I was in serious need of Christmas Spirit this morning, and was so pleased to open the wonderful e-card from my Secret Sister.
Last night we woke up to some noise on the front lawn at about 4:30 AM… Julia said she heard a man’s voice and some thumping sounds.. Ron looked out the window and didn’t see anything, but he went outside, and discovered our new lawn inflatable (the penguin and polar bear holding the word “JOY between them) was missing..
I couldn’t believe someone would stoop so low as to steal a lawn inflatable. I mean where’s your Christmas spirit, huh?
I was angry and sad personally, because it took me weeks to find that thing on sale, and hours to get in set in the lawn!! It was my favorite Christmas thing, and made the kids so happy and the house look so festive.
Anyway, Ron took a ride in the car, and found it lying on the side of the road around the block. It’s totally torn up from being yanked out of the ground. The plug is rippedout of the socket, and the base is bent. It seems they dragged it with their truck.
Obviously they didn’t want it for their house.. They just didn’t want US to have it for ours.
Just next door, my neighbor has a 12-foot Frosty, and these thieves pulled that down too, but left on their lawn.
I called the police, who took a report. And I figured that was the sorry end of that. But about 15 minutes after the police left, we heard the sound of a car door out front, and I saw a couple of guys on our lawn, one yanking our little white Christmas tree out of the lawn, and another going after our inflatable snowman!! There was a black SUV, parked out front, and that’s all Ron needed to see.
He bolted out of bed, and in his bare feet tore out the front door, and took off after these clowns…
The driver took off, leaving the two vandals to run after the getaway car, and Ron to run after them. A full tilt chase in bare feet won’t cut it, and they (fortunately, for them), escaped.
Ron was sooo angry. But he did manage to get the license plate, so the police were able to find the driver.
Unfortunately, when the police got to the house, the “parent” of these “boys” was being obstructive.. And Ron couldn’t positively identify the driver. The parent said there wasn’t any other people in the house.. Sooo.. We’ll have to just deal with that.
The real damage isn’t that we lost almost all of our lawn décor.. The real damage is that Julia thinks they picked our house because we have a menorah in our window along side our Christmas tree.
But . I just learned that neighbors down the block were vandalized too.. So .. although I'm sorry for them, I'm comforted in knowing that these were not biggoted vandals. To thier credit, they were equal-opportunity thuggs. I suspect that as the day goes on, more people will discover their decorations were trashed too. I only hope they find it important enough to call the police.
We suffered aproximately $115.00 in monitary damages.. and now have only one ornament left on the lawn. But I'm really so angry that someone trespassed on our property, and vandalized our space, right under the very window where our daughter was sleeping.
These "suspects" are men in their 20's.. not boys who have nothing better to do, or a lack of comon sense attributable to growing pains..
Even if no criminal charges will be filed, I think all the neighbors involved will file civil claims against these guys.
At least we're comforted in knowing where THEY live too.. And not surprisingly, they have NO lawn ornaments at their house.
Val I am heartsick for you and your family. What a sad thing and them NOT being young kids makes it worse in my book. So FAR no one has ever bothered anyone of our yards. We don't have anything like that not that we don't want it but simply can not afford it. I get my pleasure from sending out cards to ones far and wide.
I think it is wonderful you celebrate both holidays. I hope Julia is able to sleep and not stay awake listening for voices etc. God bless you all
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Thought for the Day If you didn't start your day with a smile, its not too late to start practicing for tomorrow.~~~God Bless All
Val, I am both heartbroken and angry for you! It is never a good feeling to be victimized for any reason!
I hope you and your family can still feel the joy of Christmas in your hearts knowing that while your enjoyment of the lawn decor was short-lived, the true spirit can still live on. (And, it wouldn't hurt to have these boys face some consequences, too!)
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'cyn'cerely,
If I wait to be happy, I'll wait forever.
If I am happy now, I'll be happy forever!" Sally Hess
Cam1952, hope you recieved my pm about receiving you for a Ss for next month.
Val, sending hugs to you... this is just heartbreaking...I'm so sorry to hear of this crime that happen at your house, yet we all know there are folks ou there that are trying to take away others happiness and joy and to destroy whatever they can just for the fun of it..
In life there is learning and teaching opportunities and this is one of those times. One to learn that Christmas spirit is within her heart, not what is on the lawn. I feel sure you are teaching her this lesson.
May you still be able to find something that you can replace those decorations and have the excitement and be filled with the joy of Christmas in your house.
May Jule overcome this and chalk this up to learning more about Christmas and how it is in your heart
hope those that done wrong will find in thier heart of what they did and good still somehow win out.. May they face thier wrong doings and realize the saddness and damage they done.
you and your dh has to understand you did all you could and helped the police in finding out who did it.
I remember one crime one year where some bullies stole baby Jesus and torn up the manager scene...
We hear of things like this, but then when it hits home it hurts more.
Remembe the time someone broke into our house we were moving into and how they destroy things that had no meaning to no one but for us...
Yet I had to get to that point of forgiving them.. May you all find that in your hearts too.
May Julie and your household have a wonderful, blessed Christmas in spite of these bad boys.
Val, I too am just heartsick and sending hugs to you. They should be prosecuted for this. There are several laws broken here. It is good you know where they live. This is not some juvenile prank. This is an adult crime.
I am so sorry this has to happen to you. I hope Julia is ok today and understands this was not a personal attack on her family.
Hugs, Stormy
Val ,I am soooo very sorry this happened to you.Some people have never learnt respect for other people's belongings. I hope they are caught and prosecuted!
Now, That being said....everything happens for a reason no matter how heart breaking. Ponder this and maybe you will think of a positive from it....if not now maybe some day. Maybe this turned you more toward each other...I don't know but I'm trying to help.... be blessed Val and your family.
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Grandchildren are Gods way of compensating us for growing old.
Val, when I read that I was just speechless. OK maybe not speechless but the "speech" that came to mind is not appropriate for a site called FAMILY Corner.
Let this suffice:
I hope that by now your dd understands that you were not particular targets. And I hope all of you NAIL these creeps!!!!
Such a Christmasy sentiment, that last....and after listening to our pastor talk about forgiveness yesterday too....but as my kids would say, what happened to you is just WRONG.
Bar_Bar...no, I didn't get your pm about receiving me for the ss next month,...is there any way you could re-send it? I hope you can...I was wondering why I hadn't heard anything, or I thought I hadn't, anyway.
Hope all is well with everyone, and here's wishing all a very wonderful Christmas.
Did you go to your pm's to look and when you do go to the beginning to see if it may be there... if not pm me ... it was mostly tellyng you that I did received and you be in next month.... nothing big but to you it was due to you being excited with going to be a SS....
you might still check your emails to see if you have any from anyone else....
so often the pm's boxes gets full and the reason is when you go and check it you may not see any pm, but if you go to the beginning you may... the same holds true for the send folder and the tracking folder.
I do hope by now everyone has heard from your ss, and that you have posted that you have received... those that does not post I'm thinking maybe you have NOT heard....I hope that is not so and you just been to busy....
posting on the thank you threads lets your ss know you received but it also helps us to know you have received....
don't forget you should be having something n the mail soon to your ss. as the date for this is the 15th to hav it postmarked
Happy Birthday to Dyllpickle .. as tomorrow is her birthday .
Val, sending hugs to you... this is just heartbreaking...I'm so sorry to hear of this crime that happen at your house, yet we all know there are folks ou there that are trying to take away others happiness and joy and to destroy whatever they can just for the fun of it.. 
Val ,I am soooo very sorry this happened to you.Some people have never learnt respect for other people's belongings. I hope they are caught and prosecuted! 
Carol Edwards
