Weekend at the lake...

So we took the 2 younger boys and Tater to the local state park over the weekend for some fishing and salamander hunting.

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before that our property actually borders the state park so we sort of feel like its "our" park. We spend as much time there as possible and really its my very favorite place to be.

Something about being outside in the fresh air and sunshine just does us all so much good. My kids are like everybody else's... they fight and bicker and drive me nuts some days but I always look forward to a great day if I know we'll be out and about especially at the lake. They have plenty of space and plenty of time to work off some energy.

The same kids that tattle on each other and argue over who gets the last cupcake are suddenly a little team... totally focused on whatever is happening at the moment.

These 2 boys are especially fun to watch when they are together. They are both very science-minded and detail driven and though they tend to get annoyed with Tater and her girly-whining they are also more than happy to share something they like with her. I hope when Tater is older she realizes just how good she has it with these older brothers watching out for her.

We had a great time catching salamanders and listening to the park naturalist tell us all about them. Turns out that of the 23 species of salamander in Pennsylvania 10 of them live here in the park. We caught samples of 7 of those.

Did you even notice that no matter where you go there's always one kid you just want to push in the lake can't stand? That one kid who seems to be there with no adult supervision. That one kid that shoves in line or pushes past your kid and spills their drink and just keeps going. Well, that kid was there and thought he had a great idea when he handed Mac Daddy one of those little plastic view-a-critter containers that had a little baby toad it. He passes the plastic viewer to Mac Daddy and says "Hey! When you shake him up he looks like he's in an earthquake!". Ugh.

Speaking of these boys... they grow up so fast. They both had birthdays in July. The older, who is technically my step-son turned 12. The younger just turned 10 on Sunday.

And if you think I'm kidding about how much I love this park and this lake think on this...

I was on this very lake in a flat-bottom fishing boat when my water broke with that 10 year old. He wasn't due for 3 more weeks but apparently the fishing was too good to wait on.

Ya know, Mac Daddy and I have done a great job with this little mixed up family of ours and I'm happy to be where I am. Moving back here has been a blessing, though painful at times when I remember being here with J. The memory of him paddling that damn boat back to the dock with both of us convinced that I was about to give birth on the lake... you just can't make this stuff up. And though I've come to terms with J not being here anymore, the days that are the hardest are his son's birthdays.

I guess I always figured we'd go back to the lake together and tell our boy about that day and how funny it was but instead its bitter-sweet for me to remember and its Mac Daddy that listens to me tell the story again... him listening to me tell about the father of the boy he's raising as his own.

And wouldn't you know that this year, on that day, our son caught his first Large Mouth bass. Life is weird.

Comments

[lourditax]

salamander hunting? it sounds great!!!

[BobPixel]

I live in a nice little cohousing community full of shared parenting. I'd have had no qualms about giving earthquake boy a big dose of fathering.

Not that I'm a good example or anything! Just have had plenty of role-meddling lately.

[Debbie]

What a wonderful day you had. I can tell from your writing, that you're much more relaxed. The outdoors will do that for you. Your post is poignant. Thanks for sharing a personal moment.

[bezzie]

And the shark t-shirt is too fitting!