Cub Camp, Take Three

This morning my boys were invited to a dollar movie at the mall with their friend Brad.  I met up with them after a rousing viewing of Space Chimps and coaxed them into Pottery Barn Kids en route to the food court.  The boys kicked back while I fell madly in love with something called an Everywhere Chair for Miss Emma.  The boys had it made in the shade while I debated slip covers and tallied my budget for unnecessary toddler furniture.  I left the store empty handed because I didn't have time to wait in line at the loading dock today, but I'm heavily flirting with the idea of rearranging my entire schedule to return tomorrow.  After all, an everywhere chair would come in handy almost anywhere.  :)

After our mall tour we raced home for the whole camp tee shirt/ camp tote bucket/ camp cooler / camp lawn chair extravaganza, which looks a lot like three unconcerned, laid back, easy going boys wandering in circles around a wound up, fast talking woman who is speaking way too loud while pitching things in buckets and coolers.

Temperatures are still on the rise this week, as is cub camp enthusiasm.  Hannah snapped this picture of us today as we were ready to peel out, and just as I was reminding the boys not to give me ugly squinty eyes in the picture.  Notice I'm the Squinty.
Each boy is required to wear a hat because of the heat.  They attach fabric to their caps and that is where they pin all the totems they trade throughout the week.  The little collection of trinkets grows day by day. 

Archery is one of the most popular activities.

Part of the fun of camp is plopping down in the shade to guzzle some gorp.  Gorp is camp sustenance.  Everyone in the troop brings a fun ingredient (fruit loops, cheesy crackers, pretzels, Skittles, etc.) and we dump it all in a huge trash bag to mix it up.  Then we dole it out to the kids to munch on all day, every day.  Gorp is gourmet scout snacking at its best. 
One of the most clever stations today was how to build a campfire.  First you make a protective fire ring (marshmallows).  Then you lay the kindling (thin pretzels) in an "A" frame.  A sprinkling of tinder (coconut) is necessary....even if you don't like to eat the tinder!  
Next you pile on the fuel, such as wood (large pretzel rods).  Whoola!  Fire (red hots)!  Notice that it is lots of fun to roast a marshmallow over the fire.  :)Fire safety standards require you to completely cover the fire when you are done with it.  So, crumbling a cookie into fine powder worked well for that purpose.
While the boys snacked on all but the coconut tinder, a real live boy scout demonstrated the real deal.
There were sponge races to cool off after fire building.
Dinner bell.
And for dessert, homemade ice cream made in a coffee can.  It took lots of rolling to get it frozen!  I had to swoop in for a sample.  Vanilla ice cream is my very favorite dessert.  It was delicious!  :)
Tomorrow Buzzard is working from home because his car is going to the shop.  I have to be up early to drop him off and to take Hannah to an appointment.  My Mom is coming to stay with the baby, and I have no idea where the poor woman will sit.  My house is a complete wreck, and although I desperately want to tidy things up a bit I simply can not will my legs to stand up and take a step.  I'm so dog tired that I can only look at the volcanic mess erupting from the camp totes and coolers and wonder how I will ever stuff it all back in tomorrow to head out once again.  We're on the downhill slope now!  It's cub camp or bust....perhaps with one small layover at Pottery Barn Kids.  :)