Us In The Wilderness

As I mentioned in an earlier post, last weekend, our family headed up high into the mountains to do a little public campground wilderness retreating. Here's what went down.

Reesie spend some time with her pants on her head.



Henry spent a lot of time wading in the river near our camp site.


Reesie spent a lot of time watching him.


I spent some time teaching Henry how to smile.

No, no, no. That's exactly the opposite of smiling.

There you go. Much better.


Perfect. He's a quick study.

Uh, oh. Looks like Dad's forgotten how. Now, that's just sad. Try again.


Much better.

Et tu, Reesie?

Aw, she's working on it.

And now? Well, now she's just workin' it.

After we sat around and just smiled at each other for a few hours, our cheeks were really starting to hurt. Someone suggested we go on a hike. I think it was the couple camping next to us. They wanted us and our dogs to get the he-- out of the camp ground area.

This couple were older yuppies who apparently thought that children, dogs, and everyone else camping should be seen and not heard. We're pretty sure they didn't like Henry riding his power wheels in our camp spot, nor did they care for the loud children camping in the spot just adjacent to us. They didn't like motorcycles, trucks or cars circling the campground to look for open sites either. I think the campground host must have told them to quit their complaining and moved them to a new spot...RIGHT NEXT TO THE OUTHOUSE. Take that, elderly yuppies.

For the record, their two dogs charged another person while we were camping. These dogs were small enough to kick so they weren't too menacing. Also in the 'for the record' category, since the campground host gave us the green light on Henry's four wheeler riding and everyone else around us thought it was an awesome toy, once the elderly yuppies moved RIGHT NEXT TO THE OUTHOUSE I took it upon myself to guide Henry on several, SEVERAL trips up and down the campground road, passing them and waving to them each time.

See, I'm nice. I waved at them, didn't I?

Take some deep breaths, Jen. Serenity now. Ahh. Here's Hank and the dogs on our hike to Fehr Lake.

Henry incurred a scrape on the hike. It was so important to him that I document his owie. It was also important that everyone that came within 50 yards of us know it too. He was so proud of it. I told him that chicks dig scars.

This is what I look like whilst hiking.

This is what Reesie looks like hiking.

This is what she looks like grabbing for the camera.


The pups decided they would go for a swim.

See Batty dog wet.

See Maxie dog wet.

See Henry sit by Lake.

See Henry hike out of lake trail.

Then it was back to our camp site and down to the river. Henry thought he'd throw some rocks. As you can tell from his rock selection, he's a little ambitious for his own good.

Then Henry showed us how dirty his hands had become after two days of wilderness living.


Reesie shows off a cleaner version of hands.


Because Henry was so filthy, we thought it would be nice to hose him down to get him clean. Instead, we spread canned cheese lines along his legs and let Bat lick him.


Then we retired to bed where Henry and I played and told stories under the covers until Dad told us to knock it off or we would both be grounded.

Whatever there, Dad. Remember the squirrel?

Didn't get enough of us camping? To see all the pictures of our latest wilderness event click here.

Why Bat Is So Batty

Whenever I drive past the Animal ER just a few miles away from our home I hold in my breath and look closely at the building's parking lot or into the front window. They only treat emergency situations and animal crises that come up after hours, so if there is someone waiting in their lobby, I know it can't be too good. If I see a car there or someone waiting inside I say a little prayer to myself that everything will be okay for them. If no car is there, I silently exhale and smile to myself that no one is there. This little ritual is so secret, not even Jeremy knows I do it. It's definitely superstitious on my part, but I'm built that way.

My personal routine is the result of actually BEING that person sitting in the waiting room at 9:00 at night, hoping that their pet will be alright. About six years ago, when Bat was just a puppy, he literally knocked himself unconscious running into a "No Running" sign at our local park. Why there is a "No Running" sign posted at the park is a story for another post.

I remember Jeremy bringing Bat home from the park back then, carrying him in his arms. The minute they walked in the door I could see that Bat looked lifeless. I screamed and Jeremy shouted at me to get the car running. We had to go to the Vet immediately. Once we arrived at the Animal ER, we were whisked in and Bat was looked over. Fortunately he was fine, just a little concussion. We were so relieved. I remember hugging Jeremy through tears and just holding our little puppy and being so grateful that everything would be fine. (You should know that a week later, Bat also ran full bore into our neighbors redwood swing set and gave himself a huge contusion on his forehead where he hit before. His bruise filled up so much fluid that we had to suck all the blood out with a syringe each morning. No wonder he's a little slow).

Here's a Far Side cartoon that Jeremy pulled out of his daily calendar . He gave it to me shortly after Bat had all his run in's with poles and swingsets. Bat's head seriously took this shape every day before we syringed him.

But back to the Animal ER time. As we were waiting to settle our bill with the Vet, another couple came in with two kittens that they had just recently adopted. They were frantic because one of their kittens was lifeless and the other was acting lethargic. Jeremy and I had to stick around a little while to pay because the only person running the place was also the Vet who was helping the couple with the cats. We weren't about to ask her to step away from this awful situation just to run our credit card.

As we waited, we could hear the Vet telling the couple that the first kitten was near death and would most likely pass away within two hours. The second cat was showing signs of extreme upper respiratory failure as well and the same would happen within 48 hours. It was painful to hear that they would be putting their kittens down that very night.

I just remember feeling awful for sitting there with a healthy puppy and this couple was about two lose both of thier pets. We tried to keep ourselves occupied while the couple grieved and spent the last few minutes with their kittens before they were put down.

I think of them every time I pass that building. My heart hurts when I see a car parked out front. I much prefer to pass that place and let out my silent sigh of relief.

Wow. That story was just incredibly depressing. To lighten the mood a little bit, I'm posting a scan of a photo of Bat that I Photoshoped shortly after all this happened many years ago. I think you'll see the humor in it.

Like, The Longest Post Ever, You Guys

March (And a Car) Hit Us Hard
So far, I could really do without March. The first day of March started out just fine (that's later in the post), but the second day and third day in March have not been kind to the Glass family. Sunday, March 2nd, the four of us were just returning from a baby blessing event in Morgan when our car was T-boned on the passenger side by a girl turning left who wasn't paying attention. She hit Henry's car door (driver's side), broke our rear axle and wheel clean off and sent us into a one and-a-half times around spin. Jeremy and I remember seeing her turn left coming from the opposite direction and we did the best we could to avoid the collision. We even veered out of her way, but her SUV managed to knock us over another lane of traffic. I recall feeling our wheel break off and seeing our wheel and axle bounce away from us. We have been told the car is most likely totaled.

Please know everyone in our car was and is safe. I can't write about specifics, because of the chance that we might need lawyers involved, but I did post a few picture of some of the damage below.


We spent well over an hour in the ambulance getting the kids checked out and waiting for family to arrive to give us a lift home. After Reesie took her bottle, she pretty much just hung out and looked cute for the EMT staff. Once Henry had calmed down, he thought he was pretty cool hanging with the policemen and firemen. He even walked away with parting gifts...


I told the EMT staff that Grandma and Grandpa Young would be on the scene. I told them to watch for a couple in a green Buick that look too young to be grandparents. I also told them that Grandma would have on glasses and be fairly frantic. Once they got there, Henry told everyone that "our wheel fell off our car and we are sad."

Lighter Moments
There were some brighter moments that came from this experience.

1. G-pa and G-ma Young bought Reese a brand new car seat and Henry had fun converting the box to a fort. (Thank you!)

2. Henry also reenacted the policeman at the crash scene taking down information. Henry issued me and Reese these citations the next day.

3. We explained to Henry that we were going to have a temporary car for awhile until they figure out what to do with our white one. Henry insisted that we get a blue car. To our surprise, the Hertz hooked us up with this sweet, blue ride. (manual locks and manual windows in the hizows!)

4. I asked Reese to give me her best "I've been through a personal tragedy, but I'm not gonna let it get me down look". This is what she gave me.

5. When the insurance agent asked Jeremy to state his relation to me he simply said "wife". I was surprised and a little hurt to hear he didn't refer to me as "soul mate".

6. Also, when recanting the story to the police officer and to the insurance agent, Jeremy peppered the conversation with "We had just returned from church" or, "We had just left a baby blessing at a church" or, "This is so crazy. One minute you're at church, then next your car is totaled." I told him to give it a rest. We went to church for the first time in over 3 years and look what happens to us.

7. We figured we are safe because we spent 30 minutes in a church that day. We figure we were in an accident because we also left church 30 minutes early. (shouldn't we have just broke even then?)

One Final Word
Thanks to all the people who helped us at the scene. You won't ever read this, but you were in our prayers that night and will be for many nights to come. So many people comforted me, my husband and my children. They offered us coats and warm cars to collect ourselves in. Thanks to the EMT staff for being patient and kind with my children and my frazzled mind. Thanks to G-ma Lauri and G-Pa Wayne for breaking the speed limit to get to us in record time. Thanks to Jake and Riley for coming so soon too. (I won't thank you for breaking the speed limit as I'm sure it's your typical practice). Thanks to my Mom and Dad for letting me just spend a few minutes crying on the phone. Thanks to angels that were watching over us and kept our family safe!

Before Our Personal Crisis (Sunday Edition)
(BTW- that's how the insurance company refers to accidents. A personal crisis)
Saturday and Early Sunday before our personal crisis, we had wonderful time. The four of us jet setted around three northern Utah counties in a day! In hind sight, I'd like to think that on some level we knew our little Ford Focus was about to meet its doom and we used that day as a "sending off" party, if you will.

Here we are at Derrick, Traci and Jocyln's baby blessing after-party just before the crash, I mean personal crisis.


Here's a deer head we looked at during the party just before our personal crisis.

Here's proud Grandpa Jake and Jocyln. Jake, look down at Jossi.

Now look at me.

Before Our Personal Crisis (Saturday Edition)
Saturday, also before the personal crisis, I took the kids to meet Zoe, Isabella, Kimberly and Crystal at the Dinosaur Park for fun, adventure and aparently rain and snow. Here are some things we learned at the Dinosar Park.

Girls have hats with two points.

Sadly, boys' hat's only have one.

Cousins are happy when they swing in unison.

Dinosaurs had bones.

Cousins are afraid to stand close together in pictures.

Two Cousins turn and face the camera please!

Now let's try it with just one Cousin facing the camera.

Cousins like to put their heads through holes.

Henry looks good even with a headwound. (more on that later)

After the Dinosaur Park, we all drove up to Grandpa Wayne's and Grandma Lauri's for pizza and more togetherness. I didn't take pictures of the pizza or the togetherness, but I did get a picture of the Grandparents and the Cousins standing as close together as they would. (It's funny, once the camera is out, the kids treat each other like they have cooties. But once the camera is put up, they're all over each other!)

See how happy everyone is just 24 hours before our personal crisis.

Before Our Personal Crisis (Dog Party Edition)
Also on Saturday, was Maxie's (black lab) birthday. I thought it would be awesome to throw him a surprise party. Jeremy insisted that any party we threw for Max would be a surprise.

Happy 6th Birthday Maxie!

Here's the cake we gave to the dogs to celebrate.

Here's the dogs celebrating and enjoying the birthday bones.

Here's the run-in with the concrete Henry suffered when he took the cake to the dogs.

Aparently, cowboy boots and icy conditions do not mix. We warned him to stay on the dry part, but Henry got excited and made a run for the dogs and didn't have his footing. He was okay and only fussed for a minute. He was more concerned about being able to make his Dinosaur Park date that day. Here's Henry after he just got the green light from Mom to go to the park.