a Friday flashback

You are reading this on Friday, but right now it is Thursday evening. I have been itching to write for a few days now. Vacation ended Monday morning and life hit again with full force. Days have been filled with Bensen and Keyen, nights have been filled with plans and to-dos. Monday night I had dinner with dear high school friends. Tuesday I was going to have time to write, but then we remembered that Disney/Pixar's Brave came out on 3D Blu-Ray. So you best believe that took priority Tuesday night. Wednesday night we had REFUEL at Journey. And here we are. Finally.

Aaron and I just finished shopping for and packing our boxes for Operation Christmas Child. We have now decided to skip going to the gym tonight in favor of relaxation time. Because the weekend sure won't provide any of that. 

So, here we are, Christmas tree aglow, mantle lights softly twinkling, Christmas music on Pandora, candles lit, and MacBooks open.

Aaron is looking up Vinylmation things.

I am going to share a Friday flashback.

Let's flashback to...

a few days ago, Monday, November 12, 2012...

Monday was my first day back at work in a few days. The boys were thankfully, wonderful, and had no trouble getting right back to our daily routine. 

Monday was also wonderfully warm for the middle of November. We headed to a nearby park without even needing jackets over our light long-sleeve shirts.

The park we went to, and have gone to before, has a big playground next to the parking lot on a big hill. The hill has a path winding down it. At the bottom, there is a little creek and a bridge that crosses over it. The creek is down between two fairly steep banks. The bridge is about 10 feet above it. 

We can never play on the playground more than 15 minutes before one of the boys will spy the "wa-wa" and bridge down below. So down we go. Slowly. Because they are easily distracted by rocks, leaves, grass, bugs, other kids, etc.

Monday we made it down to the creek just fine.

"Bensen, let's get some rocks and we can thrown them into the water and watch them splash!"

This was joyfully received. Keyen soon joined in. This entertained them for a good 30 minutes. Which is a pretty big deal.

There were a couple other families that were down at the creek. They actually went down the bank next to the water.

Bensen was quite intrigued by this idea, but I quickly cut that idea.

"No, buddy, not today. I can't take you and Keyen down there by myself. We need to stay on the bridge. Let's go get more rocks!"

Distraction successful.

Awhile later, we were the only ones left. The boys were still throwing rocks, leaves, and sticks into the water below.

Bensen saw the sippy cup in the bag on the stroller and got it out to take a drink. I bent down to get more rocks.

When I looked up...that's when it started.

Bensen was no longer holding the cup. Nope. It had been passed to Keyen.

And there was Keyen holding the cup out of the railing over the creek below.

I didn't want to scare him and make him drop it. "Keyen. No, sir."

He looked at me. And his eyes met mine. And as he stared at me. He let go of the cup.

I sighed.

The three of us peered over the edge. The cup had landed just on the edge of the bank somehow.

"Uh-oh." said Keyen.

"Uh-oh is right."

"Keyen trouble." Bensen piped in.

I sighed.

"Yes, we do not throw cups off the bridge."

I debated what to do.

1. Obviously, they have like 20 sippy cups. I don't HAVE to get it.
2. It's not IN the water.
3. Other people went down the bank fine.
4. I can get it easily enough.
5. I should try to get it.

The boys were just staring down at the cup still. I picked Keyen up and strapped him in the stroller.

"Bensen, stay here."

I walked to the end of the bridge and started to carefully descend the hill. In my Sperry boat shoes with no treads, of course.

I glanced up at the boys. They were just frozen in place watching me.

As I got to the bottom of the hill, the ground started to get squishy. It was sandy squishy. Not muddy squishy, thankfully.

It got squishy enough that I had to stop. I reached towards the cup. It was JUST out of my reach.

I looked back at the boys. Still staring.

I glanced around for something I could hold onto.

This little branch might as well work. 

I held onto it and reached the cup.

And just as I had the cup in my hand, the branch snapped. Obviously.

All in a split second I thought, hold the cup, fall in the creek. 

I decided to flail to catch my balance instead, sacrificing the cup.

It flew up in the air, and into the water it went.

I caught my balance, looked at the predicament the cup was in now, looked up at the boys, and sighed yet again.

"Whit-ee drop cup wa-wa" Bensen stated.

"I know, Bensen. I know."

I was still holding onto the branch that had failed me once.

I decided to give it a second chance.

I fished the cup out of the water, traipsed back up the hill, put the cup in the bag, emptied the sand out of my shoes, grabbed Bensen's hand, and started pushing the stroller.

"Come on, boys, we're done at the bridge today."

"Keyen trouble," Bensen muttered one more time as we headed back to the playground.

New rule:  no more sippy cups around water that is not inside them.