November Pack Meeting

Time to sew on new pack numbers and get to know a new set of leaders and kids.  Vale also meets right after school on Tuesdays so that didn't change.  I've been picking him up from school and driving him to the church, but now he wants to start walking with everyone else.  Guess I better let loose on the apron strings.

He was introduced as a new scout and his leaders are Jolene Jacobs and Kathy Saldana, and there are tons of kids!  Both Vale Wards are combined as well as the community pack.  The community pack dismembered a few years ago, so they opened up the church packs for everyone in town.  The Wolves performed a skit and he earned another Adventure Loop.

Adventure Loops

Council Fire

Elk Hunting

Sexy Farmer decided this year to start heading up to camp on the Thursday before opening day that way the kids can spend more time up there.  So on the 5th, they pulled out of the driveway for the weekend.  They started by getting firewood ready.  Both boys were eager to help with the task.

 They set up the bunk cots.  We now have 2 sets for all the kids.

On Friday they decided to see if they could stack 3 high.  It worked!  So, as soon as Sexy Farmer got home on Saturday night, he ordered a 3rd set of bunk cots so they can have 2 stacks of 3.  Maybe that means we are having too many kids?  Never!

 Then they went looking for Elk.

 Even trying their hand at calling them in.  No luck.

 So they posed for pictures instead.

However!  Once all the kids went home and they started hunting for real, they came upon some.  Sexy Farmer got a shot off and wounded it.

 They followed the blood and hair trail.

 Sexy Farmer and Weston continued to follow the trail all night.

 Then picked up again the next morning.

 They continued for about 7 miles until the blood stopped.  This was the last they saw.

They returned home empty handed.  It got away.

Pumpkins Galore

Right before we moved, one of Hoss' final activities at school in Annex was the annual trip to the corn maize in Ontario.  He brought home the most perfectly shaped pumpkin.

And since we were moving, pumpkin patches were the farthest thing from my mind.  I was so happy when our neighbor came over and told my boys to go take whatever they wanted from her patch.  

They would go back every day and pick another one.  We decide we would carve some for decoration.  Duke tried to smile like his pumpkin man.

I've always wanted to make a casserole in a pumpkin.  My friend, Natalie Rose, makes one every  year on Nov. 1.  So, with the pumpkin Hoss brought home, I asked Natalie for her recipe and I dug in and made it.  It was actually really good!  This may be a new tradition!

The boys were really scared to try it, but after a few bites, they inhaled it too.  I didn't scrape any of the pumpkin into my bowl, but next year I will.  Baby steps.

Here's the recipe, just in case anyone else wants to try it in the future.