Ice Fishing Derby!

Brad and Sam entered an ice fishing contest. So we all decided that was a great family activity, so we loaded up the kids with all of their warm stuff and prayed for a warm day! Well Brad and Sam had it all figured out. They packed tents and chairs, heaters, all sorts of good food, fish finders, snowmobiles and the ranger! They thought the ranger would be good for the kids if it was cold and tents were for them so they could sit in their chairs and put the tents around them so it would block them from the wind. We were hooked up!

Luckily the first day was beautiful, so we did not need any of those things except the food of course! The kids played, pulled each other around on the 4 wheelers, fished and had a great time! Tayahna slept most of the time and did so good! Out of our group, Pete was the only one who could catch anything, which Brad and Sam were not too happy about :) But Sammy and Colby helped real them in and won first and second place for the kids division!

The next day was not so good. So we were grateful that the boys packed all of those things! We put the tents up around us so we could still fish and be blocked from the wind! The kids still played and had a great time! Right at the end, Colby caught that BIG fish! Isn't that awesome ;)

The Joys of Parenting!

We had a great lesson in church the other day! Since that lesson, I have thought about what was said. We talked about alot of good things, but the thing that stuck with me the most was, how we need to be there for our children so they will COME to us in times of need or hurt or sorrow! This made me think of when I was young and how naughty I was and how much I did not want to go to my parents and talk to them, mainly because I new it would disappoint them and I did not want to see the looks on their face if I ever went to them! Looking back, I know they would have listened and helped me through everything if I would have just put my trust in them and actually TALK to them!

My parents were great parents! They were very strict no doubt about it. They put the fear in all of us girls. I was scared to talk to them because I knew I was going to be in big trouble! So how do you find that balance? How do you tell your kids you are there for them and you that you want us as parents to be the first ones they come to but then let your kids know that there are consequences for their actions!

Parenting is so hard and I can't believe that I am thinking about this already when my oldest child is only 3 1/2. But it scares me to death to think that they will grow up and I will not be the one they run to when they need help. It scares me to think that they will (and I am sure it will happen) do things they are not supposed to, but I hope when the time comes Brad and I will be able to be strict in our beliefs and teach them all they need to know in order to live a worthy life that is pleasing to the Lord! I hope that as parents we SHOW by example the best way to return to our Heavenly Father!

Oh dear, what will the future hold for our little family??????