Cold Camping: Update, Part 2

When we woke up early Saturday morning after a chilly 42-degree night in tents, Tim headed out to the Farmers' Market while Dino and I warmed up around the campfire. The Scout leaders made biscuits in Dutch ovens in the campfire, and sausage and sausage gravy on the grill.

Dino and I left for a while to go do a soundcheck at our church. He was going to be in the Children's Worship Choir during the church service on Sunday morning. Apparently some critter (or family of critters) had crawled up into the attic over the sanctuary last week, so we were going to have the church service in the gym. Which meant a total overhaul of the audio-visual system. So instead of quickly going over the 4 songs they were planning, the kids had to sing their songs over and over for over an hour, to get all of the microphones and speakers balanced. Before heading back to the park, I treated Alex to the local frozen yogurt bar!

Back at camp, I was getting very sleepy, so I laid down in the tent for a while. I got up when sandwiches and chips were served for lunch. After lunch, Tim and I started taking down the tents and packing the cars back up. Granddad drove up to spend some time with Dino and see him get his Scouting awards after dinner. The 4 of us learned how to play Bocce Ball. We want to get a set for home!

Dinner was grilled BBQ chicken thighs and legs, hot dogs for the picky kids (like Dino), campfire-baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and salad. Yummy! After dinner, the Cub Scout leaders each got up front and presented each Scout's end-of-the-year awards. Dino crossed over from a Tiger Cub to a Wolf Cub Scout!

Dino was starting to feel weary of all the weekly meetings and such, but once he saw the schedule of activities planned for next year, he was totally on board! He will get to start participating in the next den as soon as school is out, so he will be in the Wolf den in summer day camp! Time for new uniform gear!!

Cold Camping: Update

We made it! We survived 42-degree tent camping. Brrrr.... Dino slept in his very own tent, all by himself, all night long! Of course I forgot to take a picture of the tents.... Bad Blogger Mom!

Dino and I got to the park about 7pm on Friday. Tim was at a church softball game, so I started setting up the big tent while Dino ran to the playground with the other Scouts. I was just about finished when one of the dads walked up and said, "Well, I was going to offer to lend you a hand with that, but it looks like you've got it under control yourself...." There wasn't much he could do at that point. I have put up a tent or two in my day, thank ya very much!

After our tent was up, Dino got his tent out, laid it flat, put the poles together, and threaded them through. He helped stabilize the tent while I seated the poles in the corners. I made sure both tents were staked well, and Tim got there just in time to help carry all of the gear to the tents.

Tim had gotten 40-to-60 degree sleeping bags for each of us. They were only $16 each, and worth every penny. I put a quilt on the bottom of Dino's tent, layered a foam mattress topper between the quilt and the sleeping bag for comfort, and lined his sleeping bag with a soft blanket.

As the sun was starting to go down, the temperature also started to drop, and everyone huddled around the campfire for s'mores. It didn't take long for the sugar to wear off, and the boys started to get very tired. Dino put on his pajamas, dry socks, and a toboggan cap (to keep his head warm, since that's the only body part not inside the sleeping bag). He snuggled down into his sleeping bag and was out like a light. I had told him he could come into our tent during the night if he got too cold, but he slept soundly in the crisp air all night!

I, on the other hand, had to get up twice during the night.... At least the park had nice restrooms with real plumbing!

As the sun came up on Saturday morning, everyone began to wake up. Dino got up with a big smile on his face, proud of his new accomplishment and eager to do it again soon! :)

Woodworking Maniak

~Woodworking Maniak~

I proudly announce the start of Tim's woodworking business! He has so far made a couple dozen cutting boards, several square cedar planter boxes, and wine bottle display holders! He is also starting to make game boards! You can find him in person every Saturday morning (May through October) at the Shelby County, Kentucky, Farmers' Market, and be sure to check out Tim's photos on his Facebook page!




Cutting Boards, Wine Displays, and Book Helpers - by Woodworking Maniak



18-inch square Cedar Planter Box - by Woodworking Maniak

Website coming soon! http://www.woodworkingmaniak.com/

Chest Hair, Shutterfly Snafu, and Cold Camping

~Chest Hair~

A couple of weeks ago, Tim washed the dogs and dried them with an old bath towel. He hung the towel up to dry on the shower bar. Dino took a shower that night and accidentally used that towel to dry off instead of his own. He got his pajamas on and ran into the kitchen where I was loading the dishwasher.

"Mom! Mom!! Look! I have chest hair!"

I smiled and said, "Oh really?" and kept working on the dishes.

But he was insistent.... "No, really! I'm growing chest hair! Looook!!"

So I looked. Right in the center of his chest was a tangled mass of dark gray hair, just like our dogs' coats. "Bud, that's a clump of dog hair.... What towel did you use?"

He touched the hair and got a smirk on his face when he realized what had just happened. His face turned to disappointment as he brushed it away. Did he really think that he had just sprouted inch-long man hair in one day??

~Shutterfly Snafu~

I got a strange email from Shutterfly. Apparently I wasn't the only one. I wondered if Shutterfly knew something that I didn't....

Shutterfly apologized for their snafu congratulating thousands of recipients on their new bundles of joy! My email advised me to order thank-you notes to match the birth announcements that I bought did not buy.

~Cold Camping~

This weekend is the Crossover Campout for Dino's Cub Scout Pack. It had been in the 80s here until a cold front came through this week. It is supposed to be 41 degrees overnight. Brrrrrr! Dino is so excited to sleep in his very own tent by himself for the first time, but I don't know if he will make it through the cold night! Tim picked up 3 new 40-degree sleeping bags. They are the kind that zip together, so we might all end up snuggling up. We'll also have foam pads, pillows, and lots of blankets. Pray for warmth and sanity!

Linkage, Volume 203

Internet is coming to NPR!
a memo from 1994 - my favorite part is the mandatory one-hour training session to get access to EMAIL

It's the Little Things
"My neighbor Dylon is a teen with autism. He is also obsessed with telephone poles."
via Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Illusion Rings (video)
Lindzee - Amelymeloptical illusion
via The Bloggess

Linkage, Volume 202

The Food Allergy Lifestyle
No, It's Not a Preference

Scratch or Sniff
The writer of NeonFresh (formerly NiceGirlNotes) now also has "a website for parents of kids with allergies, asthma, and eczema"!

The Kindergarten Tribes
"The story he weaves is about two tiny neighboring kingdoms known as Room 2 and
Room 3. Each kingdom houses about 25 citizens. Twice a day these kingdoms merge
on the playground. From this melding 5 main tribes with 5 distinct leaders have
arisen:  The Diggers, The Minecrafters, The Ballers, and The Superheroes and
The Girls."
via NeatoBambino

Squirrel Song (video)
Springer Spaniel Sees a Squirrel and Goes Nuts!
via Lambert and Lindsey

Linkage, Volume 201

I haven't posted Linkage in almost a year!
Hope you enjoy the return, for as long as I can keep it up this time :)

TL;DR Wikipedia
Are Wikipedia articles way too long for you? Here are some "Too Long; Didn't Read" summaries.
via Neatorama

Glamping in the Beermoth
A Vintage Fire Truck That Has Been Converted Into A Hotel Room
via Neatorama
Read the reviews!

Spectacular Salsa - Paddy & Nico (video)
Well that was unexpected! Make sure you give it until the music speeds up.
via Sunny Skyz