Sunday Outing

Well, let's face it...every Outing Can't be a Mary Poppins with the Banks Children in the Park Magical Experience.

Today's family outing seemed like a good idea in the morning.....before we actually went. It was a beautiful sun shiney day and we decided hey, let's go to the lake.

So, Packing for any trip no matter how minor can take a lot of prep, ya never know what you might need. I seriously, don't want to be the mom who doesn't have a bandaid on her when needed (I've been that mom plenty of times...no fun...working on improving). So, I packed us up for a day trip (when all actuality, it wound up being less then 4 hours all together I think). Later, I realized as I lugged all our supplies up and down a big huge hill to get to and from the camp site, that...yeah maybe I packed too much...and if I really calculated...maybe I wound up NOT using about 88% of the stuff that I couldn't do with out. What the heck was I thinking? Yeah right, besides the kids stuff (stroller, toys, diapers, sunscreen, bottles, etc), grilling supplies, fishing supplies...I brought a book for me to read, cuz I would so get a chance to do that! Oh and a notebook to do some writing in a peaceful enviornment...um NO. A Radio...o.k., forgot I even had it since it was buried under the "other" stuff. There was so much stuff in the car there was no room in there for the dog so he had to stay home.

First stop was the grocery store (that has little kid carts). Isabelle accidently rammed her little cart into my foot. I calmly (while clenching my teeth so I wouldnt scream from pain) suggested that she be more careful because she hurt mommy. We got: hamburger supplies, sun chips, cottage cheese and iced tea. This task, complete. Oh and as we were departing the cashier said, "please take a free pack of hamburger buns on your way out as part of our grand opening special". Well o.k. lady, super, but maybe you could have told us about this little special BEFORE we bought the buns we just bought!

Next, the bait/license shop. I don't know what happened in there because I opted to stay in the car with Ben while Noah took Isabelle inside. She was asking him questions when they left the car. She was asking him questions when they returned. Here we got: license , bait and Ice. Task done. On our way again...

Arrive at "the spot". Unpacked the car, lugged everything down big steep hill. First - Prepared food and ate lunch (the hamburgers tasted like zoo burgers...they were premade and a little "different"). Next: Isabelle and Noah fished. I kept Ben entertained. The entire time, I had to keep him out of and away from the lake and I tried to keep him from constantly putting the following into his mouth: stones, sand, grass, leaves, sticks, cigarette butts, misc. garbage, etc.

Isabelle was quite excited about the dock. She ran on it, she sat on it, she skipped on it, she layed and rolled on it. Isabelle had about a million things to discuss with Noah. I think if Isabelle could literally talk someones ear off, that noah's ears would be floating in the lake right now. Isabelle wasn't manning her pole so she kept losing worms and needing them replaced. In the end, ONE FISH was caught in all (by noah). After what seemed like a very long afternoon, we (meaning me) packed up all the supplies and cleaned up our mess and we headed home. Isabelle told us that her very favorite part was that she got to pee in the woods. She also told us she doesn't want to eat the leftover worms for dinner because she thinks they would taste YUK. u.m... o.k. kid, it's a deal - no worms.

As we drove away through the winding tree lined roads - sun and sea behind us, Isabelle asked if we could come back next time. Noah said next time he was going to bring beer. I said next time doesn't have to be anytime soon. Don't get me wrong, it was nice quality family time together. It was us, being us. But, sometimes...staying home is nice too.