Lake Arrowbee

Last Saturday we packed up the kids and headed to Lake Arrowbee for the day.  Let me tell you this was some much needed family time.  Lake Arrowbee is a private lake located in the neighborhood where Forrest grew up, and he has many childhood memories there.  The kids love it for its bullfrogs and fishing.

The day was unseasonably chilly, but when you're a kid it's never too cold for swimming.

This was the moment Jacob had been waiting for.

This was Forrest's catch, but Jacob made two of his own, the second considerably bigger than the first.

This girl could not get over the sensation of sand on her feet.  She couldn't figure out how not to get them dirty on the way back to her sandals after washing off in the lake.  I had the same dilemma as a kid.

Forrest struggled a little bit getting the hook out of the fish's mouth, and I couldn't watch.  Looked torturous to me.  Eventually they were all released and swam away unscathed.

We BBQ'd hotdogs and had chips, guacamole, strawberries and cookies.  Anthony spent most of his time on this blanket looking for rocks and the occasional bit of duck poop to put in his mouth.

I love this picture of the storm brewing in the background.  Yes, it would soon dump on us as we were getting ready to leave.

Amidst the barbecuing and toweling off of wet and shivering children, I made time to just sit and soak in the moment.  We all wish for days like this more often.

Dad preparing the fishing rods.

This was Jacob's first catch, and I just happened to be watching as he caught it.  I saw his pole bend towards the water and he wasted no time in whisking it up.  A very proud boy he was.

See, never too cold for swimming.

She was "babysitting" Jacob's pole in this picture as he retrieved more bait.  Such a cutie and so feminine.