We’ve all been trying to get in better shape around here so we’ve been working on taking more walks. Patrick goes for a walk every weekday morning before settling down to work. The kids and I aren’t exactly in a routine yet, but we’ve been trying.

The first week we started the kids decided they wanted to take the wagon along. First Brenden pulled it and Emily did’t want to sit because she wanted to pull it. So they switched. Then Brenden was upset that he wasn’t pulling it. Of course neither of them was really strong enough to pull it with the other one inside so I was helping them both. When I could see that who pulled the wagon was quickly becoming a problem, I offered to let them both get in and have a ride while I pulled. And there they stayed happily riding through the long version of the walk until we got to the duck creek. When we got there they both got out and to take a closer look at the ducks.

With no one holding the wagon down, the wind decided to have a little fun with us whisking the wagon off into the duck creek. I’ll take the time to point out a few things. 1) Ducks live in the duck creek. 2) Humans frequent the duck creej. 3) Humans don’t always pick up after themselves. 4) Ducks don’t either. Add these facts up and it makes for some pretty nasty water. And while I grew up swimming in ponds and I’ve seen people in this creek, I have no interest in ever swimming in it. And the last two facts, 5) Brenden always has to bring a toy with him where ever we go, this time, the toy was his beloved WallE toy that can fold up into a little box. 6) WallE was in the wagon.

So to recap: Nasty water. Wagon in the water. WallE in the wagon. Wagon in the middle of the creek. Just sitting there. In the middle. Kids panicking and running right up near the water. I knew I was going to have to go in. As I was working up my courage to wade in, having no idea how deep the water was, I thought maybe I should take a look at it from the other side of the creek. So we all crossed the bridge to have a look. It really didn’t look any better from that side. But suddenly the wind started to blow again. I could see that if I waited, it would blow the wagon right in my direction. And it did. I was saved. I only had to get one foot wet.

I gotta say, if WallE hadn’t been in the wagon, I would have been tempted to just leave it. But it all worked out, and Brenden was excited to come home and tell his daddy the story.

The kids enjoying the ride there:

Wagon overboard:

Walking home with a wet wagon and a wet foot for me: