I Once Caught a Fish This Big

Sunday was our annual fishing/birthday party for the four family members with May birthdays. That includes Jack, Luke, and two of their Jefferson City cousins, Nolan (16, yeah!) and Morgan. So, on Saturday after ball games and team pictures, we loaded in the car and headed for Jefferson City. We hit the road at about 3:30 pm. At about 3:41, the “How long ‘til we get there?” questions started. We forbid them from asking that again until the movie they were watching ended, as the drive is at least 2 hours long. They didn’t ask again until 3:55.

On Sunday morning, Jack woke up at a reasonable 5:45 am and asked when the party started. The party was scheduled to start at 4:00 pm. For a boy anticipating presents, my answer of 10 hours might as well have been 10,000 years. Thus began my day of keeping the boys entertained long enough to make them forget to ask when the party was starting, but not so much so that they were exhausted by the time the party started. We played in the sand box, John’s dad Frank took them for rides in the tractor, we explored the yard, we played inside, we watched TV, and we played baseball. When the neighbor's dog stole the ball one too many times, and I got tired of pitching the two-fingered slobber ball once the boys were able to recover the ball from the drooling dog’s mouth, I loaded the boys in the car to head to a playground. But, that adventure was cut short by Luke's call of nature and no private trees to do what a bear does.

Luckily by then, it was time for the fishing party. When we got to the lake, the boys waited very impatiently while their grandpa got their poles ready and baited their hooks. Luke caught a fish right away, but Jack had less luck, meaning he didn't catch a fish in the first three minutes of trying. So, what do boys do that have been waiting all day for a fishing party and finally arrive at said party?

They play in a big pile of sand!



But don’t worry, serious fishermen. We did catch (and release) this 5 pound monster later.



Frank hooked it and Jack reeled it in. I think he drilled himself a second belly button with the end of his pole.

We closed the day by eating a great picnic of fried chicken, Asian coleslaw, Aunt Julie noodles, baked beans, crickets and earth worms. And when my husband tries to say that he is not the instigator of most of the boy adventures in my house, or can't count as the third boy in my house of three, I can just remind of him of this:




He's the only one that did this little trick that was old enough to wash it down with beer.

Nolan one-upped him by eating a live worm. Boys. Ever the competitors.



But, that’s not to say girls can’t represent in the “That’s Disgusting” department. Here’s our niece Taylor giving John a run for his money and winning $10 in the process.



Was the crunch I heard the cricket, or someone eating a potato chip?