Life on Planet Caddick

It's not like I've been crazy busy or anything - actually the opposite - but I still don't get on here and blog the way I used to. *sigh* I guess that means I'm running out of things to say! So, I thought I'd give you a few highlights of our March here in Caddickland. The first weekend was Hornaday Weekend. This is a big scouting thing where the boys spend a whole weekend working on merit badges. Scouts come from up and down the state (and even from other states!) to earn these and spend a weekend having fun and fellowship with other Scouts. I enjoy it because I get to spend time with Nicole! Her son and husband always come so we get a girls weekend! And my son earned three more environmental merit badges, one is his first Eagle merit badge (Environmental Science!) He is my environmentalist for sure, so this weekend fits him to a 'T'. On the Cub Scout front we had our Pinewood Derby. Zach can't race anymore, but Erik did race in open class ...

As many of you know we are a scouting family. My son has been involved in Scouts since first grade as a Tiger, he is now a Tenderfoot in Boy Scouts and although we've had our ups and downs it's been a part of our life for so long I can't imagine the fun stuff we would have missed if we hadn't been involved in Scouting. I was asked to step back in as a Tiger Den leader late last year and I didn't hesitate to say yes. Why? Because it's a program I believe in. I love to be around the kids, teach them that being a scout is something you do all the time. Having fun with them, making instruments, learning songs, camping. I think that most boys (and girls) need to be reminded that you have to work to earn things - whether it be rank, patches, or belt loops. I have made friends, people who will continue to be a part of my life no matter where we (or they) are. People I never would have met otherwise. Boys my son is now friends with he would have never met otherwise....

Yesterday was our Pack's Blue and Gold - which is the big to-do at the end of the year when the boys earn their rank.  We always try to do it up right with Order of the Arrow (OA) Dancers and good food. So, I thought I'd share a few pictures of my boy earning his Webelos rank. And here is the whole pack And here are the parents! I'm proud of all the scouts for working so hard! Until next time ~ Kris

I love the library. Honestly, I really do. It is, and always has been one of my most favorite places in the world. No matter where we go, even when I was in Iraq, I found the library. There's just something about books... I've been reading a lot lately. After I completed the Twilight series, I was looking for other books and came across The Southern Vampire Chronicles by Charlaine Harris. I've heard that the HBO series True Blood is based on these books. They are extremely well written and I've enjoyed the ones I've read so far. As with the Twilight books, there are some of these that I've not been able to get from the library. I buy them, read them, loan them to a friend of mine, and then donate them to the library. I probably should keep them, but I honestly don't see the point. Why keep something I'm probably not going to read again when I can give it to the library and a lot of people can enjoy it? Charlaine Harris just doesn't write t...

summer is not the best time for blogging!  Not that I haven't thought about it but I quite never got around to it. Having said that let me see if I can run through the updates without boring everyone to death! CG enjoyed Cub Scout Day Camp.  He even asked to go back next year - something he rarely does.  I never did go to the HS Convention.  I really wanted to but you had to pay just to shop!  Ugh. My nephew is gone.  He ended up staying until the beginning of July.  Having a 16 year old hanging around the house was a big eye opener - at least I know what I have to look forward to as CG gets older. We did FINALLY finish second grade.  YAY!!  We also got his CAT test scores back.  He did well with the exception of Social Studies and Spelling.  No big surprise on either of those.  Overall though I was very happy and hubby was very happy.  We are in the good for homeschooling again this year! We started 3rd grade at the beginning of this month.  Well, we attempted  to start I should ...

I can tell by my calendar that it is indeed June - however since we are still  plugging away at school it seems like it shouldn't be.  What can you do?  We just keep plugging away and we will finally finish in 5 days!  We spent this week doing end of year CAT testing.  I ordered my test from Family Learning Organization out of Mead, WA.  I chose them this year over the Seton testing because they offer science and social studies too.  Well, those two tests could have gone better; but I think overall it went well (except for the dreaded subtraction section that CG couldn't finish in the allotted time!).  Next year I may go through my accountability group and have him take the Iowa test.  We will have to see. I don't know WHY I end of year test.  Well, I do  know why - hubby requires it.  But since I don't teach CA (or any other state for that matter) curriculum it seems a little unfair to CG.  It was especially unfair this year since we had so many issues with subtraction...

Well, it has been a long time. April was a very busy month here in the crazy south. We welcomed a new niece to our family - AP was born April 15th. She's an awesome bundle of joy. CG is thrilled to have a baby around. I'm thrilled to be living close enough to actually be a part of her life. School is going well. I'm not sure what day we're on, but I think we have about 20 days left. The past few weeks we've been working on a new Hands of a Child Project Pack - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. We started a compost jar project, and have been discussing ways to help the earth and be good stewards to what God has given us. It's been really fun. We will be finishing it up this week. I'm planning on doing an Amanda Bennett unit study on Memorial Day later this month. That will be a lot more writing than what CG is used to, but I still think it will be loads of fun. I hope he enjoys it as much as I think he will. Next week is our mid spring vacation. We took...

Saturday is CG's birthday party.  We are having a WALL E theme and I am going to bake and decorate his cake myself this year.  Well, try to decorate it at least!  I'm actually baking a cake from scratch!  Oh my goodness.... And yes, for the record, his actual birthday was last month, but when you procrastinate (which is my way) you kind of have to take what you can get!  Thankfully he doesn't care too much. With the whole birthday party thing I've discovered another reason I love homeschooling so much - you get to invite only the people you really like!  THAT my friends is awesome!  A handpicked group of friends makes the party that much nicer.  CG and I sat down and made a list of the kids he really wanted to have there and surprisingly the group is quite varied.  Kids from ages 3 to 11 were on his list.  Very cool. Last Saturday was his pack's Blue and Gold Banquet.  I ended up making cupcakes.  Yes, from scratch.  It was the recipe I wanted to make for CG's b...