The Struggle Of Our Lives

Chapter 9: Mud

"When you guys are ready, who want's to help me make mud?"

Their eyes seemed to light up and they stopped eating.

"I said when you guys are ready! Meaning when you're done eating." I said.

The two quickly slurped up their ramen and looked at me again with cheeks stuffed with noodles. I laughed and they swallowed to laugh too.

The bucket had no more soup left so I figured we'd start while I was finishing my bowl.

"Can you take the bucket down to the river to wash it out and fill it about halfway with water?" I requested. The two nodded eagerly and ran off behind me with the bucket in their hands.

God, they're so cute.

I finished my "bowl" and grabbed the twins' and followed them down to the river.

I washed out the cans and turned to them struggling to carry the bucket. I laughed and asked them if they wanted to set it down, which they did.

"Now the fun part, we need dirt." I said. Before I could say anything else, they ran around cupping dirt into their hands and dumping it into the bucket.

Maybe it's not just their minds they can read.

After they filled the other half of the bucket with dirt, they looked up at me again, awaiting instructions.

I laughed at them again, and said, "Last step, we have to mix it. But wait for a second."

They looked at the bucket fast and turned back to me, confused.

"It'd be easier if we used your whole body weight. Here Teddy, lift up your arms." I requested, and he did as asked. I picked him up buy the armpits and dropped his feet into the dirt.

"Now walk!" I encouraged.

He began stepping around the bucket with his tiny feet, mixing the dirt with the water.

"My turn, my turn!" Lotte demanded. We laughed and helped Tedd out of the bucket, instructing him to wash his feet in the river, and helped Char into the bucket.

She giggled and laughed and said it tickled while she and Tedd compared experiences mixing the dirt.

Once it was sufficiently mixed, it kinda looked like poop. I tried to refrain from saying it, but Char beat me to it.

"Hehe, it looks like dookie." she laughed. The three of us busted out laughing. Honestly, between the texture and the bits of grass sticking out of it, It genuinely looked like a pile of mush you'd see on a farm.

I helped her out of the bucket and we cleaned off her small feet. I lifted the bucket, with difficulty, and lugged it back to the house. I thanked the kids for their help, and told them they could go off and explore for a bit.

They nodded and ran faster than I've ever seen kids run before, and they were gone.

I laughed a little again and shoved the mud up onto small cliff. Time to go find moooorreee rocks.