Fishing pole sinks faster than a tackle box

Stephanie was excited to finally go fishing with her mother. They walked along the bank of the river, looking for a nice beachy area to practice on. She wanted to go up to the rocks but her mom said she not until she was eight-years-old.

"Here is your pole," It was one Stephanie picked out herself, it was black with a panda on the reel just like the ones in the zoo.

Elizabeth held her pole in one hand, keeping the other free to help Stephanie. "Now, hold your pole behind you like this then reach up and over your head to throw it in the water." She mimicked the motion a few times to show her.

Stephanie watched intently, determined to do it just like her mom.

When Stephanie seemed to have the motion down Elizabeth taught her the next step. "Now it's time to release the line. See this button?" she turned her pole around to show her the button, Stephanie did the same.

"This one?" she pointed to the black button on her pole.

"That's the one. You're going to hold it down when the pole is behind you then when the pole is pointing towards the tops of the trees over there you let go of it. Okay?"

"Okay mommy." She practiced a few more times. The first time she let the button go too early so the line fell directly behind her. The second time it crashed at her feet because she released the button too late. Stephanie huffed and pouted "It's not working."

Elizabeth stood behind Stephanie and held her hand over Stephanie's to let her feel the motions and timing correctly. "You do it on your own now and I'll be right here fishing next to you."

Elizabeth took in the sight around her, the sound of rushing water, the occasional fish jumping, birds chirping and leaves rustling in the wind. The river was her favorite place. Her dad used to take her out in the summers and they'd spend all day fishing and eating sunflower seeds, sometimes they didn't even stop to eat lunch. Out here she was disconnected from everything, no phone service for the company to call her in; it was just her, her daughter and the nature surrounding them.

"How you doing sweetie?"

Stephanie turned to her mother, gave her a big smile and a thumbs up.

"Let me know when you want a break or a snack okay?"

"I'm good!" She was thrilled to be just like her mom today, if her mom was fishing then she would fish. One day she would be big enough to get the waders and vest and go out into the river just like her mom. When that day happened she wanted to be ready.

"Can I go closer to the water?"

Elizabeth knew the water was shallow and it was just sand at the bottom right in front of them and she was wearing a life vest but the river could be unpredictable. "Don't go past your ankles okay?"

Stephanie took 2 steps forward and 1 jump back. "It's cold!" Elizabeth laughed and Stephanie determined to be like her mom hesitantly stepped forward again, entering the water.

She threw her line in again and felt a tug this time. "Mommy help! I got a fish!"

Elizabeth dropped her pole and closed the distance in 2 strides. "Hold on to it, slowly reel it in." The lack of fighting caused her to suspect it was a small fish. She grabbed the net as it reached the surface and scooped it up.

"Hold it by line so I can take a picture."

Stephanie took it from Elizabeth and held it up for the camera. "One, two, three." Right as Elizabeth snapped the picture the fish broke free jumping back into the water; Stephanie went after the fish and Elizabeth went after Stephanie.

Elizabeth jerked her back to shore by her vest. "You can't do that! What did I tell you about going into the water?"

"Not to." Stephanie said staring at her shoes. "But my fish."

"Your safety comes first. There will always be another fish but there isn't another you."

"I'm sorry."

"Just don't do it again. Okay?" Stephanie nodded. "Now, let's see if we can catch a bigger one."

Stephanie went to get her pole but didn't see it on the sand, she couldn't find the tackle box either.

"Where's my pole and tackle box?"

"It's right there-" Elizabeth looked around but didn't see it anywhere. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something floating in the water. "I found the tackle box." She pointed just off the shore where it floated against a rock.

"Where's my pole?"

"Sorry baby but I think it got knocked into the river when you went after the fish."

Her lip quivered, "No more fishing today?"

"I'm afraid not. But we can still have our picnic and play on the beach. How does that sound?"

Stephanie rested her finger on her chin while she thought about it. "I guess that's okay."

"Just okay? I bet I can build a bigger sandcastle than you."

"No! We do it together!"

"Okay baby, we'll do it together."

Nothing turns a day around like licking a mixing bowl

Elizabeth watched her daughter sulk in front of the T.V. usually Pocahontas made everything better from a cold to a scrapped knee to Elizabeth going on a work trip. They were supposed to go to the zoo, Stephanie had been asking all week to go so Elizabeth promised if she was good at daycare everyday then they would go on Saturday. But an unexpected thunderstorm came through so they had to cancel and Stephanie was not happy about it and Elizabeth couldn't blame her.

Stephanie's next favorite activity came to mind; she wasn't sure how well it would go but if it meant seeing her daughter smile she would give it her best.

"Hey sweetie, how about we bake some cupcakes?"

Stephanie squinted at her, thinking long and hard before speaking. "But you don't bake or cook."

"Okay I guess I'll go put this box of funfetti cake mix away…" She pushed off the doorway and slowly padded toward the pantry.

Stephanie jumped off the couch and ran to her mother. "Funfetti?! No I wanna! I wanna!"

"You get your mixing bowl and spoon and I'll get the eggs." Stephanie liked baking so much they put plastic bowls and spoons special for her.

She put on her white apron that said Chef Stephanie, Master of the kitchen's little helper, and pulled up her stool. "Can I crack the egg?"

Elizabeth arched an eyebrow, "Have you done it before?"

Stephanie nodded, "Daddy showed me. I be gentle, promise."

Elizabeth couldn't resist the big green eyes pleading with her. "You can do 1."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," She danced in place careful not to fall off the stool.

Elizabeth poured in the cake mix, and measured the water and oil for Stephanie to pour in. She watched Stephanie gently tap the egg on the counter, biting her lip in concentration. Once it was cracked she held it above the bowl and tried to pull it apart but her fingers crushed the shell and a few pieces fell in with the egg.

"Oh no!"

"It's okay baby, we'll just take them out."

Elizabeth quickly beat the batter once the shells were removed and let Stephanie stir with the spoon after it was mixed together.

"Hello?" Elizabeth answered the phone as she put the treats in the oven.

"Hey babe, just letting you know the review session is running longer than I expected but I'll still be home for dinner."

"Okay, drive home safe. Love you."

"Love you too."

They went back to the movie while the cupcakes baked.

"Don't forget to put a timer, mom," Stephanie said as she got comfortable and turned her attention back on the movie.

Elizabeth nodded her head, and noticed they would be done by the end of the hour so she saw no need to set a timer as long as she kept an eye on the clock. She became so engrossed in the colorful movie, noticing underlying statements and themes that went over her daughter's head that she didn't notice her oldest fall sleep. Faintly, she thought she smelt something off from the house's usual fresh aroma but she didn't give it a second thought. A moment later, the scent crossed her nose again, this time stronger, a touch of ashen air passing through her nose. Looking at her clock, she was it a quarter past and quickly sprang up and rushed to the oven. The closer she got, the stronger the burning scent hit her. Opening the oven door unleashed a grey cloud covering her vision, and her nose was blocked with the smell of burnt funfetti cake.

"Mommy?" Stephanie asked on the verge of tears,"the cupcakes are ruined?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry. But hey you know what the best part of baking is?"

She sniffled, wiping the drip from her nose, "What?"

"Eating the batter!"

Her eyes lit up like her world had been changed. "You can do that?"

"It's a must when baking."

Henry came home to find his two girls laughing over a bowl of cake batter and singing along to Disney songs.

He kissed his daughter's head, "How was your day?"

"We didn't go to the zoo because of rain and mommy burnt the cupcakes."

"Sounds eventful." He said against her lips before kissing her.

"But is okay we eat cake batter instead."

Henry snuck into between them, eyeing the cake batter before taking a quick swipe of the bowl with his finger.

"No, daddy! Is for mommy and me!"

A devilish smile spread across his face, his chest puffed out and arms went outwards. "I am the cake batter monster!" His voice boomed through the room.

Stephanie screamed, held the bowl tighter against her, shielding it from her dad. Henry stomped around the couch, slowly creeping towards his daughter who was trying to hide in Elizabeth's side. Another scream pierced the room as closed in on her, tickling her sides causing her screams to turn to laughter.

Dig to china with a spoon

"Hey sweetie what are you doing?" he found his eldest daughter digging in the backyard with a spoon, her backpack next to her.

"Running away"

That wasn't the answer he was expecting. "Where are you going?"

"China."

"How are you going to get there?"

"Digging." She answered without breaking her focus.

"Oh okay." He had so many questions but decided against asking them right now.

He joined Elizabeth at the kitchen sink where they could still keep an eye on Stephanie. "You know our daughter is trying to run away to china?"

"Yeah she told me."

"That's it?"

"She's mad at me because I told her she couldn't have any more marshmallow fluff."

He gasped, feigning shock. "Wow. How dare you? I think I might have to call CPS." Elizabeth laughed. "How long are you going to let her do that?"

Elizabeth shrugged, "until she gets tired or realizes it won't work, whichever comes first"

They were sitting on the couch watching TV when the backdoor opened then slammed shut.

"Hey sweetie? Did you already go to China and back?"

"No, I'm hungry. Is dinner done?"

Henry glanced at his watch, oh it was dinner time. He sprung up from the couch to scramble something together.

Stephanie went to sit next to her mom but Elizabeth swooped her up before she made it to the couch. "Woah there, let's get you in the bath first."

She was covered in dirt and grass stains. "Are you done digging to China?"

"No."

"No?!" Elizabeth faked being shocked.

"I try again tomorrow."

Stephanie was stubborn just like Elizabeth. Logically, she knew it wasn't possible but if anyone could do it she knew her daughter could.

When I'm wrong I should just say so

"Daddy?" Henry quickly put a smile on his face, Stephanie didn't need to know anything was wrong.

"Yeah, sweetie?"

She stared at him before asking, "Are you sad?"

"No, I'm not sad."

Stephanie frowned and climbed up in his lap; she didn't believe him. She snuggled against him for a little bit, then gave him a kiss on cheek. "All better?"

"Thank you. I love you."

"Love you." She said as she walked away to go find mommy.

Elizabeth was sitting at the kitchen table, the TV on in the background. The fight with Henry playing over and over in her mind. She didn't how it spiraled, it started out as a simple comment about him not taking out the trash and snowballed into something bigger. She chalked it up to be overtired and overworked. The sound of pitter patter pulled her from her thoughts. "Look who woke up from her nap!"

"Why is you and daddy sad?"

Elizabeth sighed, Stephanie was too smart for her own good. Knowing there was no point in lying she went for a version of the truth.

"I said something that wasn't very nice and I didn't mean."

"Say sorry like me."

"You think I should say sorry?"

"Yes. You say sorry, hug, and kiss then all better."

Somehow her three-year-old daughter managed to make everything seem so simple. The situation was a little more complicated than that but she had a point. The best way to fix things were to admit you were wrong and say sorry.

"How did you get so smart? Huh? How did you get so smart?" She asked as she squeezed her and peppered her with kisses all over.

Elizabeth knocked on the bedroom doorway to let Henry know she was there. "We're in trouble."

Henry looked at her puzzled. She stayed where she was, aware of the tension between them.

"Stephanie is now smarter than us."

The hard lines on his face soften, "She tried to comfort you too?"

"Not just that but also gave me advice on what to do."

Henry raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? What did she say?"

"She said to apologize and she's right. I'm sorry Henry, I didn't mean what I said."

"You don't think I'm a pompous ass?"

She uncrossed her arms and slowly padded across the room. "No, I think you have a very sexy ass."

She wrapped her arms around him, her hands trailed down his back, landing on his ass and giving it a quick squeeze.

"Do you forgive me?"

"I want to but I think I need a little more convincing."

"Well it's a good thing she also told me a kiss makes everything better."

"Well, you did say our daughter was smarter than us. I think we should listen to make sure."

Their lips moved against each other, their hands roaming each other, getting lost in each other. When they broke apart, they laid there, sweaty and sated, catching their breath.

"Remind me to buy her a pony."