Crestline

We went to Crestline today. I'd like to say it was as relaxing and serene as the pictures below. I'd like to say that we marveled at the beauty of the trees and had a picnic as the cool breeze blew around us.

I'd like to say we rented a boat and floated along the lake with a little wind up radio from Land's End.

I'd like to, but that would be a lie.

Afterall, we took the beasts with us: Katie, David, and Eddie Bauer.

Mary got an Eddie Bauer double stroller from a yard sale for $5. She thought it would be perfect to take David and Katie around in. Perfect for hiking. Well, Eddie weighed 20 lbs. all by himself. After David's 35 lbs., Katie's 25 lbs., and Eddie's 20 lbs., that was 80 lbs. that had to be pushed up hill. Mary did all the pushing. I don't really know how. David did all the whining. From the time we got out of the car until we got back home, he whined. He was hungry. He was thrirsty. He wanted to walk. He wanted to get wet from the sprinkler. Katie kept wanting to get out and be held. David had a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, gatorade, yogurt, Special K bar, and an apple, and yet, he was "starving". We found an apple tree along the way and Mary picked one off for David to eat. According to Mary it was the sweetest apple she'd ever had. All the while, Mary was looking for aluminum cans to add to her collection. She carried an enormous plastic bag while pushing the kids, that filled with air as she walked and looked like an oxygen tank following behind her. I'm sure she was wishing for an oxygen tank. She found a large Heineken aluminum keg. I mean, it was a gallon if not 2. For all her efforts of hauling that along with other bottles and cans, she took in probably a whopping 75 cents. For this 75 cents she had to carry the 4 lbs. of cans, and have the keg roll around and rub her shins and get stuck in between her legs, all while pushing Eddie.
We got up at 6:00 a.m. for this. We were supposed to be on the road at 7:00 a.m. At 7:45 we were just leaving.
On the way home, Katie threw up. She got car sick. The car stunk like throw up. Heather thought she smelled a dirty diaper. :/ We stopped at McDonald's for a soft serve ice cream. David, still famished from being pushed in his 20 lb. stroller for 4 miles, got an ice cream, ate it all, then asked everyone else for their leftovers. Is there something in the mountain air that turns little boys into lumberjacks?

Katie fell asleep as soon as she got home. What a long day!