Fishing...finally!

I tell ya, we have hardly got out in the boat this summer.  Shane has been so busy with work that he hasn't had time to take himself fishing, let alone us.  The poor guy might be going through withdrawals.  We finally got to go out Labor Day evening for a bit before sunset.  We armed ourselves with pop, treats and more treats, minnows (boys request) and leaches and we were off.  Oh and the most important for Collin, a fully charged cell phone to watch Netflix movies on, Nintendo DS and Leapster.  As usual once the fun of playing with/killing minnows wore off he said he wanted to go home.  He usually is done after 20-30 min in the boat.  This time we were prepared and made him stay out longer.  We got out there around 5:00  and headed back in around 7:30, just as the walleyes were really starting to bite.  The boys caught 2 small mouth basses early and then we started catching the walleyes around 7:00.  They were all actually keepers.  That doesn't happen on Mille Lacs much.  By then Collin was pretty much done and 4 (maybe it was 5, I don't remember) walleyes was a plenty good meal for us.  Plus Tyler had to get to bed for school.  We must have had the touch.  I felt like we kept reeling them in for a that little bit and no one else around us was catching anything.  Too bad we had to go in when they were just turning on.  I decided to bring my camera this time so I can get some picture of the boys this year fishing for their scrapbooks.  I always have this fear of dropping it in the lake, so I don't bring it often.  I also and finishing up a 4 week photography class and got to put some skills to use with the great evening light.  I am learning more about sunflare, haze, halos, backlighting, star bursts, reflections, shadows and silhouettes.  So in the down time I got out my camera, but once the walleyes started to hit I put it away.  The boys didn't want to hold the walleyes so I didn't get any pictures with them.  I did get some great sunset pictures though.   Now a big picture share, sorry!!

First Day of Kindergarten

Well it was an exciting day as it was Tyler's first day of Kindergarten.   I am happy to say we got all of our tears out at Kinder Camp and there were no tears today.  Maybe a few from his daycare provider Angie.  I was a bit nervous tho as Shane and I walked him up the driveway at daycare to get him on the bus. He had lots of questions about getting on the bus, like who the driver was, who would he sit with and if there were big kids on the bus.  He got right on with no hesitation.  Shane and I walked across the street to the school and got him off the bus and to his classmates waiting outside.  He sat down next to his buddy Holly and later his best bud Chase joined.  I followed as they lined up outside to go to class.  I wanted to get a picture of Tyler by his locker, but they all went into the classroom to sit down right away at their desks.
Tyler said school was fun and he can't wait to go back tomorrow.  He liked the fact that he was able to see some of his daycare pals in 1st grade in the hallway and at recess.  His favorites of the day were going into the computer lab and picking out books at the library.
I thought Tyler would be wiped out after school, but he wasn't.  He was pretty wired all evening and couldn't get him in bed.  Not sure what they fed him at school, but maybe he got too much red dye #5.  lol  He was sure a character tonight.  Hopefully his excitement will continue for most of the year.  Here are a few pictures of his first day of school.

Hand Shadows

Our crazy night of hand shadows.  I haven't done that in years.   started simply with me making a bunny and crocodile and it turned into Tyler trying to make dinosaurs.  I bet you couldn't pick out which ones are dinosaurs?  

Our hike at Kathio today

We took advantage of this beautiful day and took a little hike at Kathio today.  I didn't think it was going to be as warm as it was.  We really should have packed the swim suits and hit the beach also.  If I didn't have to get to work this afternoon, I think I would have went back home and got them.  Poor neglected Hailey (the dog) cried, barked and shook most of the car ride there.  It is funny how they sense these things, even though her lease was probably a give away that was up.  Sometimes too I think they know where they are going when they look out the window.  Well the poor thing hasn't had exercise since camping last weekend.  Oh the poor dear.  lol  We later took her to down to the dam, but there were actually a bunch of people fishing so she couldn't go swimming.  I guess tomorrow we will all have to hit the beach, including her.

Tyler on the bog walk.  

Taking a break.  I guess Collin didn't want to get in on the picture, hence only his feet are in it.  Maybe he needed more of a rest and had to lay down.  

For some reason Collin needed to tackle the tree branches. 

Got em!

Hailey was finally wore out enough that Collin could walk her, without her walking him.   

Oh yes the tree stump toilet.  If any of you have been down the trail to the dam you know what tree I am talking about.  There is a tree stump that is completely hollowed out.  Only my boys pretend it is a toilet and use the leaves that are growing around it as toilet paper and pretend to wipe their butts.  They played there for a few minutes.  Oh I tell ya.  

Mille Lacs County Fair time

 Well I finally made it to my first Mille Lacs County Fair.  I think it was just the right size for the boys.  It is a lot smaller scale then what I was used to growing up with the Red River Valley Fair, but it was fun.  We got to see a few people we know while we were there.  The first barn we hit was the cattle barn.  Right away we saw the Virnig-Hook clan.  Patti and her son Sam showed the boys the 10 cattle they brought to the fair.  Sam brought them to pet the calf that I thought Patti had said he got Grand Champion with.  They only got brave enough to go pet the rear a little bit.

After the cattle barn we made it to the horse barn and then the FFA barn where they had a few animal to pet and the rabbits.  

Collin just loved the bunnies.  He sat and talked to this little bunny for a few minutes.  I think they were his favorites. 

As many of you know Tyler is a bit sensitive to loud noises.  We had a loud public toilet flushing incident when he was 2, a fire truck incident at a parade when he was 3.  We had a bad incident this summer at the Little Falls Zoo with a peacock.  He ran into the brush and when we got up to him and look in it at him, he got ticked off and let off this big loud squawk that scared the crap out of all of us.  So I will just say Tyler wasn't too excited about the poultry barn or I guess it was more of a tent.  I guess he isn't much of a bird man.  He thought the turkeys were freaky, as he put it.  It was funny to hear that come out of his mouth.  

  

Tyler couldn't get out of there fast enough.

They thought the pigs were a little stinky.

They finally decided it was time to go on rides.  They first went in this big dinosaur jumping house.  They waited so patient, as a few parents let their kids budge in front of others.  So Collin pretended that he was in jail.  

Well I got suckered into some stupid basketball games, that I payed way to much for to get these light up swords.  Of course Collin's is not working already.  These two wouldn't quit with the swords.  I was waiting for them to accidentally hit someone.  Tyler did get me in the hand once.  Boys, I tell ya.  

This was the hit of the rides.  It actually went pretty fast for a kids ride.  

Tyler spied the monkey and had to ride on it.  It is sort of fitting for him.  

So that was are 2 hour trip to the fair.  The boys had a good time. I guess I did too.  

The big upgrade

Well we upgraded the slip in slide to a double this summer, as there single one had a rip in it.  It was no easy task either.  I had purchased one back on July 4th up in Grand Rapids only to find out that it didn't fit (screw) on the nozzle of the hose.  It was only threaded up the last half of it.  What Chinese manufacture is this?  When I looked at the box it was not the Wham-o brand of slip n slide, but some knock off brand.  So the next weekend I bring it back to Target down in the cities and they have no slip in slides left, period.  So I sucked it up and go over to Walmart and none.  What is a girl to do when she comes home with no slip n slide?  Well just when we were not looking we came across one as Scheels in St Cloud last weekend.  So now we have a way to cool off when were are too lazy to pack up and hit the beach.

If you look at the close up, in Tyler's eyes, you can see the colors of the slip n slide.  I thought it looked kind of freaky.  That is what us photographers call "finding the light."  You get nice catchlights in the eyes that reflect what is around them.  I love it where I can see myself with the camera in their eyes.  

Typical Collin trying to drink from anything he can.  This is much cleaner then some of the things I see him try to drink from.  

Collin wanted me to hook the hose up so he could water the plants, oh and probably spray his brother.  I said no, so he just pretended to spray everyone and then said it was his sword.