Cub Scouts at campfire
Let me start by saying it has been one hectic month! We went from the fun and games of the kids’ 8th birthday, straight into some new experiences for us. The first was Gus’ first time at overnight camp. He and his Cub Scout den went to a two-night, three-day camp called Cub World. They had a blast. He came home exhausted and missing a few shirts, but happy as a little lark.
Happy Cub Scout
My hat is really off to the adults who chaperoned. I can only imagine what it was like to be in charge of those 11 young men. The chaperones had to pitch and sleep in tents (on the ground, in the heat!!). This alone, I fear, would’ve made me so grumpy that I would’ve been a not-so-patient Mommy helper. Good thing I didn’t go along! I’m not really much of a camper.
Philip, Ruby and I drove out to the camp on the last day so Gus could give us a tour of the place and show us all the cool activities. They boys got to sleep in a giant wooden teepee with built-in bunks where they could put their sleeping bags. It was a cool structure, but in full sun and very hot. They also happened to be near the end of the giant slip-and-slide the camp had set up. This, apparently, led to some flooding issues. The boys thought this was hysterical, the parents found it not so funny (especially when their own tents began flooding and had to be picked up and moved…).
There was a little “trading post” where the boys could buy inexpensive junk…I mean little treasures…which were 
promptly lost, eaten (candy!!), or broken. We did have fun shooting bb’s, winging garbanzo beans with slingshots and trying to shoot with a bow and arrow. The boys also did some leather working, whittling (earned their whittling chips and now can handle and own knives…or, at least, so say the Scouts, this mom’s not going for it!) and branding on wooden pieces.
We had only one night to go from Cub World onto our next first – Girl Scout day camp. I was a week-long, full-time volunteer, which got me a discounted rate and meant Gus got to come along and be in the boys unit. This was Ruby’s first year attending camp and we had been looking forward to it for a very long time. Unfortunately, it
Camp - this-a-way
coincided with a record-breaking heatwave here in Oregon. Even though it was hot, it was still lots of fun.
I am both happy and sad that our camps are over for the summer. They were both fun experiences and definitely the stuff childhood memories are made of, but I’m happy to have my kids and “normal” life back!
I have pictures of both activities and will get them posted very soon. I’m going to save telling all about Girl Scout camp for another post.
Suzi Beech and Family 