Month: October 2017

How many more seasons can we trick them into thinking yard work is fun? It’s a shame that they’ll probably figure out it’s a chore around the same time they actually become effective at raking leaves.

I experimented and discovered you can bake banana bread in Bundt pans. Why would you ever use a boring loaf pan again?

“ Something smells especially delicious in here, Mom!” -Jack

It came a little early this year. I continue my tradition of baking buttery rich liege waffles with the first snow of the season.

Costumes are in the works:

Two hour scarf!! For certain projects my knitting machine rocks!

Cool pajamas make every night a costume night.

We started karate classes this fall and Jack is loving it. He is getting more confident physically and responds well to the discipline and ethics of martial arts.

Of course, he has a little shadow 🙂

Look at the cutest new cub scout in town!

Jack joined the pack fed by his elementary school, helping make the second-grader Wolf Den so large it split into two dens.  Look at me throwing around terms like “pack” and “den” like a boy scout mom.  😉

They meet only a few times a month.  So far they have played capture-the-flag (with real camo facepaint from the Army Surplus store), earned their “Running with the Pack” belt loop, and raced in the Raingutter Regatta.

So far scouting is a perfect fit for Jack.  Outdoors activity (but NOT sports), leveling up, gear/badge collecting, rule-following, and education.  He read his whole Wolf guidebook cover to cover the first night and knows all the answers in every meeting.  I can’t help by hum Little Mary Sunshine when I see him in meetings.

“…He’s cheerful, honest, thrifty, and obedient;To love the good and hate the bad is his plan!  So if there’s any danger you can be sure the Forest Ranger ever will march on man to man!”

(Catching up on some old news with pictures I never posted)

The Waterhouses and Masons came together to view the total eclipse.

The braver portion drove up to Wyoming to experience totality.   The less adventurous three stayed home, but we still got a great view of a near-total eclipse.

The crickets started chirping and the birds swooped around starting about 10:30AM.  It got dark enough that we turned on the lights inside the house.  Our trees gave us some excellent shadow play.