Wolf

Our Cub Scout pack meetings are well planned and FUN, thanks to good leaders.

This month the theme was "Cub Scout Investigators". Scouts had to use their excellent observation skills to a solve crime.

Treyson got to "post the colors" for the very first time. He was nervous, but did fine.

A uniform inspection was performed that evening. Treyson received top score, only missing 1 point for no hat. (I'll be scouring thrift stores from now on, looking for one.)His score boosted the Bears den, to top scoring den, giving them the honor of possessing the trophy until next pack meeting.

As we were sitting there, 2 dressed-up men ran across the room. One was the victim, the other the assaulter. When the men were out of sight, the cub scouts had to fill out a form describing what they saw (hair color, what they were wearing, identifying marks, what they said, etc.). The BEAR den was victorious once again, winning these silly glasses.

"Elementary, my dear Watson!"

Treyson received his WOLF badge and 3 ARROW POINTS (for extra things he had done). He also got to pin the "mother's pin" on me. Yikes!

Next up,..... BEAR badge.

"Retiring the colors".

Cross Country

This is one busy girl.

Along with school, homework, babysitting, Wednesday after-school job (helps a mom of 4 young kids, with laundry), YW, Cantus choir practice and normal family stuff, Rylee fits in Cross Country.

Each meet she's improved on her time and ranking.

This meet was against Sawtooth.

She ran so fast I barely got a picture of her crossing the finish line.

Way to go Rylee!

Grape Juice

My grandma canned.

My mom canned, when I was young.

My sister cans.

I don't can... unless you count freezer jam... but I don't.

Amber has an awesome back yard filled with nature's bounty. She and Tawnya made grape juice and grape jelly last year. This year, the birds thought Amber's grapes were yummy.

Amber called me worried that the birds would eat them ALL. She talked me into, sweet-talking my mom into, sweet-talking my grandma into, lending me some canning jars and her grape juicer.

We rescued a shallow bucket-full of grapes.

We washed. We smooshed. Then we put the grapes into the juicer, boiler thingy.

As the water boiled, the steam rendered the juice out of the grapes. We then released the clip on the tubing and fresh grape juice flowed into the hot, sanitized jars. We didn't strain the juice at first, but decided it was a good idea, when we noticed a few chunks.

Then we put the lids and rings on and turned them upside-down to seal.

VOILA!

Grape juice.

Thanks to Amber I can now say, I didn't can.

Halloween Tree

One afternoon, while ALL my kids were in school, I got a decorating whim.....

I took this little pink tree.

Spray painted it black.

Then made some garland.

I punched out cute scrapbook paper circles and sewed them together with my sewing machine.

I think it turned out cute.

Fits right in with my other Halloween decor.

So to answer the question, "What will you do with ALL of your kid-free time?"

....this week, make a Halloween tree.

Just Dance!

A friend in the ward just started a little dance class in her home.

Abree gets to learn ballet, jazz, creative movement and maybe even some hip-hop. She'll have a dance recital in the Winter and Spring. I think I may be more excited about this than Abree. I can't wait. I think it will be so cute! :)

Go Big Blue!

There was a lot of cheering going on at our house Monday night.

BOISE.....

STATE ! ! !
" Go ORANGE... Go big BLUE!
Fight, fight BSU!"

Lots of CrAzY FAns too.

Family and friends came over to watch Boise State's first game of the season against Virginia Tech.

The run down--- Boise had an early lead... Virginia Tech came back in the second quarter... They went back and forth during the third quarter.... By the fourth quarter Virginia was in the lead.... In the last 2 minutes Boise State scored, gaining the lead and then held it to win Boise 33, Virginia Tech 30!

I saw some of the first quarter, but was filled in on all the nail-biting details of the rest of the game, later. I was the self-appointed young bronco wrangler, for the night. (Which I am totally fine with.) I'm happy to hear the cheering coming from upstairs and see the game highlights replayed over and over, for the next week or more.

Way to go BSU!