We've been up to Townsend (the quiet little town outside the Smoky Mtn Nat'l Park) twice this week to swim and fish at the camper. We finally got Cohen back in the water....hanging on to the floats wanting to swim back and forth across the length of the pool. The older boys are still not near swimming, going under more and doing great with the kick boards but not letting go. I see swimming lessons in the fall.

We've fished a lot this summer. Cohen caught his first fish. Rylan has caught 7 or 8 total. but Cale has been very discouraged. He just couldn't catch one. Of course he isn't very patient or attentive so he didn't give it a good try. But Sunday he was very sad, asking Paul why he couldn't catch one, so on Tuesday when we went up we were all very intent on catching the boy a fish. Rylan has been using lures this year, but Cale still wanted to use the corn.....but we threw it in shallow under the weeping willow tree by the lake and he sat down...looking at the sky. He got a few bites but wasn't paying attention and they just swam away with his corn. 3 times. Finally after 3 times losing bait and 3 times telling him he HAD to watch, he started to pay attention. He cast it out and stared straight at it waiting for the bobber to dunk. Which it did. He was SO excited. His face was adorable. So he caught his fish. Then he was done. Rylan went on to catch 2 more in the creek before his rod tangled up and the 100 degree heat got to all of us.

His face says it all.