Cub Scout Day Camp and rock climbing

 

This was Toby's first year going to Cub Scout Day Camp.  He had a couple of friends in his group, which made him happy... even though he doesn't particularly look happy in this photo.

 

The first two days we dropped him off and the other kids and I went to do other things while Toby enjoyed crafts, sports, archery, campfire cooking, shooting BB guns, and learning the basics of whittling.  He even rode a mechanical bull! On the last day I drove him down and stuck around to go on the hike and spend some time with my Buddy.

 

He had a great time with all of the activities, and I think next year we will plan to camp out overnight closer to the day camp location to minimize the driving and maximize the Scout experience. (We had planned to this year but then the forecast was rain everyday so I backed out, and it did rain hard several times in those three days.) I'm glad Toby had fun and was such a good kid at camp.  He is growing up so fast!

 

 

The one rainy day while Toby was at camp, I was trying to find something fun to do with my other three kiddos and I remembered that there is a rock climbing wall in the sporting goods store at Ramstein.  We've never done any rock climbing (the kids and I, that is) so I thought this would be interesting.  Turns out Charlotte (while not dressed for this activity) LOVED it and her long spider limbs seem to be well suited to rock climbing.  She climbed nearly to the top of the wall with an auto-belay and was fearless about the heights.  She wants to go again soon!

 

 

Amelie made it up as high as I could reach to help her and loved going up.  But she did NOT trust the auto-belay and would hang there until her arms gave out and come down flailing.  It was kinda hilarious. But she did it again and again, so it must not have been that traumatic.

 

 

And Jake only climbed as high as he had to (with a little help now and then) in order to enjoy a nice belay down.  He thought the going up was hard but loved riding back down. We will need to go again and let Toby give it a try too. I'd also like to give it a try, but will need Rob there to help supervise children in order for that to happen.  It was a fun day for all of us!