A week or so ago, my home teaching companion and good friend Jason called me up to let me know the Moose Lodge in Woodland was sponsoring a kids fishing event at Horseshoe lake.
We try to attend as many of these kind of events as possible, so Johnny can experience the thrill of fishing while its easy (it helps him to focus more on the fishing when it is not as easy). When we got there, we found that the Jason's family were not there yet and called them. Turns out they had some car problems and needed to fix a few things before heading out. At the event, they had rented a Johnny-jumper,
one of those huge kids jumping inflatables, so Johnny spent the first 30 minutes or so getting lots of good exercise jumping with lots of other kids in that while we waited for Jason's family. We also took a walk around the grounds to see what else they had there. There was a big moose sign (a background for pictures with your fish). There was a big pile of hay on a tarp in the middle of a field, and there were lots of brand new shiny bikes as prizes for the biggest fish in various age groups. Johnny sat on his favorite one.
We went to registration, and paid our two dollars for Johnny's fishing, and spent two dollars on tickets to the prize lottery drawing. Then we went for a walk on the beach by the non-event fishers, and found that they were doing pretty good as well.
We helped a young man dehook a fish
he had just caught, and Johnny took pictures of a large dog on the beach by a fisherman 
(after asking permission). [By the way, if you look at the detailed view of this picture where I'm holding the fish, you can see my finger that's healing up from the fingernail removal surgery I had last week, that was a follow-up to the ingrown fingernail that resulted from cutting the right side of that finger off with the chainsaw (see "Neighbors and Chainsaws" story below for details of that event).]At registration, they gave out tickets for a free kids meal at The Old Spaghetti Factory (Johnny charmed his way into an extra ticket!)
Jason's family finally showed up, and then the waiting began.
There was a line to get a spot on the beach where the fish were penned up in a net about 15 feet from shore. 
Hardly even room to cast. In fact, there was a full time boatman with a trolling motor helping free lines of kids that had cast OVER the net and buoy system. He was kept VERY busy.
The fish were not all that hungry (full moon the previous night), but Johnnie caught two within the first hour, then helped his friends catch theirs. Toward the last hour, they consolidated the fish by shortening the 150-foot beach to about 75 feet long. We caught the last of the 12 fish then. Switching to PowerBait instead of the supplied worms also help speed up the catch toward the end.
One of the fish Johnny caught was large by the day's standard, being about 8.5 inches long, rather than the 5 to 6 inches of most of the other fish caught.
We got it measured and cleaned, as with the rest of the fish. The hay pile turned out to be a coin hunt. For various age groups, the sponsors dumped $50 in loose change into the hay, then set the kids to searching for it.
The kids had a blast digging through the hay to find each penny. It reminded me of a carp boil (when you toss bread into a school of carp and watch them fall all over themselves trying to get a piece). Finally, they held the lottery drawing and we didn't win anything with our tickets. Jason had purchased 7 tickets, and won a razor scooter on one of them.
Its was about 2:30 PM and Johnnie and I were starving. We did an emergency run to McDonald's, then headed home.
The next event of the day was a trip to the Portland Temple with two of my daughters, Traci and Kristi,
to act as proxies for the dead in baptism ceremonies (1 Cor. 15:29). As a Priesthood holder in the office of an Elder, I was able to perform the baptisms, and Kristi and Traci acted as the proxy in behalf of the persons who have died without the chance for baptism by this authority while living. What a great and marvelous plan our Heavenly Father has to provide ALL of his children a chance to accept the saving ordinances of the Gospel and return to live with him. We did names from a family genealogical file of a member of our ward, and collectively offer the baptism ordinance to 1500 spirits on the other side of the veil, some of whom we hope will accept this vicarious work done for them, and be able then to progress to the next stage in their journey back home.
On the drive to the temple, I got a surprise call from the Moose lodge volunteer. It turns out that Johnny's big fish was a prize winner in his age class. Johnnie had won a bike! So, after returning home, I drove back to Woodland to the Moose lodge with Johnny and Koda, and Johnny got to pick a bike. Turns out he got the one he had picked earlier from all the available bikes when we had toured the grounds earlier in the day. He is very thrilled with the bike!
Johnny and I then drove to The Old Spaghetti Factory and enjoyed some Mizethra ala Homer (spaghetti with Mezethra cheese and brown butter). This is one of Johnny's favorites. While we were there, someone had a birthday celebration. Johnny said, "hey, I just had a birthday (two weeks ago on 12 APR)" So, he called over our waitress and told her that he had missed coming in on his birthday and could they come and sing to him as well. Well, with that Johnny charm, of course they couldn't resist, so they rounded up all the wait staff and brought him a second helping of Spumoni ice cream with a candle in it and sang Happy Birthday to him. We brought at least half our food home for leftovers. Koda guarded the car well, and we gave him a puppy treat and water.
We stopped by Super Walmart on the way home and got mom some mother's day roses. We also found out that Johnny's bike was one of the best of the 20" bikes available, but that none of the ones they carried had gears. You have to go up to 24" before they start with the gears.
One the way home, I got to thinking about what a great day it had been and how much I owed a day like this to my mom. Mom is the one who always allowed Dad and I time to get away and fish, thus contributing to my love of fishing. She taught me to be a great dad, and of the joys of parenting. Mom helped teach me the gospel and has continually helped keep me on the straight and narrow path (and I wouldn't be a Priesthood holder or have been in the House of the Lord today if it were not for her). I probably would not have been a home teacher, and had a friend like Jason, so I probably wouldn't have even learned of the event. For that matter, I probably would not have 6 children, and thus Johnny (the sixth) to share this great day with. For all these things and sooooooo much more, thanks Mom. Happy Mother's day!
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