Scout Trip to the USS Alabama

So I had a bum knee, and this was the same week as the AHG daddy daughter dance, so I had to skip out on one of my favorite scout trips.  The boys had an exciting trip as usual, but this time on the drive down, they ran into heavy completely stopped traffic near Montgomery, causing their arrival at Blakely state park to be at 12:30AM Saturday morning, and when the boys arrive, they still have to put up their tents, and set up the troop dining flys, and set up the chuck boxes.  The boys told me they got to sleep around 2:30AM.  Ha, and Sam said he just slept no tent, just directly on his air pad.  Davis was in a hammock, and wouldn't you know, they got rained on that night.  

The next day they went to the USS Alabama.  I asked Sam to send me at least one picture of him and Davis together, so I did get that one.  They got in free due to our membership, but they said right as they were leaving the ship for an outdoor picnic, they got rained on again, and had to go eat at CiCis pizza.  They loved that.  Davis told me he had about 10 pieces of pizza.  

The scoutmaster told everyone later at the Court of Honor that the trip home had a wonderful aroma due to some damp scouts, but I think you won't find to many not smiling.  Our boys had a blast, and I wish I could have been with them.  Sam took the picture of the pig's feet, and shared with his troop, so I am sure there is a story there, I just don't have it to record.  Oh, I did ask Sam if he was disappointed they had to leave the ship so soon because of the rain.  "no way, we just played football all afternoon instead".  

And as Sam arrived back at the church, we surprised him with his new car, a 2005 Ford Escape with 229000 miles on it.  So far, we have broke down once, and been in the shop to replace all catalytic converters...so I just have my fingers crossed that it will make it a little longer without having to be back in the shop.  

 

AHG - Service and Fun

These girls are always doing service projects, and looking for ways to help in their community.  Here they were making cards for seniors.  Ruby explained this to me just now..."Those were the cards for the old people that didn't eat healthy, so now they stay at that place...you know that place where we marched and sang".  

And to celebrate a fun year and awesome fundraiser year, the girls all had a silly string party.  This year each girl got two cans each, which Magan told me helped increase the time shooting string from 5 minutes to 10 minutes.  A lot of preparation, for a short amount of fun...but if you ask any one of those girls if it was worth it...YES.  

 

Davis Climbs to 14 Years

Fourteen years old and I made sure to have this posted as 2/19.  I think I finally remember it is NOT 2/17.  I should be good on that, it is finally starting to sink in...after 14 years.  Happy Birthday to our Dave.  He has become owner of the streamer responsibilities, and while Magan was up in Cullman on his birthday, he just knew no one would remember him, and he made is own 14 out of streamers.  Sweet kid, he did it because he knew his mom would want his picture with streamers even if he had to do it himself.  Fortunately, Magan reminded me...multiple times...and I knew I couldn't stay up as late as the boys, so I set my timer and did the streamers in the morning for him.  Haha, speaks poorly of me, but he could not believe that I did it, and kept asking how and when Sam had done it.  Later that weekend, the Sartins came to visit and we had a bigger party.  Davis finally got the iPhone he has been wanting, and that is probably the first gift we have bought where we made the kid pay for half (Hey, birthdays have budgets).  

The next day we gathered with a few of his close buddies to go to Highpoint to do some climbing.  It was great, and Davis made some great climbs, even making it up a 58 foot wall at one point.  I was amazed that both him and Sam could do the free climbs upside down, ha, I did catch him right after falling to his back one time.  It was very HARD, I could not get as far as he was getting.  And I don't know how bad my knee will get, but capturing it here as the point that took me out for a full week after tearing something up in my knee.  

Happy Birthday Davis.  Whenever and Wherever this is read, I love our adventures together, and thankful you have found others to help encourage your love of cars, guns, and fishing...cause I love the stories, just can't contribute much.  

 

Snow Day

I am pretty sure there was a time when this looked pretty fun, but it looks terribly miserable now.  I see people post smiley faces, and speak of some beauty when they share their pictures online, but I can only think of eve, her sin, and the horrible season of winter that must have been the direct result of that first wrong decision.  

From Magan's facebook post:  Snowflakes are amazing proof of God's care. The detail within one snowflake is more than I have accomplished in a life time of trying. I don't have the lens I need to capture this as closely as I want but each picture I took was proof that each snowflake is unique and wonderfully made.

Perhaps she has a better outlook on the Devil's white powder, but I am glad the kids had a day off, and I got to enjoy being with them. I was outside for like 5 minutes when I realized the awful temperatures that help promote the white powder. And as Sam and Davis know and read this one day...i hope they still hear me say "When you guys are out of the house, in January and February..." I really don't understand how our family can live up North like they do.