Tracking Things Down...

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Boy Scouts of America. To mark the occasion, BSA is offering four historic merit badges. Each of the four badges follow the requirements as stated in the 1910 scouting handbook. The badges are distinguished in that they are rimmed in gold thread. These four badges can only be earned this year, and all requirements must be completed by December 31st.

Max and Hayden recently attended a workshop to begin work on a few of the badges. This was significant for us because these are the FIRST merit badges we've earned in our scouting career!

Max completed all the requirements for the tracking badge. He's a regular bloodhound. His favorite part was making plaster casts of animal prints, including a raccoon and bobcat. This week he received his patch at a court of honor ceremony.

Much to my dismay, he also received, at the very same scouting meeting, a marshmallow launcher. Everett won it in a drawing and gave it to Max in exchange for a box of popcorn. God bless Everett.

No fabric patch can compete with that.

I wasn't sure exactly what this household was missing, but now I'm pretty certain it was a cross bow that catapults confections all over the living room. I will confess that the mystery of a marshmallow gun is completely lost on me. (Although I am completely enamored with the tracking patch.) What I don't understand is who will go around and pick up all the marshmallows? They will get picked up, right?? Before the dog eats them, or they melt in the sun and ooze into my carpet? Is this an outside toy? Because, believe it or not, the boys actually told me today that they didn't want to play with it outside because they didn't want to get their marshmallows dirty.

?!?!?!

We have one spanking new merit badge to sew proudly on a uniform. We have two more merit badges in progress. And we have a question.......

Did boy scouts have marshmallow launchers in 1910?? And does Everett's mom want to come over to pick up marshmallows?? :)