Seven Things Sunday

1. This week Caleb received his Arrow of Light award from Cub Scouts. His birthday isn't for several more weeks, so he technically has a little time left in Cub Scouts, but we're nearly to the end of our time in Cubs with our own kids. Check out his uniform. As only Caleb can wear it, a shirt from an old pack (so with the wrong numbers on it), shirt untucked, no shirt, kerchief, belt, or even shoes. It reminded me of many moons ago when I went to pick up popcorn from the then Pack Leader. She saw 3 year old Caleb in the van and said, "Oh! I don't think I've ever seen him with clothes on. He's usually just in a diaper." She wasn't exaggerating.

 2. My kids are goofy. This isn't exactly news, but I have photographic evidence of it tonight. Yes, that's Benjamin underneath everyone.

3. Our middle school did a fundraiser at Chipotle this week. It worked out best for me to phone in an order and have Todd pick it up on his way home from work, but when I called they were so swamped, they asked me to do the order online. This I then did. Unfortunately when Todd picked up the food, he was told that because I'd paid online they couldn't credit the fundraiser. I was irked since, we don't eat out hardly ever as a family and certainly wouldn't have that night except for the fundraiser. I sent an email to the corporate offices that night, and by the next morning had both and email and a personal phone call apologizing, and letting me know that they'd credited our school with our bill as well and telling me how much our school had raised. I once heard someone say that you can tell how good a company is by how easy it is to contact them. I'm not sure that's the best measure, but in this case it made me love Chipotle even more than I already did.

4. I cleaned my closet yesterday. I have no before and after pictures, but trust me when I tell you that it was terrifying and now it is not. Now to tackle my nightstand!

5. I've mentioned before that our family quotes Mr. and Mrs, Bunny Extraordinaire. A LOT. After another particularly gut busting evening of laughter of quoting (while reading scriptures, no less. We're bad.), I decided to email the author. I was still high from Chipotle responding to me. Anyway, this was the email I sent:

"Ms. Horvath,

Each year our family sets off across the USA on long road trips. One of our favorite things to do is listen to recorded books. Your books have proved to be some of our favorite. Everyone from the 5 year old to the adults love them. But I have to tell you how much my 15 year old son loves to quote the foxes from Mr. and Mrs. Bunny. He's forever interjecting the word, "Hooman!" into sentences, in just such a way that we all dissolve into laughter.  As communication between a 15 year old boy and his family isn't always an easy thing, I just wanted to thank you for your stories and the laughter that we've all shared and continue to share as a family when we think of some of your characters and their lines.

Sincerely,

[etc.]"

I went to bed that night not really expecting to hear back from her, but glad that she'd have a nice email to read. I mean I assume that authors like to know that your family loves their characters. Anyway, I'd told her. We were all excited when the next morning this came through:

Dear Ms Smith
What a great letter to start my day.  Thank you for troubling to write it.  And might I say that your fifteen year old son has remarkably good taste.  I wish you and your family many more happy road trips in the years to come.
Best
Polly Horvath

This week has been a great reminder that there are living, breathing people with feelings behind all the "institutions" we tend to think of as nameless and faceless. It has reminded me that before I go using social media to whine or complain, I should remember to try to just find a way to communicate with whomever I am having an issue. 

6. Speaking of social media, someone posted this on a friend's facebook page the other day and it was a balm to my weary soul. I have sung this one several times, but not for many years. I've listened to it several times just today and each time have been grateful for such simple, yet profound lyrics.  I'm so grateful for all those involved in music who share their many talents that we can all feel within us.

7. We had more snow last night into much of today. I was exceedingly grouchy that we still had church this morning. I really want a snow day. One honest to goodness, don't even think about going anywhere snow day.  We've had lots of snow, and lots of cold, but nothing that anyone else seemed to deem worthy of shutting everything down for. Anyway, as I took my little black storm cloud to church with me, I realized that I was probably about to have wonderfully spiritual  church meetings. It seems that when I am grouchiest about being at a church meeting, that is when the spirit is the most present and I therefore have a choice. I need to get over myself and bask in the opportunity to learn and grow, or I can be grouchy and miserable for hours on end. Sunday School today was fantastic. It was the first time in a long time where everything was really clicking. I felt like the entire class was learning and growing together with the help of the Spirit. I suppose in the grand scheme of things that is worth far more than a snow day.

Cub Scout Fall Camp Out

In the five years that we've been doing Cub Scouts with our boys and our community troop, I think this is the first time we've been able to go to the fall camp out.  It usually conflicts with General Conference, but this year they were a week apart, so we were able to go and camp out for one of the two nights.  (We don't camp out Saturday to Sunday, so this only works if the pack is camping for two nights.)

I had the privilege to take the boys on the trip.  It's usually Todd's job, but it's gotten too cold at night for Mr. Zero Percent Body Fat to comfortably go without getting sick.  Ironically, as I'm writing this the day after the camp out, I have a fever.

We could not have asked for better weather!  It was cool at night and in the early morning, but no more that a few layers could fix, and the afternoon was nice and warm.  We had sunshine the whole time!  This is a miracle in Ohio.  By next month, we will enter the gray season, and won't really see the sun again until April.

 Beautiful changing trees!  Every time there was a gentle breeze, the pretty yellow and orange leaves came fluttering down upon us en masse!

 I don't know what you all do on a camp out, but our boys play chess.  These boys were thoroughly engrossed for at least two hours in the tournament they had set up.

 We were in a huge open camping area, so Caleb had wonderful amounts of space to wander while I could still see him from my spot at the fire pit.  He loved it!

 Nathaniel and Caleb both wanted nothing more than to play in the fire and were not amused by the strict "no scout may throw anything in the fire unless supervised by an adult.  And any stick you stick in the fire, we will throw in the fire."  Lame safety rules.  ;)

 I listened to a church talk a couple of weeks ago that talked about not just looking at your children, but truly beholding our little ones.  I took as many opportunities as possible this weekend to behold two of my sons.

Cub Scout Cross Over/Blue and Gold Banquet/Arrow of Light Thingy

Do you see this boy?  As of three weeks ago is no longer a cub scout.  Oh no.  He is a big bad Boy Scout.  (Do you see the patches on his shirt?  Most of them I sewed on 2 weeks before this dinner even though he's owned the shirt for almost two years.  And then I had to buy a NEW shirt to sew on NEW patches for his Boy Scout meeting the very next week.  Arg!!)

This is what was left of the group who started in Cub Scouts together so many years ago.  They are a nice bunch of boys when they're not trying to light things on fire.  ;)

This is Lilyanna with her outfit inspired by my Glamazon sister, Elysa.  Hello??  Animal print and accessories??  Clearly a must.  Also, she has a lollipop.  That was pretty much how we could get her to sit through the event.  She didn't start screaming and running away until Todd and I had to stand up in front of the room with Benjamin.  Naturally.

So, after the boys cross over the bridge thingy, the new Scout Master puts little green thingies on  the scout's shirt.  I have no idea what they symbolize, except they used to be blue and now they are green.

And there they are.  Two minutes before the picture was taken they were itty bitty Scrub Scouts as Todd likes to call them, but now they are aforementioned big bad Boy Scouts.

And this is what happens when you give boys real arrows when they earn their Arrow of Light award.

And here are the Dads who didn't kill them even after working with them for so many years.  Bless their hearts.

And here we are.  Looking terrible.  It had been kind of a long day.  I promise we enjoyed it all much more than it looks like here.

One down, two to go.

Veterans Day 2010

My blog is a little erratic lately with the dates.  I'm posting more, but just with what catches my fancy.  Chronology Shmonology is what I always say!  (Actually, I've never said that before.  But now is an excellent time to start!)  ANYWAY.  Here are the Webelo 2 scouts from our pack.  You can tell which one is my kid because he has NO patches sewn on his shirt.  That has since been remedied.  Ya know.  Just in time for him to cross over to Boy Scouts and not need the shirt anymore.

These boys did the flag ceremony for the Veteran's Day assembly held at the elementary school.  I cried pretty much the whole time.  Something about lots of old men in uniform telling war stories combined with patriotic music.  I can't handle it.  I take an entire box of tissues to the Memorial Day parade in our town each year.  It's the cars full of former POWs that get me every time.  

This group of boys, though small, is good.  I've been pleased with the experiences Benjamin has been able to enjoy while associated with our neighborhood Cub Scout Pack.  It's weird to think he's almost a boy scout.  My BABY!!  

Cub Scout Camp

The three younger boys and I spent this last week at Cub Scout Camp. It was absolutely fabulous! Both Benjamin and Nathaniel completed nearly all of their scouting requirements for the coming year and earned several belt loops, as well. More importantly, they had a great time!

I was on staff as the badminton instructor, because, you know, I'm the most amazing pro at badminton.

Oh. Wait. (Yeah, actually, last time I played badminton, I'm pretty sure I still had a perm and a scrunchy in my hair to go with my acid wash jeans. Oh, and I believe that we added a tackle component to the game. Shockingly, that's not in the official rules.)

So, yes, I looked up how to play it the night before I had to teach it, and then spent the next four days teaching six classes a day. I saw and yelled at over 500 scouts during the week.

Caleb got to hang out with other younger siblings, which basically meant that he got to do all the coolest stuff AND sit around and eat staff food all day.

And let me tell you, if you are thinking that I was a little crazy for being on staff while pregnant, two words. Staff Bathroom. All the other parents had to use the same bathrooms as all 520 scouts. It was totally worth the extra responsibility.

Benjamin and his den performing a skit.

Nathaniel patiently waiting for their turn to sing a song at the campfire program.

Caleb. Chilling with the staff and actually paying attention to the 24 skits and songs performed that evening.

In case you were wondering what 520 cub scouts look like.

Cub Scouts at the Rifle Range

Benjamin learns how to shoot.Nathaniel seems to already know.
Our friend Adam. (Hi, there Grandma Peggy! Do you have any concerns?)
And Caleb. He was afraid to shoot until almost the end of the turn at the range. It wasn't until I whipped out the camera that he decided it would be okay. Apparently, he like the idea of a picture of him shootting better than the idea of actually shooting. He did eventually do it. But after about ten shots, he was done.
Caleb and Adam "sneaking" up a hill. Caleb ran up. Adam kept looking back at me to see if I was going to yell at them for going off the trail. (I didn't. It was a short cut to the road.)

Happiness is...

Throwing pies in your little brother's face!!

Pine Wood Derby 2009!!

(Caleb is thrilled and enthusiastic for every heat no matter where he places. Nathaniel does not like to "lose".)

Benjamin is not pictured here, even though it was his derby. We were having camera issues. I started with my phone as camera, but then it ran out of batteries. Todd ran home to get the camera which I used until IT ran out of batteries. Then we switched over to Todd's phone.

Oi. Who says modern convenience is convenient?

This year Todd and the boys spent about 1/8 of the time spent last year on derby cars. And all three placed better than ever. Go figure. Benjamin placed second in his den and 4th overall. I can't remember the other boys placements, though they both did well enough to surprise me.

It was good times all around. I got to hang with some of the Broads. We all got to cheer our boys. The boys got to play with their friends, run around the gym, and race cars. And Todd got to read up on his company's financial report during the heats that didn't involve our sons. Good times were had by all.

Popcorn

Somehow I became the person in charge of the annual cub scout fundraiser of selling popcorn.  

There is currently $13,000 worth of popcorn in my living room.  It looks like this:

And this:
And every time I walk past it, I think of this:

And it makes me giggle.

Pinewood Derby 2008

Ah, the Pinewood Derby. Is it even possible to be a boy or a Dad without the yearly fight about making a little wooden car that can't weigh more than 5 oz.? And to then spend hours on end watching little boys in their blue shirts cheering and crying as their cars race down the track in a gym? Good times.