A scout campout

A couple of weeks ago, Michael met "a friend of a friend" at a lunch meeting. Through the course of the lunch, it was discovered that Chad (the friend of the friend) has boys about the age of ours and is a leader for a Boy Scout troop. He invited the boys on a campout last weekend that was relatively near our home (about 2 hours away). For this troop, a 2 hour campout is very "local". They've done "High Adventure Campouts" in places like the Swiss Alps, the Canadian Rockies, the North Shore of Hawaii and next Christmas they're going to New Zealand!! I've NEVER heard of that! WOW! Michael and I are wondering "What do these dad's do that they have so much discretionary time and money to spend camping???!!!" But what an adventure! Makes our goal to visit all 50 state capitals seem a little lackluster!

Michael and the three big boys decided to go on the campout. J,J&J were a little apprehensive. They were afraid everyone would know how to do everything and they would know how to do nothing. They even took some shoestrings and a book of knots to practice tying knots on the way. Turns out, they fit right in. Supposedly, all the boys and dads (there were like 85 of them) were very inclusive and kind and everyone had a great time. They didn't spend the night, just came back about midnight on Saturday.

We're praying and thinking about getting involved with scouting. The troop meets on the other side of town (of course!), but we would really only need to make one meeting a month. We'll see what happens.

Getting started on the campout.

Listening for the day's instructions in their "patrol".

Jonathan and Jeremy built this tripod to hold the dutch oven for dinner.

Here's everyone getting ready to build a "monkey bridge" across the Nueces River.

Jonathan volunteered to climb up to the top of the frame to tie the knot in the rope! Good thing he practiced in the car!!

Jeffrey was one of the first across the "monkey bridge". He was thrilled about that! :-)

Everyone else got to go across as well.

And then there was the climbing pole! Here's Jonathan on it.

And Jeffrey

And Jeremy

Jeffrey helping cook up dinner. The boys said it was one of the best dinners ever. Could it be that they were HUNGRY!!!

Here's the menu.

Jeffrey having a good time at the river.

Each group had to do a skit. Here's the Cougar Patrol practicing a kazoo number.