boating

School Is Out For the Summer!!! What To Do Now??

Oh my goodness, my son is FINALLY out of school for the Summer! Today was his very last day! And yes, I am terribly sad Sad because he is growing up! Sad because my little baby boy is a big boy now! If only we could keep them little…

Now that Summer is officially here (well almost!) what do you do? How on earth do you keep your kids happy and busy? Certainly not by watching t.v. and playing video games all day long (that is for winter time...;))…

I get both my babies outside and keep them busy that way. With the wonderful Step2 Swing Set we received to review and a really cool kiddy pool hubs bought for the kids, my kids stay busy pretty much all afternoon. When they get bored with that, they will ride their bikes or go on an “adventure” with backpacks around our property (with mama watching them ever so closely!!! Hey, I am like that ).

We are actually in the middle of moving this summer too, so that will keep everyone on their toes and very very busy. I have my kids pack little things and it is VERY helpful to this pregnant mama

Next month, after all is settled and slows down a bit, we will be taking a trip to the coast, can’t wait. I NEED a vacation desperately, we all do around here! We might even take a couple of family outdoor vacations and go camping! My goodness I have not done that in a LONG time!! I have all the gear, now we just need to plan it! Smores and starry nights, here we come (maybe )!

Photo credit: natureworks from morguefile.com

We will probably go boating, just because that is something I use to do as a child with my family. I remember going on charter boats with my dad, when I was in my teens and just loved it! Or just cruising the lake in a family boat, with a picnic packed and we fished all day long! Oh those were some fun days and days I want my children to be able to experience as well.

Anyways, nothing is written in stone yet, but as soon as we are settled into our new home, we will be doing some fun things I will be sure to share with you all!

“Where are you going or what are you do this summer?”

Disclosure:

Take Me Fishing (And A Giveaway!!)

CONTEST IS OVER! CONGRATS TO

R Hicks #2440!!

I grew up in a large family, so finding things to do, that were inexpensive, was a MUST. Keeping 7 children entertained, I am sure, was not an easy task for my parents!

The things we did do most of the time, mostly during Spring and Summer, was camping and fishing. Oh my goodness how I LOVED to go fly fishing with my Daddy! Me and my two brothers (my youngest brother was not born yet), would go fishing EVERY Wednesday during the Summer. We called ourselves the “partners”, and man did we have fun!!

My mom would pack us a dinner, usually hot dogs that we could cook over the fire pit at the park, chips, pop and some sort of treat, usually smores! After we would eat, we would then go to the river, forge our way to rocks sticking out of the river, and start fishing!!

My Nephew lives in Burns, Oregon, and they have some AWESOME fishing down there!! Look at that sucker!!

I would always grab the same rock, unless of course it was covered by water, which sometimes happened because of the rain we get and then I would fish off the river’s edge with my Dad. It was so calming and usually we would go our separate ways for a good hour and just fish. Nothing but quietness and nature!! LOVED that.

Usually I was very lucky with catching my fish! I was pretty good at it, still am! Usually I was the first to pull up that wiggling fish! I would reel it in and grab it and take it off the hook. If it was too small, he would go back in the river, but if he was not too small, he was dinner the next night!

My Brother In Law!!

Yes, I caught my own fish and I cleaned them with pride. My mom would fry them up and we would enjoy eating them up! It was great for me and my brothers and Dad to do this each week. It was not only a cheap way for some great family time but got us kids outdoors and into nature. Kids now a days just don’t experience that like they should. That is why me and my hubby try to take our kids fishing as much as possible. Living in Washington State, there is A LOT of great fishing holes! We have found some really good ones and frequent them a lot during the Spring and Summer (some Fall) months.

Some people think that Fishing or boating takes a lot of money to do, but really it doesn’t. It would cost more to take the family out to dinner and movie! And, did you know that the dollars you spend on fishing licenses, boat fuel and fishing gear, actually go TOWARDS conservation efforts to help protect our nations waterways and natural resources? Well, it does and I think that is absolutely wonderful! So that gives you even more of a reason to get outdoors, spend some time with nature and go fishing and boating with your family and friends the next chance you get!

I am so much in love with fishing that I took the Anglers Legacy Pledge. This pledge means that I will share my love of fishing with at least one person, every year, to pass on my knowledge, thrill of fishing and a commitment to a healthy environment. I took my pledge, will you??

Win

One lucky individual is going to win:

-$100 gift card to Bass Pro Shops (may be used online)
-Fishing inspired goodies
-Info, tips and tricks on best practices for boating, fishing and conservation with kids

How?

Easy! Just use Rafflecopter below! There is no mandatory entries, you can do one or all!

Disclosure:

I received a gift card and some goodies, these are my own personal experiences and story, thanks!