Jamborall - Scouting is 100 Years Old!

As I am the Mom who goes to EVERYTHING, (I consider that a good thing) I went with McCade to the Grand Teton Council Jamborall in Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Scouting. Shane was there with the Boy Scouts - which included Dallin, and I was there with the Cub Scouts - which included McCade!

They had lots of fun stations for the Cubs, these were Rubber band guns.

Tug of War is always a favorite.

And they had them do a relay race to learn and REMEMBER the Leave No Trace guidelines.

The thing we waited in line the longest for was the BB Gun shooting station, but in our little world it was SO worth it.

They shot at targets; the targets were scored. IF you got over 21 points, they declared you an excellent shooter and gave you a special patch and certificate. Most of the boys in our pack didn't even hit the target - much less come anywhere near 21 points. HOWEVER, McCade had

FORTY-THREE POINTS!

Yep, and excellent shot. They were shocked. I got the feeling that was the best score they had seen all day, but I couldn't tell you for sure.

Nice Job Mac!

Danielle

Dance Recital 2010

Dance Recital is ALWAYS not just a big day, but a big WEEK in our house.
This year was no different, as Pinewood Derby AGAIN fell on the night of Dress Rehearsal. But, as McCade will be an 11-yr old Scout next year, that was the last time that will happen. Dress rehearsal went well, and Recital went EVEN BETTER! As I danced again this year,and Tacey had TONS of hair changes that needed to be made, I didn't get many 'Candid' pictures. But the professional ones I always pay for turned out VERY good.

Dallin at Dress Rehearsal. Does this face look familiar? I KNOW I have posted pictures of BOTH McCade and Tacey with their tongues out while working hard in the recent past! Here is Dallin's contribution to the same theme.

Handsome McCade - tap class!

Handsome Dallin - Tap Class!

Dallin & McCade. They look like they GET ALONG in this picture. Photographs can be SOOOO deceiving.

Tacey in her Dance Team Costume.

Tap Costume.

Ballet Costume - one of TWO of them. This is my favorite of the two; I like the tutu. And there are the coveted Pointe Shoes!

The other Ballet Picture. She likes this one better. I think it is because she liked the dance better! (It was her favorite one this year!)

This is BY FAR the FAVORITE PICTURE! Everyone agrees. Doesn't she look like the cover of a Dance Magazine?

Dancing. . . it's what we do!

Danielle

***Okay, I admit, there are no pictures of me; one of the advantages of being the camera OWNER. However, 25 months after snapping my Achilles tendon, I danced in recital. I admit, I cried while dancing - mostly out of happiness and gratitude. They told me I wouldn't do it again, but I DID! I cannot express the gratitude I felt for what seems like such a small thing - it was HUGE in my world.***

Tacey conquers the TRACK

Tacey did a new sport this year - and it is a good thing I got some pictures because she doesn't ever want to do it AGAIN!
She tried lots of different events, but in the end competed in the Hurdles, the 4x100 Relay, the 100 and the Long Jump.

The photo finish for the Hurdles.

Coming up for the pass in the Relay

Making it successfully!

She had fun hanging with her friends, but she didn't LOVE the sport, and won't feel bad never doing it again. I am proud of her. She has really taken advantage of this time in her life to try all sorts of things and figure out what she really LOVES, and what she really DOESN'T!

Good Job, Tacey!

Danielle

The Better-Late-Than-Never Birthday Party!

Okay, so I KNOW McCade's Birthday was in February, but with Basketball, and March Madness and the NCAA playoffs, there seriously had not been a free to day to have his Birthday party. But, a LATE party is MUCH better than NO party AT ALL, right?
It was two months late, but we did have an amazing party at a local Ice Cream shop called Sub-Zero. They MAKE the Ice Cream in front of you. They put cream, any flavors you would like, and mix-ins you would like, then they FREEZE it super-fast with some sort of -oxide. Can't remember which one.

Anyway, they have a wicked-cool party room in the back where they have a HUGE TV and all the instruments for Rock Band, as well as Fooze-Ball, Air Hockey and Pool Tables. Basically we sat in the nice little sitting area just OUTSIDE the room, and let the kids play as loud as they wanted!

Rocking the Rock Band.

He may have a career, you think?

See? Poster-ready! Can't you see the Teenage girls hanging this handsome face on their walls?

And blowing out the candles!

Happy Late Birthday Mac!

Better Late Than Never!

Danielle

McCade the Gymnast!

At the end of the Dance year, there is a Recital. At the end of the Gymnastics year, there is an EXTRAVAGANZA! Where he learns his MAD gymnastics skills, they do just that - try to teach them skills. They don't have a team or compete, so this is the way we get to see how much he has improved!

Rockin' the handstand!

After the forward roll out of the hand stand! TAH-DAH!

Mad cartwheel skills!

On the rings. I suppose he is still working on pointing his feet.

Vaulting. . .

And again, a beautiful dismount!

Good Job Mac!

Danielle

About Shane. . .

As I said in an earlier post, Shane's beloved Grandmother passed away the Saturday before Easter. The following Friday and Saturday were filled with the viewing and the funeral itself. Here are some pictures of Shane as he said good bye to his Grandmother.

And the VERY beautiful flowers.

He also had a Pinewood Derby at Church; one for the Grown-up boys, NOT one for the Cub Scouts. I had to post the picture of Shane with his car, becuase it looks JUST like the ones I took of the boys with THEIR cars!!!!

HAHA!

Danielle

Remember this?

Remember this? This is what McCade did when Laura came over and watched him while Shane and I went to New York. Yep, he was stuck and couldn't unlatch the kennel once he got in there. Why he thought it would be a good idea, especially with Rufus in there too, I will never know.

Well, time has passed and apparently the pain of that situation has left his memory because I heard him yelling for his brother. This is not uncommon, but there was definitely a sound of panic I had never heard before. Well, his brother had had enough of him that day, so he ignored him. I, as the ever-attentive Mother I am, went to go investigate. This is what I found:

This time he was in Koda's kennel. It is MARKEDLY smaller than Rufus' kennel; at least this time he didn't try to lock himself AND Koda in at the same time. The biggest problem with this was that BECAUSE it was so small, not only could he not maneuver enough to unlatch the door, he also was having difficulty breathing.

I did make him struggle through long enough to take a picture, but then I let him out.

HAHA

Danielle
After note: Poor Rufus fell victim to Brain Cancer and has left to live with Heavenly Father. We, especially McCade and Koda, miss him. *We Love You Rufus*