The Long Post

Our hero. This fish waited for at least 30 minutes for Dad to finish getting the boat back on the trailer and return to our dock. We took turns holding the pole with the fish on it until Dad could take it off the hook. I feel certain that Erika will be able to take it off the hook now that she has been instructed. If I had had my fish glove and the tackle box I would have taken it off. Hubby did not leave us the tackle box or any supplies because...well we usually don't catch anything.

Don't I look fetching? My big catch of the day. It was a "bait fish". Not good for eating or impressing anyone. Erik said it was very slimy. It was a fun catch though-very spunky.
Erika's big black crappie. These are wonderful fish to eat-if you catch more than one. Our total catch was a very small bass, my nasty fish and this large crappie. We gave it away to some other fishers who also caught one large crappie. Hopefully they were able to make them for dinner-there were only two of them, so they each had a fish.
If you come across the most pitiful looking dog in the middle of a deserted country road...keep driving. Certainly do not stop your van, allow your three squealing girls to call said dog up into the van. You will spend the entire car ride home assuring them they cannot keep the dog. They will spend the entire car ride home deciding on the perfect name-Daisy(?). We are trying to find the dog a home. In the meantime though, three little girls spend all of their free time making sure she feels very loved. Her feet are bigger than mine. So is her appetite.

In other news:

• Mother's Day was great. We celebrated for two days. Erik took the girls Saturday afternoon to buy me some candles I've been needing for the living room. I needed 3- just the right number. They tied little branches and embellishments on them which is perfect as these are for decoration only. Erik will hopefully sprng for curtains in the living room as my "real" present later. I spent Saturday delivering corsages and flowers to mother's and grandma. Saturday night we had Erik's parents over for supper and had a wonderful visit. Sunday, Erika made Erik and I breakfast in bed-a tradition for Mother's day. It was delicious. She made egg puffs-essentially scrambled eggs baked in muffin tins. She added asparagus, green peppers and cheese. We have endured many years of extemely soggy cereal before we worked up to this-actual yummy breakfast. YES, we did eat the soggy cereal. You can't crush the service of a child no matter how gross the cereal. Then at church I watched my oldest child do puppets for the littlest kids. She does a great job. I'm sure the sermon was great-but I was glad I decided to catch the puppet show for preschool instead. After church we took lunch to Erik's grandma and visited there with his parents again and also his Uncle Jerry, Aunt Judy and cousin, David. Then we went to my Mom's so I could change her dressing and plant the flowers and bushes she had gotten for Mother's Day. Then all the kids piled in the play room watching cartoons while the grown-ups watched and heckled "Castaway". The hardest movies in the world to watch. Although heckling it was quite fun. We came home to a house still clean from Saturday and vegged. It was a great day.
• Friday we had our last keepers meeting and to quote my children, "It was the best meeting ever." The mom that hosted has a beautiful 73 acre spread including a lake, a disc swing that swung over that lake, Llamas and chickens, and a playhouse. We missed Mia and her family very much-but it was still wonderful fun and no one wanted to leave when the meeting as over. It is too bad this club didn't have the right chemistry. As a whole, we had an awesome year of really great meetings.
• Last Wednesday we went to our local newspaper for a tour of their facility. It was neat to see the place but our tour guide did not seem to enjoy children or giving tours. There was nothing hands-on and we heard very little of what she said because she talked so quiet and we were such a large group. My kids were not engaged and I was annoyed by that. I was also annoyed that everything I learned in high school and college about newspaper is obsolete. Apparently no one uses a light table for lay-out anymore. I was THE border person in high school so it pains me a little. D**n computers. Hee hee. Oh the times, they are a changin'.
• Today our homeschool support group has a day meeting at the park. If my kids can behave themselves-we will be going. Now that they are each in their rooms, there is a chance we may attend. I hope everyone comes-it will be a great day weatherwise!!
• I have now lost 15 lbs. This is not a diet, it is forever. One week of that I not only did not lose-but I gained a pound. Overall though-it is working and it is very easy because I don't crave sweets and carbs all the time. There are times though, when the habit of eating is so strong I struggle. Like while watching a movie. Or hanging out with people after a big meal when everbody is still munching. Not having the cravings makes it possible to rationalize not eating when everyone else is. Oh and the fact that I truly am not hungry. I was always hungry before-my brain was stuck on "I'm hungry" 24-7. The book is The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet by Dr. Rachel Heller and Dr. Richard Heller. I have seen them at yard sales and thrift stores for almost nothing. I believe it was an Oprah book. The amazon link shows them for as cheap as a penny.
• Pay-per-post rejected my post. I fixed their link which did not link. This made it a reject. Of course their provided link does not work on my blog-so they are dead to me. I don't have the time or knowledge to make it work. It took me about three hours to do all I was supposed to do and then the post was rejected. Some of you might have an easier time doing it but I decided it just wasn't worth it. The emotional satisfaction of blogging will just have to be enough. If you have found a good way to earn revenue on your blog-share with me please!!