The Duck Party

Today was our favorite annual event in Charlotte: a rubber duck race that benefits KinderMourn. We first went when Josh was 3 and couldn't talk well, so we explained it that year as the "duck party," and the name has stuck.

This year, organizers released 15,000 rubber ducks on the manmade river at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. The sponsor of the first duck to cross the finish line won a Smart Car. Josh was convinced that we were going to win a TV, but he seemed satisfied with a t-shirt and his own "racing duck."

A crane dumps the ducks into the river--you can see
the bottom of the crate of ducks just under the bridge.

The first wave of ducks comes under the bridge. A lot of the ducks floated to the sides of the river, and whitewater center employees had to get in the water and
throw them back into the current.

For once, Molly didn't cry during a picture with a life-size mascot. She even yelled out,
"Later, Duck!" as we walked away.

Some of you know about both kids' aversion to dancing, so you can imagine how shocked we were today when both of them danced along to the 80s music playing at the event. Here's Molly doing her best white girl dance to "Thriller."

A very understanding volunteer helped me avert World War III when both kids decided they wanted ducks with blue bills (Molly originally chose one with an orange beak). They were packing up the merchandise, but this volunteer dug out a blue billed duck and traded me. All ended well.