Growing Up

On Saturday afternoon someone decided he wanted to use his Christmas present and learn to shave. Daryl gave Parker a lesson and he did great!

More Basketball Fun

Valentine's Day night was also basketball night at our house. Davis played at 6pm. Even though he didn't score a basket, he had a really great game and was trying hard.

Wesley had a spectacular game at 7pm. He got to be involved in the tipoff. He scored several baskets including a 3 pointer. His team won by 1 point! 

Aunt Mona and Uncle Roger were able to come out to the game and cheer the boys on as well! 

Valentine's Day

We had buckets for Valentine's Day for the boys when they woke up on Thursday morning. From left to right: Parker, Wesley and Davis. Candy and a Subway gift card from us, plus they each got a t-shirt (Parker, Dunder Mifflin Paper Company; Wesley, You're Killing Me Smalls; Davis, Spiderman). And then they got cards from Grandmommy with some Firehouse gift cards and also cards from Aunt Mona and Uncle Roger. 

Flaming Arrows

Tuesday evening was Wesley's crossover event marking the change from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts for him and three of his buddies from Webelos. Here's our three Scouts all spiffed up before the event.

We met out by Fountain Lake on some property owned by a family that is involved with Scouts. Parker's troop had been out there the night before to create the bridge.

When it was Wesley's turn he went forward and got the opportunity to pass one last test as a Cub Scout - to shoot a flaming arrow into the lake! How cool! He did great. Then the Troop Leader Rob Parish invited them across the bridge to Boy Scouts.

Once they all made it across the bridge, they got to recite the Scout Oath for the first time as Boy Scouts. 

Here's Wesley and his three buddies getting congratulated after their crossover!

He earned his Arrow of Light and he is all official now! 

Afterwards we went out as a family to celebrate with dinner at Chili's - surrounded by all these handsome boys in their fancy Scout uniforms. They made a big impression on our waitress!

Relaxing

Monday night after staff retreat and dinner we got to spend some time outside with Roger and Mona on the back porch relaxing. We tried to light a fire in the pit, but everything was too wet. So tiki torches and "dry" Smores as the boys called it were the thing. 

Staff Retreat

Monday we had our annual Staff Retreat with the folks from church that we are blessed to work alongside and share life together with. We met at the Life Enrichment Center in town. We shared in fellowship time, some spiritual direction with Beth Kight, reflected a bit on the book "On Holiday with God," and discerned our staff word for the year as well as reworked our Staff Social Covenant. 

Family Time

Uncle Roger and Aunt Mona arrived for a spell on Saturday afternoon and we have all been thrilled to have them here and spend some good quality time together.

On Saturday we ended up at Eaton's Beach on Lake Weir for a great dinner - and even a small spill by the server at our table ended up with a couple of souvenir shirts for our folks from Kansas. Can you tell that it was a little windy on the lake that day?

And then in the evening Uncle Roger made popcorn for the kids - teaching them the method his grandmother taught him when he was a kid! They were impressed and it was good!