Now that you have seen my girls, I feel like it is the perfect time to tell you a funny/scary thing that happened to us this weekend...sadly, Stephanie was in LA and missed the shenanigans. I was alone with Bella, Gigi and Tessa for the afternoon because my hubby was glued to the TV watching football. He usually joins us but since he lives with so many women I think he deserves a little time alone to beat his chest and eat things I wouldn't dare. So, he had a hall pass for the afternoon.
Bella is running cross country and wanted her sisters and I to go with her on the trail she runs after school. It's a truly off the beaten path five mile circle around mountains full of dust, and possibly snakes. It's pretty much the deep wilderness despite the many mountain bikers and hikers and picnic tables. I love most workouts but hiking is something we usually do with my husband, who I affectionately refer to as my pack mule on hikes. So, needless to say, this was an adventure.
The plan was for Bella to run ahead of us while we walked the trail, then she'd double back and walk the end of it with us. With a plan in hand we set off on our hike. Bella quickly disappeared on the trail running ahead while Gigi, Tessa, and I set off on the dirt trail stepping over branches and rattling on and on about a lot of everything. Suddenly, Gigi jumped up like she just saw a ripped Zuhair Murad runway gown (and yes she knows who that is) and started to cry, "MOMMY, MOMMY....LOOK!"
I looked where she was pointing, jumping away like I had just seen a spilled vial of Louboutin nail polish and also started to panic and cry. All common sense as to how to set an example for courage for my girls swiftly went out the window. Tessa, my youngest, saw Gigi and I crying and began to sympathy cry along side us. She still hadn't seen what we saw.... once she did it was a trifecta of tears and whole lotta hysteria.
A very long, freshly severed deer leg with fur and flesh was lying in the middle of the narrow trail. I eventually forced myself to calm down a little and began telling them we had to jump over it and continue on or Bella would be running in the wilderness alone. They adamantly refused, even if it meant Bella would be solo coyote bait on the trail ahead of us. All I could think to do was to call my husband and have him come down to us and move the leg but I had no cell service.
Suddenly, as if Jesus himself appeared, an elderly fragile man with a fanny pack and hiking gear appeared. His kind face was familiar since I had him take a photo of us before we set off on our hike, and now here he was again. He saw how upset we were and offered to hold the girls hands and escort them by the leg after he kicked it aside. Shockingly, all of our hysteria marginally decreased and we all held hands as we walked the narrow trail and passed the leg . I shamelessly clung to Tessa's hand and closed my eyes as we passed it. Finally, when it was out of sight, we thanked him profusely and went on our separate ways.
I was on edge thinking that a mountain lion must be lurking in the bushes waiting for us to pass by and I was worried Bella resembled Bambi a bit too much. I began making loud roaring noises, trying to look big and scary every few minutes in an effort to scare any predators away. The girls thought I was being ridiculous but deep down inside I was terrified. I also didn't want to make them more afraid than they already were so I was partly trying to make them laugh too.
I'm completely aware that ten out of twelve moms would have remained cool and collected but that is not a description anyone would use to describe me.....especially my family. Sweaty and parched, an hour later we were back at the car with Bella was nowhere in sight. Thankfully we both happened to have cell service once again and she told me she had gotten lost. Luckily, the nice man I should call Jesus was on the same trail as her. He stopped her and told her we had gone in the opposite direction so she turned around and was two miles behind us.
Bambi was safe and we all made it home in one piece. Not to mention our day was saved by our own guardian angel. Where ever he is I hope someday I can return the favor. He was FABULOUS!
Bella is running cross country and wanted her sisters and I to go with her on the trail she runs after school. It's a truly off the beaten path five mile circle around mountains full of dust, and possibly snakes. It's pretty much the deep wilderness despite the many mountain bikers and hikers and picnic tables. I love most workouts but hiking is something we usually do with my husband, who I affectionately refer to as my pack mule on hikes. So, needless to say, this was an adventure.
The plan was for Bella to run ahead of us while we walked the trail, then she'd double back and walk the end of it with us. With a plan in hand we set off on our hike. Bella quickly disappeared on the trail running ahead while Gigi, Tessa, and I set off on the dirt trail stepping over branches and rattling on and on about a lot of everything. Suddenly, Gigi jumped up like she just saw a ripped Zuhair Murad runway gown (and yes she knows who that is) and started to cry, "MOMMY, MOMMY....LOOK!"
I looked where she was pointing, jumping away like I had just seen a spilled vial of Louboutin nail polish and also started to panic and cry. All common sense as to how to set an example for courage for my girls swiftly went out the window. Tessa, my youngest, saw Gigi and I crying and began to sympathy cry along side us. She still hadn't seen what we saw.... once she did it was a trifecta of tears and whole lotta hysteria.
A very long, freshly severed deer leg with fur and flesh was lying in the middle of the narrow trail. I eventually forced myself to calm down a little and began telling them we had to jump over it and continue on or Bella would be running in the wilderness alone. They adamantly refused, even if it meant Bella would be solo coyote bait on the trail ahead of us. All I could think to do was to call my husband and have him come down to us and move the leg but I had no cell service.
Suddenly, as if Jesus himself appeared, an elderly fragile man with a fanny pack and hiking gear appeared. His kind face was familiar since I had him take a photo of us before we set off on our hike, and now here he was again. He saw how upset we were and offered to hold the girls hands and escort them by the leg after he kicked it aside. Shockingly, all of our hysteria marginally decreased and we all held hands as we walked the narrow trail and passed the leg . I shamelessly clung to Tessa's hand and closed my eyes as we passed it. Finally, when it was out of sight, we thanked him profusely and went on our separate ways.
I was on edge thinking that a mountain lion must be lurking in the bushes waiting for us to pass by and I was worried Bella resembled Bambi a bit too much. I began making loud roaring noises, trying to look big and scary every few minutes in an effort to scare any predators away. The girls thought I was being ridiculous but deep down inside I was terrified. I also didn't want to make them more afraid than they already were so I was partly trying to make them laugh too.
I'm completely aware that ten out of twelve moms would have remained cool and collected but that is not a description anyone would use to describe me.....especially my family. Sweaty and parched, an hour later we were back at the car with Bella was nowhere in sight. Thankfully we both happened to have cell service once again and she told me she had gotten lost. Luckily, the nice man I should call Jesus was on the same trail as her. He stopped her and told her we had gone in the opposite direction so she turned around and was two miles behind us.
Bambi was safe and we all made it home in one piece. Not to mention our day was saved by our own guardian angel. Where ever he is I hope someday I can return the favor. He was FABULOUS!
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