FISHING

Mike took over as the "fishing expert"

and made sure all of the poles were

ready to be used. All of the line was

strung properly with the appropriate

hooks and what ever else you put on

a fishing pole. The first fish were

caught by my daughter and son, but Mike

wanted to make sure that all the other

children in the family caught a fish

also. And they did! First time fish catchers

were Payton, Landen, Makenna and Keaten.

Tanner actually caught a bass in this small

pond, but the line broke. Well, not to be

out done, Mike had to go to the store and

get hooks for bass.

Needless to say, no one else caught a bass!!

It was a catch and release pond, thank goodness.

Could you imagine us trying to feed everyone on

these scrawny fish in the pictures.

SWIMMING...SWIMMING...SWIMMING















ASHLEY















PAYTON


This has been such a busy summer so far, but wonderful. This is the beginning of the pictures from our vacation down in Hill Country. Roddy Tree Ranch is a beautiful place and was much needed relaxation. I have started with pictures of all of the kids swimming because that is what they wanted to do the majority of the time. They hit the "cement pond" (as the sign read) soon after we arrived on Monday. And, while the parents (mostly mom's) were packing to leave on Friday, the big kids were getting their last rendezvous in the pool.

There were several pools at the ranch, thank goodness. Being that there is 12 kids just in our family. We swam in the main pool and it had a small 1 foot pool with a "waterfall" into the big pool.

My children are polar opposites when it comes to swimming. Ashley is the fish and loves to try or play anything in the water. Payton, on the other hand, does not even want to play on the steps of the big pool. Mike did bribe him with a piece of gum to get in and play on the steps. I was thinking that I could get him to let me hold him in the deeper water. NO WAY!! On the other hand, it was nice not to have to be so on my toes with watching my kids. Payton did wear his life jacket in the baby pool and I knew he was not going to go anywhere. The major concern for me was, what were the bigger kids playing and was it dangerous.

Needless to say, getting my babies to go to bed each night was not to hard. It was late of course, but took no time for them to go to sleep.

TO BE CONTINUED...

BREANNE















KEATEN
















MABREIGH

TANNER
















MADISON

















HUNTER

















HALIEGH

KADEN

















LANDON
















MAKENNA