A Night of Van Hauling

You know you’re in for a good time when you get to work and a reminder pops up saying…

“ADVENTURE WEEKEND”

See a month or more ago I realized this was my only weekend I didn’t have something already planed before the baby was coming. I contacted Jon with the prospect of an adventure. 2 years ago we went backpacking in Utah with Tony and last year backpacking in Arkansas and this year needed to be a little closer to home. We came up with a handful of potential ideas and eventually settled on canoeing the Kaw river from Lawrence to KC. We left it at that and didn’t plan much else until this week.

2 nights ago I piled up anything I could think of in the garage and last night added a bit more. This morning I went through my pile.

I organized it into a backpack and put each item of clothing in it’s own sealed zip lock bag. I added some more things and got rid of some things I didn’t need. I’m pretty close to being ready.

After work last night I quickly came home grabbed a few things, tossed them in the van and headed to my moms. I talked with my sister a while about her search for a new house and waited for Heath, Peanut, Mom and Mike to all show up. We unloaded my mom’s china cabinet and moved it out of the dining room. Then we loaded up a Ford Ranger, a Chevy S10, a Saturn Vue and “The Beast” a Ford Econoline Conversion Van.

We drove over to Mike’s Storage shed and discovered a little treasure of furniture and things he was getting rid of. First we moved out 2 big towers and a small desk thing that went between them that all fit together to form a large china dishes storage unit. 1 tower went in the van and 1 in the S10. We put the desk part in the van too and added a mattress and 2 book shelves
and a palm tree before the van was fairly full. We stuck a different desk in the Ranger and a couple of chairs and an end table. We stuck a big leather rocker in the vue and the little ottoman that went with it. 

We had everything we needed to get out of the storage shed and headed back to my moms house. Everything you see pictured above stayed in the van and vue to come live at our house. Everything else was carefully unloaded and carried into my moms house.

We were starving and it was getting late so as soon as we were unloaded we rushed over to Winsteads. We got burgers and sandwiches and fries and rings and cherry lime aids. Once we were fairly full the waitress brought out the desert.

We all split a strawberry soda skyscraper. Heath, Peanut and Mike had never seen or eaten one of these beasts before but with a little teamwork we were able to work together to take it all down.

With happy tummys everyone headed home. I headed to Kevin’s parents house to pick up a kayak.

First we tried to fit it inside the van but it was a little too small and had to ride on top. Just as we were getting it all tied down Kevin’s dad showed up and we talked to him for a while about our upcoming adventure and a similar one he just had going to St. Louis on the Missouri river.

Then I headed home and stashed the canoe in the garage and took a shower so I could read and get some sleep. Heath was already in bed and said Peanut had gone to sleep right when they got home she also showed me her ancle.

Heath and I have heard all the stories and complaints about pregnant woman swelling and we have been relieved that her hands feet and ancles had not really changed. Either the baby or the skyscraper started changing that last night and Heath’s ancle nearly disapeared. 30ish days to go though so I don’t think it will be too bad.