First Cub Scout Camping Trip

Collin and I went on our first camping trip this weekend.  He was SO excited that the weekend was finally here.  He had been talking about it since before we had our practice night in the tent in the backyard.

I was watching the weather all week because it looked terrible for tent camping.  Rain chances were 60% most of the day with 15 - 20mph winds.  We could go for the day and not spend the night.  I knew he would be disappointed when it was time to leave but we would miss all of the mess....well, and memories that he would have for a lifetime.  The weather still looked bad but was a little better Friday so we packed up the truck and planned to spend the night but I knew we would leave if it got too bad.

Saturday morning, Collin got up before 7am and woke me up to tell me it was time to go camping.  I am glad he was still excited about going because it was going to be a wet one.  We arrived around 8:45am, picked out spot and started to set up camp.  He was a really good helper with the outdoor rug and tent.  He helped unload the truck and set up our sleeping bags, clothes and games inside the tent.

Our first animal near our tent

While I set up the rest of the campsite, he road his bike around the big loop several times looking for other Scouts he knew.  No one from his Den was there yet.  He ended up riding for close to 3 hours.  He only stopped because I made him have a snack/lunch knowing we were going to the Nature Center as a Pack to look around and hike as a group.  So far, the rain had stayed away and the weather was great to be outdoors.

While walking to the Nature Center, it started to drizzle a little.  We still hiked around the area looking for things on the map.  They had to find posts labeled with letters or numbers.  We had to stop for the boys to climb one of many trees.  There are some big ones out there.

"Look mom!  Take a picture"

What a great looking, very old tree

Love this smile. I know he is having a great time.

Collin and Max

Halfway through the planned hike, the sky opened up and started to dump on us.  I could barely see in front of me.  We all made it back to the Nature Center.  Collin loved looking around in there at the animals and especially liked the snakes.

Check out how wet all of the boys are.  That did not phase them.

We waited out the rain for about an hour.  It had lighten up just a little but the boys were getting really loud and rambunctious inside.  Several of us decided to go for a hike anyway which turned out to be a good idea.  The boys were focused again and looking for animals along the way.  I did not take too many pictures because it was really coming down but I managed to get this one of the boys looking for ducks.

Collin is in the center looking at the duck trying to hide in the grass in the middle of the lake

We finished a small .8 mile loop around the lake.  It was still pouring so Collin road his bike back to the campsite while I walked back.  Good thing we did, because it continued to rain for another 2 hours.  Great time for a nap.  He passed out for over an hour.  I laid there most of the time and then got up to use the dryer in the ladies restroom to dry off some clothes for him.

It did finally stop raining enough for the boys to play. He road his bike or shared it with is fellow Scouts for another 1 1/2 hours before it was time for dinner.  We then had to get ready in uniform to head to the campfire for stories and skits.  By this time, Mimi and Pappy arrived with a requested cheeseburger for Collin and some great fried shrimp for me.  We were so happy they were nearby or we would have had to eat snacks again for dinner (long story but the people that were supposed to bring food and lighter fluid...didn't).  We did not have time to eat because we needed to head to the campfire.  Guess what?  It started to drizzle...and continued to until after we went to bed 3 hours later.

After a scary story by the Pack Leader, each Den performed their skit.  Collin's Den was not prepared (no shock after having no food or way to light a fire) so they did not do well at all during their skit time.  The rest of the boys "boo'd" them which was not really nice.

Collin's Den is at the top of the picture

After eating some much needed dinner (by this time, Collin was too picky about his cold fries and the way his hamburger bun smelled), Collin's Den played hide-n-seek in the mud and dark for 1 1/2 hours until the parents were ready for bed.  I dried Collin off, got him in dry clothes and laid down.  I had just gotten dry and comfortable myself when he requested snuggle time.  Well, of course!  That might be nice especially after a long, rainy, muddy, adventurous day.

The next morning, he was up before 7am because we could hear other people getting up.  We had a snack breakfast and then he wanted to ride his bike.  I loved how much fun and independent he was with his bike.  While he rode, I cleaned up the campsite.  We were not in a hurry but I wanted to be ready to go.  The weather was a cool, crisp 58 degrees and really nice out.  The terrible rain the day before was gone.  I would have loved reading my book while Collin rode but it got soaked from the first downpour because the pop up tent was brought leaked out of every hole.  Awesome!  I, instead, took a walk to were Collin was to watch him ride through the water and wipe out a few times.  He was in his last set of dry clothes and now soaked.....but he was having so much fun....and it was really already too late to stop him.

After the rest of the Den got cleaned up, we left the campsite to hike and find alligators.  We hiked around for over an hour and found two alligators, a slug, ducks and bugs.  The boys looked for walking sticks to help them hike.  We just wanted them to stay out of the mud that looked so enticing. Collin found three more trees to climb.

"No gators here"

Collin, in his borrowed clothes, and Broady

"Where are the alligators!"

"I see you"

I guess there is butt picking time on trees too

It was 11am by the time we finished.  I was glad we were packed and ready to head back home.  It was a little challenging to get my Scout to head back to the car with me but we finally made it.  Turns out, he needed a snack.  I could not wait for a shower and a good meal.  Dad was SO happy to see us when we got home.

Collin asked when we were going camping again.......Let me dry off first, son.  :)

Family and Friend Chart

An assignment yesterday was to list friends and family.  I was not surprised that Collin listed Burke first followed my me and then Dad.  Dad was REALLY happy to see that he 1) made the list and 3) was so high up there.  Leah even made the list even though she still really irritates him when they are together.  Grandma H was listed off to the side because he said "she's dead but still my family". That's great that he still has a memory of her and thinks about her.  Other people on the list were our good friends, the Jureks, listed by each family member.  Mimi and Pappy made the list but were further down after he listed some of his good friends.  No Paul or Lisa?  Maybe he ran out of time....or room.

8 Year Check Up

We went for Collin's 8 year check up yesterday.  The doctor said that Collin is doing well and looks good.  He is growing fine.  She stressed for us to make sure he eats more fruits and vegetables.  He has started to eat more veggies and does well with the variety of fruit he will eat...we just need to add a few more servings a day.

His current states are:

• 4' 1" (21% of his age group) compared to 3' 11" last year (26% of age group)
• 55 lbs (37% of age group) compared to 50 lbs last year (40% of age group)
• BMI 16.10 (56% of age group) compared to 15.91 last year (60% of age group)
• Blood pressure - 101/62

He had to get the flu mist in both nostrils which he was REALLY stressed about when the nurse left to get the syringes.  He was worried about how it would feel and if it would hurt.  He calmed down enough  for he mist and was just fine afterwards.

Lastly, he had his eyes checked.  The nurse was really impressed with how well and quickly he could read ALL of the letters on the chart including the very bottom row.  He is considered to have 20/10 vision.  He was excited about this and wanted each of us to try.  Dad could read the 20/20 row but nothing below that.  I could read the same row as Collin....but I have contacts in which I did remind him about.

He does still wet his bed at night but is getting much better.  He goes for 4 days in a row sometimes before he is wet again. This is after consistently limiting fluids at night, making sure he goes to the bathroom before he goes to bed and even waking him up 2 hours after he goes to bed to go to the bathroom again.  He is still a really hard sleeper.  However, there have been times that he has woken up after he was wet and has changed his own sheets or moved to the floor.  That tells us that the wetness is at least waking him up now.....progress no matter how small it is.

(7 year post for comparison http://ceholmes.blogspot.com/2014/10/7-year-check-up.html)

Football Season is Over

The Raiders played their final game last night.  Fortunately, the rain all weekend stopped just 30 minutes before the game so that at least the spectators (OK, me!) did not have to stand in the rain to watch the game.  They played hard and had some really good plays but eventually did lose, again, 27 - 6.  The parents were hoping for one more touchdown so the score would be a little closer.  They almost made it but just ran out of time.

We could not tell if they were disappointed after the game.  They lined up as usual ready to run through the paper banner.  I found out later that several of the boys like to keep pieces of the banner, like Collin does, as a memory of the game.  Collin did not find his name on the piece of the banner he kept but he was still excited to have it.

Sign with all of the player's names

The boys are having a hard time waiting to run through the banner

There they go!

Coach gave a great speech at the end of the game.  Even though the Raiders were 0-8, the boys learned about the game, got to play almost every position so they will be ready to play the next year no matter what position the next Coach wants the boys to play and, most importantly, they had fun.

Here is a picture of Collin after the game.  I wonder how much of this is from running through the puddles before the game started.  Thank goodness for Shout spray.  Works every time!

Next up is basketball.  I think we have 5 weeks or so off so this Mom is going to enjoy it.  

Happy Halloween

The Holmes had a great time this Halloween.

Not a whole lot of thought was put into our costumes this year but I think we looked great and the costumes went really well together.  We got so many complements about them.  Dad went as Valdaf the Wizard, I was Lady Raven and Collin was Crimson Ninja.  He just wanted to carry around the plastic sword and knives.

As in prior years, we waited for some friends to come over before we walked to the start of the neighborhood parade which started at 5pm.  We got lucky with the weather because the rain stopped just in time for us to take pictures and walk to the parade start.  Mimi joined us this year which Collin really loved.  She has not been able to make it the last 5-6 years so it was fund to have her with us this year.

There were not as many neighbors at the parade start this year like years before.  My guess is because of the weather (it looked like it was going to rain...again).  I thought for sure more people would be out expeically because Halloween was on a Saturday this year.  Still, we did have a large group gather and walk to the house down the street that would be serving snacks before the kids started trick-or-treating.

Collin and Mimi

At first, Collin was going from house to house with a friend but then he separated with him and it was just Collin, Mimi and I walking to each of the houses.  Possibly because we were knocking on doors around 6pm but not as many people were at their house like prior years.  Collin preferred to go to the houses that had the homeowners sitting outside to pass out the candy rather than knocking on doors. He got a little discouraged...and tired...when he knocked on four doors in a row without an answer.

After 30 minutes, he was getting tired and wanted to rest after each house.  He would sit on the curb for 3 - 10 seconds and then was ready to go again.  After 45 minutes, he was ready to go back to his house because he was that tired.  It was not because he wanted to check out his candy.  He still does not care too much for it.  As a result, he did not come home with as much candy has he has in the past.  Fine with us because Mom and Dad end up eating most of it anyway....especially the chocolate.

Check that line out for candy!

Collin with his buddy Dawson

At the party house getting snacks before heading out to trick-or-treat

Racing to the next house

One of the many rests on the way home