The Second camping trip with our Pack

Our cub Scout Camp Master is a true camper. We are lucky to have him. The boys will have the memories of their live. This past weekend we had our annual Spook "O Ree. The Boy Scouts put on this event for all the Cub Scouts. Everything was planed out from 9:00 a.m. through 9:30 p.m. that evening. It is a full day of moving from one sport to another with many crafts and the most important in BB gun shooting and Archery. At the end of the evening there was a haunted trail through the woods that everyone walks through. We got done with it all around 9:30 p.m. but the boys were still looking forward to the Smores by our camp fire.

All packed and ready to go!

We had a Den theme and we all decorated our tents with some festive Halloween decorations.   

The boys played a joke on one of the moms and put hundreds of tiny spiders all over her tent. When she opened her tent she let out a very big scream and the boys laughed so hard.  It was a perfect joke.    

The Crafts were Binoculars, Wallet and a spider web. 

Sports were Kickball, Flag football, Volleyball & Sling shot.

The Favorite sports are BB gun and Archery. 

My Den

Archery!

We had a flag retiring ceremony. We cut out the stripes and the stares. Each piece of the Flag was given to a Scout. They handed their piece of the flag to our Cub Master. He placed each piece in the fire. The Assistant Cub Master spoke some words as the flag burned.

The Cisco Kid had the honor of handing the Cub Master the Stars of the Flag.

  

We had 105 people go to this event. 

They will receive so many belt loops and pins for going to Spook "O" Ree.  The Cisco Kid has most of these belt loops so he will receive the pins. 

  

Finishing up the Cub Scout Conservation Badge

I took my Cub Scout den to a "Go See It" yesterday. We went to the Fountain of Youth. There are several different sections of the Fountain of Youth to see. There is "THE SPRING HOUSE" where the fountain is located, "TIMUCUA INDIAN EXHIBIT" showed how the Indians lived, "THE PLANETARIUM" showed how they lined up the stairs for the coordinates to get here, The "SPANISH CANNONS" They talked about how they defended themselves back in 1565, "THE DISCOVERY GLOBE". The Fountain of Youth was a wealth of information.

After seeing all the exhibits, we went to the water’s edge and talked about the different kinds of soil and plant materials that sustain all kinds of life. We also reflected on the fountain and how the use of water is reducing the aquifer.

The boys are listening to the Fountain informant. They learned how it began with a drink from the Legendary Spring that has flowed under this site for as long as anyone can remember. Learned the history of Ponce de Leon's search and his Spanish claim for Florida in 1513. They heard the story of Dr. Luella Day Mcconnell's purchase of the property at the turn of the 20th century and discovery of artifacts in 1904 such as the landmark cross and silver salt cellar. Experience the nostalgia of this Old Florida Attraction with diaramas installed in 1957 depicting the Spanish and Timucua Indians "First Encounter" on this site. 500 years of history in one place!

Firing of the Cannon, BOOM! The Spanish arrived in 1565 and established the first and oldest settlement. See how they defended their position with an historic cannon firing demonstration. Viva! 

There is alsways time to climb a tree. 

Natives inhabited this site for almost 3000 years. Gather in the Village of Seloy to experience how Timucuas lived, hunted, ate and thrived for so long. Hear the stories of long ago and connect past to present. 

Right before we were ready to leave I brought some bread for all the children to feed the birds.

Working on the Cub Scout Conservation Badge

Last night the boys worked on part one of two, Conservation Badge. We discussed the sea turtles and how they are endangered. We also discussed what wildlife conservation offers. For an activity the boys built a bird house. I had some leftover game boxes that we built last year from Lowes and I made a few cuts and recycled them into bird feeders / houses.   
After they complete the second part of the conservation requirements they will receive their badge

They enjoyed makeing the Bird Houses / Baths. 

Our first camping trip this year

Over the weekend we went to Gold Head National Park for a camping trip with the Cub Scouts. I have to say this was one of the best camping trips we have ever had. The boys got along so well and it was so funny watching them bond their friendships. In the past years I have had twenty to twenty-three scouts in my Den. This year I have twelve and it is pure heaven. I am able to get the boys much more award and we are only two weeks into the scouting year. Only three boys were able to go camping over the weekend. We racked up many belt loops / pins and badges. The Cisco Kid earned the golfing belt loop, fishing belt loop, volleyball pin, hiking pin, kickball pin, the Leave no Trace Badge and The Cub Scout Activity Award badge. In the Den meetings they all earned the Good Manners Belt loop.

The Cub Scout Activity Award badge

 The leave no Trace Badge

The good and memorable times.

The Cisco Kid thought this was the best.  He loves ridding in the bed of the truck.

We were going to do all our sport activities and it was about two miles away.  Since we were going to do a hiking trip that afternoon, we could not emagine walking there.     

Tug of War is the Cisco Kids favorite game.

The parents cannot be left out of the Tug of War. It seems that this is a favorite for them as well.

The chief is at the end anchoring it all down..

We went to this spot to go fishing.  We did a small amount of it but when nothing was biting The Cisco Kid found fun in making a big muddy hole filled with water. 

There is nothing that this boy likes more than to have mud and water to play in. 

 On our hike this large tree had fallen over the streem and of couse the boys saw an adventure in crosing over it.

What is it with climbing trees?????

Every night we start a fire and have Smore's. At that point i was dreaming of looking at the inside of my eyelids.