Big Red

We got the boat out for the first fishing trip of the season. Not only was it the first trip on the boat for this summer, but also Embrie's first float. We were lucky to have friends Karley and Weston join us. Weston got in his fill of fishing and Karley helped a ton with the kiddos. We had a beautiful day and really enjoyed being on the boat as a family. The float was little longer than intended though. Buck and Weston had two different take outs in mind and Karley and I ran shuttle - turns out directions that consisted of go down the interstate to the big curve and the take out is across a big field next to a farm are not really ideal in the state of Montana. There are a lot of curves, big fields and farms in this state, so needless to say Karley and I picked the wrong one. After returning and getting on the boat to start floating we started talking in more detail about the take out and quickly realized that we had it wrong and that our choice would increase our float by at least a few more miles than originally planned. We later also learned that really we should have been on the frontage road and not the interstate... a minor detail that the boys could have shared with us a little sooner. All in all the float was great and the kids were super troopers as usual.

Checking out the cows getting a drink. I don't remember what they are called, but Weston says the are the second meanest cows and I believe him.

Weston taking over the oars so Buck can get some fishing in:

This is why we let him fish... Buck netting a fish:

Buck and Hyat enjoying the view while I man the oars:

Karley with our sweet girl:

In the afternoon when Hyat got tired he laid down in the cargo net ... Buck rigged it so it works as a little bed for the kids. He never went to sleep, but he got to have some quiet time.

Hyat was pretty excited about getting to see and touch daddy's fish. Now when he plays with his fishing rod in the bathtub he will catch a fish and hold it up and say cheese while we snap a pretend picture (pretty dang cute)!

A cheese face:

Mom and Hyat with Hyat not loving his lifevest. The kids have to wear them on the boat and they are great except when they want to sit in any fashion it shoves them up into their face which does not look super comfy.

Me rowing and enjoying the sunshine on the river:

Hyat being cute and checking out the views:

Embrie suffering in her life vest:

Embrie and I chilling while Buck and Hyat were fishing:

Embrie loved standing up in the front of the boat. She would just laugh and pound on the sides.

Buck and Hyat fishing....

My boys eating lunch while I row... I love these two guys!

All in all it was great day. It was made even better because we stopped in Livingston at Mark's In and Out. It is a little old-fashioned drive up burger joint. They have the best little cheeseburgers. This time I settled for a cherry coke and some onion rings - but they are to die for. We thought Hyat would fall asleep in the car since he hadn't had a nap and it was getting late. Instead he talked to us all the way back to Bozeman. At one point you could tell he didn't want to stop talking because he knew he would pass out. He ended up finally falling asleep once Bozeman was in our sights and 10 minutes from home. Lucky for us he was so zonked we were able to get him out of the truck and into bed without waking him, which does not happen often.