There is a new development going in next to our subdivision. There are now about 4 houses built on the new street, but since the kids were little and talking there has been dirt over there. At first there was a new "pond" behind our house (really a ditch) which a couple of ducks and a boat-load of frogs inhabit. They like to run back to the "pond". But there was always piles of dirt, so the place came to be known as "the dirt." When Aron was first talking he would say, "See! Big DIRT!"
Anyway, we walk over there sometimes, so we've watched the whole development go from all dirt to paved road to model home to construction site to new home to construction site to new home... etc.
Last night Aron asked if we could go for a walk after dinner. And then he asked if we could take the dogs (he likes to walk the dogs). And Jordan asked if she could ride her bike and then Aron asked if we could go to "the Dirt". And if KC could run through the pond (one of KC's favorite activities.)
It rained on and off all day yesterday. It was even kind of spitting as we set out on our walk. It's safe to say the dirt that exists there was pretty much mud. They've also started a new house, so there's lots of mounds of mud, and tracked mud on the street.
So we were walking along, walked to the pond area for KC to romp in the water... cleaned up a dog mess... handled a few tearful crisis involving little ones and sticker bushes...
There is one part of the road that was poorly planned for drainage and ends up with a very large puddle anytime there is any percipitaiton. Aron loves to run through this. It's probably 30 feet long and up to a couple inches deep, he just runs through it and kicks up as much splashing water as he can. Jordan follows through with her bike. They laugh. It's a grand time.
My brother Jeff is in town and he accompanied us on this walk and was a little taken aback, I think, that I allowed this free-for-all water play.
So after we coerced the children that the spitting was turning into actual rain and it was time to get on home and therefore time to stop running through the big puddle, Aron walks along the side of the street where there are just mounds of mud. The kind when you step on them, you squish down and lose your foot. He was wearing his sandles.
At one point I'm up wtih Jordan who has ridden on ahead and I hear yelling from behind me "I"M STUCK!!!" Aron has sunk so far in the mud he couldn't pull his foot out... until he did and then only his foot came out... his sandal stayed well stuck.
He and Uncle Jeff were able to pull the sandal free. Aron was covered in mud. I took the reigns of both dogs and kept going.
Then I hear crying ahead. Jordan is lying on the side of the street, her bike tipped over.
I go over to help her up and what she is most upset about, because she doesn't seem in the least bit hurt, is that she is now "all dirty" and she needed to wash her hands.
We told her she could wipe her hands on Bubba's shirt as he was already covered in mud as it was.
When we got home I made Aron stay on the porch so I could take some pictures (and then so he could take off all his muddy clothes prior to entering the house.)
Here is the album of those pictures.
Love,
The Stewarts
