Hostage Situation......

I am currently involved in a hostage situation. I have been sent the ransom note. The demands have been made. But I don't do well with hostage type demands. So I don't think I'll be playing their game. There will be no pay-off. Here is what is being held hostage:

These are Peter and Sam's senior pictures. There are several other poses as well, and in all of them my boys are handsome, adorable, cute and charming. I would love to have them all!!

The hostage demands are as follows:

The 'If-you-really-love-your-child-and-want-enough-pictures-to-share-with-everyone-they've-ever-met-including-the-mailman' package is $575.00.

The Senior Special: 'yes-your-kid-is-cute-but-we'll-only-give-you-enough-decent-sized-pics-for-close-family-members-and-enough-wallet-pics-to-choke-a-horse' is only $395. It includes 80 wallet sized pics and a 'wallet box' to keep the 70 or so that will never be given out.

The 'you-must-not-like-your-child-very-much-we-have-people-spend-more-money-than-this-on-pictures-of-their-dogs' is a mere $150. This includes 2-5x7's, 4-4x5's and 24 wallets, all of one pose.

If you choose not to buy a package, you can always choose to buy the pictures 'ala carte' where you pay $38 for 8 wallets or $54 for an 8x10.

There are several other packages to choose from, but the cheapest one is $150. Do you know how many groceries I can buy for $150???!!

So......I will not be buying senior pictures. Sorry, boys, but I love you SO MUCH that I'd rather feed you than bend to the mafia-like demands of Lifetouch Photography. (And who did THEY pay off for this monopoly they have on school pictures?? We really need another player in this game!)

And for those who were hoping to get senior pictures of my boys.....take a good look at the pics I've posted, because that's as close as you're gonna get!

Sorry, Mr. Postman, I hope you'll still bring me my mail!

Eagle Scout Court of Honor.....

I know that I've already posted about Sam and Peter becoming Eagle Scouts, but they just had their Eagle Court of Honor on July 18th (right before our vacation) so I thought I'd better write about that, too.

It was an awesome program. Our new scoutmaster, Russ Jones, conducted. The 11 year old Scouts did the flag ceremony. Reuben Aiton and Bishop Terry both spoke. We had an Eagle's nest that had about a dozen men/young men in it. Scott Smith gave the Eagle Charge, and Tapie Rohm shared a story. It was a night full of memories for Sam and Peter. Memories of campouts past, adventures shared, and friendships formed. I am so proud of my boys and know that this accomplishment will stay with them throughout their lives.

Congratulations, boys!! I love you!

Diabolical Plan - Part 1..............

Remember my concern about keeping my kids busy this summer?

I think I've got an idea.

Last week Jacob and Peter spent the entire week working on the yard. Their dad offered them an undisclosed amount of money to rake, weed, and mulch the 'natural area' in our backyard. It's a pretty big area and it needed LOTS of work. It kept them outside and busy most of the week. And they did a great job, too.

My plan for this week is even better. I signed up the four still at home (Jacob, Mary, Sam and Peter) to help out with Cub Scout Day Camp. They will spend the week serving as Den Leaders and Den Chiefs for a bunch of cub scouts. They will be gone every day from 8 until about 4:30.

I figure that if they can't find paying jobs, then I will find non-paying jobs for them. The next week, Mary will be volunteering at our church Girl's Camp for the week (that one is a sleepover camp!) And I may just send Jacob to Boy Scout camp in July if he is still unemployed. If this doesn't make them want to get 'real' jobs, I don't know what will!!

I wonder what other organizations need help this summer........

Snow Day 2009.....

Yes, we actually had snow here in SC! Peter could not enjoy it because of the broken leg, Mary thought it was too cold to go out, so Sam is the only one who had fun in the sun (and snow). School was closed yesterday, and again today (We've got 4 inches!! of snow, people, how can you expect us to go to school when there are 4 inches of snow on the ground!!) Here are a few pics for you to enjoy......Notice that Sam has bare feet, it was actually fairly warm later in the day, and he was SO excited to be able to shovel snow. He had a blast shoveling our driveway and walkway. (This is what comes of raising kids in the south!)

Eagle Scout!!

It's official.....Sam is an Eagle Scout!

We had been waiting around for his paperwork to make it's way through the red tape of the council office when we got a phone call Thursday afternoon. It was Sam's Scoutmaster saying that he had just gotten an e-mail from the council guy wanting to know if we could do the Board of Review (BOR) that evening!! So we spent a frantic afternoon putting together 3 extra copies of his project (each board member wanted their own to look at) and getting the last couple of Merit Badge patches glued on to his sash.

It was an anxious time for me as I waited for Sam. (I was not allowed in the room during the BOR.) Then more anxious as Sam and I waited together while the Board deliberated his fate. Then they called us in and congratulated Sam on earning the rank of Eagle Scout. He grinned ear to ear, I almost cried (tears of both joy and relief), they read us a nice poem about being an Eagle, signed his book and sent us on our way. Now we just need to wait for Peter to be finished and we'll schedule a Court of Honor for the two of them.

Sam's project was Bat Houses. We live in a neighborhood with several bat colonies. The bats were nesting in people's homes/attics, and other undesirable places, so Sam built and installed 10 Bat Houses around the neighborhood. They were occupied almost immedietely. It was a really fun (but l-o-n-g drawn out) process.

So, congratulations, Sam!! I can't wait to see what you accomplish next!!