Bird Theater

JD has been home from school for a couple days with a fever.  I knew he was feeling better this morning when he told me he wanted to make a bird theater.

 I had no idea what he meant -- but sure go ahead and build a bird theater.  He threw blankets over a table.

 Made a sign for it.  AND . . .

TA DA - a bird theater.  Now instead of watching cartoons laying on the bed he is watching them in this specially created theater complete with special bird popcorn snacks.  What do we watch in the bird theater?  RIO, What else? 

Shopping ---

oh yea - and an educational conference too.  I spent lots of time this week in Dallas at an educational conference.  It was ------ educational. 

 We stayed at this fancy hotel which was connected to  a fancy mall with . . .

 . . . this Christmas tree in the ice rink.  Our conference ended at 5:00 each day and then it was off to wander among the expensive things that I couldn't possibly afford to buy.

I thought this sign was funny.  It advertises Christmas gifts for under $400.  For everyone out there on my Christmas list --- yes, I bought your Christmas gift for under $400.  WAY under $400 and not from this store.

This Week

This week we voted. 

 JD's school is a polling place and so it was covered with signs on election day.

 This week we got our new phones.  JD tried out the iPhone 5 while I waited for mine to be activated.

 This week we had some of Uncle Tommy's delicious BBQ.  With a fancy pit like that you can't go wrong. 

 BBQ brought a large family gathering.  I guess they were drawn by the smell of smoking meat.  The boys started lining up for photos.

 Then EVERYBODY got in the picture.

JD and his cousins played video games to pass the time while the old folks reminisced.

Cub Scout Camp

Our family has had a fun - AND EXHAUSTING - weekend camping with JD's cub scout pack.  We arrived and set up camp on Friday evening.

 First light Saturday morning the boys were practicing their casting skills.  Our tent was only steps of this beautiful lake and so fishing was the first order of business.

 George was our camp cook and prepared breakfast for us.

 The official events started with the morning assembly and flag raising.

 George taught a fishing class.  I helped people sign in and check out fishing poles.  That was the deal we made -- I will help with duties that don't involve touching worms. YUK!

 He tried to help the Wang family and showed them to bait a hook.  It is amazing how many grown ups had NEVER fished before.  I said I wasn't going to touch worms - but after watching some of these people try to bait a hook I almost wanted to snatch their worms away and do it myself.

 By the afternoon class JD was a casting pro.  He was very excited when I thought we had a fish but totally made fun of me when all I had caught was the bottom of the lake.

 Evening assembly involved dinner and skits.

 Here is JD and his den doing the invisible bench skit.

 Sunday morning JD and our next door neighbor said good bye to the ducks.

 Closing ceremonies involved a lovely 15 minute "church" service that George thought was the way all church services should be.  Short, sweet and with the lake in the background.

 I taught a Geography class to these willing Tiger cubs.  Here they are playing simon says on a map of the world they drew with sidewalk chalk.

One last picture of the lake and then it was back home to unpack and shower.