The Nielsens: Summer Vacation

Here's what we've been up to in week 6 of our summer vacation....

We survived...I mean finished...the rest of the week of Cub Camp! We all had a lot of fun. The only complaint the adults had was the weather, which it rained for two days, but none of the boys cared. My den got a little easier for me, and I was able to handle the two "wild" boys in my group. Friday was the Renaissance Fair where we switched into our home Packs and traveled to the various stations together. At the very end everyone gathered as a large group in the amphitheater for skits and closing speeches. So it's official....I am now the Program Director for next year's camp. Peter will help me out as an unofficial co-chair, while he'll officially be the Range Master for archery next year (or maybe bb guns. not sure as we just found out the other dad in our Pack who was responsible for that area is now moving out of town. so we'll see).

Kristjan wearing the mask he made...looks a little creepy if you ask me lol

Kristjan holding his Den's sign.

Pack 59 boys finally together during camp

Boys in action for Gaga Ball. I had no idea this game existed. Super popular!

Sword Fights

Here are pics at the Catapult station.

Clifford and Kristjan were one of the first boys to go first.

Here's Clifford raising the draw bridge

Kristjan raising the draw bridge

Clifford pulling the catapult

Group Shot of all the boys from our Pack who came to camp!

We FINALLY got a new fridge!!! We had to go a full week of having our food in coolers and making multiple trips to the store for bags of ice. The best part of all of this was we didn't have to do anything....didn't have to pay for it ourselves (well, didn't have to wait for a payday to then deduct it from rent), didn't have to carry it in ourselves, nor did we have to dispose the old one ourselves. The delivery men took care of it all. How wonderful! The new fridge definitely lacks any bells and whistles, and is much smaller, but that's ok with us. It WORKS! And with it smaller and open like this, it's easier for me to not waste food and to clean it every two weeks (Yes, I'm weird that way. I empty it before every grocery shopping trip and wipe it down).

Earlier this week we had our traditional Ice Cream for Dinner night, with dinner as our dessert. Boys look forward to this every summer :)

We pulled our first vegetable from our garden! This year, due to moving, we have a very small vegetable garden, consisting just tomatoes, cabbage, and sugar pumpkins. Earlier in the Spring Clifford brought home a cabbage plant from school. All third graders were given one as part of their science class. I think we let it grow too long because it's huge!

Pete found this little frog when he went to cut the cabbage out.

This is just one of the many pumpkins we have growing!!

Clifford has officially started his orthodontics work. He had to get x-rays (see pic below) and molds of his mouth taken. They then put these little plastic circles in between his molars to help expand the area so the expander will fit. He has to keep the plastic pieces in for a week. They're very uncomfortable for him. One has already fallen out, so Pete had to put a replacement one back in. He goes back next week for the next step of the process. Kristjan also had a check up that day. LUCKILY he's still being watched, THANK GOODNESS. I'm not sure how we would be able to afford both kids at the same time. We've already maxed out the lifetime insurance coverage for Clifford, plus have to make payments for this procedure. I'm just happy since Kristjan is being watched that the office visits are still complimentary. I'm just still shocked by how much dental work costs. Hope the boys appreciate their new smiles in the future :)

We made a trip to Jetty Island. The last time we were there the boys were toddlers. A mom from school posted on Facebook that the group she was going with had extra tickets, so we decided to tag along. We spent a good four hours there, having a picnic lunch, digging in the sand and swimming in the water. One of the times I went out in the water with the boys I stepped on something hard. I thought maybe it was a rock or huge clam, so I put my hand in the water to dig it out. As soon as I pulled the thing in my hand out of the water I screamed in shock and threw it back in...it was a crab lol!! I wasn't expecting that and I sure didn't feel like getting pinched. The kids and I had a good laugh. It was a great day, with the boys getting along (for the most part).

The ferry getting ready to take the group ahead of us over