Caution: Photos Ahead

Ah, the end of the school year. This is where the insanity that led to my nearly four-month blogging break began. So many activities that something had to give. We gave up a clean house, regular family meals, exercise, early bedtimes...I may have been able to squeeze a few posts in if only I'd been willing to let go a little on personal hygiene, but even I draw the line somewhere. So photo scrooges beware, this is a photo heavy catch-up post.

We managed to fit in a couple of games with our awesome neighbors—this year we tried kickball instead of softball. They could say jousting, and we'd show up, just because they're all so awesome.

May 14, 2012

I helped with a water polo team dinner, a new experience for me to try to feed that many hungry teenagers.

May 15, 2012

I attended my last (sniff) kindergarten Teddy Bear Picnic.

May 16, 2012

The kids had also prepared a reader's theater. Funny story here:

The first group of kids lined up to do theirs in the classroom, with the other kindergartners sitting on the rug in front of them. Near the end of the performance, one of the little girls standing began to projectile vomit. Guess where Ainsley was sitting? Yep, right in front of her. She was covered, but refused to leave before performing her part. The show must go on...

May 16, 2012

Joey's teacher (and Robbie's former—and favorite—teacher) retired, as did Joey's 1st grade teacher, also a favorite.

May 16, 2012

Robbie performed with the percussion ensemble at the Junior High, and it was awesome. I discovered that he was a soloist when I saw it listed on the program, and had to text Rob to come and bring the other kids. Teenagers! He did well, in spite of his cast.

May 16, 2012

Not really an end-of-school activity, but I had to include this photo of us cleaning the church because it's a classic. Reminds me of a church dinner we were at: Joey started freaking out because Rob got mad at him for taking multiple desserts before everyone had been served, and a nice ward member who witnessed the meltdown said, "Oh good, I thought your kids weren't normal, now I can see that they are." Yeah, that's it, normal.

May 19, 2012

Rob, planting the flowers, because that was something I was willing to let go.

May 19, 2012

Backman Family History night was extra exciting, with a solar eclipse.

May 20, 2012

Another band concert. Joey did an amazing job, especially considering how little he practiced his clarinet. :)

May 21, 2012

We are so lucky and grateful to have a great-grandma who is healthy and supportive.

May 21, 2012

The water polo awards dinner. Robbie and Jonas got a special mention as the only seventh-graders on the team.

May 21, 2012

Joey, as an Idaho Spud in the 6th grade 50 States assembly.

May 22, 2012

The junior high awards night—there are some AMAZING kids there! I'm glad that Robbie is one of them.

May 23, 2012

Joey, after a poetry reading with one of his best friends.

May 24, 2012

And, Ainsley's last day of kindergarten. Sigh.

May 24, 2012

She adored her teacher, Miss Newman/Mrs. Gunn. :)

May 24, 2012

Rob will be shocked that I posted this photo, which is not the least-flattering photo that has ever been taken of me, but is probably the least flattering photo I've ever posted. It's because as a scout leader I had to help with the court of honor, and gave the picture-taking duty to Ellie. She didn't take one of just Joey, but I don't want to skip his big achievement—we finally made it through the 30 days of exercises, so he earned his Tenderfoot!

May 31, 2012

Drumroll here, for the much anticipated last day of school. Yay! Here's Ellie:

June 1, 2012

And Joey:

June 1, 2012

He came home with what appeared to be an arm tattoo. He explained that he didn't want to ruin his shirt by having his classmates sign it.

June 1, 2012

Robbie not only survived his first year of junior high, he loved it.

June 1, 2012

We celebrated by making homemade pizzas.

June 1, 2012

Fun, but a lot of work and a big mess to clean up. Next year I need to remember that and we can just go out for dinner...

June 1, 2012

Not the best way to start the summer...

Robbie was having a great spring—here he is...

at the JV water polo tournament, May 4th...

and playing softball on May 9th...

Until Thursday, May 10th, when he was delivering letters for the annual Boy Scout flag fundraiser. The boys were getting in and out of the car frequently, to deliver letters, and Robbie got a little impatient—he got out of the car before it had come to a complete stop. He fell, and caught himself with his left arm, but broke his wrist in the process. So...

Here he is getting a sling on May 11th.

And a cast on May 14th.

Red for the Utes, of course.

Luckily it's waterproof, so he didn't even have to miss the 1st day of swim team.

No more Cub Scouts!

Scouting has been a pretty big part of our lives for the past five years. I've been a den leader for nearly five of the six years my boys were in cub scouts. This month has been extra busy, since I've been finishing up my commitment as Webelos leader, planning the joint Blue & Gold Banquet/Arrow of Light Ceremony AND I've been called as to help with advancement for the eleven year-old boy scouts. No pressure there, I'm only following in the footsteps of the great Lois Banks. Joey has been so excited to finally become a boy scout so he could earn homemade slurpees and other treats...but no, he gets me instead. She did fix them each one last slurpee on January 13th, when they turned in their reading merit badge cards. I used my phone, so it's not a great photo:

Here we are at the Court of Honor on January 18th.

Robbie was awarded his Life, so it's Eagle project time.

Although Joey earned his Arrow of Light back in September, the ceremony wasn't until January 19th, after most of the other Webelos had finished theirs. The pack meeting was great, we have such great leaders now I'm almost sorry to be done with cub scouts. Almost being the key word there. :)

Webelos Camp

This is my last year with a son in cub scouts. I have been to Cub Country or Webelos Camp every year for the past six years. I have to admit, I will not miss it.

But Joey had a great time, and I do love spending time with him.

Bear Lake Scout Camp

We got home from Silver Moccasin on Saturday night, unpacked and washed all of Robbie's clothes, then repacked and sent him off on Monday morning for another week of camp, this time with his troop at Bear Lake Aquatics Camp. I got a photo before they left, and once again sent the point-and-shoot camera with Robbie.

He didn't take any photos, but luckily one of the dads that went took a few and sent copies:

The rest of us had time over two weeks to appreciate and miss Robbie. I was especially grateful to have him come home safe and sound, because there was a scout at the camp who died while they were there. So sad. It was a sobering experience. In spite of that, Robbie had a great time, and earned a bunch of merit badges: environmental science, rifle shooting, canoeing, first-aid, leather work and Indian lore.

Silver Moccasin Scout Camp

Robbie missed the 4th of July picnic because he left early that morning to go to Silver Moccasin Leadership Camp. I love this photo, it totally reminds me Russell in Up. I asked him if he wanted to write a guest post about camp, but he didn't, so now he's stuck with that comparison.

Jonas went to the camp too, and Shawn drove the boys up to East Fork of the Bear, in the Uintahs, around six a.m. on Monday morning (July 4th). Here's a photo of them just before they left.

I sent the point and shoot with Robbie, and was pleasantly surprised to find a few pictures on the memory card when Robbie got back. Here he is with his patrol for the week. From left to right: Connor, Tristian, Robbie, Ethan, Bryant and Houston. Halani was taking the picture. Robbie really liked these guys, and says they had one of the best groups at the camp. They try to separate kids who know each other, so Jonas was in another patrol.

Here's a photo of the lean-to they built and slept in one night. The other nights they slept in tents, but had to change tents multiple times, because it rained every day, and flooded several times.

Rob and the kids and I went to pick them up on Saturday. Here they are hiking out of camp.

Here he is being awarded his Silver Moccasin bead by the head scoutmaster.

It was beautiful up there. I really love the colors in these photos.

Silver Moccasin is not a merit badge camp, it's a leadership camp. I asked Robbie to tell me five things he learned at camp. Here's what he came up with, after some coercion:

1) Neutral position for standing to put people at ease.

2) "Forming, storming, norming, performing" stages of group dynamics.

3) The importance of vision, goals and planning.

4) It's really hard to put up a tent blind-folded.

5) Sleeping in a garbage bag sucks. (Yeah, don't ask. He had a nice sleeping bag with him.)