N is for New Experiences................

joining cub scouts is new for us this year. my oldest never had the desire to join so i was happy when my youngest wanted to try it out. i never joined girl scouts as a child so i really didn't know too much about it. yet - from what i had heard about scouts - its seemed like it would fit into our lifestyle quite nicely. i was right. my oldest is having so much fun tagging along to events that he wants to join boy scouts next year. i'm enjoying it too and have volunteered to be a den leader.

we had our first cub-o-ree this past weekend and even though it was chilly and dreary the boys had a great time. they learned about firestarting, rope making, using slingshots and compass skills to name a few.

this event also was the setting for another new experience.......my son's first meat hot dog. i had packed sandwiches for everyone knowing that there would only be hot dogs served. being "different" never seemed to bother my oldest....and for the most part my youngest doesn't mind either - until he saw the other cubs all eating hot dogs. i thought about bringing veggie hot dogs but didn't think it would matter that much - well it did..........so once he saw everyone eating a hot dog - and he had a cheese sandwich in front of him - he asked for one. after i told him it was meat he still didn't care - so i took a deep breathe and casually went in and got him one. while we are raising our boys as vegetarians we aren't making them be vegetarians. if they want to try meat they can....and if they chose to become meat eaters than that is fine too. but we'll cross that bridge when and if we get to it. so for now - a meat hotdog it is.....

while carving pumpkins is not new to us - it was to this little boy. he is in town from california visiting a friend of mine. he wanted to experience autumn like we do - including carving pumpkins...so my friend very kindly set up a pumpkin carving playdate. we all enjoyed ourselves tremendously.

you know - i think it is sad that so many people - including children - don't bother to carve pumpkins anymore. you can buy fake pumpkins at craft stores to carve - or avoid the mess completely and just paint them. i don't know - i think there is something magical in the whole process of choosing the perfect pumpkin - then picking a pattern - cutting off the top - scooping out all the slimy but oh so tasty pumpkin seeds - using all those cool little tools to carve and finally putting in the candle and stepping back to see your image come alive! my sil recently started holding a pumpkin carving party every year and it is definitely a highlight of our season.