Potluck #2

Peter's Webelos Den collecting awards.

Tim launches into leading Scout songs!

The pack gets into the act!

Who knew 2 potlucks in one day could be so much fun?

We did!

Sunday Traditions

Every year, our parish outdoor Mass and parish picnic falls on the same day 

as the Cub Scout kick-off pack meeting.

Which means that we spend all day hanging out with our favorite people.

First Stop:  Outdoor Celebration of the Holy Mass.

The highlight of our day was sharing the Holy Eucharist, as Christ commanded us: 

Before he was given up to death, a death he freely accepted, he took bread and gave you thanks, He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: 

Take this, all of you, and eat it; this is my body which will be given up for you.

When the supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said: 
Take this, all of you, and drink from it; this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. 

Do this in memory of me. 

Zac-olyte (acolyte Zac)

Cross bearer, Joseph

Candle bearer, Peter

Time for food!

Peter sits with Phillip for food & fellowship before the games.

Joseph A. and Joseph S. at table together.

Joseph, Jonah, and Peter anchor their team on the tug-o-war.

They were defeated, but gave a valiant attempt.

3-legged champions!

Handyman

Did I mention we love Scouts?

Peter was so excited to help Tim change a light on his car to complete a requirement for Handyman.

Unfortunately, the bull rack had to be removed in order to have access to the side light...

So the little project became a bigger project.

But there they are, working together on a meaningful job~ teaching, learning, sharing time.

Scouts really is the second "core" of our home school...

First and most important element or our home school and indeed of our lives, 

is our active Christian faith & the daily practice of our Catholic religion.

What does love look like? 

It has the hands to help others. 

It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. 

It has eyes to see misery and want. 

It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. 

That is what love looks like. 
~Saint Augustine of Hippo 

(memorial today)

Pray for us!

Nerf Warz

Nerf Warz @ our place...

Bring your guns and your ammo...

Eye pro is suggested, but optional...

Let the battle begin!

Defend the territory!

Reload.

RETREAT!

In Peter's Words

Yesterday, Ezra, Joe, Phillip, Judah (photographer) and I went mountain biking on Galbraith, which is about 1/8 mile from our house.  We stopped to take a picture here (above) and have a little blackberry break.  Then we went up a little hill and then went on Karma (trail).  It has lots of jumps!

Then we went down the pipeline and then we stopped and had more blackberries.

Then we went back up the pipeline.  Then Joe & Ezra came down and I was behind Joe.

Ezra went first and Judah was behind me, Phillip behind Judah.

When I was about 30 feet away from the end of the trail (see photo above), I think I hit a rock.

Then I think I bounced into the air and then my arms flew off the handlebars.

My chin hit the handlebars, and my chin & jaw were instantly numb.

My bike flew up and went down on its side.

My shoulder hit a rock and I rolled into the grass, tangled in my bike.

Judah skidded to a stop, fishtailing.

Joe was around the corner.  When he heard me yell, he came back.

He said he knew that I fell hard, but when he came around the corner, he was like, 

"Peter, are you...WHOA! That's deep!"

He came running up and said, "You're gonna need at least 5 stitches!"

(Joseph and Judah said they could have taken my chain off because it was hanging off the pedal.)

Judah and Ezra biked home and got Dad and Zac.  They came up to the trail head in the car.

Zac said afterwards, that when he saw me he felt his stomach turn over and then remembered to help.

Dad said the same.

They drove me home and laid me on the couch and asked me if I had blacked out.

Then Mom called the doctor's office and asked if I could see my doctor.  (The after hours clinic had no openings, and told us to go to the ER.  We opted for a local urgent care clinic instead.)

They tested by blood pressure to make sure it was ok.

At the clinic, they laid me on the exam table and cleaned out the cut.

They put some stuff to make it go numb so I wouldn't feel anything.

The doctor said that the stuff they put in would only stay for a little while.

They got a needle that had some stuff that would make it go numb for longer.

Then they put stitches inside of the cut that would dissolve (2), and they put 7 more stitches outside the cut.  They put a huge band aid over the stitches and sent me home.

When she put the stitches in, she said to the nurse, "Ok, we're repairing Humpty Dumpty."

Then we came home.

I arrived home to a soft taco dinner with Louis, Father Straz, Chris, Cathy, Zac and Mom.

The other guys went to Boy Scouts.

My shirt was used to stop the bleeding.

My shirt was stained from the blood gushing from my chin, 

and the purple is from a blackberry fight with Ezra.

Reading Away

Peter is so close to finishing this giant book we gave him for Christmas containing

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis.

Tim read the books aloud to the boys many years ago, 

but Peter has so enjoyed reading them for himself.

If it gets too quiet around here, I know where to find Peter!

We didn't participate in any of the summer reading or summer outing or summer anything programs in which we have participated in years past.

Sadly, we haven't even been to a community track meet, which used to anchor our summer weeks each Monday night.

Yesterday we were all set to participate, early dinner ready in the crock pot, all systems "go" for an evening at the track.

But all our plans changed with a sudden and delightful visit from Zac's friend, Louis (18), who was travelling with Father Straz to Westminster Abbey in BC for a 24 hour retreat.

Father Straz and Louis were able to stop at our house for a quick dinner en route, which was such a wonderful blessing for us.

 Louis is entering seminary in 4 days!  Praise God!

We pray for Louis, in particular, and for all seminarians and priests, every day.

The Fair *part 2*

Collin and Joseph enjoy the thrills of the rides together.

Peter and Catherine prepare for adventure.

As soon as Peter was buckled in and ready to bumper car, the attendant decided it was maintenance time: taking the next 10 min. + to work on one of the 'broken' cars (which never did get up & running).

Catherine & Collin take a ride.

The Fair *part 1*

Zac, T, and Ezra hit the pavement in search of adventure.

Zac works his shift at the dairy booth as a scooper.  

His youth group filled a day's worth of shifts as a fundraiser.

Chris deals out some strawberry goo for a customer's sundae.

Ezra prepares to present a cone to a customer, each one called by name.

Cathy gets the cone stuffing started.

A Prayer of One Who Accepted the Invitation

Peter in the glow at Lake Padden

O good Jesus, open my ears to your Word and your voice, as you did open the ears of the man possessed by the deaf and dumb spirit, by the application of your sacred spittle, and close them altogether to the voice of the world and of Satan. Anoint me with the oil of your grace so that I may spread abroad, as it were, the divine odor of you in every place.  Give me a firm and lasting peace with you and with every kind of creature. Clothe me in the white robe of your holy innocence and divine purity, both bodily and spiritually.  Dispel the shadows of my darkness, filling me with your heavenly radiance.

Set me on fire with your sacred love and cause me to be a shining and a burning light, to illumine and enkindle all my associates with the light of your knowledge and the fire of your love.  Finally, if I became a source of joy to all the citizens of heaven, to the Blessed Virgin, the Eternal Father, yourself, and the Holy Spirit, when by baptism I was delivered from the power of Satan and admitted into the divine company of angels and saints, and even of the three divine and Eternal persons, and if in token of this joy the church bells were rung after I was baptized, cause me now to live henceforth in such as way as to continue to be a source of joy and satisfaction to the court of heaven, the Queen of Angels and the Most Blessed Trinity.  Grant also that I may find all my satisfaction and joy in serving and loving you.

                                                                        ~Saint John Eudes (+1680)  

Job Well Done

Every once in a while, you have to take a truck full of junk to the dump 

(and a car load of stuff to Hope House).

Yesterday was the day.

We borrowed a truck, and hauled 260lbs of junk from our property to the dump.

Wow.  That's a lot of junk!

Sure felt good to get it gone.

In celebration of the cleansing, we put up a new hammock in the backyard.

Costco special, 10 days only!

And the police paid us a visit yesterday:

Special Neighbor called to complain about the boys bb shooting off the back deck.

The friendly officer investigated the scene, saw the backdrop w/ hanging cans for target practice, and left satisfied that the boys were following safety protocol fair enough.

Life is never dull!

Flying Dog, flying boys

Charlie launches for the win!

Zac attempts to walk on water...

Charlie follows Tim into the deep.

Peter attempts to take over Ezra in the kayak as Joseph holds Charlie back.

Lake Bound

With the weather (finally) reaching the upper 70's and higher, we've hit the shores of Lake Whatcom these past two days for fun in the lake with friends and families.

Only a few injuries, nothing serious, from the constant boy play, including but not limited to:

 keep-a-way, get-a-way, toss-a-way, king of the dock, gang up on Zac, chase the kayak, 

and a whole host of other water fighting episodes.

Swimming?  Oh, they did a bit of that, too.

My main role: driver, lifeguard, referee....and time-keeper.

Collin and Joseph paddle along canoe style in the kayak.

Jonah takes Phillip for his first kayak ride.

This was Phillip's 6th day in the US, coming with 2 brothers and a sister into the family of 

Michael, Selloane, and Michelle.

Zachary defends his turf, perhaps with illegal force...

D gets in (or out of) the action.

Janell keeps Samuel in some mom shade.

Special thanks to Grandpa Cliff and Grandma Billie for hosting our gang at the shores of Lake Whatcom.

Hope discovers the stones' many shapes and colors.

Joseph takes a nap in the shade.

Hannah's ready to play!