Cub scout campout Thursday and Friday

Nate really enjoyed the campout at the Witchita Mountain Wildlife refuge in Oklahoma. And I did survive four days without a computer.

The first day there was nothing planned. I got Nate up at 6pm and we left shortly after. We had a breakfast stop in Decatur. After we got there we set up our tent and then we went back into town for lunch (McDonalds). Fortunately the campsite we got this time had electricity and a covered area with four large picnic tables so we did not have to set up the scout tent.

Friday we had planned a three mile hike. About a mile into the walk we found out that two od the kids had decided that socks were optional for the hike. One had developed blisters on both feet and the other we put bandaids on the areas that rubbed. The dad, me and one of the other scout leaders took turns carrying the child with blisters on our shoulders seeing that we were almost halfway. Unfortunately the paths was not marked very well and after another hour we found a map that showed we were on mile four of the eight mile hike! Three of the more fit grownups jogged the other four miles back to the vehicles while the rest of us crossed a dam and waited for them the three to show up with our vehicles then they ferried more parents back to get enough cars to carry all of us back to camp. I have to say I have never been more proud of the kids. Very few of them complained and all of them had fun. I think part of it was because of the mix in ages. We have Tigers (first graders) all the way to Webelos (fourth and fifth graders) on the hike and I am sure the younger ones want to keep up with the older ones and the older ones did not want the younger ones showing them up.

Anyways after we got back to camp and had a quick lunch we went to the visitor center to walk through their museum. I forgot the instructions on what we were doing next so I took Nate up to Mt Scott (a mountain that you can drive all the way to the top of). Nate really enjoyed playing in the boulders and I loved the views. I was impressed to see the windfarms from the top of the mountain. Jumping from rock to rock though hurt my knees so Nate and I drove back to camp but on the way we stopped by the Holy City. The Holy City is a working chapel and a set for the longest running passion play in North America.

Once we did that we went back to the camp ground, had dinner, told stories by the campfire and then called it the night.

caught up on chores - oh my back

Yesterday I took advantage of the good weather, and no one being sick, to get caught up on chores.

The first thing I did was get all my camping equipment out and make sure everything was in shape, and if I needed anything. Oh I forgot to tell y'all: Nate and I are going camping with the cub scouts during Spring Break to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Four days and three nights without a working computer - If that does not tell you how much I love my kids then you REALLY do not know me at all.

After that I got the lawn mowed. Unfortunately when I was playing chase with the kids with the cordless leaf blower I landed hard on my heel and it felt my spine compressed on itself. I can still move around no problem but it hurts to bend or turn to much. But most of that has been negated with alternate doses of Aleeve and Advil. The kids got to play outside all day so they had an absolute blast. The weather was perfect!

Sunday my back was feeling good enough that I finished up my chores (replaced a sprinkler head and clean the gutters). Then we had a BBQ.

Busy February

Well this has been a busy month. First Nate got the flu, once he started to get better both Chris and Lexi got the flu. I was trying to stay well until Chris got better but after she got over the flu she got an ear and sinus infection - and I got sick.

Despite all that I was able to go to Nate's valentines party at his school and Lexi had her birthday party at Boomerang's bounce house.

Oh well - I gotta run. Nate's cub scout den is doing their Blue and Gold Banquet tonight and I gotta go help set up.

Nate's pinewood Derby

Nate's had his pinewood derby this weekend. I spent the last weekend putting his car together and let me tell you that my skill with a coping saw has ALOT of room for improvement. Fortunately I had an ample supply of wood putty to cover all the gouges.

The easiest part was the weights. The cubscouts are very particular now on how much they should weigh. Originally the only rule I heard was it could not weight more than five ounces but when I saw the written rules it stated it had to be between 4.75 and 5 ounces. I got some cylinder weights and drilled holes in the back, slid the weights in and puttied up the holes. At the time of weigh in it was exactly 4.75 ounces.

After wards I had Nate sand it until he got bored (with all the putty there was a good bit of sanding to do) and then he primed and painted it.

The hardest part was the wheels. I made a classic first timer mistake and took on more than I could handle. One of the things you can supposedly do to make the car go faster is to move the axles closer to the ends. So I cut a new rear axle slot at the rear. The result was a little.... disasterous. Fortulatly I was able to get the rear axle fixed.

Nate actually won two rounds but he lost out on the next two rounds. I was real impressed at how good of a sport he was.

I posted pics of his racer on the photo album. Enjoy.

:)

Every book ever written - except one

I read this comic Mister Bookseller a while back and found it again this morning. Overall the story has a sad ending but I loved the thought of having a magical bookstore that has everybook ever written - except one.

Nate gets his report card - Lexi gets a haircut

Nate got his reportcard today. He got all A's (eight of them) and the teacher commented on his report card that he is "Respectful of Authority" and "works well in cooperative groups". We are really proud of him.

One thing that was interesting is that he came back with coupons from Cici's, Beef O'Brady's and putt putt for free meals/games. I don't know if that's for his grades or if its innovative marketing.

Well we have been planning on getting Lexi's hair cut for a month now as she has a habit of chewing on her hair but yesterday Lexi decided to do it herself. Fortunatly Chris caught her early.







So Lexi got an time out and a trip to SuperCuts