Here Fishy Fish!

Jayce caught his first fish...a trout! He had the choice of either throwing it back in, or taking it home. Since he wanted to take it home, it was put in a freezer until we were ready to head home. I was a little worried Jayce would see the fish as his friend, and be a little shocked when he realized his friend had been frozen. Jayce was ok carrying his frozen friend to the car in a plastic shopping bag. Jayce made it clear to us he planned to take it home, skin it, and eat it. I was thinking, "How barbaric for a 5 year old!" I like to eat fish, but I really don't want to look into the eyes of any animal before I eat it. I've decided I will continue to be a "gatherer" and leave the hunting up to someone else who can handle it....like Jayce. I think fishing is just in his blood.

Pretty in Pink

I didn't even like the color pink when I was growing up. Actually, I didn't care for any of that girly stuff like baby dolls, Barbies, dresses or bows. I just wasn't a girly, girl. I would rather jump in mud holes in my cut offs and Charlie's Angels tshirt. There was no mud hole too large or too small. My sisters will recall swimming in a mud hole located at the Boat Landing on the Little Missouri River, the same river where I learned to swim. We all got spankings for that one. It didn't help that it was early spring, and I had the chicken pox. The next favorite mud hole was located at another location on the river known as the Ford. It was that gushy, white mud. Oh, it was a blast getting covered from head to toe. Times have changed. The older I get, the more girly I get.

I Love Pink! It is so fun having a daughter to dress in pink. I really didn't think I would buy her all pink, but I just about do. Now, I love all the girly, girl things. I think Lakyn's dolls are so sweet. I love to sit on the floor with her and play babies. We give the babies kisses and sing to them. I don't know if Lakyn will be a girly, girl, but I'm sure having fun playing girly, girl while I can! Thanks, Lakyn! Baby, you are so pretty in pink!!!!!!!!

Snow....Again!

We received a couple of more inches of snow yesterday. Oh, it was so pretty as it was falling to the ground. The kids and I just sat indoors and watched through our large picture window. We were all cozy inside our house as our town received a thick, white blanket for the winter (another one). It was all a different story just a few hours before.

After dropping Jayce off for school, Lakyn and I ran some errands. The cold cut through us like a thousand icicles which was just brutal. On our way to get Jayce from school, the snow started to fall. I knew we would be indoors for a few days, so we enjoyed the short drive from school to home. Our neighbors carry on about their business as does the rest of the folks. However, my southern body just can't take the cold. So, I may as well be in Arkansas where everyone closes down shop when snow comes to town once a year. Yes, the snow plows came sometime during the night to clear the roads, so the neighborhood kids hurried on to school as usual this morning. What, no snow day?

I remember the snow days when I was a kid. We bundled up the best we could in our light coats, socks for gloves, and our river shoes (the old shoes we kept under the sink by the back door for playing in the river or just out in the yard). Were we prepared, and did we keep warm? Well, NO, but it didn't stop us from playing in the snow for hours building a snowman and having snowball fights. When I look around here at the yards, most of the snow is untouched. I figure it is because the snow isn't new or exciting to most of the kids who live here. Jayce went out this morning and only lasted about 5 minutes even though he was prepared in his snowsuit, boots, hat, and mittens. I do see kids out sledding in the parks from time to time, but there just doesn't seem to be that excitement that I once knew as a kid when the snow blew in. I figure the single digits put a real damper on any excitement. Plus, I figure the kids here get excited about other things that us Southern kids took for granted like being able to swim in May which I doubt has ever happened here. I figure they get excited about being able to ride bikes without a frozen nose. I figure they get excited over many things that Southern kids don't really think about, and I figure Southern kids get excited about things that Midwestern kids don't really think about, too.

I think about my kids and what they will remember about the snow. No, it won't be the same experience I had growing up, but it will be their experience. Will Jayce remember catching snowflakes on his tongue as he ran out of the school building full of excitement over the new falling snow? Will Lakyn remember holding her little chubby starfish hand out to catch the flakes and looking up at me with wonder? I think most of us can agree that snow is a beautiful site to see. Just like every snowflake is unique, everyone's experiences are unique.

We will be moving to Del Rio, TX this summer. I'm sure the kids will gain many experiences there that the Del Rio kids are all too familiar with. I guess this is the good part about moving....new experiences and new perspectives.