"...and then he tripped and dropped all his books, in front of everyone. I know I shouldn't have laughed, but..." Celia is saying, in the middle of a typically long-winded story.
"Celia," uh-oh, Ana is using her motherly tone. "You laughed?!"
"Mom, I said I know I shouldn't have. I even felt kind of bad for it, but honestly, if anyone deserved it, it is Tim. He is always talking about how none of the girls at school are hot enough for him. The other day I heard him talking about how 'flat-chested' Amy is. Ugh, like he's the Watcher's gift to the girls at Willow Creek High School. Please! Anyway I did help him pick up his books, then the blushed - I swear, he blushed! - and ran off to class."
"Celia," uh-oh, Ana is using her motherly tone. "You laughed?!"
"Mom, I said I know I shouldn't have. I even felt kind of bad for it, but honestly, if anyone deserved it, it is Tim. He is always talking about how none of the girls at school are hot enough for him. The other day I heard him talking about how 'flat-chested' Amy is. Ugh, like he's the Watcher's gift to the girls at Willow Creek High School. Please! Anyway I did help him pick up his books, then the blushed - I swear, he blushed! - and ran off to class."
"Well, maybe it will humble him a little, but I still want you to be nice to others even when they're not doing the same. Set the example, don't sink to they're level." Ana tries to reason.
"I know, Mom. That's why I helped him pick up his books." Celia reminds Ana of that fact.
"Yes, but that laughing..." In Ana's opinion her daughter sounded a little too gleeful about this boy's embarrassment."
"Okay, okay. It won't happen again. I promise. But it's not like I pointed and laughed real hard. It was just sort of a little laugh that I couldn't help."
"Mom, when is Daddy going to be home?" Little Emma interrupts the conversation perhaps sensing that it could go on quite a while if someone didn't change the topic.
"Should be any minute, baby. He should have been home 30 minutes ago. That's why we went ahead and ate without him." Ana doesn't add that she's starting to worry, no need to worry the kids.
Luckily after just a few more minutes Clara says with a mouthful of food, "Here he is!" She gestures with her fork for good measure.
"Oh! He looks like he's in a hurry. I hope everything's okay." Ana says getting up from the table to meet Osmond in the front room.
"I'm coming too!" Emma calls from behind.
"I know, Mom. That's why I helped him pick up his books." Celia reminds Ana of that fact.
"Yes, but that laughing..." In Ana's opinion her daughter sounded a little too gleeful about this boy's embarrassment."
"Okay, okay. It won't happen again. I promise. But it's not like I pointed and laughed real hard. It was just sort of a little laugh that I couldn't help."
"Mom, when is Daddy going to be home?" Little Emma interrupts the conversation perhaps sensing that it could go on quite a while if someone didn't change the topic.
"Should be any minute, baby. He should have been home 30 minutes ago. That's why we went ahead and ate without him." Ana doesn't add that she's starting to worry, no need to worry the kids.
Luckily after just a few more minutes Clara says with a mouthful of food, "Here he is!" She gestures with her fork for good measure.
"Oh! He looks like he's in a hurry. I hope everything's okay." Ana says getting up from the table to meet Osmond in the front room.
"I'm coming too!" Emma calls from behind.
"Honey, is everything okay?" Ana asks as Osmond hurries through the front door.
"No." He says scaring her for a second. "Everything is great! I got that promotion today!"
"Oh, honey, that's great!" Ana tells him as she runs up and gives him a big hug.
"No." He says scaring her for a second. "Everything is great! I got that promotion today!"
"Oh, honey, that's great!" Ana tells him as she runs up and gives him a big hug.
"Yeah. Daddy that's great!" Emma pipes up and runs up to give her dad a hug, further coping her mom.
"It is great!" Osmond agrees. "And do you know what makes it even more great? I got a big bonus to go along with the promotion. And I figured what better way to spend it than on a family vacation!"
After a family vote, they decide the vacation will be a camping trip. No one in the family has ever been camping before, so Ana thinks it'll be a terrific adventure. They buy tents, chairs, a cooler, and more suitable clothes for everybody.
With the shopping done Ana thinks they're all set. However, Osmond thinks it would be best to practice setting up the tents before they get to the campsite. He wants to be prepared. They practice one evening when Osmond gets home from work.
As Brandon drives the last stake in the ground to his tent Ana says, "I think we've got the hang of it now."
"I guess you're right." Osmond concedes.
All in all everyone is looking forward to the weekend. They're leaving first thing Saturday morning and coming home late on Monday. It's a three day weekend.
With the shopping done Ana thinks they're all set. However, Osmond thinks it would be best to practice setting up the tents before they get to the campsite. He wants to be prepared. They practice one evening when Osmond gets home from work.
As Brandon drives the last stake in the ground to his tent Ana says, "I think we've got the hang of it now."
"I guess you're right." Osmond concedes.
All in all everyone is looking forward to the weekend. They're leaving first thing Saturday morning and coming home late on Monday. It's a three day weekend.
"So what are you looking forward to the most?" Ana asks Celia on Friday evening.
"IDK, Clara just says she hopes there are some other people around our age to hang out with." The twins were the only ones not very excited about the trip. They had voted for staying in a cabin, but had been out voted by everyone else.
"I'm not sure about that, but I'm sure if you and your sister give it a chance, you'll have fun." Ana says. Osmond doesn't say anything and tries to hide the amused smirk on his face.
"IDK, Clara just says she hopes there are some other people around our age to hang out with." The twins were the only ones not very excited about the trip. They had voted for staying in a cabin, but had been out voted by everyone else.
"I'm not sure about that, but I'm sure if you and your sister give it a chance, you'll have fun." Ana says. Osmond doesn't say anything and tries to hide the amused smirk on his face.
Bright and early the next morning (no actually it was so early that it was dark inside and outside the Pringle house), so very early the next morning Ana heads downstairs to wake up the kids. With so many kids, sometimes it's quite a task to get everyone ready.
Thankfully as everyone has gotten older they do more for themselves. So after Ana wakes everyone up she is free to head back upstairs and get ready herself.
An hour later, Osmond is getting a little anxious to leave. Everyone is ready except the twins. Ana heads to their room to hurry them up.
"Girls, why aren't you wearing you knew camping clothes? We're all waiting on you two, you know?"
"Mom, we'll just change when we get there." Clara says.
"Yeah, and we're just putting on our shoes. We're ready to go now." Celia adds brightly.
Ana starts to insist they change clothes now, but she knows when to pick her battles. They really need to be leaving, so there isn't really time for them to change.
An hour later, Osmond is getting a little anxious to leave. Everyone is ready except the twins. Ana heads to their room to hurry them up.
"Girls, why aren't you wearing you knew camping clothes? We're all waiting on you two, you know?"
"Mom, we'll just change when we get there." Clara says.
"Yeah, and we're just putting on our shoes. We're ready to go now." Celia adds brightly.
Ana starts to insist they change clothes now, but she knows when to pick her battles. They really need to be leaving, so there isn't really time for them to change.
Osmond is waiting in the living room. "Are they ready yet?" He says with a noticeable trace of irritation.
"Yes, they're right behind me." Ana answers with a smile. Osmond is so rarely ill-tempered that she can't help but be a little amused when he is.
"Yes, they're right behind me." Ana answers with a smile. Osmond is so rarely ill-tempered that she can't help but be a little amused when he is.
Without further incident they all load up in the rental and start their long drive.
After several hours in the car it was a relief to get out and stretch their legs during the walk to the campsite. But after about 30 minutes of walking after they left their vehicle everyone was getting a bit tired of carrying all their bags of supplies.
"Do you think we're nearly there, honey?!" Ana calls from the back of their little group.
"Do you think we're nearly there, honey?!" Ana calls from the back of their little group.
"Yeah I think this is it." Osmond says finally coming to a stop. They all put down their bags and take a look around.
"What you guys think?" Ana asks her kids.
Clara is the first to answer. "It's pretty, I guess. But, ick, I think I just saw a bug.
Clara is the first to answer. "It's pretty, I guess. But, ick, I think I just saw a bug.
Everyone laughs, but no one as much as little Emma. "This is going to be so much fun."