Operation: Rescue the Rescuer

Tonight at the track, what should have been 30 minutes of exercise turned into a 45 minute comedy of errors.

To preface: 

We've been trying to exercise at least three times a week as a family. Typically, this means going to the little school in our neighborhood and walking at the track there - and sometimes it means going on explorations through our neighborhood (like the time I thought there was a dead body in the canal because I'd been watching too much Longmire). 

Tonight was no different, though before we left the house, Jaxon asked if he could take Jade's soccer ball so that they could kick it around while Shelly and I walked. 

Everything was going according to plan until we got there.

At the track, you have to park a good way from the track. Walking from the car, Jaxon handed me the soccer ball and said "Punt it!" 

So I did. 

Right into a tree. 

No big deal though, right? I've gotten things stuck in trees before. You just find something to throw at it until you dislodge it. 

Only, I've never gotten things stuck in a tree with the kids before. 

What followed was ten minutes of Jaxon, Jade, Shelly, and myself taking turns throwing golf ball sized rocks at the tree, often missing and yelling "LOOK OUT!" at whoever was in the path of danger.

At one point, Jade brought in a half-full water bottle she found on the playground for assistance.

Eventually, Shelly asks "Is there anything in the car that we could throw instead of these rocks?" 

I told her "I'm sure there is." and off she went to the car to find a tool. 

She returned with my ice scraper/windshield brush - threw it at the tree - where it, too, became stuck. 

Cue Operation: Rescue the Rescuer. 

We now have two things stuck in the tree and are no closer to getting the initial soccer ball. 

More rocks thrown, more warnings shouted. 

Somewhere in the background, children filed from the parking lot into the gym for what looked like basketball practice. I could only imagine what our family must have looked like, chucking things at a tree where a soccer ball and ice scraper dangled precariously. 

I swear I could almost hear their thoughts: 

"Do they do that for fun?" "Mama, what's wrong with those people?" "Is that what drugs makes you do?" 

After a few more rock throws, I finally got the soccer ball down, but the ice scraper just didn't want to budge. 

Eventually, Shelly and I gave up and went on to the track, challenging the kids to continue working on the ice scraper. 

By the end of the night, after both Jaxon and Jade had been up in the tree, trying to shake the offending limb (which was pretty hilarious when Jade - pushing with all of her body weight - couldn't shake the branch at all) - we finally gave up and went home. 

I'd like to think tomorrow the kids playing on the playground will come up with interesting stories for the mystery of the random ice scraper hanging in their playground tree. 

Our family might not have gotten the exercise we planned on tonight - but we laughed, played, and the kids got along as we worked as a family towards a common goal. 

A silly looking goal, I'll admit - but a goal all the same.