A Georgia Girl in Germany

Here's a conversation w/Benjamin this evening.

B: "Mommy, you know how you used to ask me last year if I had a girlfriend?"
Me: "Yes."
B: "Well, you should ask me that again."
Me: "OK, so do you have a girlfriend?"
B: (eyes twinkling) "Yes."
Me: "What's her name?"
B: "Emily. I hope she's in my class in school this year AND in my B&A room after school." {pause} "Last year I loved someone, but then she moved."
Me: "Was that Lena?"
B: "Yes. Now it's Emily."

Sigh...my baby’s growing up!

Labels: Benjamin, Kid Quotes

As difficult as it is for me to accept how much MacKenzie’s growing up, it’s even more difficult to watch Benjamin grow up. After all, he’s my baby. And he’s now 7! For the past several years, Zachary’s been camping on MacKenzie’s birthday, but not so this year. Instead, he was camping on Benjamin’s birthday. Because of his absence, combined with the fact that Benjamin’s birthday was mid-week and we were moving on-base that week, Benjamin’s big day didn’t have much fanfare. He was a good sport about it, and decided to only open two gifts on his birthday, and to save the rest for his party the following weekend.

Just like MacKenzie’s birthday party, Benjamin’s was organized at the last minute. I was very grateful that some of his friends were able to join us at the Kid Zone to help him celebrate. Jordan and Gracie (left) just moved to Ramstein, so this was a great opportunity to introduce them (and their parents) to the Kid Zone (I’ve been stationed with their mom three times now!).

Even though I had set aside a cake mix, frosting, a handheld mixer, a cake pan, etc, I didn’t have time to bake (let alone decorate) Benjamin’s cake while in the midst of moving on-base. Thankfully, he acquiesced and allowed me to buy a cake at the commissary and personalize it for him. Whew! Thank goodness for the little things!

Benjamin enjoyed listening to us sing “Happy Birthday” to him, while sitting next to Nicholas and Bryson. Pizza, games, presents and friends were all Benjamin needed to make the day special! This was actually a very busy and celebratory day for us -- it started out with Benjamin going to Bryson’s birthday party at the base pool, followed by his own evening birthday party, then us dropping off MacKenzie to one of her friends’ slumber birthday party (after picking up Zachary from his campout return). I was definitely tired out at the end of the weekend! Thankfully, it seems the birthday party season is over for us.

Labels: Benjamin, Birthdays, MacKenzie

Two weeks after school let out, Zachary packed up and left on his first of two week-long Boy Scout campouts. This one was to the Kandersteg International Scout Center in Switzerland. This was the group of scouts just before they departed.

One of the adult leaders shared his photos of the trip, so Zachary helped me describe what’s going on in each of the photos. Here’s the group on the first day of High Adventure. High Adventure is a program for scouts who are at least 14 year old to experience challenging outdoor activities. At Alpine, he chose white water rafting (no photos while in the rapids), a ropes course, a high ropes course, a daytrip up and down a mountain, and a 2-day excursion hiking more than 4,000 vertical feet up and back down.

Zachary enjoyed the “COPE” (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience) ropes course. They didn’t have to wear harnesses on this course, and were not allowed to touch the ground during the course. Here he’s spotting Ben S. as he navigated through the ropes course (apparently Ben got stuck in the tire, hence Zachary’s grin as he struggled).

The High Adventure scouts were directed to pose for this photo on the way back to the camp after the COPE course because of the nice scenery.

I agree, the scenery in the Swiss Alps is absolutely breathtaking.

When they made it back to the camp site, they had dinner. This was the only night they didn’t have to cook for themselves.

The next day, they began their trek 4,000 vertical foot hike into the Alps to spend the night. This hike met his last requirement to earn his Camping Merit Badge (an Eagle-required badge--yeah!).

They made a rice dish for supper once they made it to the hut. They had to use basic cooking equipment, including a wood-burning stove and a free-standing gas burner. {I’m thinking I should have Zachary cook more at home.} They stayed in a small two-story hut, with the scout bedrooms upstairs. The room that he and his troop-mates didn’t use was just above the cow stables, and since it was an old Swiss Hut the building wasn’t completely smell- or sound-proof. The scouts who used that room confirmed that it was cow-heated (think cow gas), and therefore cow-scented.

The next morning, they hiked 4,000 feet back down the mountain.

Zachary and his troop-mates were the only American scouts there. Some of the other scouts were from Spain and Britain. This is a group shot of the American and Spanish scouts. Talk about an international experience!

This is a view from near the hut they stayed in. If you look closely at the bottom middle of the photo you can see the roof of the cow-care-hut.

Another gorgeous shot down the valley.

After spending the night at the hut, the scouts went bouldering (climbing on big rocks without harnesses) before heading back down the mountain. They had a short demonstration and safety briefing before getting started.

Zachary and his troop-mates sat atop a couple boulders while waiting for the Spanish scouts to finish bouldering.

The five High Adventure scouts headed out the next day did a “short” hike up to a glacial pool.

They stopped for a snack break on the way up and to rest and enjoy the scenery. Zachary said even though this hike was shorter than the previous two-day hike, it was more difficult -- likely because of the higher altitude. They started the first climb from their base camp, whereas they took a gondola up the initial leg of this ascent before beginning the hiking portion.

Another photo opportunity on the way up -- look at that incline! Yes, that's snow on the ground behind them -- in June!

Continuing the climb to the hut at the top of this mountain.

Zachary and Mr S. hiked a little further so they could find this geocache. The hut is in the background.

Next on the agenda: taking a dip in the glacial pool. Zachary is standing on the rocks taking his boot off before wading into the frigid water. They scouts didn’t stay in the water long because of how cold it was!

Another view from the top with the flags waving in the wind.

At least they had comfortable amenities for their convenience.

Before heading back down, the group stopped for a photo in front of the glacier.

They hiked back down from here, past the lake to the other side of the green clearing beyond the lake to catch the gondola back down to their base camp.

Only three people were allowed on this narrow bridge at a time.

They stopped at the lake for a short dip before heading to the gondola. Zachary was sitting on a rock trying to get acclimated to the water temperature. He said it wasn’t as cold as the glacial pool, but it was still “pretty darn cold.”

Before catching the gondola back down, they stopped at the rodelbahn for a little more fun.

Hunter had never been on a rodelbahn before, and gave a thumbs up before getting on the sled behind Zachary.

They were all on the course at the same time. What a wonderful view here of them on the course, with the gondola to the left and more of the Swiss Alps in the background.

On the last day, they did the local High Ropes Course (with harnesses this time). Zachary said this bridge was very rickety and very unsteady. However, he successfully navigated the bridge to the other side.

This bridge tilted front and back depending on where the weight was on it.

Zachary loves the zip-lines because of the exhilarating speed.



The rings above Zachary were on the most difficult course -- they didn’t do that one.

After the High Ropes Course, they went white water rafting. Here they are afterward with their boat guide. They got stuck on a rock once, but managed to free themselves without too much trouble. They also had a 2-foot waterfall and rapids to navigate. He really likes white water rafting -- so much so that he did it again during the following week’s camping trip in Bavaria.

After all that excitement and adventure, all the scouts came together for the International Scout Campfire where they performed/watched skits and sang songs. I’m really glad Zachary has all these wonderful scouting opportunities here in Europe -- he’s definitely making memories that will last a lifetime!

Labels: Boy Scouts, Switzerland, Zachary

It’s hard to believe that my baby girl is growing up as quickly as she is -- she just turned 12! Since we left on her birthday for a family vacation in Tuscany, she opted for a small birthday party with just a few friends a few days before her big day. Fortunately, Toria and Keilani were able to come over for a slumber party on relatively short notice.



I was so short on time that I didn’t have time to make a cake or even decorate the cupcakes I’d baked. So, we turned the evening into a “decorate your own cupcake” event. The girls enjoyed having fun with the tube of pink frosting on top of chocolate frosting. Yeah--disaster averted!



Even Benjamin and Zachary enjoyed decorating their own cupcakes (notice that Zachary didn’t use any pink though!). They’d just finished up the week of Cub Scout Day Camp and still had their camp shirts on. The Cub Scouts wore shirts that said “now,” while the leaders and volunteers wore shirts saying “then” -- all to indicate when they were Cub Scouts, now or then.

MacKenzie, I’m so very proud of the wonderful young lady that you’re growing into. You’re absolutely beautiful -- inside and out!

Labels: Benjamin, Birthdays, MacKenzie, Zachary

The week after school let out, the local Cub Scouts organized a Cub Scout Day Camp week. This was the first Cub Scout camp Benjamin attended, and he really seemed to enjoy it. Zachary was even old enough to volunteer at the camp, which worked out great so he wasn’t bored that week!

I didn’t get to go visit during the camp, but a friend took these photos of Benjamin shooting the bb-gun and doing archery. These are the two activities that the scouts can earn belt loops for their uniforms that must be done at a sanctioned Cub Scout event. Benjamin did so well that not only did he earn both belt loops, but he also earned the bb-gun academic pin, which includes doing five additional requirements!

I don’t think he cared much about earning the belt loops or pin -- he just wanted to have fun, which he did!

Labels: Benjamin, Cub Scouts

On the last day of school, Benjamin’s class (and a few others) did a Flag Day presentation. It was really cute listening to them sing several patriotic songs and performing along with the words. Benjamin was adamant that he had to wear a solid white t-shirt -- but he doesn’t own one, so he was trying to convince me to let him wear one of his (too-small) undershirts instead. He reluctantly agreed to wear a white shirt with three red and blue stars on it, which I thought would match the theme perfectly. He was glad his bandana mostly covered the stars.



I think this was an adorable pose during Lee Greenwood’s song “Proud to Be an American” -- from the line “I’ll gladly stand up next to you...” Don’t they all look terribly “cool!?!!”

Here’s Benjamin’s entire class after the presentation.

Benjamin had to have his photo taken with his teacher, Mrs. Bridges.

To celebrate the end of the school year (and the presentation), the class had an ice cream party to finish up the day. I don’t think you can have a last day of school much better than that!

Benjamin and his two best friends, Simon and Nicholas.

Labels: Benjamin