Camp, typical morning

We came back from Summer Camp recently…okay maybe not so recently we came back Sunday. Now I am posting :)

Typical morning.

Polar Bear Plunge—6:00 am

We all went down to the pool to have a EARLY MORNING SWIM. The water was really COLD, I think I might have frozen, who knows?

Morning Colors Ceremony — 7:45 am
We raise the flag that the staff gave us.

Breakfast — 8:00 am

Self explanatory I guess, we ate food. Every day we had a bowl of cereal, than we had something like bacon and eggs or pancakes or something else. Like all the other meals there was a scout that was the designated waiter (Aka poor soul that has to run and get food and eat quickly before we want seconds, thirds, fourths...etc.)

Morning Activity Period — 9:00 am to 10:00 am
This is the first Merit badge period. I took Woodworking, where I learned to attach hinges, make blueprints, build a box, build without nails (use dowels), cut edges, and draw out measurements (not all at once).

Morning Instruction Periods — 10:00 am to 12:00 noon
Woodworking is a two period merit badge, so I was still working.

Family Day at Camp

Yesterday was Family Day at Scout Camp. The boys got to show is around their campsite and we watched the Troops compete in a bunch of games in and around the pool. Every year they have a theme for the games, this year it was Mardi Gras.

yep those are the boys under the masks!

look closely, you can see Inch just missing pushing out the greased watermelon out of the pool.
Most of the boys are 2-3 years older than him

U and 3 others scouts had to make a human canoe and race other troops. The won their first heat and came in third in the finals

After the games we watched the formal retreat ceremony. This camp has a unique tradition of respecting the Flag with a retreat and pass and review. It is really cool. The marching isn't exactly done with military precision but not bad for a bunch of tired sweaty kids.

Lining up with all of the other troops

Marching begins

Well they are "kinda" in step ;-)

After retreat the family ate dinner togetherand everyone got ready for the final campfire. This is where all of the campers are recognised for all of their accomplishments for the week. The Order of the Arrow also puts on a really cool show. The OA is the national honor society for Boy Scouts. It uses American- Indian styled traditions and ceremonies. The boys are elected by the peers for best exemplifying the ideals of Scouting. This was the first year that the boys went to camp as "Arrowmen" so they were able to participate in the pageant. As we were walking to the campfire all of the boys in the padgeant lined our path.

Inch playing the of the indian brave very seriously

"U" had a little harder time composing himself

The braves walk into the campfire "U" is the far one centered in the picture

Inch played the part of the storyteller

This was G-MACs first year visiting camp and Mallu and Rose last visited two years ago. In the past I have either gone to camp with the boys as an abult leader or come for the games and stayed the night. This was the first year that I was just a visiting parent, it was kinda nice! No pressure no responsibilities.

"U" was really happy to see his family, Especially G-MAC

As one of the leaders Inch had a tent all to himself

Rose Eating with her big brother

Daddy and Me

Well it really has been a busy week for us. Lots of things that we wanted to post about but just never did.

The boys have been gone to camp for the last week and I have taken this time to really pour a lot of attention into Mystical Rose. Usually the boys, especially Inch, get the lions share of the attention because ....well they are just bigger and louder. Its not that we just ignore Rose but she has such a giving soul that she really thinks of others needs a lot. Well this week we were able to go to the pool almost every day (notice how dark we have both gotten) and I have been able to read to her a good deal from a story that we started months ago. But while it has been a very nice week. We were all just commenting at lunch yesterday how much we all miss the boys.

--Crucian Dad

Off to Camp

Well the boys just left for Scout Camp. One whole week, they always look forward to it every year. The camp is located right on the Mason-Dixon Line. In fact the in the campsite that our troop stays in, the adults sleep in Pennsylvania and the kids sleep in Maryland!
Please pray for Inch, he is the Junior Assistant Scoutmaster this year. As the highest ranked boy he is in charge of the whole troop(26 boys!!) He will have 3 adults to back him up but the way BSA works is that the boys truely run the troop. Its amazing to see how much this little fact really matures the boys.
--Crucian Dad

Yes that is Mallu Mom peaking from behind the boys

Packing the Trailer

There is a lot of stuff for just one week

Saying goodbye
the boy on the left is NOT our child he just wanted to wave for some odd reason

We are now Homeowners...almost

Here I am again, Inch writing because my mom has "no" time.
Well after some haggling, we signed the contract for the house on ***** (no we will still not tell you where it is) Here is a picture of my parent signing.

I wonder why they do not sign the bottom... Is that just outdated? Anyhow we will probably be moving in after we close.
I AM SO EXCITED WE WILL FINALLY GET A TREE HOUSE
Thank you for the prayers! Keep praying! Hope closing goes smoothly!
-Inch

P.S. I think my mom does have time but she uses it up on unimportant things like feeding the family :).

Another G-MAC First

We finally decided to take G-Mac to the pool for the first time. At first she wasn't so sure to what to make of the water, Mystical Rose and Mulu Mom helped to ease her in.

All was going good until Mulu tried to take her a little deeper into the pool. I think it was also a little cold for her.

So G-MAC decided to wait with Dad and just watch.

After a few minutes of seeing her brothers and sister enjoying the pool. G-MAC decided to try again and this time she really enjoyed it



--Crucian Dad

My mom is too busy so I am writing this.
Our family has been looking for a house for the past few months. We tried getting a bank owned one but they refused our offer a few weeks ago. BUT!!! Today we found another house on *****(no we will not tell the general public where we might live)

My mom likes the kitchen
I don’t see why but maybe that’s because I don’t cook...

It does have a forest in the backyard that makes me glad for I love forests (In the in the short time we were looking at the house I found a bunny, a tortoise, and a tick, lovely company right?).
I think this is the first house everyone liked.
Please pray that they will take our offer and we get this house. Of course we are praying for God’s will.
-Inch

Why I am Homeschooled

I am Home schooled, I think you know that by now.

There is a reason I am home schooled, because of bad influences... Including the mind numbing influences of stupid people. (Why this is underlined I do not know)
yes these are from actual papers*

*Authentication is not certain

Eternal Rest

Today we celebrated Rebekah's short life. She was 6 1/2 yrs old, we had the privilege of knowing only after she was diagnosed with cancer. We meet her family through some good friends. To know her has been a blessing. She is a girl who made friends everywhere she went.
I visited her before her Make a Wish trip to Disney. I went over to pray over her with the Relic of Blessed Mother Theresa. It was a powerful experience, very profound. She asked me if I would come back with the rest of the family, and I told her I would after the trip.

Here is what Rebekah's dad wrote soon after her death.

Our beloved daughter and sister, Rebekah Anna, has been called home
by our Lord. She made her Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World and on
Monday met Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Belle. She also met three
pixies, Tinker Bell, Fawn, and Iridessa.
On Wednesday morning she was showing signs of distress and we went
to the hospital. The doctors and nurses did all they could to make her
comfortable. Bekah watched The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and fell
asleep during Alice in Wonderland.
Rebekah died peacefully, in her sleep, at about 3:15 am on Thursday,
June 25th at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando,
Florida.
Thank you to all for your help, support, prayers, and love. A special
thanks to those who were able to come and visit. Bekah loved to be
with people and to have company.
Bekah’s was (and still is) a spirit of sun and joy and beauty and play
and fun. To honour that spirit, we ask that people coming to the
viewing and funeral wear "happy" colors, and help make this a
celebration of her life. Bekah did not like to see other people sad.

I've been to many funerals, but today was especially difficult, something about a child funeral strikes a different chord. Please pray for Bekah's family.
-Mullu Mom

Little Monkey

"what happened?"
"GMAC happened."

I have been hearing those words A LOT. GMAC is a very curious child, she likes to do anything and go anywhere. Including out the door...which she just learned to open. Yesterday she just opened the door and walked outside, she is just 13 months, boy are we in trouble!

At least there is hope.

This little monkey was imitating us during prayer, it is even cuter in person. She even tries to bless herself, although Holy, Son, Spirit, Father is not the order :)

-Inch