Scouting Saturday

In an effort to get myself to write more about some of the things going on in our lives, I am trying to do themes.  Basically, most Tuesdays and Thursdays I'll be reviewing something, Friday is for saving money, and Saturday I'll talk about Scouts, since it is such a huge part of our lives.  I'm still contemplating Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, but something will come together.  Those may be more random.

So, let me tell you about my scouts:

Connor, age 12, is a First Class Scout.  I posted about that back in June, and again in August at the Court of Honor.  He's planning his scoutmaster conference and board of review for the Star rank next month.  Currently, he is working on a bunch of merit badges: reading, camping, orienteering, communications, and fishing.  He's really close to earning most of those.  He is about to start environmental science with a group.  His troop is camping this weekend, without him.  This is the first trip he has had to miss.

William, age 10, is a Webelos.  He'll be awarded a couple activity badges next week (I'll be sure to get some pictures!) and is working on a couple of others actively -- artist and engineer.  Anybody here have an engineer in the family he could talk to?  He needs to discuss careers in engineering, or some such thing.  Anyway, he's been very involved with the Boy Scouts over the summer, but now that fall has arrived, it is back to Cubs.  He's looking forward to next month, as the troop invites the Web II den to go camping with them.  He plans to finish Outdoorsman there, which should pretty much complete Arrow of Light.

Thomas, age 8, is a Bear.  I think the Bear year is my favorite.  They have so many incredibly fun things they get to do.  The den leaders are ultra-organized this year, and it is going to be a fantastic year for him.

One thing we are doing this year is to work some of the scout requirements into our schooling.  I am reviewing Sue Patrick's Workbox System for the TOS Review Crew, and the last "box" of the day for each of my scouts is dedicated to scouts.  So, one thing I want to be posting about each Saturday is just what is going to be put into their workboxes for the next week, or what went into them the previous week.

Connor -- his workbox primarily needs to contain time to finish off his reading merit badge.  He has to polish off his book reports (I'm being pretty loose in describing this), and he needs to fill out an order form.  He needs to pull everything together, so that he can meet with his merit badge counselor next weekend.

William -- his workbox is going to include engineering activity badge items.  So, he'll be drawing bridges and building at least one model, discussing electricity and making a circuit, hopefully talking to an engineer, and maybe I'll give him an artist badge assignment, depending on how long these take.

Thomas -- I think this week, he is mostly going to be working on the faith requirement.  So Monday, he'll be making a list of ways to practice his faith, and each day for the rest of the week, he'll be checking off what he did.  Also, through the rest of the week, we'll be discussing things like discussing people in history who have displayed great faith.  Today, since I'll only have him & William, we are going to be discussing things as we go grocery shopping (a requirement for the Saving Well, Spending Well category).  Much easier to do without little brother and sister!

The main fun and exciting thing right now, though, is popcorn sales.  I need to figure out the online thing and post a link... but today and tomorrow, we'll be standing outside Walmart selling (hopefully a bunch) of popcorn to passing shoppers.  Next Friday, my Boy Scout is working on an Eagle project (William will probably join in too), and my two Cubs will be standing outside another Walmart that evening.  Saturday, Connor will spend  the whole day standing outside a third Walmart selling popcorn.

A friend was complaining about feeling like "just a homeschool mom" lately, and how she didn't have another identity right now.  I laughed, said I didn't have that problem.... and said, "I'm a Scout mom."  Homeschooling barely makes the cut in September.

Okay, so I better stop blogging, and start sewing.  Grandma gave William a tan shirt, and I need to get the patches sewn on before we head out to sell popcorn.

(I'll add some pictures tonight!)