taking her vitamins and drinking lots of water more consistently and 2) cutting gluten and sugar out of her diet as much as possible. Gluten is fairly "easy" sugar on the other hand? Holy moly batman- sugar is in EVERYTHING!!! Why? Why do they add sugar to everything???
But the results in just a few days have been astounding. Her face is amazingly clear. Now is it the vitamins? Water? Gluten/sugar free diet? Who knows which it is, and perhaps it's a combination. But for now- her face is continuing to clear up. I think it's helping her attitude, too. I am at least hoping that- albeit she's battling a bit of a virus this week (she was convinced she had Chron's disease), she begins to have a more positive attitude about things. She's been a bit of a debbie downer and I know it's partly because school is busy, tough and demanding, but some of it, I believe, is her being a bit depressed about her face.
So, off on a tangent, but the last few days, dealing with my injury, not eating sugar, not eating gluten, has made me a tad off. Maybe more than a tad off. Today? I want to head STRAIGHT to Sonic and order me a Route 44 Vanilla Dr. Pepper. It's what I want. It's what I need. I also wan't to eat an entire bag of pita chips and hummus. Which you would think isn't too bad, but pita chips are gluten!!!
So I'm crabby and my house is a train wreck but something that came to me as I dwelled in my pity party of patheticness is that I signed up for a large family. No one forced me to have one. I volunteered for it completely and willingly.
Large families are messy. They are busy, dirty, loud, obnoxious, and exhausting, but that's ok. I love my family. I look at every single one of my kids and I can't imagine my life without each one. Each one of my babies brings something to this family unique and different. Each one, although shares a similar look, is different, in most everything- personality, attitude, humor, sadness, talents, gifts, etc. I love it. They all bring their own diversity to the table every evening. Each child has a special gift or talent. I am in awe when I think about how awesome that each one is. How amazing, smart, beautiful, talented, each child is. I am humbled because I can't sometimes believe they actually CAME from me- I'll be honest- I more often than not say they must get it from their superman dad. Because they are just amazing little people with amazing things to offer the world.
So when I sat there ever so briefly, because I really don't "sit" in this house, I perpetually move at a constant speed of "mad cat covering up crap," I realized that no, my house is not clean. And no, it won't be the kind of clean I would like it to be for many, many, many, many, (oops, sorry, got carried away) years. It won't have the nice furniture, the stain free walls (what the heck IS that on the wall by the fireplace, anyway and how did they do it????), it won't have the stain free carpet (dear Lord, please let this carpet last just a few more years....), it won't have spic and span wood floors (one day I WILL invent the self cleaning floor, and/or the drain in the middle of the kitchen to just hose it down every evening floor.....), it won't have all those things for a long time.
And that's ok.
I just have to keep telling myself not to be embarrassed by it. I sometimes refuse to have people over because I don't want them to think I don't keep a "tidy" house. I sometimes don't go out and do things because I feel I need to stay in and just spend the entire day doing maintenance (which is basically just survival- laundry, unload, load the dishwasher, wipe the sticky up before the 56 gazillion ants come back...)
That's not good. Not good at all.
I struggle with perception. I struggle terribly with it. I'm sure it stems from my terrible self esteem I've struggled with my whole life!! How sad is that?
What do people think when a mom of 7 can't keep her house clean? What do they say about me and my dirty house???
Honestly?
Why does it bother me!!!
Pride.
It's all about pride. I have to let that go. God doesn't care if my house is spotless, or if my kitchen is a train wreck, or if I've put away the laundry, or wiped up the sticky floor. He certainly wants me to take care of my family and do my duty as a wife/mother etc, but He certainly doesn't want me wasting my life worrying about what others think of me or my messy house...
So for now, and probably for the next 10-20 years, I'll take my messy kitchen, licked windows, dirty clothes, shoes lying everywhere, stained carpet and walls, and I'll just remind myself of who is causing it.....
So this weekend was supposed to be our last little yahoo before school started. (it actually starts tomorrow).
We were supposed to leave Friday morning for Watkins Glen and stay down there, over there, whatever direction it is, until yesterday mid morning.
Well, in true crazymomma fashion- there suddenly appeared about 10 extra activities for Friday, causing our camping trip to be postponed to 5 in the morning on Saturday. Which, would have been completely fine, EXCEPT, have you ever tried to put together four meals for 8 1/2 people for just one night? I literally took the entire day on Friday preparing food items....
But despite all the annoying preparations, it actually is a lot of fun to camp. I know what you're thinking....camping....one tent.....nine people.
Seven of whom are 15 and younger....
So we may have decided it is now time to purchase another tent....
The problem with that one- is who will be forced to sleep away from mom or dad? That was an interesting argument....I'll spare you the details of which ones whined the most about being afraid to sleep without us....but your clue is one of them is going to college in just a few short years and either she's living at home, or she's going to cry every night being apart from us....
So it's time for another tent. Just a six person one would be fine. Ours right now is a 10 person one and it's plenty big enough for a few skinny, tall kids, but it's pushing maximum density and there are a few more who could potentially be over 6 feet tall...
So we arrived at Watkins Glen State park a little before 8 am. It's a 2 1/2 hour drive from our location, so we knew we wanted to be up early. By early, I had no idea the baby would decide that 3:30 was it....so by the time we arrived at the park, I had been awake for 4 1/2 hours... I was ready for a nap...
But there was the tent to put up....breakfast to eat.....and a hike to go on.....
Needless to say, by 11 am, we had eaten, set up, and cleaned up our campsite and were ready to head to the gorge for a hike....
Along with half of New York State....
My son brought his phone to take pictures, so it might be a week or 10 before I get them from his phone to mine....but let's just say, there were bodies EVERYWHERE.... I'll post some pictures of the gorge I borrowed off Al's internet....
Amazing views
Entrance to lower end of Gorge
Amazing bridges and tunnels
Funny, same pic as above.... :)
So we hiked the gorge trail. It was amazing. It was hot. And like I stated earlier- there were at least half of all residents of NYS there, along with several thousand Canadians, New Jersians, and Pennsylvanians....
Which brings me to my next topic of discussion I shall toss in here with my fun, family, camping, hiking weekend blog....
Proper photo selfie etiquette.
No one on this planet knows selfies like I do.
Doubt me? Let me find some pictures from 1981 that I took on my camera with FILM in it and took a selfie with every.single.roll so we would know who's pictures they were. I was a budding photographer, and I certainly did not want ANYONE stealing my pictures.... (as if...)
So to say I'm an expert in the field is a massive, massive understatement....
When one attempts to hike with half of the country on a path that is at greatest two people wide, it's best to just either WAIT, to take your ridiculous selfie every 5 feet, or just come back another day because it's just too crowded...
My oldest had the 2 year old in a back pack on her back. I had the baby in a front pack on me. My awesome hubs was in charge of the two younger girls, and the 12 and 14 year old were bringing up the front and rear.
To say we stopped "often" for what appeared to be the same.people.every.time is being generous.
At one point, I wanted to take a few of those phones and drop them over the gorge....ok. That might have gotten me into a bit of a pickle, but when you're hiking with an extra 20 pounds on your front and your going along behind the person in front of you and they stop RANDOMLY every 5 feet to take selfies- it can make the strongest feel agitated....
Come on people!! Have we become that much of a narcissistic world that we can't walk by 23 waterfalls without putting ourselves in EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM?
You think I'm exaggerating.
I am not.
And in 12 weeks, when my son finally gets around to sending me the pictures he took? You'll see.
Now, I'm not against selfies. As I stated earlier, I've been taking selfies since 1981. Yes, that would have made me 8 years old. I got my first camera at age 8. So basically for 12 years I've been taking selfies....
Hahahahahahahahaha..... It's ok, folks. I'm a little tired today....my math and typing skills are struggling a bit and I'm not even going to correct that one because it made me LAUGH OUTLOUD!!! I'm working on very little sleep and not much coffee this weekend....
So I've been taking selfies for several, several decades.... There is a time and a place. If there are bodies, body to body on a path that is already winding, wet, and somewhat dangerous (yes, I'm talking to YOU, who decided to drape your leg over the ledge to capture your 10th selfie in 10 minutes.....my agitation meter might have been about to pop by the time you settled your leg over the edge.....), you need to look past your horse blinders (hold on- I'll post a pic for those who don't know what that is....)
You know it's a good day when you find what you imagine in your head you want....
THAT'S IT! Look PAST your blinders and see that the 11 billion hikers behind you that you continuously keep abruptly stopping in front of, are getting tired of your photo op coming every 5 feet...
Did I mention it was every 5 feet?
And while I'm on my tangent. can I just say how depressing it is to actually see so many people with their noses in their phones on this hike? It's like they're more concerned with either posting at that exact moment (God forbid we actually go back to waiting to do things....)
Wait? What's that mean?
Or they really just don't care where they are, just that everyone else in the world knows where they are.... (you can quote me on that one...)
I really hope my kids got an eyeful. Here we were at this magnificent site, and not only were people being incredibly rude, but they were demonstrating first hand what my awesome hubs and I have been trying to convey to our kiddos about for years.... what our society is turning into. People are going to walk off cliffs, walk into streets, walk into bears (hey, I've seen that video- let me see if I can find it....) because we are so busy with our noses in our phones we're going to miss the stop sign, the cliff edge, the mighty big bear who just found lunch...
.
There's the video of the bear.....and the dude just texting away on his phone.....society at it's finest...
So the hike went well. Despite that. My kids were in absolute aww of the beauty of the falls and how the water had eroded the gorge down over the centuries, millenniums!
After the hike, the awesome hubs took the older six to the pool, which is an Olympic sized pool that only about a quarter of the world was at.
picture doesn't do it justice...
After that, we headed back, heated up some chicken with avocados, mac salad, and cookies for dessert. It was a glorious day. It wasn't even tough convincing them bedtime would have to be by 9 pm because they were all pretty worn out....
Of course, night time is always difficult for me to fall asleep. I hear every single sound on the planet. My husband claims I have some kind of freaky beagle ears and that I can hear thunderstorms coming from states over.....whatever..... but I do lay there at night and hear everything. I can hear fire crackling in other camps, campers laughing and playing games, giant Sasquatches coming to kill and maim my family..... (ok, remember my overactive imagination a few blogs ago? No? Well, go back and refresh your memory...it explains a lot...)
So maybe there weren't Sasquatches, but there was one strange activity....shortly after everyone had fallen asleep, there was a loud sound (probably coming from New Jersey....) that kept getting louder and louder. A minute later, I distinctly heard people shouting, "It's time for the glow stick wars..."
At first I thought I had to be dreaming, but then I saw out the front of the tent a dozen or so bikes that were completely decked out in glow sticks. Music was blaring and it was CLEARLY after quiet hours....why do people have such problems with obeying laws? Oh, I don't know, maybe because MOM AND DAD CAN'T EITHER?????
Someone shouted at them that it was quiet time and of course, an older person (I'm guessing MOM) shouted, "there's always one in every crowd."
Wait, what? One what? Person who knows it's after 11 and we're supposed to be respectful of other campers AND the rules posted on the camping signs? How trivial.....
I sat there annoyed. My awesome hubs said I should have shouted, "no, there's two...." But of course, that's why he's wittier than I..... Rather, I laid there, annoyed, and apparently made myself fall asleep....
So other than the crazy hike with half the world (yes, I may be exaggerating the numbers), the selfie world gone wrong, and the bizarre midnite glow stick event, the trip was fantastic. The baby slept great. The kids had fun. And the hubs and I didn't lose anyone...
