SPIRIT WEEK 2019

 Twin Day

Tacky Tourist Day

Jersey Day

Crazy Hair Day

READY FOR AN ADVENTURE

Super clearance snow pants have arrived in anticipation of sledding day when we go to California over Christmas break!

CUBAREE 2019

Jay and James attended the Cub Scout Cubaree this weekend - James' last Cubaree before becoming a Boy Scout in early 2020. The theme was Jurassic Park, so there were lots of dinosaurs running around and dino-themed activities for the kids. James had a great time with his Pack and an even better time getting to spend some one-on-one time with his daddy!

(That's James on the right in the animatronic velociraptor mask I got his for the occasion)

(Dance party on the new stage/fire circle at Camp Hood)

GIRLS WEEKEND

While the boys were at the Cubaree Campout this weekend, Cora and I had a date night (a fancy dinner and glass bottle root beer at Rusty's downtown), finished decorating the house for Halloween, and scouted out a potential trail route for our upcoming Girl Scout hike (there was a LOT of blowdown due to the tornadoes last April, so we're thinking this will not be a good route for our littlest Scouts, or some of the parents/grandparents). She slept up in daddy's spot in our bed and got to goof off on her Kindle until late at night. She was sooo happy to have me all to herself for 30 hours or so and it made me feel pretty special.

(She thought that tree stump looked like the Upside Down...)

(It's always reassuring to find the orange blazes when you haven't seen one in a while due to having to go around big tree falls and jump over small ravines)

TROOP 3315 ECO-ADVENTURERS!

After reviewing the Leave No Trace principles and hiking safety rules, Jay and I led the girls (and their families) on a 3-mile hike after school today. We chose a different route than Cora and I had scouted earlier in the month, since that section was such a mess from the tornadoes, but we ended up having just as many setbacks on the alternate route... ditch crossings, a bit of time where we lost the trail, and eventually ending up on the original route somehow... No matter though - everyone had fun, nobody got hurt, and we all got some exercise while working towards badges. This is a fabulous group of kids and their siblings/parents are really supportive and involved, which makes adventures like this even easier!

Those of us at the back of the pack saw this gorgeous little snake (Midland/De Kay's brownsnake, Storeria dekayi) after everyone else kicked up the leaves (it was tiny - barely bigger than a worm!):

Lots of up and down and around to get to the other side (the road):

Jay found a lucky horseshoe... in a tree...

We finally made it out to the road (and quickly walked that last mile to finish before dinner!)

SOCCER SHOOTOUT

James was pleased to win the soccer shootout competition this year (kids compete to earn the most points by scoring goals in specific sections of the net)

MCCLAIN EXPERIENCE

We met a unicorn...