Bear Lake

 The kids and I took our annual trip to Bear Lake last week. This time we were joined by my two sisters and their babies. Jody and Kit are always so gracious to let us come and play. I often joke with my cousins that they need to send me a bill for the babysitting service because I feel like I walk through the door on Monday and I don't see my kids again until we are packing in the car to leave. Brad, Natalie, Kimmy, and Tyler are all so great to rush them from the pool to the park, park to the beach, beach to the scooters, and scooters back to the pool. Thank you Curtis family. We love it more and more each year.

An entertaining story from Bear Lake of course comes from Mason. Mason does not have many fears but dogs and water are the most prominent. I wasn't worried about a stray poodle jumping out of the bushes at Bear Lake but I was worried about the swimming pool. For a few years now Mason will just skirt around the edge of the pool but never get in. He might stick his feet in but that is if he is handcuffed to me and the key is in his pocket. Ok- I am exaggerating but you get my point. Day one- Tylie jumps out of the car and immediately starts tearing our bag apart trying to find her swimsuit. Mason acts like he has never heard of a swimming suit. A few hours in, Mason is convinced to at least put on the swimming suit and hang out on the side of the pool. After some bribing- Brad gets him in the pool, off the steps as long as he feels that Brad maintains his death tight grip. Day two- I hear Brad and Tyler trying to convince Mason to go down the slide. He continues to resist. I decide that it is time to conquer my own fears of wearing a swimming suit in order to help my son overcome his. So with that, we marched down to the pool with Mason not realizing what his mother was about to do to him. I understand that kids have fears but water will not be one of them. Not my kids. I don't want them to find themselves in a situation and panic and end up drowning themselves unnecessarily. I knew that Mason felt comfortable with Brad so I let him spend the first 30 minutes with him floating around and feeling secure. Then came time to take control. I grabbed him, told him he was going to jump off the edge to me, and threw him out of the water. That is when the tears started and I thought he was going to turn that pool into a salt water pool. He could not pull himself together. No matter how high I held me arms, how many treats I offered, or how many times I counted to three- he was not going to do it. As a side note- please understand that I am not a horrible mother. Mason had so many floatation devices strapped on that the kid could practically walk on water. He had a life vest, arm floaties, a noodle, and a ring. RIDICULOUS! I was starting to wonder if he would go any deeper than his toes when he actually did jump. After so much pleading I had enough. "Brad- Just go shove him in." Brad studies my face to see if I'm serious. "Really???" "Yup- Shove him. I am his mom. He has to forgive me. Do it!" Brad nonchalantly climbs out of the pool. Suddenly Mason is flying through the air with enough terror on his face to satisfy any horror film junkie. About half way down he got a big grin on his face. When he hit the water and figured out that I actually would catch him- he immediately jumped out to do it again. Then came the slide- over and over again. Finally sticking his face in the water and floating around all by himself. It was a sense of freedom he had not experienced and he was so proud. I was so proud. Finally. Maybe next year will be the dogs. Brad- see what you can do about getting a huge pit bull to sit outside the condo. After all- you said it yourself. "Why not- you only live once!" Thanks Curtis's. We had a blast. Love you.