Newest Webelos

Collin is just cruising through Scouts! He got his Webelos badge and numerous pins at his last Pack Meeting. This is the happy Webelo with his leader, Jacob Nunnery. 

Notice how long his hair is getting. This was a couple of weeks ago too! This Saturday is his first ever (LONG story) Pinewood Derby that he has been waiting for since the day he started scouts! More pictures to come . . . 

Gators and 'dillos and snakes . . . Oh My!!

You know when you pull in to the state park campground and see a sign like this, you are in the south and it's going to be an adventure!! We were setting up our tents when our friends little boy said, "Mama! Snake!" Sure enough, we look in the tree (a magnolia, of course!) and there is a snake shimmying up. Our friend Tom, then proceeds to tell us that there are a lot of snakes in the area. Information that should have been divulged BEFORE the trip! (I was telling a lady from our CoOp we saw some snakes and she said they were really bad this year. Yay!) After getting set up we went on a "hike" and saw an armadillo scamper across the trail. Although we never saw a gator, we heard a baby calling for it's mother. Yes, we impressed our friends with our knowledge of baby gator sounds. 

A lot of the trees had been blown down by Ike so there were stumps all over for the boys to climb on . . . 

The next day (Grace's birthday) we got up early and after eating a breakfast of champions, I mean campers, made by my honey, we set out to canoe on the lake. 

It was SO pretty but my camera had died (does anybody see a theme here?) so I only had my phone and didn't get many or even great pictures. I had to row plus, I was comforting and consoling Grace during 75-80% of the ride. Every time there was any movement no matter how small in the canoe she would cry. She also kept asking if everything was an alligator. When we got out though she said "That was SO fun!"

The highlight of camping for me is always the S'mores. I absolutely love them. The highlight for the kids was the hammock that I teased Jon about bringing because he has been known to bring so much stuff that never gets used. I was eating my words on this trip. At least one person was in it the entire time. This one is Grace talking to Emily and Garrett while eating.

Collin practically lived in it. He took his meals there, read there . . . .

Got harrassed there . . . 

We can't wait to go again before the Houston summer sets in.

Gracie Loo, Suzie Q, Scooby Doo We love YOU!!

Our little (wait, she told me she isn't little, so I said big Gracie and she said "I'm not big! I'm medium!"), I mean medium Grace turned 7 on Saturday. We went camping on Friday so before we left she helped me make her birthday Chocolate Divine. 

While we were camping she kept saying that it was her best birthday ever. It makes me happy that it doesn't take much to make kids happy sometimes!

Grace had decided that she wanted to take a friend with all of us and go out to dinner at Taste of Texas since she had heard so much about it from Collin. I loved that idea! She invited her friend Emma who met us at the restaurant. 

When dinner was over they let her pick out any dessert she wanted. She definitely is my daughter because she chose the white/dark chocolate mousse. They brought it out with a sparkler which she did NOT like and wouldn't go near it till the sparkler went out!

We had a great time and Grace said it was the BEST birthday she's ever had. I am so glad. 

Presidential Fitness Challenge

I remember when I attended Art City Elementary in Springville, I Dreaded, with a capital D, the Presidential Fitness Challenge every year. I must have blocked it out of my memory because really the only thing I remember is them trying to get me up to do the flexed arm hang. Trying being the key word here. It all just seemed so impossible that why even try? Why ask me to run a mile? It might as well have been 10 miles!  The only thing I ever got from that was the "participation" paper that was the consolation "you are so not up to par". Whew! I thought those days were over for good. 

Enter our Homeschool Co-Op. I was a PE assistant this "semester" and when they said it was time to start training for the PFC they asked how many adults were going to participate this year. I guess there is an adult challenge that you can do and get the Blue, Red, or White patch for. I didn't even really think about doing it because of my elementary years, but most of the other moms had done it before and wore their shirts proudly. I was intrigued. I looked at the requirements and thought that I could probably handle the sit-ups (54, but they're "modified" for us old fogies), the push-ups (women get to do them on their knees, so 27 isn't bad) and the mile walk in 13 min. I was starting to feel even excited. This might be do-able!! Until I saw that we have to do the sit-and-reach. 19 in. I have NO flexibility whatsoever, so this was daunting. When we first did it I don't even remember what I got (15 in.?) but was far enough away from 19 to think "it might as well be 30 in.!!" (I also might have said it too!) After much soul searching I decided that this would be a good challenge. If I can learn to Scuba dive with my fear of water, I can do this after all, so I started "training" and stretching.

Yesterday was the big day. We did our push-ups, our sit-ups and then, the sit-and-reach. I got 18.5. Half an inch away from Blue. Collin and I ran the mile together - the highlight of the day because he WANTED to run with me and told me while doing it that he loved running with me. Now that my legs were warmed up, I tried that darn sit-and-reach again and TA DA!! Got 19 cm. What a great day!

I should start my training for next year tomorrow!! Next year I am shooting for 20 in. OR even 21! 

Another Fav

(No, I didn't take this picture!)

I absolutely, dearly love chocolate mousse. You can do so much with it and add different flavorings and accompaniments to it. I have tried many recipes and this is the best, and so easy. 

3/4 c Semi sweet chocolate chips

2 Lg. eggs, separated

2 Tbsp. water

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

1 c. whipping cream

2 Tbsp. powdered sugar (or reg. sugar)

1 tsp. vanilla

Melt chips in a double boiler (or glass bowl over bowling water). Stir yolks and water in small bowl and set aside. When chocolate is melted, stir in yolk mixture. Continue to cook for one min. Set aside. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff and stir into warm choc. mixture. Let cool. Beat cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff (this is important!). Fold into choc. mixture. Refrigerate for 2 hour or overnight. 

Our favorite way to eat this is to layer it with fresh berries OR Lingonberry preserves (the lingonberry jam is also really good with white chocolate mousse - just use white instead of semi sweet choc.).  We also like to use peppermint extract instead of vanilla (only use 1/2 tsp.) around Christmas. One of our favorite desserts is Chocolate Divine (Collin asks for it every birthday) that we first had at the Pizza Factory (anyone remember when they had that on their menu?). For that, double the mousse recipe, break up angel food cake into bite size pieces in a spring form pan, half the mousse, another layer of cake, the rest of the mousse and chill. Serve with caramel sauce and toasted sliced almonds.