Welcome to July!

It's here! The seventh month of the year! Officially over half way through another year, at least by month count!

July is busy and not busy for us!  In prior years, I'd been more actively involved in organizing certain elements of VBS with our church.  It would be very time consuming (can't imagine the hours our co-coordinator's put in if I was putting in those hours!), many hours of phone calls, errands, computer work, meetings, work up at our church.  This year, there is a lot less that I am doing and it is a welcome change!

We successfully got our oldest off to Boy Scout Summer Camp.  It's the fourth year that he has gone, although, he'd correct you that the first year was Cub Scout Camp (but still sleep away).  It has gotten easier to let him go each year, but having a Mama's heart, I still worry, just not nearly as much as I used to.  The leaders that are with our troop are great and they'll all have a pretty good time!  I am totally expecting one worn out, smelly kid back.  Yes, the air purifier and washer/dryer will be going a lot come Saturday!  The washer will get a good cleaning after as well!  :)

Celebrations for July 4th have changed and evolved a lot over the years.  When the boys were very young, we didn't do a whole lot.  There were a few years we were in VA Beach visiting family.  My folks neighborhood would have a parade we'd watch, burgers would be grilled, play in the pool, and watch fireworks on TV.  When Thing One first became a Scout, back in June of 2006, he participated in a local parade.  That was a very hot day!  A Gatorade and play in the wading pool after (under the deck even) kind of day.  We had a family over for grilling later in the day and fireworks in the court thanks to a couple other families.  One year had our son's Cub Scout Den Over for a cook out, water balloons, and such.  We've been invited, other years, to go to the Pentagon to watch fireworks and more recently, kept it way small with just 3 out of the 4 of us (Thing One's Boy Scout Troop goes to camp the week that includes July 4th).  This year, Thing Two asked if we could go over to another street to watch fireworks, if they are having them.  Shary ~ don't know if your read my blog, but he was talking about your old street which I think still does a lot of fireworks.  We can just see them over the trees!

We'll probably get some light school in, too, this month.  ~ reading and introductions to formal writing ~

For now, enjoying the slow pace of only having one child home and he LOVES his sleep.  I love not having to race off for therapy!  A win/win situation!

What things do you love about July?  Is it the fireflies?  The fireworks?  Trips to a lake?  Wish we could do that!
 

Firsts on the first!

A couple firsts on the first for you!

Thing One was dropped off late morning for his third, week long summer camp.  The first for me is that I didn't feel nervous leaving him.  He's comfortable going, it's his third trip with a couple of the guys who've been together since Tigers as Cub Scouts and 2nd year with his Boy Scout troop.  He really enjoys scouting and I am thankful that it is a good experience for him.  That it is a safe troop to learn how "to be a man" in, to learn to be a man of God in.

Second first for the day ~  I have a cherry tomato finally starting to turn orange.  It is still a yellow/orange color (heavy on the yellow), but it's changing and not green anymore.  This one will probably be plucked off the vine and eaten warm!!  Yummy!  And if I ever find my camera cord, I'll upload a photo of it!
 

ETA a photo of tomatoes!  They are pretty good.

Boy Scout Camp

We picked up Thing One from camp today.  They had a family time/BBQ and bonfire Friday evening and we'd gone up to check things out.  When leaving Camp Tuckahoe, we gave him the option of riding with the Troop or us.  He choose us.  Still made him help clean up though.  LOL!

He seems to have had a good time, not to many details shared; seems like he has to take some time to decompress after a very BUSY week.  We did hear that he'd been working hard all week and was able to complete the four merit badges he started there ~ Golf, Swimming, First Aid, and Canoeing.  It was also kind of nice to hear that the Scout Masters there had to remind him of the some things we've been doing for awhile.  It kind of felt good to look him in the eyes and say "See, your dad and I aren't to far off on what we expect out of you!"

It was kind of nice at the bonfire!  They started out with some of the instructors playing leap frog (I know a kids game, but keep reading).  Turns out their version turns into a competition.  After each round the guys get a bit higher, and higher, and higher.  If you can't make it over with a clean landing, you are out.  It got down to two guys left and they were asking for guys, from the audience, that were over 6'4" to come be jumped over.  This guy ended up raising his hands and arms to make a higher obstacle.  Also during the course of the evening, they gave away awards for various things (leadership by Scout Masters, camp entry way, belly flop award, and others I don't remember).  Think Troop 2215 came away with 5 or more.  Nice evening to see what our son had been doing all week.

Now back to the reality of life.  All the guys in the household are up at church and I'm home doing post camp laundry!  Suppose I'll take the laundry because it means I have a fairly quiet house with the only noises being a sleeping dog and a fan running (can't even hear the washer!).  Not such a bad bargain.  So I'm off to knit, wash, and have a quiet time.