Derby

 Tried out the new track for the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby this year.  It's pretty awesome!  I really liked being able to spread out in the gym as well. 

Green Grandpa & Jackson joined in the fun

Andrew made a super cool car "Thunderstorn" all on his own & made his best time ever as well.  He earned 7th place!  Way to go, buddy.

Big stuff

Andrew had a very big weekend.  The Cub Scouts & their dads (or moms) camped out in the rainforest at the big zoo!  They actually pitched tents on the raised walkways & slept amid the animals.  They had a night hike & morning hike through the zoo with their own personal tour guides, which sounds like their favorite part.  It really is different when you aren't swarmed with people!  So glad they were able to go.

Then on Sunday (very tired) we made our way to Cathedral for him to receive his Parvuli Dei award from the Bishop.  Congratulations, Andrew, on another Cub Scout religious award!

Climb that wall!

 Andrew's Cub Scout pack earned another trip to the climbing wall this year.  He did great!

 Ring that bell!

What a bear!

 We went out for the Cub Scout campout & ceremony to bring them up to the next level on a beautiful fall evening.

 We now have a bear cub!

 Teresa had a blast with her buddy Will 

In uniform

Our Wolf Cub & our Little Flower

Light of Christ

 One extra activity that Andrew did this year for Cub Scouts was earn his Light of Christ award.  They had a special Mass for Scouts all over the diocese at the Cathedral.

Each of them were able to go up personally to our new bishop & receive their award.  It was definitely an exciting accomplishment.  Good job, Andrew! 

Cub Scout Banquet

 Every year the Cub Scouts have a Blue & Gold Banquet to celebrate the birthday of scouting.  This is the 50th year for the pack at our Church, so they really went all out this time.  After a special Mass with them all in uniform, we went over for the celebration.  Andrew was part of the company that presented the colors.  He was very excited to do it & very focused.

 We heard from some Eagle scouts & a past Cubmaster about their experiences.  Then we chowed down on some tasty lunch, complete with delicious cupcakes with oh-so-dark-blue frosting.  ;)

 Teresa was giddy & goofy the whole time! 

 Andrew & Grayson with the beads they have earned recently.

 Teresa spent a good chunk of time with two of her favorite people: baby Gus & Mrs. W.

 Andrew was also presented with a plaque for earning the most creative award at the Father/Son Cake Bake competition.

 These boys were each the top popcorn sellers for their dens.  As a reward...

 they could throw a whipped cream pie in their den leader's face!  That means Andrew was able to get his own dad pretty good. 

 They got quite the kick out of it.

So glad that Christine & little Jackson along with Green Grandma & Grandpa could join us for the morning.  Thanks for coming!

Pinewood Derby 2013

 With the exception of the actual cutting, Andrew did pretty much everything.  He designed, sanded, painted, glittered, mod podged, & tested.  So proud of him!

Blast Bow

It's amazing how motivating a NERF-like blast bow can be to a Cub Scout selling popcorn... Andrew is so pumped to have earned one!

Caking

 Andrew & Darren baked this cake without assistance for the Cub Scout Father/Son Cake Contest.  It turned out pretty well!  I was a little concerned when Darren came to me & asked, "Do I need to scramble the eggs before we add them in?"  Luckily, he just meant "beat" them, not cook them first.  ;)

Their "Desserted Campsite" (clever, eh?) won most creative with it's graham cracker & licorice tent and pretzel/pistacio/sprinkles campfire.  Maybe I should get them in the kitchen more often...

Busy

 The first week of school was fun, but busy!  To turn our minds back to the "quieter" days of summer, we decided to invite over friends & fill up the pool.  Splasherific.

Auntie Cara came over with the boys & Teresa had a blast with them.  Jonathan kept looking around for Andrew & Rebecca... he just couldn't believe they weren't there!  Cara brought along some fabulous cookies she made as a gift.  Such a sweetheart! 

 Here's Teresa showing off her high heels.  I guess fancy clothes don't automatically make you ladylike.  :P 

 Andrew (& Darren) started up Cub Scouts already, too. 

Here's my Wolf Cub!

***

Between the craziness of starting school, Mom's Group, Birthright, Art Club, Little Flowers, Cub Scouts, my grad class, Bible Study, GodTeens, & general momming/wifing, I might be a little MIA around here for a while.  Please, say a prayer for me!  Know that you are in mine.  :)

Tiger Cub

 Andrew has had such a blast with Cub Scouts this year!  (I found a few older pictures that Darren took with his phone to share.)  This is him at the "Bike Rodeo".  It was then we realized his crazy growth spurt... he needs a bigger bike!

 He & his buddy Grayson went out to a daycamp, also.  The learned how to shoot a bow & arrow,

 as well as a sling shot.  They used paint balls so they could tell where they hit.  Clever!

 He hammered designs into a piece of leather to wear as a "wristband". 

"Cub Scouts don't wear bracelets, Mom."

And had a blast with a four way tug-o-war.  What a great experience all of his adventures & learning have been!  We're excited for the years (not necessarily sewing on the badges, but the years) to come.