I just wanted to take a minute to describe our drive home from LaPine after Thanksgiving. It turned out to be some trip...I didn't think it very funny at the time, but now- it's hilarious!
(I am positive that Pat would agree and even my Pops)
We left LaPine at around 12:30 and had no problems getting past Bend, etc. Pat even stopped in Bend and let me do some shopping at the Outlet Mall while they went to DQ for a bite to eat. We were making really good time until we hit the mountain. Traffic was at a dead stop and all we could see were tail lights for miles and miles. We were literally stopped for about 2 hours or more. We just inched our way up and over it. I never saw an accident, but there must have been something going on. We knew that there was going to be some traffic by Meadows, Ski Bowl and Timberline. It was a big ski weekend for all the resorts, but there's no way that was the big hold up.
Anyhow, Pat had been driving the whole trip, but after I had entertained the kids for 2 hours and we had hardly moved- I needed a break. Griff screams in his car seat. He hates is. I had given up and taken him out of it because we weren't moving anyway. I even got out of the truck with him and stood on the side of the road. That didn't last too long because it was getting dark and it was very cold. Before I switched places with Pat, Griff whacked me in the eye with a flashlight. It cut me just under my eye and was bleeding pretty good. I had given it to him out of desperation for entertainment...not a good idea. He was swinging it all around to watch the light move all over the cab of the truck. When he hit me, it hurt like hell. I was definitely ready to be in the front seat for awhile.
Once Pat and I switched places, traffic started to move a little bit faster, but not over 30 mph. Of course both kids needed to potty as soon as traffic started to move. I told them I could not pull over because we would never get back in line on the road. It was very slick and the back-up had to be at least 10 miles long, plus I was pulling a trailer! Well, they held it for awhile, but you know how kids are. Mac was in tears, so I told Pat to give him an empty DQ cup to pee in. Yes, I know, kind of weird...but I was not pulling over. Pat was scrambling to keep control of all 3 kids. Lilly was crying because she had to potty, Griff was screaming because he was just done being in the truck and Mac was attempting to pee in a cup. He was successful so I said roll down the window and toss it out far from the truck. I thought he would just pour it out...NOPE, he threw the whole cup out! Loitering is a big no-no up here! I was so worried that the people behind us were going to turn us in! After we survived that, Lilly was ticked because I wouldn't let her pee in a cup...she was sobbing and crying NO FAIR. I was trying to pay attention to the road and explain to her that it was too hard for her to pee in a cup. She wasn't going to give in...
I brainstormed for a minute and said "put on one of Griff's diapers". That seemed to make her happy for a bit until she couldn't put it on herself and Pat couldn't help because Griff was still having a major screaming fit. Mac refused to help her, so she was on her own. Luckily she "held it" until we were over the mountain and could pull into a DQ (ironic?) for her to use the ladies room.
A usual 4 hour trip took us forever! We got home around 7:30 that evening. I was not laughing then, but I am now!
The kids were up early Christmas morning to see what Santa brought...it's really sweet to see how excited they are and how big their eyes get when they discover all the packages he brought!
Santa was really good to all of us this year, so we must have behaved pretty well! I don't have many pictures because my camera is dying on me...most of them come out so blurry, you can't see what the picture is of. These are the only few that turned out. Lilly rocked out on Mac's new guitar...maybe we should have gotten her one!
Anyhow, Santa must have known how badly I needed a new camera...cuz, HE BROUGHT ME ONE!
