AHG Spring Court of Honor

After Kindergarten Graduation, it was time for my GO to promote in her scouting program, also.  Kindergarteners are “Pathfinders” for a year, then they move up to 1st grade and “Tenderhearts”.  I have been blessed to not only be the Troop Coordinator, but also the Leader of her Pathfinder group.  With five girls moving up, this has been a pretty incredible year.

The Pathfinders

Recieving her Fanny Crosby Level Award

I love this thoughtful pose

Me celebrating our Committee (they work HARD!)

SO happy to not only have my girly become a Tenderheart, but to know that a dear friend is joining us next year.  NC is a Pathfinder and is the oldest of three girls.  Her baby sister, M, will be a Pathfinder in a few years with KB!  (C is in the middle – she is Went’s age!)

Went was excited about the centerpieces…none of them stayed on the center of the table, though.

GO holding one of our Mascots

KB watching (and wishing a noodle would fall in her mouth)

LOVE how Scouting continues to be a source of good friends and a blessing in our family’s life!

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

Camping

This was *suppose* to be a Cub Scout Camping Weekend.  Otto and I only had the youngest Caterpillar, and we were going into the wild outdoors.  Tent camping, just the three of us.  This would be Went’s 4th camping trip, so he’s an experienced Camper.  We arrived, set up our tent and managed to help Quilting Bee, before nightfall!  (Quilting Bee was making chicken pot pie from scratch in the Dutch Oven.)

At some point in time, during dinner, tragedy began to strike and it went downhill:

1) None of my 3rd grade boys showed up.  Not a single one.  Now, I don’t have a Cub Scout myself, so I was basically here for my 3rd graders.  Of which there were none.

2) Went began being fussy.  His temp was about 99.5 degrees.  And we were out of Tylenol.

3) I decided to be “helpful”.  I was lifting boxes and placing them in our trailer for the night.  By box 6, I figured the trailer must be weighted down.  It wasn’t.  As I placed the large box of produce in the trailer, the entire thing pivoted on the two-wheeled axle and crushed my right foot.  Then it sat there.  (I have a VERY ugly set of toes…)  I spent the next hour sitting in a chair, iced up, passing out marshmallows for s’mores.

4) Otto and I were in charge of Sasquatch – the 2 mile hike.  Yay.  I did it, with my lame foot.  Twasn’t fun, but it got done.

Leading the Hike. It was delightful. (No, really, I love this campground! Just wish I had not been limping!)

5) Went’s fever did not break.  It rose.  To over 100 degrees, and he was NOT happy.  😦

So, after our Sasquatch hike on Saturday, we packed up and said goodbye.  I hated not camping, but if nothing else, we needed medicine for the little one.

But – I HIKED!

~Mummy Butterfly )i(

Court of Honor

I love my boys and the hard work they do in Scouting.  Tonight was our Court of Honor – the theme: On a Stick!

Lots of delish food “on a stick” (chicken, lime butter chicken, Popsicles, tater-tots, corn dogs, stick veggies, even bread”sticks”).  The area was beautiful, thanks to Cookie and Queen helping fix it all up.

And the boys did amazing.  I was so proud of them!

~Mummy Butterfly )i(

Court of Honor and Campfire

This weekend’s Boy Scout Camping Trip culminated in a Court of Honor outdoors, then a campfire with songs and skits.  It was the coolest one I have ever been to and I was really proud of my boys and how awesome they did.

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CW received merit badges, his Scout AND Tenderfoot Rank, and he built and lit the fire for the Campfire, in order to get his “Fireman’s Chit”.  Such amazing progress for his FIRST Court of Honor.

B10 received merit badges, his Second Class Rank (which came with the joke that he didn’t even need to sew it on, since he completed his First Class Requirements and was ready for his Board of Review) and was awarded a special award – the World Conservation Award.  What is awesome about that is that it replaces his standard purple fleur-de-lis, and shows how much he loves wildlife/nature.

Both boys did stuff during the Campfire, but they also opened it up to the Girls – so Princess, OPM and CAM sang a song that was the hit of the night (at least with the parents)!

Lots of fun and enjoyment.  I hope we all can go and camp next year!

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

Family Camping with Boy Scouts

Happy Girl

This weekend is the annual Family Camping Weekend with the Boy Scouts.  B10 and CW shared tents with friends/fellow scouts, but GO, Went and I were in a cabin (along with the Royal Family).  Quilting Bee and her Husband, Army Bee, and Twins, Girl Bee and Boy Bee, slept in a tent they pitched.

The bed I shared with Went

GO’s bed

The Bee Hive

The Caterpillars and I got there early and helped the Bees put up the tents and get dinner started.  B10 did an outstanding job watching his little sister and the Twin Bees.

The Roux (base) for the Gumbo

Quilting Bee cooking away!

Cajun Gumbo

Blueberry Cobbler (NOT Dump Cake!)

Dinner on Friday night was Dutch Oven Cajun Gumbo – it was delicious (as is almost anything Queen Bee cooks), and really cool to watch her cook on her new Dutch Oven Table.

Went sleeping in the Cabin 🙂

Breakfast – Dutch Oven Casserole and Cinnamon/Orange Rolls, plus fresh fruit

Love camping with my family and friends!

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

Easter Egg Hunt

Waiting in his suit!

Went had his first Easter Egg Hunt today – and we dressed him up in his Easter Finery (minus the necktie).  I figured he would really only get to wear it this weekend, so we might as well go all-out!

“Do I eat the Bunny Bucket?”

“No really, Papa, let me just get an ear into my mouth…”

He had no idea what Papa was trying to do with him, so they picked up a few eggs and mostly focused on the Goldfish Crackers (which promptly went into my new trunk in the emergency ration bag).  Next year he’ll be all over it!  This year – ah, bubbles are nice!  😀

“I’m so confused!”

“Can’t get a grip on the goldfish!”

We also were doing recruiting for Cub Scouts and American Heritage Girls (hence my uniform).

Yay for Scouting!

It was a nice morning, great weather and good friends!

 

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

We took a quick jaunt today down to Fernbank Museum of Natural History, in order for the boys to work on the Native American Merit Badge for Boy Scouts.  Queen and Princess came, along with Quilting Bee and her three kiddos.

The boys needed to visit a museum or other site that had Native American Artifacts.  Fernbank has recently opened a new exhibit of their own in the Curator’s Corner called “De Soto’s Footsteps: New Archaeological Evidence from Georgia“.  I remember working at the Museum, back when the bead was first found and the excitement surrounding the find.

It was a great visit back, and I met a few old friends – but being able to experience the working on a Merit Badge, along with friends and their sons – that we’ve been with for over six years…  I love Scouting for that reason.  It not only builds boys into men, but families and friendships.

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

Crossover Ceremony

My Middle Son became a Boy Scout tonight.  *sniff, sniff*  In a lot of ways it was a comedy of errors for us as adults – buildings almost caught on fire, plans had to be changed at the last minute…but it worked out perfect, just like always.  I love Scouting, and I love what it has done for my boys, but tonight (more than ever) I realized what it has done for me.  These are MY friends, not just “the parents of my kid’s friends”.

B10 crossed over 2 years ago, and tonight his troop welcomed CW and another boy (Quilting Bee’s oldest son).  It has been an interesting seven years with Cub Scouts (so interesting, I’m sticking with it for at least one more year, as B10 serves as a Pack 100 Den Chief).

I love all these boys:

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~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

Cold Day

It was freezing today, but we had to go to the park (in sleet) to get CW’s last remaining Cub Scout thing accomplished (so he could get Super Achiever, like B10).  GO *refused* to sit in the warm car with B10 and Went, insisting on following me, Quilting Bee and CW out onto the cold playground.

CW took off his jacket to do some of the requirements (and being all boy-like in his “I’m not cold!”).  GO put his jacket on (on top of her own).  Personally, I think she looks like a Hobbit.

Hobbit Girl

Looking All Middle-Earth Tiny Like!

Afterwards, the big boy Caterpillars went home to work on schoolwork, while I took GO and Went to have a celebratory birthday lunch at school with Princess (she turned 10!).

Birthday Girl and GO

Loads of fun today!

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

Court of Honor

B10 had his Boy Scout Troop Court of Honor tonight and was awarded a slew of merit badges (mostly from him summer camp time).  We all enjoyed the potluck dinner (even Cookie came to celebrate with us) and B10 was all ready for next year’s summer camp!

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~Mummy Butterfly  )i(