Sunny days....

Okay, so before I forget...I need to clarify last weeks post. When I said that D didn't seem like he wanted to walk on the beach but seemed anxious to get back the room, I left something important to the story out. As we were leaving our room to walk, he noticed the maid working her way toward our room. While we were walking all he could think of was that my soon to be ring was in the cooler back in our room and he was afraid she might steal it.

We had a strange Valentines Day. We did the tree plant in the morning. In the afternoon I went shopping and left the 3 boys at home. I guess we have never been the typical romantic couple though. When we lived in Kodiak there were holidays that we exchanged firearms as gifts and other holidays we would exchange fishing poles. I think D enjoyed just relaxing and I know that I was able to get more accomplished shopping by myself that with the kids. So it was a good day.

Well, we survived our Blue and Gold Celebration for scouts this week. It was touch and go. We had gone down in the afternoon to let the boys set some of the stuff up ahead of time. Well, 15 minutes after arriving W told me his ear hurt. Within a few minutes he had laid down on the stage and put a coat over. He has never had a problem with ear infections, and at his age most kids are working out of them. He had one last year and this is the 3rd one this year (so next week he is seeing an ENT about possibly yanking his adenoids when they do his other surgery later this year). Anyway, of course with 1/3 of the kids home sick from most of the schools I couldn't get him in to be seen that day (There are so many kids sick that they are bleaching the rooms daily and the county health nurse is tracking symptoms, yippee!!) So when we got home I just gave him some ibuprofen for the inflammation and sent him to bed. Since the prospect of D having to stay home with a sick kid meant I wouldn't have help with awards and stuff I had to scramble to figure out what to do. Just as I was getting ready to leave, W came out in his uniform and said he wanted to go. That meant that we had to get H up from his late nap and dressed right away and D had to get his uniform on. Good grief. Anyway, it turned out really well. One of our moms made the cake. The boys had picked out all of the games. I put their new segments in balloons for them to pop in front of everyone. We had one boy earn his wolf badge and I had found a ceremony online where you have him put in vampire teeth to take his badge with...And my hero D was able to pick some up at the party store up the river that morning. W received his bear badge (the real reason he was able to push through the ear pain). He got to go into the bear cave to retrieve a bear claw as his last task. (Our webelo leader has this deep, booming voice that really echo's from deep within the cave.) Everyone seemed to have a real good time and I am so glad it's over.

Saturday we managed to get together 4 of our scouts and their families to plant trees at a park out by the beach. In 2 hours they planted 300 trees. It started to rain just as we finished up. I was amazed at how fast the time went. When we first got there each boy grabbed a bag of 20 trees and we made them put back all but about 3. Well, we should have let them just keep them all because we ended up making two trips back for more. They seemed to have a lot of fun with it. It was a great location too. They will be able to go back with their families over the years and see how things change.

Our next scouting endeavor will be our candy sale. I think I have come up with a cool idea, but I haven't gotten any feedback from the other leaders yet. Although I can't see why they would object. We start our candy and meat stick sale next week. (I know, what a weird combo) Anyway, in addition to the "golden ticket chocolate factory tour" that I mentioned last week, I'm thinking that maybe if they meet the unit's sales goal we can tell them we'll upgrade to a chocolate party after the tour. Who wouldn't think that was a good idea?? Okay, I know who wouldn't, the parents that have to take their kids home afterwards, but that's what you get for reproducing, right???

So, D is working on a Thursday for the first time in I can't remember how long. He may be sent home early either today or tomorrow, but that's still an improvement. He worked long days Monday and yesterday, so hopefully he will still get a little overtime in addition to a full check for the week.

H has an appointment for the early learning program next week. So, it sounds like he will have an 1 1/2 class two days a week. And I'm guessing the bus ride will be about 20 minutes give or take. I know, can you believe they would put him on a bus?? They told me that normally the parent brings them the first day and they go home on the bus and that works well. Oh, that poor bus driver. I guess the only saving grace is that kids that little probably don't know how to make spit wads yet. Anyway, I guess I will have a little time for my PT now.

W did something that just made my jaw drop the other day. He gets $1 week allowance for his chores. Well, this year we upped it to $2 if he scooped the litter box. I never have cash, so he usually goes to D on Sunday's. Well the other night he went to the calendar and asked if we still had Ross when we went to the sportsman show. We said no, that it was the next day that we put her to sleep. He instantly said that we still owed him $2 for his allowance. Yes, I know we should be more prompt at paying him, but still. My dad emailed a couple days ago saying that since W had to take that pay cut, he needed to sign up for his share of Obama's stimulus package.

So, for dinner this week...I haven't really thought that far out. I think we are going to have some kind of cod something or other tonight. Beyond that I think we will be on a steady diet of Worlds Finest Chocolate and meat sticks for the next month.

Hope everyone has a good week.