Gone Fishin'
May 24, 2010 
Yesterday we took the kids fishing with some friends (Flying Jae's Mom and family) for the day.
(That's right. I did something other than obsess about gardening, bird watching, and weed control. I could hardly believe it myself.)
They were kind enough to take us out on their boat and everything. And can I just tell you? It was a lovely day.
We don't own a boat, and probably never will. We're not really 'lake people'. But some of our family members (and now these friends) are 'lake people', so we've enjoyed brief and glorious moments of lake fun throughout our lives. It's wonderful to be out on the water. We actually met for the first time when we were spending a weekend at the lake with our respective families.
So, to summarize...
We're not really 'lake people'.
But we like to go to the lake every once in awhile with family and friends.
The end.
Except not really. I've got more to say. And I swear I won't deviate anymore from the whole point of this post -- which is to share with you what fun it was to take our kids to the lake -- other than to say this one thing: I never realized, until I moved away from Minnesota, that going to the lake -- to fish, camp, have your own lake home, water ski, etc... -- is not a major hobby for the rest of the world. I mean, people do those things in other places (duh) but not like in Minnesota. It is the land of 10,000 lakes, after all. It's just a part of the culture here.
If you're a 'lake person', that is.
Which we're not.
But sometimes we pretend to be.
Okay, I'll move on...
As anyone who has ever taken their small children 'fishing' can probably attest... Taking your small children 'fishing' really involves several hundred things other than actually fishing. Before you even lay eyes on the water, there's the packing of all the things you think you might need... Sunblock, snacks, drinks, blankets, extra clothes, bug spray, etc...
Once you get there, the actual event is more likely to consist of things like...
...drinking Sprite...
(or 'Twist Up', I guess I should say)
...drinking juice boxes...
...and trying to stop your child from shoving the fishing pole out of the boat.
Don't get me wrong, it's all very entertaining. But it's definitely not really 'fishing', is it?
Since we could only keep them occupied with 'fishing' for so long, we decided to pull ashore and spend a little time on the beach, and very soon we became...
...those people.
Those people who are not 'lake people' and therefore didn't think they needed to pack any swimsuits or trunks for their little children because it wasn't even June yet so the water was too cold anyway and there was no way they would possibly end up playing in it.
Those people who momentarily forgot that children are attracted to water like moths to a flame and will always inevitably end up playing in it if the opportunity arises.
But it's all good! It's so good. It was sun and fun and fresh air and laughter. It was also a few brief instances of children losing their balance and flailing in 18" of water. But mostly it was the fun and laughter part.
Oh, and ice cream!
It's this simple things in life, isn't it? The simple joys...
Reader Comments (6)
Looks like you had a great time even though it is gray and overcast! Brrrrrr.
Love the little piggy tails on Peaches.
Actually, it was almost 90 degrees, so the cloud cover and impromptu water fun helped keep us cool!
Haha, I read your post and thought." Yes, we do like going to the lake. But ever since we've had kids, it's seems like a lot of work to get them out there. And to have fun? That's always up in the air, too." Last few times, I had some help from my dear sisters so it made boating easier.
I'm glad we could go together...it helped to keep the kids moving from one activity to the the next. :)
I relate to the idea that going fishing with kids may not be as simple or easy as it seems especially for the not lake people. ;) I smiled when I read your post. We are not boat or lake people either, hey we live in a desert after all. However, even fishing on the river banks seems to take a lot of planning. Cute pictures though. Did you catch anything? Maybe I missed it in the reading.
Any time we've tried to go fishing together, the kids always get distracted by the playground near the fishing dock. Never really works out for us cause playing is way more fun than being quiet and waiting for those fish to nibble.
Oh, your post is too cute. We had a similar experience on Sunday and two little kids were swimming in their cloths. I also had the assumption that 'it was not even June yet' and swimming was unlikely therefore no suits were packed.... I guess I learned my lesson. Glad you had fun.