Fire Safety

I'm in a unique position of double-duty.  I'm a den leader and on the scout committee.  So when I scheduled a field trip to the local fire station--I put on my double-duty hat and combined the tour!


Spencer Ponce, Evan Stucki, Jacob Horlacher, Brian Monks, Matthew Owen, and Adam Gilliam



Half of the pack and about half of the troop turned out for the big day.  The cubs got credit for just attending the field trip. So I had the fire fighters focus on the requirements that were in the BSA's Fire Safety merit badge book.





Troop 9006--Keanu Espiritu, Nathan Ostler, Braden, Nathan, Billy Crites, Keola Allison, Cameron,                                  Jeffrey Owen, Daniel Ostler

They talked about the chemistry of what it takes to make a fire, how to prevent home and kitchen fires, and how to put them out if need be. The men on duty warned us ahead of time that if the alarm went off, they would have to abandon us.  So. It actually happened.  They ran out in the middle of explaining how the tetrahedron of a fire works.  They were gone about a minute and returned as it was apparently a false alarm.



















The fire station was a great way to spend an early-release day from school.  Brother Monks is going to take care of the campfire items in the requirements at the next camp-out, and the boys will have another merit badge on the records!


Billy Crites and Jeffrey Owen

The boys enjoyed checking out all the tools that are on the trucks.

 

SUPER September

September brought lots of changes.  Nathan and Cameron started at Nisqually Middle School. 
All the boys are working on several new merit badges. Cameron started piano lessons. Braden had surgery.  The house flooded. Ashley's birthday came and went.  Boys went to an awesome STEM University in Spokane...and so on!




















Braden had the hardware removed from his newly reconstructed hip done at Shriner's last September.  He was definitely more chipper before the surgery then after.  This time it was only a 4" gash down to the bone to get everything out. That sure beats the 12" zipper scar from mid-thigh over his tocks that he got last year! The plate was four inches long and held in place by six screws.  The holes will take a few weeks to fill in with new bone, so it was expected that he would be pretty sore for several days.

Something interesting happened while Braden was at Shriner's.  The last patient on the surgery schedule for the day canceled last minute, so Dr. Tompkins had a few minutes to meet with Nathan, while Braden was in the recovery room.  He did some range of motion tests and sent him down for x-rays.  We had already scheduled the heterotopic ossification bone removal at Mayo for December, but asked Dr. Tompkins how he felt about doing it.  He felt that it was far enough away from the THR that he would be comfortable enough doing it himself.  So we scheduled Nathan's surgery that day to take place in October at Shriner's instead of Mayo. Definitely providential in how things work out.




















Braden only had to stay overnight at Shriner's.  Poor kid. After Braden was discharged from the Hospital on Friday, we made a pit stop at Judy Rigby's so that Nathan and Cameron could sign off their Personal Management merit badges.  He slept his way through that visit. We'll be making another pit stop for him to sign off several merit badges with her in December.  This surgery didn't keep him down for very long!  He had to attend the STEM merit badge university at Gonzaga University just a couple of days after getting the metal out. 

We stayed at our friend's house, the Walters', and they accommodated us brilliantly!  They had a theater room in their basement that had recliners for everyone.  Braden slept most of the time, while the rest of the crew played video games and watched movies all night (literally) long!  He made it around to four merit badge classes with the help of his brothers and friends.  It was fun for him to see and recognize so many of the boys he knew from Spokane.

After a few days, you'd never know that Braden had had surgery!  In fact, he was back to school in less than a week--without the crutches!  Good things are coming for him and he has a healthier hip to work with now!

Sweet 16.......

Ashley's birthday came and went during a crazy part of September.  Braden had hip hardware removal in Spokane on the 20th. Jeff was working crazy hours at work. And to top it off--everyone was sick.  So Ashley graciously let us wait till the weekend after her birthday to celebrate.  Then the backside of the house flooded during a freak rain episode.  So everything was postponed a couple of weeks!

Ashley had the birthday that just kept on giving.  First, presents from the family, cards from the grandparents and Great-grandma, and playing with her friends. Grandma and Grandpa Eibert brough Arijana and Kaylub over to her birthday dinner.  She requested Café Rio Sweet pork and the works.

Ashley, Kaylie Chambers, Jecelynn Flink, and Stephanie Owen

If Ashley couldn't get a car for her birthday, she wanted to go laser-tagging with her friends ;)  Sounded like a bargain to me.  I found a pretty good deal at a place that wasn't too far from the house called Charlie's Safari.  It cost the same to do 3 rounds of laser-tag as it did to buy a bracelet that let the kids go as many times as they wanted.  They went for HOURS!!!



















Much to Ashley's chagrin, I brought the boys and Jessica as well.  The boys were formidable opponents and everyone had a great time.  Knowing that they could keep the bracelets on so that they could go back after they came home for dinner, cake and ice-cream, they played till closing.  It was hours of fun and a LOT of sweat!!  Glad Ashley had such a great birthday celebration!

Super Painting Scouts

Wow!!  Scouting has a Painting Merit Badge.  And I had a room that needed to be painted.  So--I put two and two together with a new color--and BAM!  Everyone benefited on this deal :)



















Nathan and Daniel Ostler came to help my three boys turn the icy Blue living room into a calmer Green living room.  As per the painting requirements, we went over the tools needed and the options of the types of paint.
























Lots of taping, plastic, and furniture being moved was also required.

But before too long, and after a pizza fest, this.....
Became this.



















Everyone got to work as I read them the specifics about painting techniques from the merit badge book.



















We know which wall Nathan Ostler was painting!
























Five boys in one room, with only three rollers, necessitated some individual assignments.  Cameron was cleaning up the lines around the molding, while the Nathans rolled. Daniel did corners and edges and Braden brush painted under the windows.
























High ceilings meant that we need ladders and patient boys. Because the blue was quite dark, two coats of paint had to go on, and lots of brushing in the curved windows.
























Jeff finished the details and seams around the ceiling.  I think it turned out very nice.  I celebrated the changed of scenery with a new piece of art to cover the vents over the fireplace. Definitely an improvement just in time for the holidays!

Mega Merit Badge Mania

During the summer, I was in and out of the scout shop numerous times getting new books for the merit badges the boys were working on.  This Council area is new to us, and I was a little perplexed with how little information is given from one district to another.  So I called and talked to the registrar and riddled him with questions about upcoming merit badge events.  He finally said that he didn't have all the answers and that there were people who knew far more about scouting events before he did.  One of those people is a volunteer in the office and is a scout mom herself, by the name of Barbara Moss.  He gave me her phone number.......and scouting, in our household, will never be the same! We were excited and active before, but Barb helped make everything easier and sounder in our goals and scheduling. She is a gold mine of information and breathes a palpable excitement for scouting!



















We talked about all the ways that the boys can work on merit badges and what sort of activities to do as a troop and as lone scouts.  She offered to hold some mini clinics in a conference room at a library near her home in Tacoma.  I loaded up the truck with scouts and we met with her for three Mondays in a row.  In three days, the boys who participated, were able to earn 5 merit badges!

Barbara even coordinated a field trip for our troop to go to the National Weather Service, up near the University of Washington.
























The boys met the week before the trip for a "working" lunch at Roundtable Pizza.  They went through all of the information about weather and the water cycle process before going. Because of security in the federal buildings, each boy had to be listed ahead of time.  We had a great turn out! Cameron was fascinated in seeing how tornadoes are formed over the ocean by using two 2-liter bottles and a piece of pvc pipe as a connect to create a vortex in the water formation. The weather gadget somehow made it home with us!

                                                             
The outing to the Weather Service was a practical application of the information they learned. They saw all the computers and world maps in real-time.



















The boys even got to see a real weather balloon that is used to get data during storms. Lots of hot air in that room!



















We learned that the weather was going to rain over Labor Day weekend, and not to get our hopes up even though it was in the 90's the day we went!


Cameron, Daniel Ostler, Braden, and Nathan

Before school started back, we went for another outing downtown Olympia.  I took the boys to the WET museum for a jumpstart on the Environmental Science and Sustainability merit badges.
























The WET Museum is located next to the new Hands-on Children's Museum in the heart of Capital. We were able to tour their new, high-tech "recycled" facility.  WET stands for Water Education and Technology.



















It's a brand-new building, but everything in it was made from reclaimed and/or recycled goods. This chair was made from reclaimed wood and recycled seat-belts.

























This chair was not!  But it was a virtual demonstration about how technology has helped eliminate the over-use and waste of precious resources.  Our tour guide was able to explain to us about how all of the water in the building was actually recycled water and a conservationist's dream come true!
























The whole process was also demonstrated through an interactive museum area that the kids were able to do on their own.  A scavenger hunt, where they had to compute data on the computers, kept things interesting, and moving along. The prizes were not too bad either!




















The hands-on museum explained the process of recycling the water through a cleaning treatment and then reused for other purposes. 














                                                                          
The boys were disappointed in me when we got there because they thought they were going "swimming" when I told them that they were going to the WET Museum.  They warmed up with all the things to do there.  And who wants to go swimming when you can be working on merit badges?!



















Ok. It was an hour of merit badge work that wasn't all that fun...until they got to play with stuff! A turtle is kept at the museum...which was older than all of the kids.  They can live up to 70-100 years. Who knew!
























There was even craft projects in the classroom for the kids to make.  No-takers there except for Jessica.  She made a very cute dragonfly.
























All the hard work is starting to show on the banners.  At the Court of Honor that was held on September 11, 2013--Cameron was awarded 23 merit badges.  Thirteen were earned prior to moving to Olympia, but 10 came from scout camp and our our summer activities in August!
























There were over 16 rank advancements and 110+ merit badges awarded that night.  Our family cleaned house.  Out of those merit badges, 54 came home with us!  Nathan earned 23 and Braden got off to an extremely productive start with 8 of his own!  Not bad for a boy who'd only been in Boy Scouts for less than a month and  a half!  The boys are on fire to keep earning more merit badges.  Cameron said he has set a goal to earn ALL of them. Nathan and Braden shouldn't be far behind him because as well--since they are working together on most of them!  That could be interesting, as there are presently 137 merit badges. More are being announced after the first of the year, as well. 


I was officially asked to be on the Scout Committee at the beginning of September, and am responsible for coordinating merit badge counselors and opportunities. (Pretty much what I've already been doing, but just getting recognized for all the planning and phone calls :)  My first assignment was to Jeff.  I had him teach a Computers Merit Badge class and we were able to sign all ten of the boys that came off on the new Cyber Chip safety award as well as the merit badge.



















The following weekend, our scoutmaster--Andrew Monks--taught the Astronomy Merit Badge.  It was 4 hours of fantastic stuff.  Andrew is a fighter pilot in the Air Force and is also working on a Master's Degree in Astronomy. You could say that his presentation and knowledge was "out of this world!"
























He brought HUGE telescopes and lenses to look at several planets and constellations throughout the solar system.




















We started at 7pm and it went till 11pm.  As it got really dark, the boys were able to Venus in the horizon and also to see the rings of Saturn. 



















The MOON was a huge highlight.  The picture I got here was taken with my cell phone through the lens of one of Brother Monks' telescopes.  It was pretty awesome!!

Merit Badges have been awesome and are great ways to keep the boys learning new things.  We are as busy as we make ourselves to be..........and, fortunately, we are rocking and rolling through some fun stuff at a quick pace!  It will be exciting to see how many they've all finished by the time school gets out.  Summer is definitely a great time to work on them--but Fall is shaping up to be rather productive as well.  Only time will tell!

Braden's Birthday

Someone had a birthday at Scout Camp!  We came home Thursday evening.  I had forewarned Braden that we would be celebrating his birthday when everyone was home on the weekend. 



















But he did get a surprise when he got home.  His sisters had made him some cupcakes and put candles on them.
























He got to open his birthday cards and play a few rounds on the video game he got for his special day.  He was just as thrilled with the cash at 11years old as he was presents!

Where has the time gone, big guy?

Scout Camp

Summertime means camp.  For the boys, it was Scout Camp at Camp Hahobas, on the Olympic peninsula, the last week of July.  Because of the number of boys attending and being short on leaders, I had mentioned that I didn't mind going to help. (I never thought they would take me up on it.....)  It couldn't be that much different than Day Camp, right?  I was taken up on that offer by Mark Mitchell, our young men's president.  As women are not the typical leaders at an LDS scout camp, they got permission from the stake to have me attend for 3 days as a parent helper. I said I would go on the condition that Braden went with me.  No problem...so we made some arrangements for the girls, and it was my week with the boys. 

[My physical therapist wasn't too happy with me when I said I was heading to camp.  But I assured him that I wasn't the boy scout, I was just the eyes and ears in the woods with the boy scouts. I slept on the air mattress in a pampered truck palace and did nothing except a lot of walking. No housework required there in the woods--and it's not like I can do it right now anyway-so it was actually a pretty cushy job.  Although I know that I surprised a few people coming out of the shower building that first morning. I'm still chuckling about that. Poor guy ;]

So the older boys left 5am on Monday morning, and Braden and I headed up Monday night.  They had already set up camp and started all their merit badge classes during the day.  We got their in time to join the first Fireside commemorating the 100th year of the church's participation in the Boy Scouts of America.

Travis Mitchell was guiding Cameron in a troop activity Trust game.

Nathan was guiding Peter Chambers on where the balls were and how to pick them up.



Boys are so much more aggressive when they have somebody else as their shield!

My big guy was too tired and cold to participate with the older boys. It turns out that this camping is a lot of wearing than day camp ever was.  He sat this one out.




















Nathan and Cameron took Rifle Shooting, Canoeing, and Archery as their merit badge classes.  We hadn't planned on Braden attending camp until I was asked to go, he wasn't registered in any of the classes.  We only had to be there for 3 of the 6 days, so Braden and I hung out at the Craft hut, where he worked on the Indian Lore, Leather work, Sculpture, and Art merit badges.



















Nathan and Cameron were super excited to do some shooting.  It was instructed by an NRA-certified field instructor. It was intense and marksmanship was a honed skill.  Nathan completed the requirements for the badge on the second day.  The instructor pulled me aside and told me what an incredible shot he was.  He instinctively knew how to breathe and wait for the shot. (I also have to add...he did all of his shots without his glasses--so I am little surprised that he was able to put 4 bullets into the area the size of a dime!) As it turns out--he was the highest and most exact shot of all 7 weeks of scout camp!  He was a little more than stoked when they recognized him in from the entire camp as having the highest shooting scores of the summer.  Way to go, Nate!!



















Cameron was Patrol leader at camp. He is learning to be a leader, but needs to be a little more patient with his peers that aren't as mature as he is. Although he did stay up a little too late on most nights and was commonly seen wrapped up in his blanket.  He and Nathan both earned all three of their merit badges!  The swamped their canoe, shot their ammo and then some, and excelled with the bows and arrows.  They can't wait to go back next year!