Court of Honor

Troop 98 Court of Honor:

Dawson carried the US flag in the flag ceremony.

Flag ceremony.

Reciting all of the scout "stuff" - law, oath, motto, slogan.

Dawson reciting the Scout Oath before receiving his Second Class Rank.  He worked so hard - he earned both his Tenderfoot and Second Class rank at this Court of Honor.  He has a very specific plan and is steadily working his way toward Eagle Scout.

Dawson getting his big bunch of merit badges.  He had a busy summer!  :-)

Tenderfoot rank, Second Class rank, and a slew of merit badges - Astronomy, Swimming, Reading, Weather, First Aid, Fingerprinting, Canoeing, Citizenship in the Community, Welding, Citizenship in the Nation, Sustainability, and Personal Fitness.

Skeeters Camp-Out

Dawson went with his Troop to a Scout Camp-Out at a Sugarland Skeeters game.  They walked around the field for a pre-game parade, watched the game, were called out for some activities on the field, watched some post-game fireworks, saw a movie on the big screen, camped overnight on the field, and then had a catered from Whataburger breakfast the next morning before leaving.

Pool Slide

The slide at the city pool is always a big hit.

Brady going down.

Trying it backwards.

Dawson

 

 

Family Caonoeing

One Saturday morning, we decided to go out to the state park to go canoeing.  It was so nice and we should definitely do it more often.  I love these simple, outdoor, family moments together.  

Randy and Brady were in a canoe together and Randy taught him the basics.  After an hour, he was an excellent little paddler. 

Dawson was the captain of our canoe.  He was awesome!  He taught me how to pick out the correct size paddle, he hauled the canoe to the water and pushed us off, and then he guided us all around the lake.  I love that he knows how to do stuff like this.

Randy and Brady in their canoe.

Captain Dawson.  :-)

Starbucks Recruiting

Poor Seth, he had never in his life been to Starbucks.  Dawson, on the other hand, was indoctrinated into Starbucks land from an early age - "starbuck" was one of his first few words.

I was happy to be Seth's guide to the deliciousness of Starbucks when we stopped there for breakfast on our way to a merit badge class at Moody Gardens.  Yum!  :-)

3 Spoons Winner!

Brady won a $10 gift card to 3 Spoons from the library summer reading program and treated us all to some delicious frozen yogurt.

Mini-Vacation in Dallas

After a week in Abilene, we met Randy in Dallas for a mini-vacation.  We went to Six Flags (we had free tickets from their reading program), the Scout Museum, and just hung out at our hotel.

Enthralled with a video game.

Reading in the hotel lobby.

Enjoying the splashpad at the hotel.

And the pool at the hotel.

AWE!!!!  My scouts at the National Scout Museum.  Randy and Dawson explored the museum, while Dawson attended a merit badge class (and I sat in with him).

Leaving Six Flags after several hours and many rides.  We came back again that evening to ride even more.

Playground Marathon

While Dawson worked on his Welding Merit Badge, Brady and I had a marathon playground morning.  We frolicked and played at 3 different playgrounds.  It was fun, sweet Brady time!  :-)

The tire swing is the best!

There were repeated requests for big, spinning pushes.

He made his own "Ninja Warrior Course." First up, the monkey bars.

Then a balancing act.

More monkey bars.

This one was tricky, but he conquered it.

Across the balance beam.

Then across the rock wall.

And down these monkey bars.

And up the tire ladder to finish the course.

Then he somehow ended up in the county jail.  ;-)

A pancake breakfast to refuel after our first playground.

Then on to our 2nd playground - the McDonald's Play Place.  I did not accompany Brady on this one.

This was the 3rd park - and the best! This climbing cube was awesome.

As was this twisty ladder.

Brady being silly on the ropes.

And cute on the ropes.

Then back to silly.

I guess this is the modern day, safe version of a merry-go-round.

I think pushing it was more fun than riding on it.

A quick visit to the prairie dog habitat that was beside the playground before heading back to Gramps's house.

Abilene Zoo

We love the Abilene Zoo!  Small, but sweet.

Dawson strikes a pose at the Zoo sign.

This turtle kept following us around.

Waiting to feed the giraffes.

The best part of the zoo is getting up close and personal with the giraffes and their long, disgusting tongues.

Scrumptious lettuce.

The free-range peacock is always a favorite sighting.