Home Safe and Sound

After two almost-delightful Southwest flights (you HAVE to hear E-Bear say, AIRpaaaaaaaane!), we are home safe and sound, thanks to T who picked us up at the airport and chauffeured us to Ruby Tuesday for dinner.

Time to re-enter life in Minnesota after a great 10 days in North Carolina.  We are all so excited to be home with T and sleeping in our own beds tonight.

Warm Welcome in Winston Salem

"Lord, on the day that I called out for help, You answered me."

~Psalm 138: 3a

(The responsorial psalm from Sunday July 24th)

Half-way through a fabulous ten days visiting T's family in Chapel Hill, I was able to take a day to myself yesterday and visit Winston-Salem, where we will be moving this time next year for T's fellowship.

I grossly underestimate when I say it was an highly anticipated day.

There were several reasons for the trip.  First, I had never been to Winston-Salem and wanted to see where we will be living next year.  Second, I went to meet with the OB/Gyn department to feel out the program as we decide whether I will do residency next year. After spending a day split between the medical center and touring the city, I can't believe how excited I am that we matched to Wake Forest.  I was welcomed by so many people, none of whom knew me before I arrived.  The best part of the visit was calling T to tell him how excited I am for our year in Winston-Salem.   His reply?

"I am so glad you are excited---I tried to pick a good place for us!"

Six months ago, when we were praying over our choices and making our fellowship rank list, prayer was a big part of our decision-making process.  We also talked a lot about our family priorities, T's interview impressions, and our professional aspirations.  But ultimately, T was the only one who had been to the cities we were ranking.  His brief impressions stood as our only link to life in the towns we were ranking.

There were so many unknowns for us six months ago, and on Monday I was able to finally see through the clouds to thank God for two aspects in particular about our match experience.

First, thank you, that my husband and I have the same priorities and are equally excited about this new place.  I discovered on Monday that the same things that attracted him to Winston-Salem are also important and meaningful to me.  What a blessing for us both, our marriage, our work as a team.

Second, thank you that  on Monday I experienced the reality of the words of the psalm above, which was read at Mass on Sunday before I left for Winston-Salem:

"Lord, on the day that I called out for help, You answered me."

Six months ago, when we cried out to the Lord asking for help as we made our rank list, God not only heard us, but He answered us too....that very same day.  Like my children, waiting patiently for me to get them a promised treat,  T and I had to wait a little while to see and inherit the answer God had already given to us.

We are still far from having figured everything out about our lives!!  We still have many unknowns!!  In fact, if I am honest with myself I need to accept that "unknowns" will always be with us.  But thankfully, the opportunity for prayer is also always with us.  And so is God's promise to answer our prayer, on the very day of our cries for help.  We may just have to patiently wait to see and understand His answer for ourselves.

Still having a great time in NC.....and excited to be here next year.

Good Aim

As seen during a recent trip to a North Carolina boutique:

Perhaps our move next summer will necessitate a new bathroom accessory?

Still having a great time in NC.........

Bathtime Buddies

The only thing better for girls than a night out dancing....

Dancing the night away at The Carolina Inn's "Fridays on the Front Porch."  We highly recommend it.
 And notice the matching shoes.

....is the bubble bath afterwards,

....especially a bubble bath with the cousins.

We almost lost one under the mountains of foam:

There were brides, santas and fairy princesses galore.

It's hard to beat times like these.

As you can tell, we're having a great time in North Carolina.....

Flying Solo

A gorgeous view, though not from my window.  I wish.

A Series of Haiku: 

"Flying Alone with Two Children"

Part One:

E-Bear and G-Bear

You surpass expectations.

I woke you at four.

Part Two:

Dear security,

you took our peanut butter

and ruined our breakfast.

Part Three:

My polite children,

Your behavior is better

than many adults.

Part Four:

Thank you, God, for our

Nana, who got a gate pass

and saved us in time.

The best part of haiku is that I am sure you can fill the poetic pauses with your own mental images of what our trip was like.  Honestly, I would fly alone with my children again.  Which is good, because that is the only way we can get home next week.  The looks of adults around me is always priceless, because they either can completely empathize with my epic journey (likely having done it themselves), or they are mentally pooping their pants in fear and disgust.   

And, don't ever tell me the name of the security guard who stole my beloved organic Trader Joe's peanut butter out of my carry-on as we passed through security: 

Me: "Please wait, I have a utensil and our bread is sliced. Can I at least put some on our bread before you throw it away?" 

Security: "No, we are not allowed to let you do that once you come through the line."  

Me: "But I could get out of line, take it back out into the atrium and put it on our bread out there?"  Security: "Sure, but then you would miss your flight.  Look how long the line is."

  

Saints in heaven, pray for me.  I was not thinking nice thoughts.  

Hope your summer travel tales are as enjoyable and memorable.  

Carolina on my mind

Piles of laundry to fold....
......last minute emails to return.......
...............an empty refrigerator..........

it's must be time for a trip!

Tomorrow the kids and I are on a flight (6am! Alone!  No Prince! Yikes!) to North Carolina.  We get to visit my new nephew TT, his two older sisters, and Uncle T and Aunt K.  G-Bear is excited, E-Bear doesn't have a clue, I can't wait.  I will also get to see Winston-Salem for the first time while we are there, along with the OB/GyN department and the medical center.  But mostly we will just play with our family.

A few quick updates from the home front:  G-Bear is still doing great without her pacifier at bedtime, E-Bear's vocabulary is EXPLODING, my sourdough starter smells great but totally failed to rise my bread (it made a very tasty bread brick, however) and somehow I have had 3 conversations about infertility with new friends in the past week.  Maybe its time for a NaPro post, because I bet dollars to donuts you haven't heard about it before.

The best part of my day so far?  Waking up G-Bear.  "Mommy, here is a spot for you," she said, offering me a postage-stamp-sized area of her comforter, "would you like to lay down with me?  Mommy, I think you are scrumptious."  Thank you, Sesame Street, for your Word on the Street podcasts and for teaching my daughter such a nice word.  G-Bear, I think YOU are scrumptious. E-Bear, you too, buddy.

I am thanking God for all His gifts today and rejoicing in His love.

Summer Fun: Farmers Market

If you haven't been already, this is the time.  

Quit your grocery store produce section and go to your farmers market.

I am a farmers market fanatic.  I kinda want to live on a farm right now.  And this weekend I found another favorite farmers market to add to my already long list of Minnesota favorites (you can see a list of all my favorites and more links on the "summer fun" page.  Heaven help us if there aren't farmers markets in Winston-Salem next year.  Oh wait, I just checked.  I think there is one.  Whew.  You can all stop holding your breath.  

But this weekend, we found the Mill City Farmers Market for the first time.  To die for. Its in the shadow of the Guthrie Theater, next to the Mill City Museum, and we walked:

All local farmers and small businesses:

Everything from handmade rugs to my new favorite skirts from Sassy Knitwear,

And, I found a new farm selling free-range chickens for less than the farm I had been buying from previously.  If I tell you their name, you might buy them all before I get some next weekend. 

 Just kidding, its called Sunshine Harvest Farms.  I can't wait to get more chickens.

The reason my salads are looking better these days?  Need you ask?

Here is a great guide to buying local, seasonal produce in Minnesota.  It can help you plan your meals and market trips:

Check out all the great Minnesota Farmers Markets at Minnesotagrown.com.  We love them.  You will too.

Daybook for July 2010

I have decided to join in the reflection of simple things from The Simple Woman's Daybook.  Such a great way to keep a record of my thoughts, encourage myself and others to stop and smell the roses.  Here are my reflections for this month.

Outside my window...

There are college kids raising a ruckus, rather unbecoming  for this time of night.  I am so glad that I am past that time of life.  Not even interested.  Instead I am sitting on the couch next to the love of my life.  Growing up has its perks.

I am thinking...

About the recent New York Times Magazine piece called "The New Abortion Providers," extolling the new generation of doctors performing abortions.  So much disturbed and saddened me about this piece, especially as a soon-to-be-MD.  Thinking about how to respectfully put my thoughts into writing....or what I would say in an opEd response.

I am thankful for...

My Prince, who took me out on a dinner date last night.  And my parents, who came over to our place to stay with the kids so we could go.

From the learning rooms...

I love our alphabet puzzles right now.  E-Bear is just taking an interest in the colors and pictures under the letters, but he is interested enough that I can sit with him and tell him the names of the letters as he picks them up.  G-Bear loves to put the puzzle letters back in their places, and we practice the sounds the letters make as she replaces them.  

From the kitchen...

I can smell my sourdough starter...my first attempt.  My fingers are crossed, because both T and I love sourdough.  

I am wearing...

Surely no one cares about his, except maybe my Prince.  But I do love my pink vintage Eloise sleep dress from Antropologie.  It was a gift from my friend V when I got married.  Still love it. 

I am creating...

The abstract for my research with preterm c-section mothers.  Really exciting to be compiling information on such a tender time in women's lives, and praying it will help many more in the future.

I am going...

To visit my new nephew in one week, along with his two big sisters and my sister&brother-in-law in North Carolina.  I can't wait to see them, my kiddos can't wait either.   I will even get to see Wake Forest and Winston-Salem during my visit....my first small glimpse of where we will be moving this time next year. 

I am reading...

Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young.  It's a devotional unlike any I have ever followed.  Extraordinarily uplifting and convicting every time I read it.  My Everyday Food magazine is also on my nightstand.  Its my favorite cooking magazine, and I can't wait for the September issue.  

I am hoping...

For a good meeting with the OB/Gyn department at Wake Forest next week.  Can't wait to see the medical center.

I am hearing...

The songs from G-Bear's VBS CD playing over and over in my head.  "Mommy," she asks me as soon as we get in the car, "can we listen to Jophus? (meaning Joseph, as in, the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) Can we listen to 'One True God'?"  "Ga, Ga, GA!" chimes E-Bear.  Gotta love my sweeties.  You should hear G-Bear sing along to 'Blessed Be Your Name.'

Around the house...
The kitchen is clean and the toys are cleaned up.  What got into me yesterday?  Hallelujah.   

One of my favorite things...

Sitting on the couch with T watching old videos of college and of our kids.  Our archives are cavernous: iPhoto says we have 767 videos...and that doesn't even include our HD video tapes.  We will need another lifetime to watch them all.

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Sunday: church together!  And a night at Lake Harriet with Momo, Papa and GG for the Minnesota Pops!

Monday: A playdate at the park, and BabyBallroom dance class for G-Bear & E-Bear (love it!)

Tuesday: My first good haircut in 8 years!  with one of my long-time friends and spiritual rolemodels.  She first cut my hair when I was ten years old.  I love haircuts with her because I always leave feeling closer to Jesus.  And looking better too.

Wednesday: A trip to the zoo with the other families from T's residency program!  

Thursday: off to NC, flying by myself with my 2 munchkins.  Heaven help us :)

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

G-Bear, from our recent trip to the rose garden.  Below, is me, over a decade ago (wow, hard to believe)

Good to know we are still counting the sunny days (but thanking God for the stormy ones) 

here at Happily Ever Johnson Land.

Have a blessed weekend.

A Summer Salad So Good

We have enjoyed a bunch of outstanding new meals the past few weeks, and I am dying to share some of my favorites.  In honor of the hot, summery weather, here is my new favorite summer salad.  It has kept me going this week despite the glorious heat.   Enjoy a trip to your nearby farmers' market (or your garden if your blessed!), grab a few pantry staples, and you're set.  No oven needed.

Asian Noodle Salad 

(Adapted from Ree Drummond's Favorite Salad Ever! at The Pioneer Woman)

I dreamt about making this salad for 3 days.  

I chopped for most of the morning when my munchkins were distracted with toys.

I finally enjoyed the salad of my labors during nap time....

....I licked my plate:

(uncharacteristically lovely photo of my food)

1.  Combine together in a very large bowl: 

Half a head of cabbage, chopped

Half a bunch of romaine lettuce, chopped

One red pepper, sliced

1-2 cups of perfectly plump sugar snap peas, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled & chopped

1 large bunch cilantro, chopped

3 scallions, chopped

2 large carrots, grated or peeled with a vegetable peeler

1/2 cup Craisins dried cranberries

1/4 cup peanuts, lightly chopped 

8oz whole wheat spaghetti noodles, cooked, drained and rinsed in cold water

2.  Then make the dressing.  Remember, I licked my plate.

 You can see the gorgous layers. They are, from the bottom up:

1/4 cup brown sugar

8 Tbs soysauce

3 Tbs fresh ginger, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lime, juiced

zest of one lime

6 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs sesame oil

A large pinch of chopped cilantro

3.  Shake your precious dressing, pour over and toss with your salad.

4.  Enjoy every glorious bite. Perhaps on the porch. Perhaps during nap time :)

A Tale of Two Pacies

We are a pacifier-loving household.  

Nonetheless, I have been thinking a lot lately about how to introduce an end to the "Era of the Paci" in our house.  After all, it feels like the right time.  We are no strangers to limits on pacies.  Each child gets relatively free range with their paci until around one year of age, at which point the paci stays in the crib and is only allowed at nap and bed time.  This has worked great for our family.  But now G-Bear is three and will start preschool in the fall.  E-Bear is 19 months with a good sleep schedule and a blankie he loves.  With no major family changes on the horizon, mom home for most of the summer, and the fun exhausting days of summer, this seems like the perfect time to move on.  Except that I dread the end of the pacifier.  Not as much as I dreaded potty training.  But almost.  Will my kids still sleep? Will they still nap?  Will I scar them for life if I take away their precious paci?  Plus, my family doesn't have the most typical track record with this type of thing....I sucked my thumb until I was eight, and my darling, attractive-and-sweet-but-oh-so-bachelor-brother was nearly in double digits before he said goodbye to his "nucker."  Sheesh, was it hard for us by then.  So, if I don't take it away now, is that what my kids are in for?


So I prayed.  And I prayed.  And I asked the advice of trusted friends, all of whom have more kids than me.  I got some great advice:

Pacifier Pointers from the Experts

- "Never make a major change when another is on the horizon.  Sleep or potty changes prior to the birth of a baby, a move, or a vacation are a bad idea!"  


- "If your child uses a pacifier, be thankful for the blessings. Compared to finger sucking, a pacifier is so great because YOU can take it away on your terms. It is really important to remember that we are the parents, and we can take it away/make changes when we think the timing is right.  How I wish all my kids chose that over finger sucking!


- "Remember that kids are VERY adaptable.   We  moms tend to overthink these things, and also give our kids WAY too much control and "reasons" for everything.  A 2 or 3 year old will bounce back very quickly from losing their pacificer, although it may lead to some sleepless nights (at most a week or two provided there are not other things going on in the house).  Obviously the advice can be different if the child has special needs.  Try to pick a time when you have the time and energy to make the move, and then do it!"


- "We found success by taking the pacifier away for nights first (and let them have it for naptime only).  I replace it with another toy/lovie.  We used a stuffed animal for our daughter who was 2.5 years at the time.  She asked/begged/pleaded for the pacifier for almost a week, maybe a few days more, but I just said no, and soon she forgot.  She is no worse for the wear.  I took our son's pacifier away at night when he was only 18 months.  He cried for it for several nights, and then it was over.  He still gets it for naps only because that is still in my best interest (it helps him fall asleep faster for naps!).

- "Don't feel pressure to take away a soothie like a pacifier if this isn't the right time for your family.  My husband and I admit that one of our worst parental decisions EVER was to take away our son's binky around age 2 because that's "what we were supposed to do."   By removing the pacifier, we robbed him of a central source of security, right around the time he was ousted by a baby brother. The timing of it all was really the crux of the matter and by the time we were all done, no one in the house was sleeping at night (or for naps) and two of us ended up with Mono!  To sum up my advice, choose the right time for your family, not other people.  And, if you take away the bink, replace it with a new security item to help the kids through the transition. " 


- "When all else fails, fear not!  The right time will come, you just have to watch for it, and your kids might solve the issue themselves!  Both of our boys solved the binky issue themselves by chewing through their binkys. One of our sons (now 3.5 years) just stopped using his because he had chewed it so much there was nothing left!  We didn't want to take it away earlier because he has had trouble with transitions in the past.  We were almost ready to take away older son's (almost 5 years) when he chewed through his as well.  Everyone slept better after a few nights."

Wow, such great advice.  

Armed with this encouragement, I planned my approach.  

Here are my stories:

Tale One: G-Bear

On Monday morning when G-Bear woke up, we sat together on her bed.

"G-Bear," I said,  "you are getting to be such a big girl.  You know, big little boys and girls don't need to use a paci all the time to sleep.  Pretty soon, it is going to be time to give your pacies to little babies who don't have any pacies.  So, tonight when you go to bed, we can put your paci in a special place, because you won't need to use it.  If you would like to use it for naptime today, you may.  But for bedtime tonight you will need to choose to put it in a special place."

G-Bear pondered this for a moment.
"Mommy, but the babies' mommies can just buy them pacies." 
"No, sweetie, these babies don't have any pacies at all."
"Oh. Can I have my pacies today?"
"For naptime. But not for bedtime. Because we are getting ready to give them to babies who don't have any pacies."
"But I can have them for naptime today?"
"Yes, sweetie."
"Ok. How 'bout I put them in my drawer for a 'pecial place?" And over she went with her pacies.
"That is a great idea, sweetie."

After a long fun summer day, when it was time for bed.  G-Bear asked for her pacies.  "No, honey," I said, "remember pacies are only for naptime now, not for bedtime.  You can have it tomorrow for your nap but not for bedtime.  We are getting ready to give your pacies to babies who don't have any pacies." And with a little wimper, and me laying down beside her for a bit longer after our story, off she went to sleep.  When I greeted her the next morning as she woke up, she leapt out of bed. "Mommy," she exclaimed, "can we go give my pacies to the girls who don't have any pacies?  Where are they?"  That's my girl.  You can bet we will be bringing pacies to some kids who need them this week.


As a brief aside, I was sure E-Bear would be easier than G-Bear to relieve of the pacifier.  Younger, a boy and with a blanket he loves, surely he would be the easy one.  Plus, he had just fallen asleep for a nap without his paci the day before at another house where we were visiting.  

Tale Two: E-Bear

So for E-Bear, since he is so much younger, he didn't benefit from a detailed preparatory conversation like the one I had with G-Bear.  And since we arrived home just shy of 10pm from a fun summer night out, I was sure it was the perfect time to remove the paci, because he was so tired and would fall asleep with minimal fuss.  

WRONG!  

I put him in bed with his blankie as I normally do.  When I finished his song and left without giving him his paci, horrendous shrieking and screaming ensued.  Of course he is going to cry, I thought,  just give him some time, he is tired.  An hour went by.  E-Bear's distress and protest was as hearty as ever.  Just after 11pm, I relented.  In I marched with his paci and placed it in his wailing mouth.  Thirty seconds later he was asleep.  I could already hear snoring as I closed his door.

My Lesson:

You see, all the advice I had received, combined with G-Bear's response to me that day, had convinced me that there is indeed season for everything.  G-Bear was ready this week.  E-Bear didn't seem to be.  There is benefit to striking while the iron is hot, to being shrewd as serpents, but it is also important to be be gentle as doves (Matthew 10:16).  So it is with parenting.  Tomorrow G-Bear will wake up again without her paci, and E-Bear will wake up with his.  I am thankful for both tales.  And I better start looking for some babies who need pacies.

Hard to beat...

....a family picnic dinner at the lake, on a perfect summer night like tonight.  

"Mommy, do we get to eat at the castle?!" asked G-Bear.  "It's just like Belle's castle!"  

Of course we can eat at the castle, sweetie.  

Look out, Disney World.  We have Lake Harriet.

We ate some fabulous grilled pineapple & chicken quesadillas, inspired by Ree's recipe at The Pioneer Woman (sans jalapenos, I am ashamed to admit).  Here is her picture...what we ate tasted just as good as this looks.

(I repeat, her picture, because I am not yet skilled enough to assemble quesadillas with my left hand, soothe a post-nap E-Bear on my right hip, and snap a picture with my toes, all at the same time. Give me time....I'm sure I just need a little more practice.)


Did I mention these were perfect?  Hot off the grill, wrap the quesadillas together in aluminum foil and then in a few clean dish towels.  They were still warm when we arrived at "Belle's castle" for our picnic.

The secret ingredient to these babies are homemade tortillas.  Easy.  I repeat.  EASY.  And amazingly delicious.  I made my 7th batch in two weeks tonight.  I have to thank my friend SnoWhite at Finding Joy in My Kitchen, for posting this grand slam whole wheat tortilla recipe.  Four people have asked me for this recipe in the past 2 days, including my very-attractive-and-sweet-but-oh-so-bachelor baby brother.  Like I said, amazing?!  They are the secret ingredient to making the pineapple quesadillas super-special.

(I have run into a few great recipes lately that I am eager to share....some of which even include pictures.  Perhaps I will get to share more later this week.)

Back to the picnic!  

We stayed for the summer concert series at the bandshell.  You must join us for a summer concert some night soon.  You can read the whole summer concert schedule here. There is a concert almost every night of the week, and the kids loved the music.  The breeze is perfect off the lake and the lawn next to the seating area is perfect for dancing toddlers.

Before the concerts (which start at 7:30pm on weeknights), stop by the Rose Garden, which is in full bloom right now.  Our budding Picasos were entralled by a painter hard at work:

Almost as stunning as the flowers are the fountains...

....like two little puddle ducks with their bottoms up....

...you should have heard the Bears chatting with each other....

And then the band played on.  As my Bears danced in the grass.

And as we strolled home from Belle's castle 

(bellies full of quesadillas and....ice cream, thanks to Papa)

the view was pretty nice....

...Only surpassed by the ones holding my hands, and my Prince by my side.

Sundays on Call

One of my least favorite parts of residency for T are Sundays like today, when he is on call.  It is good that hospitals never close--because emergencies do not just happen 9am-5pm Monday through Friday.  He is definitely needed there today, even after operating late into the night last night, because people are hurt and need surgery.  I am proud of him and his work today.  But it is hard to go through a long work week and miss out on a weekend together, especially the rest of the Sabbath.

Ironically, the hardest part for me about Sundays without T is going to church.  I wish it was the restful, re-centering, rejuvenating time that it once was for me--that I feel it should be.  But, as a lone parental dispatch with my two angels in tow, it is usually a rather frenzied experience.  I try to come prepared:  books, toys, crayons, paper, snack-cups, sippy cups.  What more could one need to occupy two sweet, angelic children?  My preparation usually buys me time until the third reading.....maybe to the homily if we arrived late.

Inevitably at that point the kids start tussling over something.  Not-so-angelic screaming from one or both children ensues.  When my ill-fated efforts to quiet them results in louder protests, the guiltier of the two perpetrators gets tucked under my arm and is removed from the pew.  Because I can only fit out of a pew with one screaming child slung over my hip, the other child is often left behind.  Until I realize that the calming is going to take longer than anticipated.  At which point I am forced to return to the pew with the first child to retrieve the second.  More protests and screaming (they now know I mean business) as I try to gracefully re-remove myself and now both children from the echoing sanctuary.  At this point, if I am really lucky, the priest has already paused and mentioned some unrehearsed comment about how "children are so precious to the Lord," or "they must not like my message either."  Yes, we really are that loud.

Then comes the dilemma of re-entry.  When to do it?  How to do it?  Can I trust my cherubs to stick this out long enough to make it worthwhile to go sit back down?  Because the only thing worse than dragging us out twice already is having to do it again.  Does it matter that I haven't heard but three sentences of the service?

Usually we just clandestinely join in the communion line to take our turn to "go say thank-you to Jesus."  Then back to the pew to retrieve our belongings.  Completely contrary to the point of going to church, I leave Mass more haggard than when I arrived.

I know there are people out there--wiser in years and with many more children--who must have wisdom to share with me on how to survive church, outnumbered with children.    What is the answer?  Nursery?  Better snacks?  Give up and go home (I would really rather not to do that)?  Hire Elmo to sit with us every Sunday?  In all seriousness, I could use some advice.  If you have some to share, please send it my way---the blessings of Happily Ever Johnson land will be upon you.

So, say a prayer for me in church today.  And for T too.  We will both be hard at work.

How to Catch a Big Fish, By G-Bear

This week, G-Bear learned how to catch a fish.

A biiiiiiig fish.  

Looks yummy, huh?

Now, to catch a fish this big, you must first get your worms.  

(Mommy, um, mommy.  He is trying to crawl out....of....my.....MOMMY!  He is trying to crawl OUT!)

Then, find a fisherman and have him teach you to bait your hook....

(Uncle Scott is pretty good at that)

...and help you throw your cast.

Then, watch your bobber. Waaaaaatch it.  

And try not to look too surprised when you catch a fish.... (Especially you, mommy)

(E-Bear, watch the shovel in the fish bucket, buddy.)

...or look too scared...

And the next time you throw a cast, find a safe spot. 

'Cause now we know that there might actually be a fish on the end of that pole when it comes out.

Shoot, thinks G-Bear.  Sure enough.  Caught another one.  

I kid you not, someone caught a fish off our dock every time the hook went in the water.  We had 8 fish in our bucket in about 10 minutes.  Including the delicious looking walleye below.  Far from being impressed, G-Bear was not going near the fish as they came out of the water.  "Mommy, they're too squishy and wigg-wy."

Now you know how to catch a fish, G-Bear style.