Cleanin Up

So on Thursday we are heading to school and Thing 1 sees the prisoners on the side of the road picking up trash and says "when can we pick up trash?" " I mean not on the road but somewhere more safe." I am thinking of saying 'you will pick up a lot of trash in an orange jumpsuit if you dont stay in school and say yes ma'am and no ma'am' but I refrain from that little jab and say we will do it soon. And low and behold today after dropping them off on the radio was a guy talking about the annual Keep Austin Beautiful lake clean-up. PERFECT! So I get home and send an email out to the whole school to see who wants to chip in for their earthly duties. Very good response......at first. Then came the rain. Since most human flesh melts in the rain or at least stings a lot we had some fall out. But not the troopers! Whealtons and PatieKate were all over it! Besides, what is all of this cute rain gear for anyhow if not to be out in the rain?

So we suit up and head out. (I make this sound like a quick grab your purse and get in the car when it was about a 30 minute gathering of duds) I am equipped with 1.5 pairs of kids cotton gloves, 1 pair of kids mittens (not matching) 4 kids rain coats, 1 kids umbrellas, 2 regular size umbrellas, 2 large golf umbrellas, 2 adult 'rain' coats, hiking boots for me, rubber boots for #1 & #2 and cowboy boots for #3. Yes, we have the melting stinging skin as well.

Step 1 - get out of car and get gear on - this was about 15 minutes - and it wasnt even raining anymore!

Step 2 - Pictures to have proof of goodwill AND to get Ellen into the volunteer party at Carlos and Charlies tomorrow

Step 3 - Slosh our way through park towards shoreline picking up trash.

At first we were a little disappointed in the lack of trash in the park - maybe the team has already been here? THEN the motherlode #1 - fireworks...which if you havent tried cleaning up the tiny shreds of paper left over from fireworks when dry you should for sure try doing it when they are wet! Onward down the slope toward the marshland once called Lake Travis. This was tantrum #4 already for tike #3 -She wanted MY hand to hold while walking down the rocks. (The first 3 fits were somewhere along the way and behind me but I did hear the squeals and shrills. )

Now the marshland was pretty interesting - aside from the odor, there was some cool plant life - some nice ground cover that I would love to have in my yard and thought about taking some home but as the smart teacher Pattie pointed out.....since it was underwater it probably needs lots of water. Way to burst my bubble!!! Also the ground had gotten so dry it cracked into these segments with deep crevices in between each one like tiny islands. Cracks big enough for tiny feet to fit in which made for a fun trek across the cracks to the next island where the mother lode of trash awaited. There were about a bazillion spiders in the crevices. Every time I picked something up, something under or next to it would move.......eeeeeeck. I am pleasantly surprised the prissy #1 didn't notice that and stop picking up.....but HEY - this was HER idea!!!

So many treasures below the sea! I had a rope that I was pulling up b/c I am sure at the end of it was tied a trunk full of treasure, but after 1200 yards or so I could pull no more and,,,,it led into the muck where I would surely be sucked in - leaving my poor children to fend for themselves. Which apparently they aren't too good at from the whines and cries during up and down the slope and slipping in the mud, etc. Where is the adventure people?

I am sorry I missed this one but it was a highlight - Gracie's boot got sucked into the swamp. So she just kept walking in the mud in her socks leaving them behind! Now this is taking advantage of the one time they have full permission to get as muddy as possible (which SOMEONE made into a competition) But we shortly proved that in reality #1 and #3 really cant stand to be dirty at ALL. So once the gloves had soiled, it was all over. And actually I think once she realized her hair wasn't perfect anymore and there was dirt on her face it was time to cry.

I am relieved we didn't run into any inappropriate non-child friendly items! Or at least if we did we didn't know it b/c of the wet and mud. I hear they found a body or 2 last year!

So when we are leaving and I am praising the girls for doing a good thing #1 says "Are Jesus and Santa watching and happy with us too?" The other commentary was "It is nice to pick up trash but next time I don't want to do it if it is wet and dirty" I will be sure to look for some clean and dry trash to pick up!

Phew, that is a long one, I need to work on the brevity - something I am not good at unless texting!