What Can You Do In the Freezing Rain??

How about attend Webelos day camp with your son, friend and another scout?? I did.

Besides falling flat on my backside not one minute outside of the car, it was a fun day...filled with interesting tidbits of information taught by "educated" scouts. For true-life examples, visit Deanna....it's all true!

The boys loved the little bit of sun we saw...as well as the baby racoon (that would be MY favorite part.)

I'm just glad to be home now. Can someone carry me upstairs to bed?? I think my body is aching all over....

What A WEEK!

After my day with sick boys, I had a fun rest of the week.
Yesterday was Cameron's Blue and Gold Banquet. This was our first NOT as leaders, and just as parents. I ended up sitting next to a good friend who's life is kind of rough right now. She has some of the cutest kids I know, but they've all got some pretty intense medical problems (yeah, look who's talking? The mom of the boy with ADHD AND NF1.) We had a good visit, and I was glad that our ward combines with another ward....so I can see her more often!

Then today Steve and I did our errands. We went from store to store as quickly as we could, and got pretty much everything done. (YAY!) In the process, I got a new haircut...which I LOVE!! My hairstylist is so good with cutting my hair so it looks good for me. Today we decided that I need bangs....and I think it's a good fit...for now! (One picture was taken by Steve, the other by Cameron...can you guess who took what?)

New development: Jake is now cruising along furniture. I'm SO not ready for this yet. My sweet, non-trouble-making Cameron didn't do that until he was a year old. Jake's not yet 9 months old. I have a feeling Mr. Trouble will be into more things soon.

Scouts No More??

Today was regular den meeting for scouts. I had planned on letting the boys make display boxes for their pinewood derby cars (using shoe boxes....REALLY simple!) then we'd go to the gym and play games for the rest of the time.
While we were in the gym, the primary president showed up. She had been getting things all ready for the boys to go to day camp (three days AFTER I have the baby....) and was bringing all pertinent information to the other leader (who called me last night and INSISTED I take the summer off....who am I to argue!?)
Anyway, we got to talking while the boys were playing/arguing over something dumb. And the primary president casually mentioned that maybe after I have the baby I could get released. This was news to me. She asked me my thoughts about it, and I said, "I'm up for anything." (Trying NOT to sound over eager to be relased or anything....) And I actually mentioned that when Cam comes into scouts in October I was worrying about how things were going to work out. So *shhhhhhhh* I may not be in my current position for much longer! (Not that I'm thrilled, but I am!)

So Glad for Teachers

Today was our normal Wednesday at Scouts. The boys were rowdy, and obnoxious, but thankfully, my partner, a former first grade teacher, has control. She's so good. I know she feels like the boys don't like her, but you know, I have a sneaking suspicion that they really do like her.

She comes up with the best games and the most fun activities for them. I feel like such a slug when I'm around her. (Gosh, I guess I AM a slug around her!)

On the way back to the Primary room from playing in the gym, one boy, the usual ring-leader, acted like he was going to ring the bell. The bell at church rings all throughout the building and can be very obnoxious. The other leader has warned them over and over about the consequences of ringing the bell. (Sitting like bumps on a log in the Primary room doing NOTHING!) I told him not to ring the bell, he begged, "PLEASE!? If you let me, I'll like you more!" I then told him that he could hate me all he wanted...to which he told me that he would! (Then he giggled....I'm not too worried about a 9 year old hating me!)

I'm just very grateful for the training that teachers get, and wish that there was a way for me to get all of that training without going through all of that schooling! :P

Feeling the Guilt

So today I realized, I'm not a mean person. Because of this lack of mean-ness, my little scouts (who by the way are seriously obnoxious ALL the time) walk all over me. On top of this, I've had a complaint about one scout feeling extra picked on. He feels so bad that he often doesn't want to come to scouts. When I got the call from his mom about this, I really badly wanted to say, "You know, all of the boys pick on each other, it's a normal boy thing. But your son actually is one of the worst offenders!!" What I really said was something to the effect, "Uh, I think they all pick on each other equally, I haven't noticed it."

So at our weekly den meeting this week, I was extra sensitive to the boys being nice to one another.

As usual though, things quickly got out of control...boys calling one another names (weird ones that they made up), saying rude things, not following directions, being blatantly disrespectful (you know, the normal 8-9 year old boy stuff!) I didn't want to cause a huge disruption, but I had to address the crap they were doing. I calmly (or so I thought) reminded the boys that they were in the church, and that they should behave themselves. Well, the one boy who is usually the ring-leader of the rowdies said something sarcastic, and I asked him if he wanted me to write a letter to his "mommy." He instantly jumped on "mommy," and was ignorant again. So I asked him to come talk with me in the hall. Our talk didn't go over SO well. I think I ended up making him feel extremely guilty. What my intention was to get the ringleader to be more accepting and NICE, and maybe the other boys would follow suit....I don't think I did that!

Now I'm worried that HIS mom will call me and tell me that I've hurt HIS feelings. Which was NOT my intention!

*sigh*

Why did they put me in charge of these boys?? Do I need to learn to be mean??

Our plan for next den meeting is a lesson on manners....my partner is taking the reigns on that one....she's a former school teacher and can get these boys to do ANYTHING! She says she feels like the bad guy, but I think they just respect her more than they do me!

Scouting For Food....

Saturday was the day that little cub scouts all over the country went door to door dropping off sacks for people to fill with food for the needy.

The weather her has been pretty lousy all week long, and the weather wasn't predicted to be any better early Saturday morning. The Primary President called me on Thursday saying that she thought it would be better for our little scouts if we started depositing the bags early....on Thursday or Friday. Well, that really didn't work for me because I was super busy, and babysitting when I wasn't busy. So I had to stick with the original plan of Saturday morning.

So I got up early, took Steve to his pick-up place (he had play practice), and took Cameron with me to wait for scouts to show up at the church.

The first thing that was odd was that there was a hearse and little yellow signs saying that there was a FUNERAL! Well, there would be NO waiting in the church for us. So I sat parked on the road hoping my van would warm up. (Just the record, it never did...)

After a while one boy showed up. His mom asked if I needed help driving the boys around, and I told her I would be fine. She called another mom, and told me that they had thought Scouting for Food had been cancelled because they had gotten their bags earlier. So she went to pick him up, while I waited for any other boys to show up. Unfortunately, no others did.

Once the two boys got back, I loaded them up (they were both wearing roller-blades) and we were off. The rain was drizzling constantly, and the wind was howling, but the boys were in high spirits. I rolled down my window, turned on my hazard lights, and handed the boys bags as they delivered them. Cameron INSTANTLY began complaining. (I had him in the back seat in his booster, playing his Nintendo DS.) He told me to roll up the windows...but I told him that I couldn't. After a few houses, the boys got tired and red in the cheeks. One boy didn't have gloves, so when we passed my house, I stopped and grabbed some gloves for him to wear. While we were there, I also grabbed a warm blankie for Cam to throw over himself. Then we were off again.

The area we were assigned has TONS of apartments, and if there are houses, there are LOTS of steps. The boys were VERY careful, but in roller-blades it was difficult. Then the snow began to fall. It wasn't heavy, but it was bitterly cold!

Eventually, they began asking me, "Are we done yet?!" I told them that once we ran out of bags we could be finished.

We ended up running out of bags before we ran out of houses....which was fine, because we had been out in the cold for an hour and a half. They were troopers!!

When I got home, I went DIRECTLY to my bed, and tried to warm up. But NOTHING was working. I was shivering and miserable!! Steve got home from practice, and came to join me, but he wouldn't snuggle to help me warm up....he said I'd make him cold!! Eventually I piled 2 more heavy quilts on top, and was able to warm up.

All in all, I'd have to say, those people who get the food should appreciate the frostbite that was incurred in their behalf!! Because I'm STILL cold! ;)

Craziness is Back!

Today's day "off" is filled....I can't even really do much here, but here's why I'm so crazy busy!

• Need to do some shopping for den meeting today. I was smart and planned out the activities LAST month, but forgot to buy the supplies! *D'oh!* (We're making 2 liter bottle piggy banks....so I need paint, little wooden spools, glue, scissors, felt, pipe-cleaners....) OH, and I still need to get some of our boys their rank advancement bead-things. I'm still learning!
• I have a meeting with our Service Coordinator....she's SO nice and helpful, but we have a LOT to discuss today!
• Then this afternoon we have the actual den meeting....uh, yay?
• Then tonight, almost directly after den meeting I have our annual Relief Society visiting teaching conference!! I think they WANT us to go or something.....I got an email about it, a hand delivered invitation, a phone call from my VT supervisor (the lady who wants to know what I'll tell the Lord...), and now a reminder from my OWN visiting teacher! (I'm HOPING I remember!! ;) )
• And finally, I need to actually celebrate my 8th anniversary with Steve. It's his last day-off this week, and he REALLY wants to do SOMETHING! (He mostly slept yesterday....working graveyards will do that....) and then he had play practice last night. :P

Update: I DID go to the VT conference....EXCELLENT!! But I missed Scouts....Five minutes before I was going to leave, Steve accidentally stabbed himself with a knife. (he was helping me get things ready for my 2 liter bottle piggy banks.) And sadly, we had JUST (like 30 minutes previously) had paid off that particular doctor bill!! :S (By the way, he's okay, ended up getting 2 stitches and his tetanus shot!)

What a DAY!

I hate trying to figure out what's wrong with my electrical things! :P

Yesterday, while I was in the midst of running around, I stopped home on a whim, and while upstairs I sniffed an unusual smell....that STINKY electrical smell that sometimes happens when electrical appliances get too hot. (Kinda an ozonie smell...) So, thinking I was SUPER smart...I unplugged EVERYTHING!

Now, fast forward to tonight....my computer screen is SMOOSHED!! It's aggravating!! :P

Guess, it's time to google it! Do you think I'll find my answers??

Oh, and on a funny side-note...Scouts didn't happen AGAIN this week...everyone forgot! :D (You can tell how FREAKIN' SAD I am!! LOL)

Wacky Wednesday

Scouts was cancelled today.

I had everything ALL squared away, and then the weather didn't cooperate. It rained quite steadily all day long. I had planned to meet at the park across the street from our church building, but with the wet weather, it was a bad idea.

I had HOPED to get inside if we couldn't play at the park, but NO one has a key!! (Well, I lied, there are the chosen few who have a key, but I'm not one of the few, and neither is my primary President.) I hope that my former partner hasn't moved YET, and that before she goes away permanently she passes on her little tools of the trade, including the KEY to the building. *sigh* Until she comes back from her house-hunting endeavor, I'll not know WHAT her plans are!

On a happy note, Cameron and I baked some cookies today. Not a whole TON, but quite a few for the three of us. I think Cam ended up eating 12 before I stopped him and sent the kid to bed, but he had fun.

Whenever I make a fun treat, I have to stow it away in my bedroom, or when Cameron wakes up (WAY before I'm ready...) he'll eat anything within reach! If it's in my room he can't get it! :)

I don't think Cam will be doing summer school this year, they've already started and I didn't hear ANYTHING from ANYONE! So I've decided to have the boy do a worksheet a day. So far, it's NOT going well. He gets SUPER frustrated whenever he has to work with letter sounds. He had a worksheet today where he had to look at the picture and fill in the missing letters, and he only got through 6 before breaking down with frustration. He took the paper and the pencil and THREW them at the wall while storming up the stairs yelling at me.

Am I a bad teacher, or is there anything else I can do to ease his frustration?? I reminded him of something they talked about on Blue's Clues last week. According to that show, whenever you get frustrated you: Stop, take a deep breath and think. After I reminded him he did that, but then got frustrated again the very next minute. It's hard to have a child that is SO frustrated and be unable to help or soothe their aches!

Tears of Frustration

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, and figure if I spill my life story here then I'll feel better!
I've started going out for training with my new job, and it's great...except my trainer (who is seriously AWESOME) is calling me CONSTANTLY! If you know me, I'm NOT a phone person...at all! She wants me to be free to do appointments all the time, and that's just not me. Maybe I've gotten into this TOO fast, but I'm feeling overwhelmed there! (Not that I don't love the program, but just feeling a bit like I'm being pulled in a few directions at once!)
Then I had SUCH a good week with my scouts last Wednesday, and this week?? Well, we're back to them disobeying, running, screaming, fighting...blah! We are going to implement a new reward/discipline system NEXT month...I really hope it works!
Then today I had a meeting with Cameron's school about what our plans for next year will be with the kid. The meeting was scheduled for 8:00 am, meaning, I had to get Baby J here early, Cam and I BOTH ready to go, and hope that Steve was home from work, so I could drive down the street to school with BOTH boys in the snow and rain. (Yeah, the weather was kinda wet today!)
The meeting was SET to start at 8, but do you think they could get everyone there??? *muttering under breath* The meeting FINALLY started 20 minutes after it was supposed to, and we started discussing my sweet boy.
The first person was his teacher...who LOVES him and has worked REALLY hard with the kid all year long. She showed us his scores from the beginning of the year to just last week. The kid has seriously slipped in where he was compared to the rest of the class. The things they're studying are just too hard for the kid, so instead of getting like a 76% on his tests, he's getting a 43%! She said that he DOES do better work when his in-class aide is there, but he's starting to depend on her TOO much.
Then they asked the resource team what was going on with him in their room, and they mentioned that he's easily frustrated, and is showing signs that he's just not getting it.
Then they asked ME what he's doing at home. INSTANT tears! (I'm just SO emotional when it comes to my boy....almost TOO emotional.) I told them that he tries hard to help out and be a good friend. Then I told them that when I ask him to work on some of his homework, instead of telling me that he doesn't know what it is, he gets frustrated and cries. If you push him too far on something challenging, the kid shuts down. He's just easily frustrated. It's almost like he's afraid to admit that he doesn't know something. Like he just can't find it in his heart to say the words, "I don't know."
Then we reviewed his score from the testing they did at the beginning of the year...the one where he was labeled mentally retarded. (They actually have a different term, but for the life of me, I can't think of it.) Anyway, I'm actually grateful for this term now...because of the results he got, he's now qualified for many services he otherwise wouldn't be able to do. Because of this label, Cam will definitely get the aides and classes that he needs to learn at his OWN rate.
Because of all of these findings with the boy, the whole group came to the conclusion that he'll fare better in the DACC program instead of a regular first grade class. DACC (Developmentally Accurate Curriculum) has children from Kindergarten to 3rd grade in a setting where they will each get a specialized plan where they can learn the same things the other kids their age are learning, but at a slower rate. We figured he'll do even better if he's in DACC than he'll do just thrown into a regular class with an aide. Honestly, this is the LAST thing I thought I would agree to, but after seeing how he's not following or even getting some of the concepts, I think it's best.
I guess I'm just having a hard time admitting (to myself) that Cameron ISN'T like other kids. That he can't just go on to first grade, and learn like other kids. That my son is in the "special" class. I know, I shouldn't judge...I shouldn't put unreasonable expectations on my child...every child is different....he'll learn at his OWN rate....but it's HARD for me to admit it. My one big concern with him being in this program (which only has a maximum of 12 kids in at a time) is his social development. Will he be able to play with other kids his age, interacting with them like he does now? Will they tease him? Will he get the social time that he needs to grow in THAT area? The teacher who is in charge of DACC assured me that not only do the kids do intense learning in her classroom, but they do have inclusion times where they are with the "normal" first graders.
I KNOW in my heart that THIS is what he needs, but I'm just feeling a bit drained by it all. Steve and I fought SO hard to keep him from going to this type of program, but it seemed that it wasn't enough. And once I told the group at the meeting that what they suggested sounded like it was what we needed to do, they ALL told me that I'm such a good mom. (HUH!?) They told me that they'd like to clone me for other kids who have parents who don't care. I just broke down even MORE.
Not only is he going to start integrating into the DACC program now (like starting NOW they'll be taking him in there for a half hour a day...) but they're also adding in-school Speech therapy to the long list of things he needs. He'll also be doing summer school....sort of a requirement for being in DACC...and he'll be in a class without his little friends. He's constantly asking me NOW who will play with him, or who will be his friend that day...and now....It's all just breaking my heart. I know, I shouldn't be feeling this way.
And then I'm babysitting a lot more than I had expected. When I have Baby J, I really can't do much...I'm not helping in Cam's class anymore (which doesn't ease my guilt over being a lousy teacher to the kid...) and I'm stuck home with a cranky, clingy, whiny boy. And because his mom just started a new job, they sent her first paycheck to her in the mail...and she didn't get it until today!! We are late on MANY bills...checks bouncing like rubber balls...and I'm still doing the best I can! (She IS going to be able to pay us tomorrow though....YAY!)
With all of my crazy other things, my house has become ground zero. Laundry piles are EVERYWHERE, toys are scattered all over my upstairs, my bed is coming undone when I sleep on it, I haven't done dishes all week, and my vacuuming has stopped. Feeling lousy, just isn't a solution when you have a messy house.
Well, that's it...that's my frustrations....I hope I can handle things better. I just hope....

Scout Wednesday

I was talking with one of my friends last night, and she mentioned how much she enjoys laughing at my scout days!! So just for you! :)

Yes, it was scouts again. And I was in charge....again! BUT, this time, I had a MUCH better time! I think it's because I went into it with DIFFERENT attitude. I had talked with the Primary President today and told her my frustrations and concerns. She told me that if my concern was "controlling" the boys, forget it!! She had tried once, and it didn't work. She even said that this other lady, the BEST in our stake, couldn't control them. I felt better!!

But with everything I had going on today, I think I fared well! (Steve had a meeting at work early this morning, we had a meeting with our financial lady, picking up Cameron from school....) Then scout time came. I packed up both Cameron and Baby J early, and set off for the church. I planned a few activities, but constantly MOVING activities.

The first thing we did, was review the rules. They did well there, but then they decided that they needed drinks and about 4 of them disappeared!! I threatened them saying that if they didn't obey the rules, they couldn't have their "special" treat. They asked if it was edible, and I told them it was, they INSTANTLY came back and sat still! MIRACLE OF MIRACLES!!

After reviewing the rules, I sent them off to the gym. I had an obstacle course set up there and made them do a relay race where they had to wear an apron and two oven mitts, weave their way around chairs and under a chalkboard, and unwrap some smarties. IT WAS HARD!! (I laughed at them trying SO hard to open their candy! Not very nice, am I?) Once they finished, I told them I had ANOTHER game for them.

I had set up a treasure hunt. I made clues and hid things ALL over the building. I read them the first clue, and they were OFF! At each spot, I made them do something before they could go on. Like I made them do sit-ups, push-ups, a game, whatever I could think of. At the end, they had gathered up all the things they needed to decorate some sugar cookies. THEY LOVED IT! (And apparently me too!) We asked the twins, who are 11, if they wanted to move up to the 11 Year Old Scouts (yes, that's what they're REALLY called...someone was feeling SUPER creative when they came up with THAT name!) The one that was there, the other had a doctor appointment, said if we did cool activities like THIS, he'd rather stay where he was! *DOH!* Defeating my own purpose!! Shooting myself in the foot!! (Not what I had wanted!)

Well, the boys made a mess, then I asked them to help me clean, and second miracle...they DID!! Willingly, even!!

Then I cleaned up and went home, hoping to find my cousin waiting for her son, but she wasn't there. I started to worry. Steve and I had a few meetings that we needed to get to, but while still stuck with Baby J, we couldn't go to them. So I sent Steve to drop Cameron off at my mom's house (the one meeting was an adult only meeting...bore little kids to DEATH!) while I waited at home for Caytee. About 5:30, she called. That was when we were supposed to go to our first meeting! The lady called, and we rescheduled, then we hurried off to the OTHER meeting. That meeting was so GOOD! So much good information! And as an added bonus, we met up with some of our good friends who moved from the Ward. LOVE it when THAT happens!

Then we had to hurry out of there, because Steve has to be to work for a graveyard shift tonight, so we picked up Cameron, and went STRAIGHT home.

Today was good, but exhausting.

Oh, and as a quick side note: I FINALLY got my stinkin' contacts!! The first day I had them on I commented to a friend that my eyebrows were FREAKIN' huge!! She asked me if I was channeling my inner muppet...I think I am.

ME=Bert from Sesame Street!

Did you ever notice that Ernie doesn't HAVE eyebrows?? Guess Bert got enough for BOTH of them! :)

Chaos

Scouts.
The bane of my life right now. UGH!
Today was my first time doing the activity all by myself. ALL BY MYSELF! (Yes, the other leader was there, but she had nothing to really do besides wrangling the boys for me while I tried to conduct.)
It was hard!! SO hard! (Yes, I'm whining....sue me!)
This month's theme is Cub Cafe, which means food. A good topic for me, normally. I planned to have multiple activities in case we finished early, and we DID EVERY STINKIN' ACTIVITY! EVERY ONE!!
First I planned for the boys to help me make some "rules of the den." I sat down with a Sharpie in hand, card stock, and asked them what they thought the rules should be. They gave us some REALLY good rules, so I wrote them down...I think we ended up having 5: Obey the leaders. Respect the building. Respect others (aka no hitting, name calling, or swearing.) No running unless we're playing a game. No interrupting. We wrote them down, and then I asked them what we should do if someone breaks a rule...CHAOS ensued!!
Boys started yelling, fighting, and interrupting like CRAZY! One boy suggested that we take the rule breaker and duct tape him to the basketball hoop in the gym. *BUZZ* Wrong answer. Another suggested that the offending boy get sent upstairs for a "time out." UH....*BUZZ* Wrong again.
I suggested that maybe instead of punishing the offenders that we reward the ones who obey the rules. This was cause for MORE chaos! "Unlimited candy!" "A Ferrari!" "Can we go home yet!?"
After that I figured we'd come up with some consequences by next week, and I proceeded with my game.
The first game was a guessing game. I had taken food stuff, put them in bags, and wanted the boys to identify the food by sound and touch. In paper bags, all the food sounded the same! But when I had them feel the food...they all cheated!! CHEATERS!! Some pulled the food out and looked, others threw the food around...and one boy, who has a twin brother, put flour IN his brother's hair! More chaos!
Then I pulled out some fancy-dancy dice I had created, and the boys were to roll the dice to make a full, and complete meal (rolling either: meats, grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, or fats.) If either dice came up with "fats," their turn was up, and the dice needed to be passed on. I didn't think that the boys would CHUCK the dice all over the room. More chaos!
Finally, I made the boys put their chairs in a circle, and we played a shortened version of "I've never." The boy in the middle of the circle, who didn't have a chair to sit on, had to say a food he'd eaten, and anyone else who had also eaten the food had to get up and switch seats. I didn't count on the boys fighting for being "it!" They REFUSED to sit! (Thanks for following your rules, boys!) Finally, it was the end of the hour (yes, it's only an hour long, but one LONG hour!) So I told them about doing a good deed a day, and sent them on their screaming way.

I'm not going to make it! I thought I could, but it's SO much harder than I thought! I keep trying to remind myself that the Lord KNOWS me, and knows what I can do...I just need to have a little more faith in myself. (New mantra: "I think I can... I think I can....")

Not Coasting Anymore...

I just finished with scouts, and boy are my arms tired...okay....CHEAP joke!! Actually, my hair follicles are sore...just from making static electricity for their balloon game! (Good thing I don't worry about what I look like, huh!?) Today's scouts went MUCH better than last week. We've learned to close off the primary room (keeping the boys away from the piano and chalk boards...) They did get a little rowdy, but that's to be expected, right!?
This was my last week of just "coasting" along though. Next month is MY month for den meetings. I'm so nervous!! Next month's topic is Cub Café, which to me means cooking. But we have a pretty BIG problem...we meet for den meeting in the church, and there are signs ALL over the kitchen that say, "The kitchen is NOT for cooking and preparing food. It's for reheating food. Please do not cook in here." SO....I have a bit of a problem! There was ONE suggestion in the handbook for no-cook fudge. I'll probably do that, but I'm seriously considering making the boys come up with some rules. They're so disrespectful, and rude sometimes it's just annoying! So I'm thinking, make a code-of-conduct, discussing expectations that sort of thing, then doing a relay race with a tray and a ball (pretending to be a waiter...) and making either a cookie mix, or the no-bake fudge stuff. Then giving the boys some of the finished treat to take home. I don't really know exactly what I'm going to do, but here's a rough draft!

And just for fun today, here's some pictures from my last "professional" photo shoot! Enjoy! (And try not to be jealous of my BEAUTIFUL eyes!)

What WAS I Thinking?

When I said that I'd be an assistant den leader? Sunday callings are WAY different from middle of the week callings!! WAY different!

For the past 2 weeks I've been going to scouts, hoping to pick up on what exactly I'm supposed to be doing. I've done my online training thingies, and filled out a background check form (uh...yeah!) and now I'm coming home from scouts thinking, "What is going on?"

Last week was my first week, so I just chalked everything up to me being new, and just not knowing exactly what to do. (Even the den leader I'm supposed to be working with doesn't really know what to do with me!) So I just cut papers, and tried to keep Cameron (yeah, had to take him with me...) occupied and the boys busy. That was insane!

Then this week, I prepared myself a little bit. See, we've been having the boys make decorations for next week's Blue and Gold Banquet. The monthly theme is something tropical (I would look it up, but I'm too stinkin' lazy!) ANYWAY, they've been making dried bean mosaics of fish and other undersea critters, and then painting their own surf boards. Did someone order some crazy?? Yup!!

The boys last week did pretty well, the surf boards took a few hours to dry, but it went off fairly well....with the exception of them not listening to how to properly behave in the church....but they're boys, right!?

Anyway, this week we had a few glitches. A new boy came, and he was not one who gets along well with others. I wasn't in the room when it happened, but I guess he started a fight. NOT GOOD!! Then the boys were just on major sugar highs (coming straight to scouts from their Valentine's parties at school) and just would NOT pay attention.

My question now is, what was I thinking? That scouts would be a piece of cake...like my last calling?? I do realize that it took me YEARS to feel comfortable there, but I hope it doesn't take me long to get comfy here! All I can do when I come home is fall down, exhausted, and pray that I can find a way to get to know these boys, and help them to grow into better scouts, and young men! Boy, that's not asking for much, is it!?

And The Answer Is...

Sunday is nearly over. I absolutely LOVE having church start at 1:00! Maybe it's the teen-ager longing to get out of me, but I love being able to sleep in.

Yes, as I mentioned earlier, I was released from my calling as Primary Chorister. I was so sad over it too! But my NEW calling is: (funny enough, when I asked for guesses, someone got it RIGHT on the nose!!)

Assistant Cub Scout Den Leader (or whatever they call us now!)

I'll be working with another lady (who funny enough, was the Primary pianist when I started as the chorister) and we'll be working with the Wolves and Bears. Our ward is in the process of finding someone else to help out with the Webelos. I'm nervous, excited, and ready to go. I definitely felt the need for my setting apart (which turned out very well...being admonished 4 or 5 times to seek the Spirit) to help me feel more comfortable in this position. I can't tell you how strongly I feel about being set apart...I tried doing a calling for almost 4 years WITHOUT being set apart, and I hated, HATED it! I could never figure out what to do...how to do it...or anything. I was frustrated beyond words. Then when I got the calling again, I was all upset over it, but got set apart. That was the ONLY difference. I loved the calling (and now I'm sad to be leaving it!) Thoughts came so easily, and ideas just worked out!

Now I'll be working on getting certified and learning what to do. I'm pretty excited!

Another "perk" of being in this new calling, I get to attend the "big people" meetings. I haven't done that forever!! For pretty much my entire adult life, I've been in Primary. I don't know if I'll know how to behave...sit still...or anything. That's where more nerves are showing. Although, Steve is THRILLED to get to sit by me in Sunday School! ;)

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Tonight was the SuperBowl, and sadly, the team Steve was rooting for won! ;) I thought I could "root" for the Bears, but I just wasn't really into the game. The Colts fought hard, and deserved to win, even thought I was more interested in watching the commercials. Laughing at some, and rolling my eyes at others. The one that REALLY got me was the Snickers one, where there's two guys working on an engine, and one guy starts eating a Snickers. The other guy bites onto the other end of the candy bar, and for a split-second the two manly men "kiss!" EWWWW!!! Then they immediately decide to do something "manly!" They rip open their shirts and pull some of their chest hair off! OUCH! I have to admit, it did make me giggle!

The thing I used to look forward to most on SuperBowl Sunday was the half-time show. I remember YEARS ago when Michael Jackson was the half-time entertainment and it was really impressive and something I enjoyed "rocking out" to. (As much as you CAN rock out to MJ!) Now, we have Prince. ICK! I cannot stand the man. The whole time we were commenting on his "do-rag." WHY does a grown man wear something like that!? Especially when it has a fancy bow on the front!?

I wouldn't have been so upset over it if he had sung some of his songs, but he was singing OTHER people's songs! Sure, he sang Purple Rain at the end, but he was singing Tina Turner (Rollin' on the River) and Foo Fighters (don't ask me what the song was, I don't listen to them...my youngest brother had to point out that it was a Foo Fighters song!) How upsetting. Thanks, Janet Jackson for ruining future SuperBowl half-time shows FOREVER!!