Fall Break

For Fall Break we wanted to vrbo a house on a lake....but BEFORE we could, we had to buy out the whole grocery store it seemed.

All packed up to head out.......yes, we packed out high chairs. You haven't SEEN these babies eat.

We got there at night... just enough time for the kids to run around squealing and to pick their beds. The boys opted for large beds while the girls claimed these fun built-ins. (Turns out Everly wasn't too fun to have sleep in the same room according to Aleeya and Iris)

Brooks woke up at 4 to put these ribs in to slowly cook all day

He went back to sleep for a little bit but couldn't for long because he was ITCHING to get out and fish. I lazily woke up later and looked out my window to see my dedicated fisherman on the dock

And the older six who couldn't wait to get out on the canoes. The way I see it is we have ALL day for a FEW DAYS.....you can see why I wasn't racing out of the covers to head outside. Plus, SOMEONE had to stay inside with the babies, right? 😉

Typically my husband has HUGE dreams of catching fish and doesn't exactly catch a ton (or any). Well I'll be darned if Brooks didn't catch one that morning shortly after I bravely ventured out of the house. He proudly yelled, "Fish on! Fish on!"

Wahoo! An ugly looking catfish that made everyone hoop and holler.

Determined to catch something Bronson and Royce went out the canoe. It was the cutest thing because Royce couldn't get his pole ready to cast. So Bronson would ready it each time and hand it forward to him. Then Royce would duck while Bronson would cast his own line. They had quite the system.

If you haven't heard Royce's voice this story might lose the effect. But he's got a high little voice. Brooks and I were on our dock when we hear his little high voice yell from two docks down, "FISH ON! FISH ON!"

He was so proud of it.

#realfishermenwearonlysocks

So two fish total that morning/afternoon.....which was fine except for the fact that the fish were gutted and laid out on the dock with all the nasty organs....and the bloody knives.

It's okay, we found other places to go and things to do. Iris found a bunch of seashells.

The home was loaded with board games (which are my kids' favorite thing to do). So this scene was pretty much constant.

During the babies' naps I went outside to watch Everly and Kellyn play in the "sandbox"

FULL DISCLAIMER: I was actually reading my book and pretending to watch them.

The first day we really tried to keep the babies inside as much as we could because I could just see bad things replay in my mind with them by murky water. They looked so pathetic looking out the window though. (Wynn is actually playing in the weeds outside)

Finally I gave in and put life jackets on them and allowed them to wander wherever. Can you just SEE how pleased Iley was to be outside? Cutest little smile

I guess you could say we kinda had a full dock. This scene looks rather peaceful, but believe you me, there were a lot of pushing-ins.....started by Brooks.

There were three canoes so the kids enjoyed going out in them when they wanted.

Suffering from genetic FOMO from their mother, the twins wanted to get in one as well. Mercifully, Brooks and Bronson offered to take them out. As they paddled away I just had a hunch not everyone was going to come back dry.

 And I was right..... the babies both jumped out.

Poor Brooks, you can tell by his face here that he started feeling yucky the first afternoon after we got there. He had a fever and chills before dinner and didn't even want to EAT any of the ribs he woke up early to put in the oven.

Royce was getting pretty tired but didn't want to quite fishing either. I found him outside like this. haha #diehardfisherman

The water was chill-Y..... All the better to convince other siblings to jump in with you.

 Pop is a treat for our family. We always buy some on vacations and this time we let them have one per day. They just felt so cool drinking their cans while playing chess I think.

(btw- none of the kids can beat me yet)

By Saturday night Bronson caught the third fish!!!!

Sunday morning we found a branch a little ways away to go to. Poor Brooks couldn't go to church and since he was so sick I left him the babies too. ;) (Granted they slept the whole time so I'm not that mean). The FUNNY part is I thought Bronson was going to pack his church clothes and he thought I was. Soooooooo, this is what Bronson wore to church. 😂😂 #wearyourbest

 Me and the 8 kids were probably a fifth of the congregation.

Monday morning we drove around the lake to go to a trout fish farm.

 Who knew this many fish swimming around could keep my kids still for so long?!?

 They got to feed the fish too. 

 Brooks was still completely out that day. Seriously, the poor guy. We were washing his fever-breaking-sweaty clothes so much. He's probably been sick three times in our marriage, I swear.

It was strep and I'm thankful no one else in the family got it.....they were just all laid out from pure exhaustion! Isn't that how a vacation is supposed to end anyway?

I will conclude with this.....

 Emerson really REALLY hates wearing shirts, but when it's a tad chilly it's super helpful when you have larger pants sometimes. #favoritepictureofthetrip