Sunday, April 26, 2009

Cub Scout Campout

A campout with Cub Scouts. I have to tell you that I was a little concerned about it. Tons of screaming kids running around, sleeping on the hard ground, no hot meals, and a bottle of aspirin.
I was pleasantly surprised ! We started out on Saturday with the obligatory baseball and softball pictures. It's the usual drill. You show up a half hour early and wait with hundreds of other families as hats and uniforms are straightened out for the best possible picture.The paperwork and checks are filled out and ready to go. The kids are lined up and marched into the hallway where they receive some preliminary instruction and then head into the gym. One by one they take their picture in a batting pose and then move to the other side of the gym for the team picture. After that it is off to the field where they are celebrating "Opening Day". We grabbed some hot dogs and chips, not as expensive as Fenway Park, but just as good.
We then headed for the packed car and made our way to the Boy Scout Camp for our Cub Scout overnight campout.
The kids changed out of their baseball and softball uniforms and we were ready to go. My son had attended a summer day camp and he was our guide. We parked the car and began unloading our stuff. We were thankful that the campsite was adjacent to the main parade ground, which was next to the parking lot. That's not to say that we walked back and forth what seemed like a million times.
The rest of the group had already arrived and set-up. Lunch was being served. We began setting up our very large tent that our neighbors let us borrow. The tent was huge. It had a entrance foyer and you could stand-up in the sleeping area. The rest of the day was great. There was a rock wall, obstacle course, archery range, etc. We threw around a ball, took a walk and had an incredible meal that ended, of course, with smores around the camp fire.
A great night of sleep and then made to order breakfast sandwiches, cereal, fruit and muffins. It was then off to the BB gun range. My daughter wasn't interested, so she and I went fishing at her request. My wife went with my son to the BB gun range. My daughter had two on her line, but they got away as she pulled them out of the water. After the BB gun range my son joined us. My daughter had enough of fishing so it was just my son and I. While we were alone, he commented how this was a great father-son moment. I also realized it was a great daddy daughter moment as well. It is those kinds of moments that make the day. I spent quality time with both kids at different times. Lunch rounded out the day and it was time to go home.
On the way home, the kids asked what was my favorite time of the campout was and I told them that it was the opportunity to share such a great time with just the family. Thanks to my wife who planned well and made the trip a smooth one.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Making the Schedule Work
I am not sure how it gets done, but we make it through the schedule, thanks to my wife. In the period of a year, we make it through our work schedules, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, baseball, softball, football (fall 2009), cub scouts, etc...
We often have to split up so that we can be at two places at the same time. I am not sure that scheduling is an easy thing to explain, but somehow we make it work. I think that knowing that other families have the same challenges make it easier.
As crazy as it seems; scheduling makes me crazy and I enjoy every minute of it !
Providence Bruins Game
Game 1 of the Providence Bruins vs. Portland Pirates. It was a great game, to bad we lost. My son and I attended. It's always exciting to have one of those father-son or father-daughter moments. I remember going to watch the old Boston Bruins AHL team or a Boston Red Sox game with my dad. It was great bonding moments. Just one on one like I was the only one that counted.
Going to the game was fun. It's always interesting to observe their reactions during a game. They are always looking for that moment during the game when the gloves come off and the real battle begins. A couple of years ago I took the kids to a game that was sponsored by their school. We all sat in the same section and everyone knew everyone else.
The students were excited that a Providence Bruins player (Mc Intyre- now with the Edmonton Oilers) had visited the school that week and now they had someone on the ice to cheer for.
It was only a matter of time during the game when McIntyre squared off with a player on the other team. The kids started to cheer for him as he popped the guy squarely in the nose and the blood started to flow. The kids went nuts ! I have to admit that I was cheering on the inside, but I tried keeping it to myself as I didn't want to give the wrong impression to the kids and I didn't want them to think that hockey was all about "brawling". They saw right through me. It's unfortunate when your kids are so young and they have you already figured out.
It's rewarding when your child asks you a question in which your answers help shape their understanding, not just of hockey, but also of competition, good sportsmanship and just plain fun.
I find myself constantly in the position of being diplomatic. I want to always give them good honest answers and hope that they come to their own conclusions. That's one of the things that I can offer them. It was a great bonding moment. I was happy that we had that time to spend together. Definitely a Kodak moment. I should have brought a camera !