Rowing back to our van that was DOWN BY THE RIVER!

I just love that SNL skit. :)

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So BASIL had the idea to go canoeing (every time I spell that I have to double check. You know, the whole "I before E except after C thing)....anyway, he wanted to canoe down Village Creek. "Three miles" he said, "it won't be bad!" Okiedokie. I've never been in a canoe before but it seemed like just the thing that Jacob and Jonah would love. Emmy didn't want to go, she cried but I made her. I very lovingly said "you're starting school Monday and I want to spend time with you! You're going canoeing! Get your shoes on and get in the flipping car!" So we dropped Caleb off at Mom's and off we went. We get there, get into a truck with a complete stranger who drives us to our starting point and he says "it's about 6 miles, it takes 3.5 to 4 hours depending on how fast you go." Great. I honestly thought I would die after about the first 30 minutes. It was SO hot. I didn't complain though (not then anyway) so as not to influence the kids to start. They lasted about another 30 minutes and then they started. "It's hot! I'm sweaty! This is too long! When are we going to be done?! I want to fish! I thought this would be different, like the rapids or something! How much longer?!" You get it. So I'm hot, we keep getting stuck on the stupid bottom or running into fallen trees, and I'm trapped in a freaking canoe with two pissy kids. The third was enjoying herself. Emmy didn't hardly complain at all and said that she had a good time. I can't figure them out sometimes.

We saw a whole lot of this. The boys kept saying "we've gone past this tree 6 times! We're going in circles!"

We stopped a few times to let them get out and explore and to take a dip in the water to cool off.

This was the best thing that I saw all day, the sight of our car waiting for us after 3 + hours!

Poor Basil. I have to say that I love him for planning a family outing for all of us (minus one) and it would have been really nice had it just been a shorter distance. And not as hot. And not as long. Did I already mention that it was too long? It was actually pretty and when the kids weren't flapping their gums it was nice and quiet. I like that sort of thing but in smaller doses apparently. Despite the fact that I Tweeted throughout the trip, I did help him row some until his oar broke in half and he needed mine. Maybe in a different season, when the kids are a little older and on a shorter trail we'd like it better.

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A much shorter trail.