I love Scouts

I seriously love scouting.  Why?  Because the kids get to do fun stuff and all of it is led by the parents.  Therefore, the parents and siblings get to do fun stuff.

This is Joseph's very first day of being a Tiger Scout way back in first grade.  Isn't he cute?  

When Joseph first started scouts, both Peter and I became very involved, alongside the other parents in his den (cub scout groups are called dens).

At a Providence Bruins game with his den.

The Boy Scouts have their curriculum all spelled out for us in their various age-level groups, but how the parents decide to execute those activities is different for every group.

At his first Pine Wood Derby:  he came in second place.

WATD radio station in Marshfield.  Siblings are always welcome.  Ask Olivia anything about scouts--she knows.

Olivia's very first day of Girl Scouts.  She's a Daisy.  See how happy she is?
This photo is misleading if you don't know us.  We are not a crafty group.  Not because we don't like crafts, but because we think the kids do enough crafting at school and at home, and none of us really want another popsicle frame with glitter all over it in our houses.  We are pretty hard-core field trippers, and proud of that, too.

When you are a scout, you learn to put up your own tent.  The fathers help, but these boys are training to be men.

It was going to be a cold night, so Olivia and I went home, while the boys stayed over.  She was not happy.

Learning about safety in our neighborhoods (in Pembroke):

We are lucky to have a friend who helped out with the Daisys' Considerate and Caring Petal.  She let Olivia (and Joseph--he got credit for scouts too) help her out with Candy For a Cause: (she sends candy to military troops over-seas).

Boy Scout Hanover Pack family snow tubing day in New Hampshire.  Best trip!  Most parents and siblings attended this day event.

One of the fire-fighters in our town is an Eagle Scout!

Father-Daughter Square Dance: (Peter went to school with the guy in the black jacket standing next to him).

This time he placed FIRST at the Pine Wood Derby:  Standing between J & O is one of their very good friends.

The investiture ceremony is when the girls are officially recognized as a Girl Scout and receive a pin.  Oh my gosh, you should see how proud Olivia was.  This ceremony is typically held indoors and candles are lit, but the beauty of scouting is that parents decide how to celebrate.  Our troop decided to hike the Blue Hills and have our ceremony at the top of the look-out tower.  There were no candles, but there were spectacular views.  Plus, we got to share our ceremony with random day-hikers who stayed to watch.  It was pretty awesome.

Hiking at Norris Reservation:

Another great trip put on by the Boy Scouts:  a sleep-over (with parents) on the Battleship Cove.
Here's Joseph with an older friend in his Pack (Pack is all the dens, of a town combined).  We love getting together with the Packs.  The older boys are (usually) very good role models for the younger boys.  This also means that all the boys, regardless of age, get along as good friends when they are together.

Sleeping quarters on the ship:

One of the great things about our town is that even though we have more than one Daisy troop, the troop leaders are kind enough to invite our small group to a larger event like the Christmas party.  This is Olivia with one of her best friends (her father and her aunt went to school with Peter).

Boy Scout Christmas Tree Pick-Up.  Yes, Olivia is pretty much an honorary Boy Scout.  Most of the siblings are because most of them are involved in everything.