I need to vent about our Scout group. Again ! However, I have calmed down quite a bit since emailing a fellow Scout Mom. She is super nice and I just adore her.

Anyways! We got a handout from Scouts regarding Family Camp this June. Family Camp is when the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Cub Scouts, and all their family members get together and camp out for a two nights/three days. Some times we need gps fleet tracking to stay on track as there are so many people. Plus, its great fun and we have had a blast in the past. This year tho, the handout said that anyone that is not a Cub, has to pay $50.00 per family. This will cover all the food (except two meals) the camp site fees and misc things. Oh sure, this is great for Families that have Boys, Cubs and Girl Scouts, but what about us Families that have One Kid. ONE ! ! I am soo ticked off.

I was also under the impression that the Commitee would have a say in this. I am a member, in fact, I am in control of the finances….but noooo, nobody asks me how much money there is, how much we can spare, or anything. “They”, whoever they may be, have taken it upon themselves to lay down the rules, and us peons must follow whatever they say.

So I am in the process of finding out if it is okay with “The Almighty Leaders”, if my son and I go up there, reserve our own tent site ($12.67) and bring all our own food (what we happen to have in the house). This would save me more than 50 %. I am all for participation, but I mean really people !

I just dont know what to do. The Scout group we are part of is planning their Week Long Summer camp. We have had a few meetings, in person, email and on the phone trying to decide what is going to happen.

At first we were going out of State, then that was too expensive, so we were staying local and now its back to out of State. Well, the main prob I have is of course, Money. It will cost me about $300. The troop is paying for the camp itself, but I would need to pay for transportation, gas and misc spending money for my son; like pop and stuff at the Trading Post. So $300 is a good estimate.

At the in-person meeting this week, I got bombarded w/a few people saying they would either sponsor me and or they know groups that help out w/funds like a Grant-type thingy. I gave in to all the pressue at the meeting, but now I am not happy. I hate, I mean relly Hate being a charity case. It eats away at me and makes me insane. I also like to take care of me and my son by myself as much as possible. I could get the money, but it would take away from other things, so I just dont know. But I have decided I am NOT going to be sponsored and no one is going to pay for this but me. errrr.

My son is totally aware of our finances and cant decide if he wants to go anymore either. There are many other issues too; like the X for one. Plus, there are some kids in the troop that really grate on both my kiddos and my nerves ( as in I just want to strangle them ). Plus, the drive would be over 10 hours! I mean really – 12 kids and about 3 leaders in a van, driving, for over 10 hours. and this is with out any electronic gizmos such as GameBoys! I try to put myself in my sons possition and I am like, yuck ! No Way ! !

I need to decide if it is all worth it is all.

sorry this post is so long….just me ramblin’ away….

XO

My son recently had Scouts the other night. He came home and totally unloaded on me! Which is good, cuz I need to hear what is going when I am not there. He is pretty high in rank, a Star; this means he only has one rank left before going for Eagle. Anyways, I guess the boys that were not going camping this weekend had to stack chairs for the church they meet at. Okay, not too bad, but the way he put it was that this was like some sort of punishment for him not going camping. I asked where the others were going to camp and he did not know. If they go somewhere fun and do fun stuff, they he wants to go, but otherwise, he just doest go anymore. (I am still very upset at the year-round camping issue from last year). I could ramble away for a while, but I am going to make this a shorter post. I mean really, maybe they could get some delta machinery to help them w/all that moving stuff around! Needless to say, we are looking for another troop to join. One that the boys will learn something and have fun at the same time. It cant be that impossible……

Now that the Holiday season is over, we can finally relax a little. We were rather busy with Scouts this year too. I mentioned before, we did the RC Willey hot dog give away a couple times and we also did a Christmas Wreath fund raiser. I am not much of a fund raiser person. They do them in Elementary and Middle schools too, to raise money, but we don’t participate much in those. The Wreath fund raiser sold about $1600 worth of fresh wreaths, however, the catch is that it cost us $1400 to purchase the wreaths. So we only made about $400 profit and for all the work we did, it’s just not worth it. Our troop decided we are not doing this next year.

Shoutback has a auction system that to me, seems better than soliciting at work and in the neighborhood. Maybe I can take this back to our Troop and see what they say. We need ideas in order for us to have the boys go to the week long camp out this summer. Its a great camp out, but its rather expensive per boy. Plus, our Troop is growing and we need camping equipment too! Fun stuff like tents, chairs, cooking gear, and of course the occasional after camp out fast food stop!

Well. As I was saying, yesterdays Court of Honor was interesting. Here is a pic of our leaders….. ….its not that great of a pic, buts its the best I can do here at work !

My son worked SO fetchin’ hard this year to get where he is; Star Rank. Plus, he went camping 10 out of 12 months this year w/the troop. One was a snow campout too, in like 10 feet of snow! in a tent ! Only 3 other boys did that in the entire Troop. BUT! ! ! get this, they awarded that honor to 5 boys. I am soooo pissed. They counted a extra leadership training in November as a ‘make-up’ camp. Which ticks me off! The honor is for going 10 MONTHS! ! ! and and not 10 TIMES ! ! ! Sure, its easy to camp 10 times a year, but 10 MONTHS ! ! ! errrrr.

I think this is buggin me more than my son. I almost had it out with the ScoutMaster last night, about this and a couple other issues. I am still fummin’ mad, but have calmed down a lot.

2008 will be different. Right now I just dont care anymore. The slackers can be slackers and pay for it later. NOT a good thing to teach ones child, how to get away w/getting an award that you did not deserve. I have such a great kiddo, he understands, but still ! ! ! errrrrrr.