Empty Nest in the Midwest

How do you stay active after your children have left the nest?

Scouting

Webelos Camp at Camp May, Beaumont Scout Reservation, July 2007

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Here is a throwback to when LC went to Webelos Camp at Camp May. Several years later he would spend his summers working on camp staff there.

This year, he and ZM were supposed to be working at Camp May again, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, camp was cancelled. LC was going to be aqua director and ZM was going to be field sports. But instead they are stuck home with me and The Husband and DS. Not quite what they planned, but we are enjoying our unexpected family time together.

Ready to go swimming at the pool! Several years later he would be a counselor at the pool
Ping! Ping! Ping! at the BB gun range. Last year LC was a Field Sports counselor.
Archery at Camp May
The whole group. They are all adults now. How the years fly by.
Going to the nature lodge.

And here are a few more photos:

Troop Court of Honor – July 2007

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Today’s throwback is to some photos I found from a Troop Court of Honor in July 2007. I noticed a few fun things here.

This is JD and DS. DS’s sash is practcally down at his ankles. I’m struck by how small he is in these pictures. But it looks like he is confidently acting as MC at the Court of Honor.
LC is quietly sitting on the floor, off to the side, but still paying attention to what is going on.
ZM managed to get himself up front and included in the action. The older boys were always nice to make him feel welcome.
The Husband always did a great job letting the youth lead the program and then thanking them.

And here are a few more photos from this Troop Court of Honor.

Boy Scout Summer Camp at Camp Sakima – July 2007

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Today’s throwback is to DS’s first summer camp. This was JD’s third summer as a Boy Scout so of course he was there also. Since I had been the den leader for his den (all of the first year Scouts) and The Husband (who was Scoutmaster at the time) was away on a business trip, I went with them for the first four days of the camp.. By that point I had completed Scoutmaster training and been registered as an Assistant Scoutmaster with the troop. The Husband arrived later in the week.

We went to Camp Sakima at S bar F Scout Ranch. The highlight at S bar F is Nim’s Lake, a 270 acre lake completely enclosed by the Scout property, which includes two other Scout camps (Famous Eagle and Gamble) along with Swift Base (a high adventure camp for Venturers, Explorers, and older Scouts). So of course there was lots of canoeing, fishing, and swimming. Interestingly this was the last summer that Camp Sakima was open for traditional Scout Camp. After that, it was dedicated to National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT).

Canoeing on NIms Lake at Camp Sakima, S bar F Scout Ranch

Kayaking at Nims Lake, Camp Sakima at S bar F Scout Ranch
Fishing at Nims Lake, Camp Sakima at S bar F Scout Ranch
Swimming at Nims Lake, Camp Sakima at S bar F Scout Ranch

One thing I remember from this camp is that they built a tremendously large fire which they wanted to light. It was a “cabin” style fire and the middle was packed with kindling and leaves. I kept telling them no, because it seemed really large. So we would have a smaller campfire every evening. But after I left the dads, including Fireman Mike who I thought would say no, let them light the fire. From what I heard the fire reached about 20 to 30 feet up to the tree canopy. I’m glad I wasn’t there because I would have been panicking. 🙂

Anyway, the photo evidence seems to indicate that JD started building this fire structure early in the week. They all had a hand in in and thoroughly enjoyed wondering how high it would go.

JD laying the foundation for a fire

This was a fun camp and though we might have gotten ourselves into a little trouble here and there, we have some fond memories.

Scout Sunday

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This past Sunday we had our annual Scout Sunday Mass at our parish. Since I am the Cubmaster now, I had the pleasure of handing out awards! We had five Wolf Cub Scouts earn their Light of Christ emblems and five Webelos earn their Parvuli Dei (Children of God) emblems.

Back in December we had an Our Lady of Guadalupe party and all of the Cub Scouts but one were there. So almost everyone earned a St. Juan Diego patch. I handed these out before mass so they could wear them.

We processed in with our flags and some of the older Cub Scouts got to do the readings from scripture. Our little Lions and Tigers got to help the ushers pass the baskets for the collection. They were so excited to get to do something but they took their jobs very seriously and did it with great enthusiasm. Some parishioners were passed the basket more than once.

Of course having that many youngsters sit together in church can result in some fidgeting and talking. But then it came time to sing the Alleluia before the gospel was read and I heard the most beautiful chorus of voices from our little Lions who were sitting right behind me. Positively angelic!

People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them, and when the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. Jesus, however, called the children to himself and said, “Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”

Luke 18:15-17

Me as a Girl Scout – 1979

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I always enjoyed Scouting. I was a Girl Scout all through grade school. In 7th and 8th grade, there were only two of us left in our class who were still in Girl Scouts so in 7th grade we joined the 8th grade troop and in 8th grade we joined the 7th grade troop.

I remember working on all of my badges but don’t remember which ones I earned. I do remember earning my Marian Award though, which was the Catholic religious emblem for Girl Scouts. I think it is called Mary the First Disciple Award now.

In general we did a lot of crafts and cooking. We only camped occasionally, only once or twice a year. Camping and outdoor activities didn’t seem to be a required part of the Girl Scout program at the time. I really liked the outdoor stuff though.

I am glad my boys had the chance to be Boy Scouts. All four of them are Eagle Scouts. And I am grateful for the opportunities that Scouting let us have with our boys and their friends. We did a weekend camp almost every month. And two weeks of summer camp every summer – one traditional and one Catholic Adventure Week. We enjoyed hanging around the camp with the Scouts and watching them learn new skills like cooking. And The Husband and I learned to get out of our comfort zone and have new adventures along with the Scouts.

I think my own Scouting experience and the experience we shared with the boys when they were Scouts prepared us well for our new adventures when we go out exploring in our RV.

You Are Never Too Old for Breakfast with Santa

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I haven’t been to a Breakfast with Santa lately. But I got to visit with St. Nick this last Sunday. Our Cub Scout pack had it’s annual pancake breakfast fundraiser and since I am the Cubmaster I hung around for most of the morning.

This was a really fun event and a successful fundraiser. We had a couple of den leaders who really did a wonderful job organizing. And most of the families in the pack helped out in one way or another.

In addition to the pancake and sausage breakfast, we had carolers, a raffle, a table with Christmas themed coloring pages for the kids, and a bake sale. The Cub Scouts helped carry plates and cleaned up. And they went over to church after masses to invite parishioners to walk over to the gym and join us. They are good salesmen and saleswomen!

Near the end of the event, all of the kids – Cub Scouts or not – got up with the carolers and sung some songs. It was so sweet! And all of the little kids were excited to talk to Santa and have mom or dad take a picture.

So in the end this was a real fun-raiser which brought our parish community together. That’s my kind of fundraiser!