letter of the law vs. spirit of the law

So Brad has been ready to advance in scouting getting both is first and second class rank advancement oh for about 6 months now.. the hold up.. his scout leader was out of town the whole summer (he's a law student) THEN he was promptly released (AFTER he returned) and was hard to track down for a few months to sign his book and for some reason NO ONE else would sit down and talk with the boy and vouch that he had done these seemingly simple things (which in reality each individual thing was not so hard the on the hole was ALLOT).. ANOTHER hitch was our then scoutmaster was working a job where he was working tons of hours and wasn't available for many weeks then he moved leaving us with out a scoutmaster and the combo of it all put the whole program into kind of a tale spin.. we NOW finally have a new scoutmaster and the boys really like him but he's REALLY into scouting which on the whole is an AWESOME thing BUT he's also a stickler; in Brad's scoutmaster conference to get the for mentioned 1st and 2nd class rank advancements he asked Brad to show him some kind of knot which was passed off with a date way back in December of last year Brad couldn't show him the knot and so he wouldn't pass off the conference.. I was supportive of the leader in front of Brad saying "YEA you need to work on those" but REALLY FRUSTRATED with in my own mind and thoughts (don't worry i'm repenting)..
THANKFULLY in our scout committee meeting today I repeated a condensed version of the whole saga of why it's taken so long for Brad and some of the other boys to get these seemingly simple rank advancements completed and WHY some of the recollection of the elements of the advancements might be a little fuzzy and he understood and said he'd consider the scoutmaster conference done and let him advance BUT he'd still work on those knots with Brad because in his words "its ridiculous for a 1st class scout to not know the **whatever i can't remember the name** knot" in which I whole heatedly agree..

The other issue we have in the Fox home.. Ben didn't really do scouts he went to scout camp a few years in a row and got the EXACT same merit badges each year. he doesn't even remember what rank he made it to.. he was very into soccer and he had some leaders that insisted he choose which he did.. Soccer.. and so although we whole heartly support Brad and want him to succeed in scouting, it's as long as he's into it etc. we aren't going to be the type of parents who will prevent him from getting his drivers license or what ever else parents are doing these days to bribe their boys into getting their Eagles.. I want brad to get his Eagle as long as HE wants to get his Eagle.. enough said on that my only point with this is when I told Ben what our Scoutmaster said about the knot he basically said knots are knots who needs to know more than one way to get two pieces of roap to stick together.. then I reminded him that he knew several knots to get a fishing hook to stay on the line etc.etc.. he then gave me that look.. and said.. "those are useful knots!" HAHAHA!!! i guess you remember whats important to you..

So the lesson learned here.. I'm not quite sure yet.. that maybe the letter of the law is always good and OFTEN necessary.. but when a Mom pleads your case in regards to the Spirit of the Law and is NICE and not bit&&y then allot can get done...
ta ta

I Survived Cub Scout day Camp!!!

Today was the completion of the Week of Cub Scout Day Camp... i survived my 5th year.. that's right i have been a Den Leader at day camp (in 3 different states) for 5 years and i have one more year... We all had fun.. KayLea had a blast at their "tot-lot" Bradley also had a blast, he got to hang out all week at the lake with the life guard.. he got to kayak (he wants one now!) Brad isn't a Cub Scout anymore but he's not quite old enough to be a youth leader (Den Chief) so we were so lucky that the life guard had his 11 year old son with him all week and so he was more than happy that he had someone to keep him company.. Bradley also earned his Kayak merit badge (yes, this lifeguard was one in a million!!!) although he can't technically be awarded it until he earns his 1st class (this is making Brad want to jump right on it!)... Hunter had so much fun his favorite was Archery and BB's... He also loved swimming (actually more like water play).. it was a great week..

Hunter making sawdust clay and doing the obstacle coarse

Brad Kayaking

KayLea during her skit (she was suppose to be scary.. i think it worked!) and her doing the obstacle coarse

That's all for now.. tomorrow is old home day we are suppose to get a couple of presidential candidates (tentative of coarse) and then a big fireworks show tomorrow night...

ta ta

Pinewood Derby

Last night was pinewood Derby... both boys did pretty good.. they came in 7th and 8th out of 16 total, i think it was a good thing that they both came in so close to each other.. our biggest fear was that one would do much much better than the other... but they had a good time, Hunter is already stratagizing over what he'll do next year and Brad is a little sad i think that it was his last one!!! it was a fun night!!

Brad's car (grey shark) Hunter's Car (gold w/ stripes)

The proud dad w/ his boys!

one of the heats both boys raced in (one on each end)

Pinewood Derby Time!!!

Last night the boys cut out their cars and now we have the task of painting and drilling holes for the weights etc... this will be the first and last pinewood derby that both boys will participate in the same race... Brad turns 11 and moves up from Cub Scouts to Boy scouts and they don't do the derby... Anyway they both are very into their design and have great ideas about painting etc...


i'll have more pictures as the process continues and of coarse of the race on the 30th of this month...

Cub Scout Day Camp
Camp is over and I think we faired pretty well.. We all had a good time and we are all are exhausted!!! here are some pic's of what we did this last week...

This is Brad (2nd one from the bottom) doing BB gun's he had a blast doing this... It's the first time he's been able to do this at day camp..

This is Hunter shooting an Arrow in Archery.. He also LOVED archery.. He even got a couple of bulls eyes..

And of Coarse here is our KayLea doing a little dance for her skit of the Tag-a-long's.. She had such a good time and made lots of new friends.. Especially Lillian.. She can't stop talking about her!! and another great by-product of camp.. KAYLEA HAS NOT HAD A BATHROOM ACCIDENT ALL WEEK!!!! Happy Day!!!

so that was our week.. We had fun and now we have to clean the house from top to bottom because we were so exhausted at the end of each day that we just took showers and crashed!! (this is why I don't work outside the home.. Nothing would ever get done!) love to all...

Hello All
well first off i'm exhausted!!! today is day 1 of 5 of Cub Scout Day camp of which i am a Den Leader of 15 boys going into the 3rd grade.. i do have an assistant but she's a very young girl (a sister of one of the cub's) who is constantly plotting ways to have her boyfriend meet her at camp (a BIG no no if you ask me) but she does help and is nice enough and is doing a big favor for her mom who was origionally suppose to come but is in the middle of a move to S. Carolina so i suppose i should be grateful for what i've got... and it only makes me even more sorry for all the hell i put my parents through when "i was in loooovvveeee". the boys have had a blast today and the most miraculous thing is KayLea had a blast as well.. my clingy girl who never wants to be seperated is having the best time ever and the best moment of today was when i came over to check on her and ask her how it was going she said it was great then "see ya mom, i got to go!" sniff, sniff!! my little baby doesn't need me!!!! and my potty training worry (the only requirement for her to go to the "tot lot" was that she be 3 and completely potty trained) totally un-founded worry.. she just thinks she's just one of the big girls who don't need any help etc.. so i think it's a good thing all around..
so i really should be in bed my legs are aching and i still need to do a load of laundry to make sure the one and only shirt we each get is cleaned because we have to wear it every day!!
but that sounds too complaning i'm grateful i can do this and hopefully when the boys are old and looking back the'll think it's cool their mom took them each year to cub scout camp.. this is probably Brad's last year as he'll be in 11 year old scouts by next year this time.. again how did i get these old kids!!!
luv ya all good night!