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!

Slaying Dragons

July 24th was our big summer pack meeting.  It was also the last pack meeting that Braden was a part of as a cub scout.  He will be turning 11 and moving on to Boy Scouts in August.

The theme for the night was Cub Scout Knights. They started under the tent by making their wristlets and picked up their knightly tunics--CTR Knights.





































The kids made marshmallow catapults, shot foam arrows through hanging rings, slew a dragon with fiery darts, and then jousted their opponents.
























For our first den meeting in the month, the boys made their swords from PVC pipe, soft padding, and duct tape. The adrenalin and prospect of sword fighting brought out the warriors in everyone. 

As pack meeting is a family event with all the siblings of our cubs in attendance, there were not enough swords to go around.

So as in traditional jousting-tradition, we had to fight two opponents at a time.  The winners played each other in the next round.



















The girls turned out to be our fiercest fighters!

After the awards were handed out, Braden was recognized as taking the final steps over the bridge of Cub Scouting into Boy Scouts. 



















His new scoutmaster, Andrew Monks, and advisor were on the other side to greet him and welcome him into the troop. He was asked to give the Scout Oath and Promise...which he did, much to my surprise!

The boys family crests set the background for our Tests of Bravery.  Apparently, the Eibert family crest is best featured by a large moving vehicle, instead of a fast steed.



















We used tongue depressors, rubber bands, and milk caps to build our catapults. 


























Tim Chambers getting ready to aim his marshmallows during Storming of the Castle.

They had to launch them over the castle wall.  Whatever didn't make it over the wall, somehow made it into a watery moat, called the Mouth.

Laura Neat shot her arrows through the hanging targets.
 



Darlene Chambers made the cutest dragon cake.

Afterwards, a cute dragon cake and cool fruit were their treats.  It was a great night that kept the kids busy and focused.  A huge backyard helped keep the flow of traffic moving through all the activities.  I think I may plan all of our summer pack meetings to be at our house!



A handful of darts to kill the dragon was a popular event for the boys! Adult supervision was required.

My Hams

July...always a busy month. Scout physicals, eye appointments, dental cleanings, scout camp, and the list goes on and on.  Besides being a ham and advocating for more bacon, Nathan got an updated eye prescription and Braden got his first pair of glasses. 



















We knew this was coming before either of them were even born!  Two near-sighted parents are bound to have near-sighted children!  In fact, with Braden's optical addition, there's only one person left in our family that doesn't have glasses....yet--and that's Cameron :) 
























But I'm sure that it's just a matter of time before he's in the market for more than just eye candy!  So for today, just two of my boys were hamming it up for me with clearer vision and stylish frames!

Two Teenagers!!

Summer time means multiple birthdays at our house.  July 7th brought more than just a birthday for Nathan and Cameron--but a new status, as well--we welcomed two more teenagers to the nest.



















We'd been asking them for weeks before what they wanted for their birthday.  The general conclusion was the same.....money.



















With scout camp and assorted outdoor activities coming up, we thought they would benefit from receiving a number of things--but they seemed to have different things in mind then what we had planned for them. So we made their day by putting $50 in a card for each boy. 
























Their "gift" to open was a planner to use to keep track of their upcoming events in scouting and junior high.  Between money from grandma and grandpa and great-grandma and Us--the ideas of what they wanted to get with their cash changed several times. 



















Nathan finally had enough to purchase himself an Apple I-pod...and the ever-entrepreneurial Cameron added it to his lawn mowing money stash and finally bought himself the I-pad he's been fastidiously ogling for months.





































We had a huge feast with friends and family. Nathan and Cameron are great boys and are so full of potential. I can't wait to see where and what they are doing throughout their lives!  We love them to bits and hope lucky 13 is a wonderful year for them!