We still get ice cream

A few weeks ago we fished in the Roy Martin Jr. Angler's Tournament.  My guys were very excited & anxious about this day.  Carson is very familiar with the fishing tournaments and he really likes it!!  Mason has come to learn this whole process....try your best to catch a big fish to win a prize. Of course we try our best to remind them that we are here to enjoy the day and have a good time as a family.   Both boys enjoy the fishing, and the competition too!!  So, on this day we are off to catch a big one!!  Some nasty storm clouds are lurking in the distance so we stay close to the shore for a while.  Mason was the first to catch a fish, a catfish and he was a "keeper!"  Yay!  Mason asks every single time he catches a fish "Is this one a keeper?"  (Of course, EVERY fish he catches is a keeper because HE caught it).  Not much longer and we move spots until we are at the West End of Dauphin Island.  The storm clouds have dissappeared, and the sun is shining brightly above us.  We fish for a little longer and then Tony pulls the boat to the beach for a swim.
A good time so far and then we realized we have to head in to the marina.  We pile back in the boat and Tony tells Carson to reel in the line he left out while swimming.  Carson begins to scream & shout that he caught something.  He can hardly reel it in because of the tugging and the fish jumps out of the water several times.  He gets it to the boat, and it is a good size speckle trout.  Carson does not contain his excitement...this is one happy boy!! 
We dock at the weighing station and the boys hop out with their fish in buckets.  Mason insists on carrying his fish in his Buzz Lightyear bucket.  They weigh the fish, and that is when it happened......both of the boys had fish that were only a few tenths from placing on the board.  They get their fish and walk away.  Mason is hanging his head with a puckered lip(no tears), but Carson is doing well.
Mason says "moma, my fish did not make it. He was not big enough. But, I am not gonna cry because it is not right to cry just because you lost."
Me:  "Mason that happens sometimes, but we still had fun.And, yes I am proud of you not crying because you lost."  And before he responds, Carson has to interject
Carson says" Ya win some and ya lose some buddy, but we still get ice cream!"

Nothing else needed to be said...fun, fun day with my unit and we still got ice cream!



Carson and his trout



Mason working hard to reel his fish to the boat