STILL a sorry fisheman

Brooks' DREAM came true!!!!! He got to be in a real life fishing tournament with his friend, Tray. Tray HAPPENS to really be a pro fisherman who regularly does tournaments. WHY he asked Brooks to be his second-man is beyond me. But Brooks seriously was giddy excited. He even wore his fishing SHIRT!

Well when he came home with a bag of fish and plopped them in the sink I couldn't believe it!

And I was RIGHT to not believe it. Turns out he didn't catch a ONE of them and Tray caught them all! haha. But he did let Brooks bring them home.

 He really was so pleased. Which made it hard for me to tell him to get the stinking (literally) fish out of my kitchen.....so I didn't.

 His autopsy skills came in handy as well!

 And although they didn't win, their number was picked in a raffle and they won Costa sunglasses. 

The MAJOR cherry on top.

One last Arkansas camping trip

Before moving we thought one more camping trip along the Buffalo was in order. The twins fell asleep on the way there in identical sleeping positions. 😀

Well the picture is sideways, but how cute are my little dutch oven cookers. Brooks is the master of dutch oven when we camp.

And everyone loves a hammock! LOOK AT THOSE HAPPY CAMPERS!

And the winner of the first caught fish goes to CAMDEN!

I went on a walk in search of wifi to get a hold of Bronson who was on his way a little late. Trying to walk even short distances with these four takes forever.

It is IMPOSSIBLE for Wynn and Iley to take a normal picture now!

#Wynnshand

They were just so pleased with their water shoes and the hats I got so Iley's scars wouldn't sunburn.

I find a kid solo games so funny sometimes. Like when a kid (Iley) will walk the whole way with one foot on pavement and one on grass.

We love the view here along the Buffalo with the cliffs.

(WHAT is up with my kids' hands in pictures?!?!)

Brooks is DETERMINED to catch us dinner with his "jorts" (jean-shorts) rolled up.

Aleeya caught some tadpoles or almost-frog creatures

Then the kids had a brilliant idea to make a lagoon thing with walls on both sides to keep the fish within grabbing distance. How nice for the fish....

They actually ended up with quite a few trapped in there. Which I LOVED because it kept all the kids localized in one spot.

Emerson was the ultimate fish catcher there. I think he got up to seven.

I LOVE the cliffs behind him. It's one of my favorite places we have camped.

Nothing like holding up the fish with your teeth so you can display that it was your 7th catch.

Then Brooks caught a few bigger ones and decided they were going to be cooked for dinner. Which is fine with me.....as long as it didn't get within a few inches of my tinfoil dinner SANS fish.

He had Camden clean them or gut them or whatever you do with the fish before.

And the kids all LOVED his fish. haha. I sat on the other side of the campsite so I didn't have to smell it.

I got some NICE snuggles from worn-out toddlers. Little Iley-May was OUT!

I love seeing my kids just being together......ESPECIALLY in nature. It's a parent sigh-of-relief-and-joy moment.

This picture cracks me up because I told everyone to look since ALL my kids were in the picture and Emerson is all acting like he's reeling in something big.....(and he's not!)

 On the last day Brooks took Bronson, Camden, Emerson and Aleeya kayaking down the river. They did this last time and had HIGH hopes of catching things while they floated the river.

Turns out they caught two fish.

And then they loaded their kayak with a few of these cute things.

TURRRRRRRNS OUT when they went to go return their boats that the ranger saw them with fish. Let's just say that there was a FINE for keeping any fish that are under 14" inches that is bigger than any speeding ticket. (WHO KNEW?!?!?) And that's for ONE fish! Good thing they were still alive so Brooks let them go. When the ranger saw the turtles it was an even GREATER issue. Think close to a thousand for one turtle. They were let go too. 😂

Family bonding is greatest when there are a few mishaps, adventures and when there are 7 kids sharing a tent with me while Brooks and the boys all get their own sleeping accomodations. 

Wait a second.......

SCHOOL IS OUT!

SCHOOL. IS. OUT!!!!!

Which means there are some late nights and not the quiet naptime during the day for Everly anymore.  I thought Iris' choice of "pillow" in this picture was classic

A LOT of days swimming at the Country Club. Every once and a while the older boys would come and it looks like this.

And this.... (there was NOTHING Emerson or I could do to prevent it)

#Bronsonssmileoftriumph

Sometimes the boys would golf and the rest of us would swim. Royce was so excited to go out with Camden alone one day. Camden looks......... semi.....compliant

#handplacementiseverything

playing in extra sand for sandtraps

I did go on a few outings to Lake Dardanelle with the kids.

Where Emerson caught the girls a lizard. Iley sure loved the thing.

Bronson and Camden drove a ways away to do some work and on their way back Bronson saw this turtle (Rocky) on the side of the road and thought to bring it back for Royce. Royce thought it was the best present ever! I was actually touched by the thoughtfulness albeit unorthodox-gift-giving.

#scraggletooth

Iley and Wynn warmed right up to the turtle and decided it was their new playmate.

There are MANY ways to play with a turtle. Like pretend Rocky is a plate....

or a blanket!

I NEVER have to ask Emerson twice to mow the lawn. In fact he begs me to mow the lawn with the riding lawn mower!!! He will usually take one of the babies on a ride when he does it.

A CONFIDANT man will mow the lawn in his MOM'S red sandals! AmIright?

RIGHT after school ended Iris turned 10. Double digits finally! Our sweet Iris.

She was fretting over the fact that I hadn't asked her what she wanted in her junkbox and she was worried I wouldn't know..... but turns out Mom knows ALL!

It also helps that Iris is quick to give her opinion anytime walking around a store.

And she has wanted a "robot" forever. She even is going a year without treats to earn money towards one. So a robot dog was QUITE the surprise for her.

Okay, so I realize the girls are naked.....but praying (or getting ready for prayer) kids are the cutest.

Probably the biggest accomplishment of the summer was with these two cute swimmers.

We found a home to buy but it ALSO has water by it in the form of a pond AND a pool. I told Brooks I will NOT move into a home I have to worry about the twins (and Everly) every waking hour. I just couldn't have any peace. So I found some Survival Swim lessons in Little Rock. These are the lessons that teach them to roll on their back and float and also to always swim to the wall, etc. Usually they are quite pricey but I found these for a good deal and it was a "definite need" in my mind.

Sure it was a hour+ drive there twice a week and it was RIGHT during their naptime, but I will be darned if they didn't pick things up so fast. Iley faster than Wynn since Wynn LOVES naptime. All it took was one time Iley getting her ice cream after and Wynn not (since she was crying) to remedy that though. I was so proud of my little fish. Their confidence grew (almost TOO much, that I had to watch them MORE at the Country Club) and their new skills made Everly decide to take off her floatie for good and act like she knew how to swim all long.

So I went from 3 in floaties to 3 kids swimming in 4 weeks. Granted they weren't perfect, but they had some crucial survival skills and it made me so relieved!