Back from the Klondike.

Steve and Danny got home from the Klondike Derby around 7pm last night.  Steve was very diligent about unpacking and tidying up after himself...Danny, well, not so much.  Steve did leave one thing in the van.  I mean, ON the van.  Yeah, we still have the sled on top...Steve's hoping there is enough room (and that he has the key) to put the sled in the scout shed at our new building.  Yeah, I'm hoping that also...because I really don't want to have to store that thing.

January sun

It's been a fairly wet and gloomy week here in the Pacific Northwest.  Wet enough to cause road and train track blocking mudslides.

Steve had a campout scheduled for last night with his Scouts.  He was pretty upbeat about going, in spite of the waterworks.  The rain mysteriously stopped yesterday - just before he he left.  It was clear and dry overnight and all day today. 

Sunshine on a Saturday in January in Washington?  It could happen.  And it did.

Scout Widow

It's a little ironic that Steve was called to be with the Scouts just before Danny turned 14. I don't mind it at all - except when it comes to camp outs. I wish the two groups would go on the same weekends - it would simplify laundry immensely.

Yes, Steve has a camp out tonight, and Danny doesn't.

Oh well. In two weeks the stars will align for Father and Sons camp out - and not only will Steve and Danny be going - but also Alex. I'd like to try and coerce Nathan into going too...but that seems a long shot.

The Real Miracle

Our family is still slogging through the Old Testament...but the end is sort of on the far distant horizon. We finished reading Ezekiel's dry bones last week (Yea!) and now we are in the book of Daniel. I love that it's short and pretty straightforward.

Last night we read the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. The one where they are tossed into the fiery furnace for not bowing down to the enormous idol. I suppose it was pretty miraculous that they were not consumed by the fire. Nice. Their hair wasn't singed. Good. And yeah, their clothes weren't burnt. Okay. Yup - it's a pretty cool miracle. But wait...my favorite part comes at the end:

Daniel 3: 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

The wife and/or mother of any Boy Scouter would pay ready money for the secret to that miracle. I love getting into the van the day after a campout (that would always be a SUNDAY!!!)and having the entire van reek of stinky boys....and campfire.

Yes. Steve had a campout this past weekend.

Saturday is a Muddy Day

Danny came up to me and said, "will you make sure Dad doesn't take a shower while I'm in the shower?" ....umm...nope.

On the one hand - kudos for going camping, in spite of the rain. On the other hand - lots of wet, muddy clothes to wash. And shoes to dry out. And Scouters to shower. Our hot water heater will be getting a workout today.

Begin as you mean to go on.

Today is Steve's first official campout with the Scouts in a long while. He's gone plenty of times in the past few years as a dad, but not as a scout leader.

I asked him this morning if he would like me to help him with food for tonight. I offered to make some calzone that he could reheat at camp. I suggested stew or perhaps a foil dinner. I was willing to help out this morning. He decided to take some canned food. Okay, if that's what he wants, fine by me.

He and Danny have to be over at the meeting place at 5pm. At about 3:45pm he asked me if I wanted to go get Alex and I some dinner. I said maybe....he then suggested that I swing by Little Caesar's and pick up a couple of pizza's so that he and Danny could eat right before they left.

No way Jose'. Not when I had nicely offered to help early in the day. Uh uh. I told him it was for his own good - otherwise he wouldn't learn anything from it. No pizza.

I did however, make him some French toast.

gobble, gobble.

This one's for Keira - just an idea for your cub scouts...it's all out of fun foam, googly eyes, and a magnet on the back. It's about 4 inches tall.

I've Got An Axe To Grind

You'd think that with 5 boys I would already own an axe. You'd think that somewhere down the line someone would have needed an axe for Scouts before now. Before my 5th and last Scout. But strangely enough, no Scoutmaster has ever wanted the boys to have their own axe at campouts....until now.

Danny's Scoutmaster informed me last night that Danny needs an axe for his campout next week.

I'm not generally a nervous mom - I've seen my share (some might think MORE than my share) of broken bones and injuries needing stitches. I handle them fairly well (okay, I make Steve take them to the hospital/walk-in clinic - if he's home - but mostly because I hate to sit around in waiting rooms). But I dunno, something about giving a 13 year old boy an axe gives me the willies.

Patches

What is it about men/boys and patches? Cub Scout Patches, Boy Scout Patches, Merit Badges, Military Rank... you KNOW they don't have to sew the darn things on.

I was first introduced to the darn things over 20 years ago while Steve was in the Air National Guard. I always hated it when he got a rank promotion, because that meant I'd have to rip off the old patches and sew on a new set - on all of his clothes. Okay, great honey, you got promoted....(all the while quietly grumbling about all the work it entailed for me).

Danny brought home a patch from Scouts a couple of weeks ago. I asked him if it was supposed to be sewn onto his shirt. He didn't think so. I thought so. I asked his Scout leader a few days later about it - it turns out I was right. I hardly grumbled at all as I lugged out the ol' Kenmore, found somewhat matching thread, scissors and a pin. It wasn't too bad. I think I managed to get it put in the right place (don't get me started on that issue - how they always have a specific place that they have to be put...) and best of all I didn't sew the sleeve together.

**later, the same evening....Danny came home from Scouts with ANOTHER patch to sew on! I hadn't put my sewing machine away yet, so everything was all set to go. I hope this doesn't become a habit.