One of Our Favorite Days!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

This is a day that my kids wait for all year.

They start talking about who or what they will dress up as in April, or sometimes the day after Halloween.

We are finally here, and we can't wait to dress up tonight and go have some fun!

Tomorrow I will show you who my little "ghouls" decided to be this year.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!!!

Citizenship

Earlier this fall, our Webelos Den was working on completing their Citizen Activity Badge. It is one of the requirements that they need to complete in order to earn their Webelos Badge, and evetually the Arrow of Light.

Considering the times that we are living in, and the very spirited Presidential Election that we are in the middle of, it seemed like a great time to be learning about citizenship and what it means to be a good citizen. I have been thinking about this a lot lately, and have wanted to share this for a long time. With the election only 5 days away, now seems like a great time!Here are the examples of the rights and duties of a good citizen of the United States of America that we taught to our scouts. How many of us know, follow and live these basic principles?

Rights

• Worship where you like
• Say what you think (freedom of speech)
• Join with other people at "peaceful" meetings (the right to assemble)
• Own property and choose where to live
• Go to a good school
• Vote
• Have a trial by jury
• Keep people from searching your home-unless they have a warrant.

Duties

• Obey the laws
• Respect the rights and property of others
• Help the police
• Keep informed on what is going on around you
• Help change things that are not good
• Vote
• Pay Taxes
• Serve on a jury when asked to do so

Angles 8, Yankees 9!!!

They did it again! The Yankees won their 5th game of the season. With only 4 games left, it sure has been an exciting season so far. I don't have many highlights to offer this week, as I was at the Cub Scout Pack meeting during most of the game. I got to see the first inning and that was about it. Luckily, this was the last game of the season that conflicts with scouting. Whew! I didn't think I would make it this far. I don't know how people do this. Only one of my kids is involved in extra-curricular activities right now and I am already exhausted. What will it be like when the girls get going? I know I will find out soon. Stay tuned!!!

Busy Weekend!

We had a weekend packed full of activities.

It started on Friday night with the first ever "unofficial Pack 220 Webelos I Halloween party - that was supposed to be a campout."

All of the members of our den got closed out of the official campout, due to procrastination. So, one of the families planned a fun-filled evening at their house. The kids played games, carved pumpkins, made s'mores and played together. The adults had a little party of their own, something that we would not have been able to do, had we gone to the "official" campout!

It was a fun night.

Caitlyn and Caley getting ready to decorate pumpkins

Pack 220 selling popcorn at Wonder Works

Saturday morning we were up early to head out to our LAST popcorn sale of the year! Yipee!!! Hurray!!! Yeeesssssss!!! Oh, do I sound too happy about that? Anyway, we had our last Popcorn Show and Sell at Wonder Works. It was not our most successful sale, but it was an interesting location. We met several "Scouters" from the UK. They are always happy to talk to us about Scouting in the US. They are also always very generous and happy to help support Scouting! A big "Thank you" to our Scouting friends in the UK.

Chris, Caitlyn and CJ at EPCOT

Saturday afternoon we went to EPCOT. EPCOT is hosting their annual Food and Wine Festival. Appearing at the festival that night was the '80's own "Expose." Chris is a big fan of Expose, so we all went to see the concert and go on a few rides. It was a fun night, but then, when isn't a trip to a Disney theme park fun?

Caley, "Birthday Boy" Thomas, and Caitlyn

Sunday afternoon Caley and Caitlyn were invited to a birthday party for one of their classmates. They were so excited! They have been supporting all of CJ's activities lately, so they were very happy to have a party of their own to go to.

They had a great time!

DBacks 5, Yankees 7

They did it again! The WGLL Yankees improved their season record to 4 and 1. This was a close one, but our great hitters and pitchers really came through. CJ only got one at bat tonight, and is still waiting to get his first hit. He is showing signs of improvement, and has gotten a lot better at judging the pitches. He really loves baseball and is hanging in there. I am hopeful that he will get at least one hit before the season comes to an end. A little more batting practice ought to do it!

Waiting for the Tooth Fairy!

Well, here we go again!

Tonight it is Caitlyn's turn.

That right front tooth had been hanging by a thread for days,

and tonight it finally meet it's demise.

We worked on it all night.

Finally, one good yank from dad, and it was out.

So, tonight we will be anxiously awaiting a return visit from the Tooth Fairy.

Oh, by the way, Caley's right front tooth is waving in the wind too.

Yep, everything comes in twos with Twins!

Don't go too far away Tooth Fairy!

Too Much Reality for Me

A view of Nassau from the top deck of our ship

It has only been 4 days since we sailed away from the Bahamas, but already it seems like it was weeks ago. As all moms know, there is not such thing as "easing" back into the many jobs that a mom has. As soon as I got back to Orlando I was off to the Scout Shop, picking the kids up from school, doing the homework, making a quick dinner, running out to the Cub Scout den meeting, making the lunches, getting everyone into bed, and that was just the first day. The whole week has been that way. It has been a succession of school stuff, scouting stuff, baseball stuff, and housework.

So, tonight I am reminiscing about the cruise. I thought I would share a few more pictures of "Paradise" with everyone. I figure we can all use it!!!

Docked at Nassau

A great place to spend a Saturday afternoon

Our little piece of the beach on Cococay

A view of our ship from Cococay

Royals 3, Yankees 15!

It was a good night for baseball, if you are a Winter Garden Little League-Yankees fan. The team had a great night tonight! The highlight for CJ was getting a walk in the 5th inning, and then being driven home by two base hits and an inside the park home run from his teammates. The home run was hit by Zach Burke, for the second week in a row. What an exciting finish!!! And the reward for all that hard work? As promised by one of the coaches, every boy got a "slushie" from the concession stand! Ahh, to be thrilled by the simple things in life! :-)

Paradise!

This past weekend Chris and I went on our first cruise together.

We left the kids at home with Grandma and Grandpa and headed for the Bahamas.

It was a great weekend.

I will add more as the week goes on.

I just wanted to share this piece of paradise with everyone.

It is an incredible sight to see.

This is our ship the "Sovereign of the Seas," anchored off

Royal Caribbeans private island "Cococay."

It doesn't look real, does it?

I still can't believe I was there!

Keepin' the Tooth Fairy Busy!!!

We seem to be keeping the Tooth Fairy in business these days! Monday night, just as I was getting everybody into bed, Caley came to me with one of her teeth in her hand. I can't believe another tooth came out! That makes 3 for Caley. Caitlyn has lost two, and knocked one out on her own, for a total of 3. CJ has lost 7 teeth ( I think, I am starting to loose count).

This morning I checked Caitlyn's teeth for her, I found 3 more loose teeth in her mouth. She was a little jealous that Caley got a gift from the Tooth Fairy, so she is wondering when she will be able to get one. Ahh twins, there is always a little bit of competition, and the need to keep things equal!!!

So, it looks like we can expect many more visits from the Tooth Fairy in the very near future. I guess she will get to know our house well. And, she is getting smart! She has started a stash of little trinkets for all of those late night, last minute tooth losses! :-)

Yankees Take Their First Loss

Last night was game three of the Winter Garden Little League season for the Yankees. They played the Marlins. The game got off to a great start when Zach Burke, of the Yankees, hit an inside the park home run in the bottom of the first inning!

The next two innings were a back and forth battle. Then in the 4th inning the Yankees scored 3 more runs. In the 5th inning the Marlins answered with their first run of the night and the score was Marlins 1, Yankees 4. Unfortunately, in the top of the 6th inning the wheels came off for the Yankees. A series of walks and over thrown balls at first and third base, brought in 4 runs for the Marlins. The Yankees could not get any hits in the bottom of the 6th, so the game ended with a score of Marlins 5, Yankees 4.

The boys gave it their best shot, they just need to work on their fielding this week in practice. We'll get them next time!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday Dear Grandma!

Happy Birthday to You!

Hope you have a great day!!

Love, Chris, Julie, CJ, Caley & Caitlyn :-)

My Girls!!!

Caley & Caitlyn at the Magic Kingdom

The girls have had to put up with a lot lately. Tonight, for the third night this week they will have to go to baseball practice and a Cub Scout function.

They complain when it is time to go, but they go.

They have learned to make friends everywhere they go.
They have Cub Scout little sister friends at scouts, and now baseball little brother and sister friends at the ball field.

They have grown a lot this year. They are coming out of their shells and learning to talk to people who they do not know very well.

Some of the shyness is starting to fade away.

Their day is coming!

Some day CJ will have to watch them in whatever activities they do!

I am so thankful that I was given these two girls!!!

Yankees Improve to 2 and 0

Last night was CJ's second baseball game (another crazy night!). He had a good game, but is still waiting to get his first hit in a game. He got walked in his first at bat, and struck out in his second. He was upset about the strike-out. He stood there and watched the pitches, he did not swing at everything this time, he just faced a pretty good pitcher, who was throwing strikes!

Fielding was the exciting part of the game for CJ. He played right field, 2nd base and 3rd base. He has been very anxious to get an infield position. You could see the excitement on his face when he got to play 3rd base!

Final score; Yankees 11, Pirates 10 (thank goodness for the 3 run per inning rule!)

Special note: the Yankees have a boy on their team named Joshua, who is autistic. For the second game in a row, Josh has gotten a hit. All of the boys are really supportive of him and it is great to see. I am impressed with how Josh's dad encourages him and is taking the time to keep his son in the game. You can find great people everywhere, if you just take the time to look!!!