Camp Doug

Mom, I hope you're not offended by the fact that we've started calling the family cabin Camp Doug after dad.  Kelly started it actually.  She wants to send her boys there to have dad teach them the ways of the woods, take apart toasters and rebuild them and other such boyish delights.

We dabbled in a few such woodsy gaieties this past weekend.  There was frog and toad hunting by lamp light.  

We picked a bounty of choke cherries and made their juice into jelly using the camp stove.

Maxwellie caught his first fish.  Ever.  It's a rock bass in case you're not familiar with them.  

Channing was determined to catch a Walleye.  He did!!  Although he flat out refused to touch it for his picture.

We took a boat ride one evening.  Max was a little scared.  Well, maybe more than a little, but he was a trooper.

I'm looking forward to the day the boys all go to Camp Doug for their multitude of camp activities.  Until then, I will continue to soak up family time.  Every last drop.  

Guest post by Channing

I caught a really, really, giant, giant fish.  I had Ava's [fishing pole].  I threw it in and caught a fish.  I reel it in.  All a sudden I caught a fish!  A big, giant, giant fish!!  Daddy a told me, 'Nice!  Nice!!'  Daddy put a finger in it and got all salty.

And there you have it, in Channing's own words, the story of how he caught his very first fish.  It was at once exciting and scary.  He was amazed when his bobber dipped below the water's surface and at how his pole bent at the end as he fought his fish to the surface.  He was crying and yelling, 'me no like it!' as Michael took it off the hook.  He wanted nothing to do with it and even less to do with having his picture taken next to it until someone told him, 'say cheese.'  He was suddenly very cooperative and all smiles.