Canoeing

Gracie has been so excited about this canoe and taking it out, she sat in it all day last Sunday afternoon with Molly reading to her and doing an activity book.  Too funny!

Accessorized and ready to go!

They were both so excited!

Adorable!

Last week, Matt and Lily Grace bought a canoe.  Matt has been wanting one for a while and Lily Grace has taken quite a love to fly- fishing and being out around the water.  
They couldn't wait to get their new canoe on the water and try it out.  
We are very blessed that we live so close to so many great bodies of water.  For our first time out, we went over to one of the state parks on one of the calm lakes.  Good thing the lake was so calm because inside that canoe was a different story. 
I tagged along to try out my new camera lens before we go to MT and well, let's just say the pictures I'm posting don't do justice to the day. 
We managed to make it through the day without tipping over. (notice I said without tipping over, I didn't say without getting wet- note to self: don't sit in the middle) Gracie was determined to paddle right along with Matt and she did so, all while wearing a Vera Bradley purse filled with her necessities like tic-tacs, hand sanitizer, lip balm and her camera.  Have mercy!  We must have been quite the site.  
You see, Matt and I have always declared that it's necessary for us to get one good fit throwin under our belts so that we can move on and have a great day!  We've been like that for 25 years now and we do it with just about anything like an upcoming trip, a big event, a big project- you name it.  It's kind of become a joke between us but a reality too and we've just grown to anticipate and appreciate.  Well, I am happy to report that this trip was no different.  Upon arriving and getting ready to push off, Lily Grace puts in to sit in the front because this is her and her daddy's canoe and she needs to help paddle. Well, I don't want to sit in the middle, so I protest and have me a good ol' tantrum about sitting in the middle which means sitting in the floor.  Now mind you, the middle is where the yolk (long board for carrying) is and we hadn't gotten a seat for it in order to sit atop it.   We did have two preserver cushions which is what they were asking me to sit on in the BOTTOM of the boat.  Matt needed to sit in the back to paddle and guide the boat.  I ended up sending them out on their own to try it out and sat on the shore trying out my camera lens.  After a while I had mellowed out and they came back to pick me up.  Matt offered to take the middle and I sat in the back on the seat and Gracie remained in the front.  Well, once we were out in the middle of the lake that arrangement proved difficult for Matt's knees all while paddling us, so I agreed to go to the middle.  Now out on the lake in a canoe is NOT where you want to start trading seats.  Matt is now starting to get a little ruffled as I stand wabbling and he slides through my legs so that he can go to the back.  Not pretty and not fun!  He finally makes it to the back and  his feathers are ruffled about this whole fit throwing going on between me and Gracie. He's also secretly worried about us turning over with Gracie in the boat.  Remember, this is her first time.  He's trying hard to teach her about canoeing safely.  Well, she now decides to share a bit of attitude and then it happened.....the unthinkable, the thing most parents may want to do at times, but hold it in to maintain that good role model behavior.  Gracie got a little attitude over the whole " I want to paddle and I know how" situation and Matt informed her that if she didn't straighten up he was going to take her up the hill and spank her ***.  People, we have never cursed around LG. It hasn't happened in 9 years and we are very protective of what her little ears hear.  We aren't big cursing people in general, nor do we spank, but Matt had had it between the two of us and his own stressful worry about her falling in.  Well, Grace is sitting there looking stunned and I am gasping and fussing at Matt that he has just done this. Of course I then fly into lesson mode about what daddy has just said and why we don't say it. I'm telling you folks, I just know we all put on a show in that canoe.  The lake was packed by the way with canoers and kayakers.   Well, the fun didn't end there.  When we all declare a truce and apologize to one another for our behavior and get that out of our systems, Matt and I laugh and share with LG our theory on a good rant equals a good day.  We inform her that she is officially initiated and we all enjoy a laugh.  Oh but the fun doesn't end there. Now that we are all playing "nice" we travel down this beautiful tree lined area which spills into another lake.  Only problem at this location is all the vegetation and it smells awful.  So what do you think happens next?  Well, let's not forget that I am sitting in the bottom in the middle of this canoe and while taking pics and looking away, SLAM!  LG has flung a ton of that stinky water all over me.  My left side is soaked.  Matt is trying to hold in laughter and whispering, "accident, accident."  I'm ready to explode but hold it in. A show people, a real show!  We put on a show!  When we do get back to shore, Matt is nice enough to let me know that my whole backside is wet.  Hmmm he says, I wonder why?  Well, could be that each time you changed sides with the paddle, my back got soaked and my behind soaked up all the water that Gracie filled the canoe with earlier when she gave me a bath.  Memorable I'm telling you!!!
Nonetheless, we had a memorable time regardless of how some of the day went. I know it won't always be peaches and cream and even in those not so wonderful moments, the time together as a family was and will always be a blessing.  Actually, as I sit here typing this, I am laughing so hard. We have all gotten a good laugh from that day.  
Once back to shore Lily Grace and Matt were all smiles over their new ride and both are ready to head back out.  Me- well, I'm on the fence about that one. However, we did see lots of people bring their dogs so I'm thinking if we throw Molly into that canoe with us on the next trip, it should make for a really good blog post. HA! HA!
Thank you God for the blessing of family, for memories made, lessons learned and the love that we all share, no matter what!