There is no better word to describe my drive to Utah this year…than…TORTURE!
I had four rowdy, fighting, naughty, tattle-telling, tired kids that initially put me in the torture chamber.
But the rental car that had rotting fruit in it from the previous renters sealed the deal.
It was the smelliest and grossest thing, that by the time I hit Norco (less than an hour away) I found the Car Spa.
What they thought would take 30 minutes, ended up taking well over an hour.
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The drive that normally takes about 9 hours, ended up taking us over 13 hours.
And the hardest part of all???
My best co-pilot wasn’t with me to man the troops.
Just when I didn’t think this kid could get any sweeter…he did just that.
Even with a fever, I think this boy could charm the pants off anyone.
My little girl is stubborn.
And she has the lungs to tell you so!
This morning alone..
She wasn’t interested in waiting for me to get her undressed for her bath.
And after she got properly cleaned up….she insisted on eating her yogurts herself…which landed her yogurt-dirty-self right back in the bath.
Just an afternoon with our feet kicked up at the movies.
And the bonus — Bree and Alexa came along.
Every once in a while, I need a break in the afternoon.
And when I do…I know just the place…RoRo’s Beach!
I send them all out to the beach, while I watch from the air-conditioned window.
Pippi is a crap shoot, on whether she wants in or out.
But Dash usually gets her outside for the bulk of the time.
And then, Brit and I stick them in the outside shower to clean up.
And then we zonk them out in front of some lame electronic — whether it be the TV or an IPad.
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It isn’t my every day go to….but it is my back pocket go to on those really special days.
Whenever one of my kids cries lately, I say, “If those are real tears, everyone is going to bed for an hour. But if they are fake tears…that’s a funny joke.”
You wouldn’t believe how often, what I know to be real tears, end up being “fake” tears.
And Dash is the king of putting on a big smile, right after he took a decent blow.
“Bella”
“Bella just lost one of her babies. But I’m still glad she still has one!”
How cute is my most compassionate child — Navy.
Just a quick session of afternoon wrestling.
My guess is that it was over who gets to use the balance board next.
Here is my last, on the playground I love the most.
The one that is close to good food, good shops, and completely air conditioned.
And like Pavlov’s dog, after we hit up the mall playground, we hit up Wetzel’s Pretzels.
As you can see by the cinnamon all over this tuckered-out, little girl’s lips.
I know the days of all of my kids in the same bath are numbered…but the simplicity in it, is too much to give up!
Maybe tomorrow.
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