A few more Camping Pictures

Here are some more pictures from the camp out that I got from the Scout Master.  There are some great ones of Edison lighting the fire! You can see me and Brian in the background of one picture.  He's reading and I'm knitting, of course!

Edison's First Boy Scout Camp Out

We joined Edison for his first Boy Scout camp out since he is new to the Troop and we wanted to get to know the leaders and some of the kids.  We could not have picked a nicer weekend!  The weather was perfect, not to hot or cold during the day, but maybe a bit chilly at night.  It was sunny and we had no rain.  Edison earned some advancements this weekend including the "Firem'n Chit" which allows Edison to build campfires at camp outs and the "Totin' Chip" which allows Edison the right to carry and use wood tools such as a pocket knife, ax, and saw.  He really enjoyed learning these new skills from the older boys and was always willing to tend the fire or cut wood when needed.  He especially liked the fire!

Edison was the youngest boy and the only new scout at the camp out.  In fact, all the other boys there (5 others) were in high school.  That made for some interesting conversations sometimes, but Edison was not shy to let them know to watch their language around him.  In fact, one time we heard him shout from his tent, "You know I'm only 11! That is inappropriate!" when the older boys were playing cards in their tent.  But for the most part, the older kids gave him advice and helped him learn how to do things.  He said he would go again, but I think Brian and I will stay home next time!  We slept better the second night, but it was still rough sleeping on the ground and spending an entire weekend with a bunch of teenagers.  It was exhausting!  Brian and I had a lot of down time and I even got 2 knitting projects done and started a book.  We went for a few walks and one long hike up and down some hills.  It was a fun weekend, but I'm glad to be home!  =)

 Edison's tent is the one on the far left

 Our home for the weekend

FIRE!

 Breakfast

 Chopping

 Sawing

 Playing with the fire again

 Collecting wood

 Lunch time.  He -can- make a sandwich!

 Brian and I on a hike

 Lots of hills

 You can see me up at the top, probably hoping that I don't fall down that hill.

 More sawing

Dish duty!

Mother's Day Weekend

We enjoyed a nice Mother's Day weekend with family celebrating Riley's First Communion and getting together with family on Sunday.  Edison had fun playing with his cousins and chilling out with his Kindle.  We stayed overnight at a hotel in Bolingbrook so we wouldn't need to drive back and forth to our house.  It was a nice hotel with a small pool that Edison enjoyed swimming in for a bit.  He though the couch was pretty funny because it made "farting" noises, too. =)  We went for a nice walk around Whalon Lake in the morning before heading over to the Hatfield-Hansen house again to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa Schultz.  Brian got me a HUGE box of tea for Mother's Day, that I will enjoy.  There's every flavor tea you can think of!  My favorites so far are Vanilla Chai and Salted Caramel.  Edison gave me some nice smelling soap that he picked out himself. It was a very nice Mother's Day!