Owen’s first solo scout camping weekend—Day 2
Category Archives: Owen
Owen’s first solo scout camping weekend!
Well, solo in that one of us wasn’t going, too. They were heading to Wisconsin for a quick weekend trip in cabins.
We were so thrilled when pics started coming in—we hadn’t expected it so were happy to get intel!
New scout parent orientation.
So Owen’s first BSA meeting was tonight and it was also the required new parent orientation (two separate meetings for a total of about three hours). There was lots of talk on FEES FEES FEES and look at all this stuff to sell to earn money for your account. (I know there was more but really all that stuck with me was the fees.) Needless to say I’m already exhausted. And already tired of having to remind him to read his binder and read his book. Long story short we’ve told him (and reminded him a number of times) if he can’t remember on his own we won’t be doing this for very long. So stay tuned.
A new bingo night!
Owen’s school had a bingo night this year. It wasn’t quite the event the elementary has, but we still had fun (we invited Anna and the boys)…and Owen won one of the rounds!!
Initially he chose a gift card for 30 minutes of jumping at a local place but after talking to him and explaining that it would cost us more money to use it (because Katie would like to go, plus we usually go for 2 hours), he asked if he could switch prizes and they said yes…so I guided him to a $20 gift card to a local ice cream place!!!
Another year, another epic box maze!
And Owen’s teacher was there! I got to talk to her for awhile and get to know her…and then she finally went in with her kids.
I had zero desire to go through it because I know it would kill my back…but then Heidi came over and basically guilted me into doing it (with another friend who was there) so I succumbed to peer pressure.
Katie was our tour guide…and then we ran into Owen!
Note: My back and wrists were so sore on Sunday and Monday that I had to drug myself quite heavily. I knew I should not have given in to peer pressure!!
Gramma Jean is here so it’s puzzle time!
Tom hates them, Owen doesn’t love them, and Katie likes them but not enough to sit and finish a big one. And I enjoy them…and only do one when my mom visits!
So Owen generally has zero interest in helping with a big puzzle but he was all about the little ones tonight! (The emoji puzzle is from the Bingo Basket Katie won at William Halley ES in 2017!)
These mini puzzles are more Owen’s speed. They are really fun to do.
Two kids, two instructors!
When no one else shows up for their lessons and both kids get one-on-one instruction at the same time… 🙌🏻
I have an 11yo carbuncle.
Of course I couldn’t put them in the right order…
But of course he could!
Adventures with Alexa and an 11yo
Anyone else’s 11-year-old boy sit and ask Alexa what the most powerful Pokémon is? And then the second most powerful? And then the third, forth, and fifth? All the way down to like the fifteenth? Writing them all down? And then proceed to tell you all about it while simultaneously asking Alexa the exact questions again so you can hear her answer?
No? Just me?
Owen became a Boy Scout today!
Getting ready to head out to the Blue & Gold bridge ceremony.
As part of the ceremony, all the scouts had to saw a piece of wood.
There was an Arrow of Light ceremony where parents present the scout with a homemade arrow with bands of color signifying all the things the scouts have completed. Unfortunately Owen was so new to the troop that he wasn’t able to get one, so he was the only scout not up front. But then they called him up separately and gave him a really nice introduction (among other things they said what a great addition he was to the troop) and I didn’t record it because I totally wasn’t expecting it!
And then they all did the pledge.
They each got a chance to say thank you as they crossed the bridge.
Owen getting his new neckerchief and scout book.
All new Scouts!
Pin the heart on the teacher!
I was volunteering in both kids classes for their Valentine’s parties so I made this game!
The second graders were a bunch of cheaters but everyone had fun!
So Owen accidentally tried to kill us all and burn the house down.
Here’s what having kids looks like.
Owen accidentally tried to kill us all and burn the house down.
Kinda.
I had left these instructions to reheat his cinnamon roll in the toaster on a metal tray:
“Take out and put on tray [that the note was setting on] and TOAST on 3-4.”
I was getting ready in the morning and smelled something kinda burning so I went to check it out and the entire kitchen and dining room was filled with smoke that made my throat instantly hurt. I don’t know why the smoke detectors were not going off. Owen had the sliding door open but it needed way more than that. Both kids were trying to tell me what happened as I was trying to open more windows and doors while choking on the smoke (neither one said it hurt them?!) and seeing if anything was actually on fire.
I initially thought he had put the plastic container in the toaster oven (he’d done it before, hence the note) but the oven looked fine. It took me a minute to realize he had put it in the microwave. On a plastic plate. For three minutes.
I opened the microwave and was blasted with the worst burning smell. Of course the roll was was burnt to a crisp and the plate had started to burn and warp.
I tried not to lose my shit because everyone was safe and there was no fire but still trying to figure out just why he thought that’s what I told him to do while also trying to impress upon him that this was a serious issue while also still fanning the smoke so the smoke detectors didn’t go off and freezing my ass off since I was barefoot in a robe (having just gotten out of the shower).
He’s a smart kid but like any kid doesn’t really pay attention. So he ignored my actual words and did what he thought.
So now all the windows and doors are open downstairs (it’s a balmy 23° today!) and I get to try to get the burnt plastic smell out of my house for the next week.
Happy 11th birthday to the one that made me a mom.
And the one who best puts up with me taking pictures.
Thank you cards without complaining!
I asked Owen to write birthday thank yous this morning and he did it with zero complaint! I only had to help a little with what to say.
Owen’s birthday shirt…adventure.
Owen’s birthday is coming up next week so I thought I’d make this awesome shirt I saw on Etsy. I only had one snafu but on the bright side I learned how to do something. Do you see it?
I posted this pic on Facebook and a friend pointed out that seconds and minutes were in the wrong order. Gahhhhhhhh!! So I learned how to remove vinyl…
And then printed more text and fixed it.
P.S. If you’ve thought about getting the Cricut heat press, do it. It’s soooo worth it.
Look who’s in the pool brochure?
I don’t know how they ever noticed themselves but they are there!
BSS then and now
A Facebook memory popped up that three years ago my kids were at British Swim School in Woodbridge, VA. Guess where they are tonight? 🏊♀️🏊🏻♂️
This is why I don’t do kid crafts.
I thought I was going to be Fun Mom™ and make Kool aid play dough with them. Katie loves play dough and Owen enjoys “cooking” so it would be perfect, right?
Seriously, like 30 seconds in and I’m annoyed because they had issues getting the ingredients out. Then mixing the dry ingredients was a mess because they didn’t listen and do it gently so there was flour all over (plus I got attitude from Katie because she just. wouldn’t. listen.) and then the whining while they stirred because it wasn’t mixing in PERFECTLY like they apparently thought it should.
Katie kept whining and complaining about the smell (one was Strawberry Lemonade and one was Fruit Punch?!) saying it was “awkward” (what?!). And once it was done, Katie decided she didn’t want to play with it.
😒
To his credit, Owen was good. Katie was the one who annoyed me the most.
Pinewood Derby
Owen took part in his first Pinewood Derby today! He and Tom have been working on his car for two weeks on and off and he was super excited! And he ended up winning third place in his pack!
Look at that happy face!!
One of my all time favorite Owen pics…TEN YEARS AGO.
Sledding in what little snow we have!
The kids have a great time sledding at the church by us, but we wanted to take them somewhere new. This is at Hunt Club community center.
Gramma’s pics from Christmas in Grayling.
I forgot my mom gave me her pics so now they’re out of order. But all these were from our trip.
Owen gave us a saxophone performance.
And some silliness…
Katie decided to go barefoot in the snow like cousin Anna did one year.
Owen in two of his presents.
The family picture.
Katie was being kinda a stinker and left this sad note for Santa.
Tubing with the fam!
We all went tubing today at Hanson Hills!! I had never done it before but I am all about NOT having to walk up the hill!! I hadn’t been inside the building in probably 25 years…plus they’ve totally updated it…so how can it still smell exactly the same?!
Tubing was so much fun…but everyone else in Grayling had the same idea and there were too many people (IMO) so we only got three runs in! It only took about 10 minutes max to ride up and go down but they’re were so many people we were waiting 15 minutes in line. (The tow rope also broke for about 15 minutes—THANKS, MARIE!—so that didn’t help.)
Katie only went down twice—she got too freaked out that she was going to come out of the tube. I could actually understand—you really got going fast and I was initially a bit freaked out. I went down once with Owen, once with Tom, and then the last trip with Tom, Owen, Doug, and Robert!
Thanks to Gramma Jean for taking pics with my phone!!
Relaxed phone rules for a bit.
We relaxed the rules and let Owen use his phone for a bit to play Minecraft with his cousin Robert. (We allowed it since they also played an actual board game more than once!)
They’re so sweet when they sleep.
This was last night at 12:31 after hanging out with cousins Robert and Gabby for a few hours.
Craziness with cousins!
Playing with presents!
I was trying to be more present so didn’t take many photos during…but this is the kids coloring and drawing in their Christmas presents. Arts and crafts are always good ideas!!
Happy Holidays from the road!
We’re headed to Michigan in our new car…which is stuffed to the gills!!
Let’s feed some kids!
Owen’s scout pack was volunteering at Feed My Starving Children so we all went!
Owen on bags and Katie on the weigh station. Four separate scoops of vitamins, veggies, soy (protein), and rice go in the bag, then it’s weighed (it has to be between 380-400 grams), then it’s sealed (my station), and then 36 bags go in a box!
The kids switched to the scoop station!
After, I might have also done some personal and Christmas shopping (each gift provides a various number of meals) plus bought a year’s worth of meals for a child.
We enjoyed it so much we will likely go back with friends to do it again!!