Joyfully Overloaded

- You can quote the Sout law and Oath right along with them. - You know what it means to whip or fuse a rope. - You know the difference between a knot and a lashing. - You know every single fact about popcorn there is to know. - You’ve dreamed about popcorn.   - You’ve left signs on your door for the UPS man letting him know it really was you who order 15 cases of meat sticks. - You know the best fire staters and how to turn a cardboard box into an oven. - You’ve camped in temperatures below freezing... more then once... - You’ve been on wilderness adventure when a tree just wasn’t going to work for you like it did the boys and you’ve calculated just how long you can go without using a bathroom. - Your currently trying to psych yourself up for a winter camping trip. - You watch the scouts repeatedly step outside of there comfort zones to find that items actually not bad out there. - You keep your cool when critters visit your shelter in t...

November is my favorite month of the year. I love the crunch of leaves under your feet. The smell of the wood stove and the baked goods wafting from the kitchen. My favorite tradition is the thankful tree we create together. It started 10 years ago with some paper and crayons. As the month moves on we’ll add to it the little things that bring our hearts joy.  Honestly, I almost didn’t set it up this year. It’s one more thing I have to guard from my whirling-dervish but my middle boy he insisted we continue the trandition. So today school started late. The boys collected sticks while I cut up note cards. We played Christmas music to help set the mood.  My bigs ones fought. We experienced an epic two year old tantrum. I burnt myself while rushing at the stove to rescue the destruction of our new creation. Even still the two year old is in awe. The first note to go up was from one brother about the way the other brother loves.  My throbbing thumb is a sweet reminde...