lost

the day after our return from camping always proves to be quite the adjustment for the fam. suddenly there is laundry to do (mounds and mounds), work to accomplish, and errands to run. our day testified to the craziness and confusion of reality.

after supper, i loaded up the veen for our weekly outing to the salem township library. the boys get to choose a show to watch while brad is at golf league, then play at the park for a bit. good times for all. when i asked the boys to please find their places in the veen, they typically have a toy or two they want to take along. when weston bear asked if he could take a small yellow pail i instantly agreed and buckled.

there were giggles galore in the back of the veen and i thought what a good mom am i, boys happily involved in a quest for entertainment and education. when we arrived, i caught on to all that blissfulness in the backseat. the yellow pail held a new pet. a caterpillar nestled beside a piece of chalk for fun and several blades of grass for food. oh well. better than a frog i guess.

i forced the boys to leave their new pet in the veen while we perused the library. we played at the park immediately after renting some books and a tom and jerry dvd. then we stopped at the gas station to pee and get a little treat. brad called us to say he was home and awaiting my assistance in unloading another ton of pellets in the garage. we sped home and climbed on brads truck to pass bags of pellets.

at long last, all was quiet and settled and calm. until bear asked where his pet was. we ran to the veen only to discover the yellow pail was EMPTY. there is a caterpillar loose in the van. we cannot find it. every trip now gives me the heebie jeebies thinking of that hairy little thing crawling around.

when the boys were finally put to bed after overcoming their grief, i sat down with a book only to be interrupted by bear's frantic cries from upstairs. constantly on the alert for pukes, i ran upstairs to find wes walking in his closet, trapped, panicked, and calling for his mom. no pukes, just sleepwalking. in the closet. scared.

today things are slightly smoother. though right now the boys are discussing whether i must get the vinegar out for bear's naughty mouth. max told him he was breaking my heart. and weston responded with "dont say that ever again!"

time to intervene.