And To Think, I Didn't Want To Go

This weekend was amazing....why?? Because I was able to spend time with my family. I just let the house go and didn't worry about what was clean or dirty... and because this is sort of an online journal for me..be prepared for picture overload...

Friday night the kids went to a birthday party for a friend from church...not just any birthday party either. It was a murder-mystery theme. While they tried to figure out who killed "Jack" as he fell down the hill with his pail, Quentin & I went to a 50th birthday celebration for his boss. It was a nice break for all of us.

Saturday, we got up early and headed to the lake for a day trip. I have to foreshadow this by saying that I had a little meltdown on Wednesday about this trip and pretty much made myself look like an idiot.... but the trip turned out to be the most relaxation I've had in a while.

The first stop we made was at Henderson, Arkansas to the cabin I spent my summers in with my grandparents. I can't believe I didn't stop and take a picture of that...I have so many wonderful memories of summers at the lake.

Then on to the Norfork Dam....

...where it seemed everyone was trout fishing, but us....

...a little side creek off of the Norfork River


Our next stop was just across the road at the Norfork Fish Hatchery...Blake is all into wildlife management and this was right up his alley...

Blake & Me posing for a quick photo...

...these are trout as they're coming out of the egg...called sac-fry...I had never seen fish at this stage, other than in a book....very educational...and FREE...

...the little sac-fry grow up to be these...Rainbow Trout....

...while at the hatchery, we seen this young man learning to fly fish...he just caught a pretty good size trout in this picture....

Blake, Me, & Quentin

....lunch time...

Me & Quentin....standing on top of the Dam at Lake Norfork

Ok, by this point, I'm sure you're wondering where Mallorye is in all this family fun. Well, she stayed at home to deliver Easter baskets to the Children's Home and go to the movies (Hannah Montana) with some friends. You know, when you're 16, it's just not cool to hang out with mom and dad anymore :(

We left Lake Norfork and traveled about 20 minutes to Bull Shoals Lake & White River....

Bull Shoals Dam...looks alot like Norfork Dam don't ya think??

...but...Norfork didn't have this super cool Visitor Center...

...where we got to play with this camera thingy that panned across the lake and river...super cool...and once again...FREE....

....this is the State Park at Bull Shoals....definitely will be coming back here this summer for an overnight stay...clean and beautiful.....

...one last stop at Gaston's Resort...where the guests have their own runway to land their private planes....that's impressive..

...and dessert at Gaston's Restaurant overlooking the White River....

...one last look at the water from Gaston's...and then it was home we go...

Wow...I haven't even told you about Easter Sunday....guess I'll have to save that for another post. Really, Saturday was an incredible day. No agenda. No time limit. And to think I didn't want to go...what was I thinking??!