09/24/2010

Lorraine, our host for today, smiles as she chats with me on the dock at her pond.

Lorraine and her husband own quite a bit of land just outside of Bandera. She invited us to bring the kids down for some simple summer fun. Today we took her up on her offer. My friend Judy and I took our (combined) six kids and hit the dock! Here we are...all of us! (Judy is laying on the bottom right, Hannah is bending over behind the car seat, I'm stuck behind my girls, and Liam is in the car seat!)
These pictures were actually taken at the very end of our time. It's always the moms that get exhausted! Judy sprawled out on the dock.
The boys did a little fishing with the net. The only thing we brought in all day was a minnow. I think it was Joel's catch. But, anyway, the kids had a great time trying!
My girls and me.
Judy lifting Nathan from the dock to the shore.
Keeping an eye out for fish.
This is Hannah. Nathan proposed to her the other day, but she turned him down. He took it well.
Nia's braids.
Joel just looks so serious! He actually had a blast!
We rode on the paddle boat. Lorraine watched Liam on shore, but the rest of us ventured out together.
I just love the look on Joel's face. It seems he might like to lap up a bit of the lake for some mid-ride refreshment!
Doesn't it look like things are completely out of control on the boat? Between Hannah's expression and Lottie's position, it appears we are about to capsize. But we didn't!
Joel preparing for some fishing.

Judy helped us out of all our tangles and other fishing woes.
(sing) "Sittin' on the dock of the bay---ay..."

Feeding the fish.
So excited to be here!
Anyway, we had a wonderful few hours at the lake. The kids have exhausted themselves AND their mothers, but it is a happy exhaustion. Now we are back home and I'm preparing to tackle the more mundane tasks of laundry and dishes.