Scout Camp

It was so fun to go to Scout Camp and visit Jake!!!  When we got there and were looking for him, we spotted him bringing us plates of food.  Hot dogs for me and a burger and a hot dog for Aaron-he knows us so well.  I of course took pictures and then had fun with them on Instagram...

Doesn't Aaron just have the perfect shaped head?  He is lucky.  Some bald men have funny heads but his head was meant to be bald.  Jake's necklace is from his Indian Folklore merit badge class.

He has been so busy he hasn't even had a chance to swim!!!  My fish hasn't swam!  He is taking it so seriously and he even picked up and extra class to earn his merit badge for astronomy.  I love this kid...

...SO MUCH!!!!

Summer finely hit this week so they have had temps in the 90's and only cooling down just a little at night but Jake said he has been so tired he hasn't had any problem sleeping.  The Scout Master even had to wake him up one morning!  That almost never happens at home.

This is a picture of Aaron showing Jake a picture of Clive.  I couldn't show him because I erased the picture from my phone.  Jake was very impressed by my bravery. 

Look at that cute mug.

I mean seriously!!!

We brought him some snacks (Puff Corn, beef jerky, Pringles, and Gatorade) since they are "starving".  He has his own tent since our troop isn't that big so he could just keep his snacks to himself but he said he would share because "he is known for sharing".  We can't have his reputation tarnished and since I knew he would share, I brought 3 bags of the Puff Corn. :)

We had to rush to get to the program. 

On the way Jake picked me a daisy (my favorite) and held my hand to help me down the steep parts.  We should send him off more often!  Just kidding.  That is just Jake.

He got this sweet knife.  The initials are for Camp Bob Hardin and of course the Palmetto tree and crescent moon are for South Carolina's state flag,  This is the second knife he bought.  He bought one for $10 and another boy from his troop really wanted it but the camp store was sold out so the kid bought it from Jake for $15.  Jake then went back and bought this better knife.  Jake said the next day they had already restocked the other knife his friend had paid him more to buy.  Patience is a virtue!   He had to buy a cane fishing pole (he didn't know a head of time he would have to for one of his merit badges) so he only had a dollar left and couldn't go when the other guys were going to get a slushy.  I checked in my little purse I take when I go to the gym and found a $10 bill.  I never have cash-especially in that purse so Jake declared it a miracle! :) 

Before they started the tapping out for Order of the Arrow program they asked all the Scouts to sit on one side and parents to sit on the other.  Jake looked at me and said, "that is not fair!  You guys have to leave right after that and I want to sit with you." {tear}  I wanted to sit by him too, but we are rule followers.

Aaron is in the blue shirt.  It's like where's Waldo.  He didn't have time to change after work so he didn't have his Scout shirt on but when they asked all Scouts that had earned the Order of the Arrow in the past to come and congratulate the new scouts that would be going through the "ordeal" (that's what they call it!  I am glad Jake is a couple of years away from doing it because I will need to have time to wrap my mind around the thought that he has to go through the "ordeal"!!!!  But he says that is his goal which is pretty awesome.) to earn it in August.  Part of the "ordeal must be to die of heat stroke because camping out in August is torture in SC.  Aaron can still earn "brother of the Order of the Arrow" so their goal is to try and do it together. 

When it was over Jake rejoined us and walked us down to the road that lead back to our car.  This camp is huge by the way.  It was a hike just to get in!  Jake gave Aaron a couple of hugs and me about ten...He was a little bummed we were leaving and Aaron said sometimes it is better if parents don't come because it makes the boys (who are "starving", sweating, and working really hard) homesick.  Jake said it did make him homesick but he was so glad we came.  There is no way I wouldn't have gone!!!  He gave me a couple more hugs and told me to pet Sadie for him (who by the way is either acting crazy or sleeping since her favorite playmate isn't here).  It was so hard to leave him but I did.  Aaron is going to head back on Friday night and spend the night and bring the troop home on Saturday.  We are going to have a welcome home party by watching the Lego Movie that just came out this week on DVD and I am making him his favorite meal-creamy crockpot chicken. 

It is pretty cool that Jake is going to the same Scout camp that Aaron went to when he was Jake's age.  Life is good!