Boy Scout Camp Family Night

 Tristan has been at his first year of Boy Scout Camp this week at Camp Eastman.  He was SO excited!!  I prepped him for it a little bit too much I guess (by buying every camping related item in the world, lol) because he showed up with a trunk full of stuff and the rest of the boys showed up with backpacks.  Well, crap, I didn't know...I thought he needed it and that it was expected of the parents to provide it.  Apparently it made him pretty popular at camp.  And being the kind hearted, generous boy he is, he shared everything....right down to his last dollar which he gave to his friend, Ed.   

On Wednesday night it was family night for the whole campground.  Each troop had supper at their camps for the families.  Our troop did potluck.  Jeremy and I went in with very low expectations on the food, haha!  But, we were ever so pleasantly surprised to have an AWESOME meal!! Woot!!  I inspected Tristan's tent, which was a complete disaster!! haha!  I guess that is what you get when you have a whole campground full of teenage boys!  

I let him take the hammock that Jeremy got me for Christmas last year.  I hadn't used it yet and was worried that I never would get to use it after it being at a boys camp for a week.  But, again, pleasantly surprised!! It was in in fine shape and all our other boys had to have a turn on the hammock....and fight over it just a little bit too! Tristan was out of money and most of the food by that night and it was only half way through the week!  Neither one of us had any cash on us and the money he had was more than enough for the whole week so he only got 75 cents more from us that we dug up in the Expedition, lol.

 Cullen has not stopped talking about scout camp since we went.  That boy loved it there!! And he wants to go camping so........we must do that as a family before summer is gone!  

 Classic Asher face!

 We hung out, ate, chatted, let Tristan talk our ears off (lol), and took pictures!  There was a camp bonfire and the Arrow of Light ceremony that we could go to too.  Parts of it require complete silence and lots of sitting.  We figured that all the other kids wouldn't do good for that part so we took them all to Jeremy's mom's house to stay so we could go back.  

 Father and Son

 "Wait, there's cake?"

 All the families eating.  Grandma Trapp even came out for the night.
 That was nice of her! Next year we will have both Tristan and Cedric at scout camp and I think Eden will be old enough to be good during it.  Then the whole family can come because it is really fun!

 Cedric's turn in the hammock.

 Hyrum, one of Tristan's friends, had a birthday that day too so there was cake!!

 Tristan tending to the fire.

 When we got back from taking the other kids to Debbie's we made it just in time to see Tristan take part in the evening flag ceremony.  He did so good and looked pretty flipping awesome in his uniform.

 Our Boy Scout.

 Folding the flag.

 Jeremy and Tristan

 On the way to the fire they had this conversation in front of me as we were walking.  Then they stopped and just kept talking.  About boys scout stuff of course.  Jeremy said the whole night brought back lots of really good memories for him and he was really happy to share the evening with Tristan.  

 He looks like my Dad when he makes this face.  Love it. 

 Jason Skog is the scoutmaster.  He had a family reunion in Utah and couldn't be there though.  Jason is also the one who tapped Jeremy out for the Arrow of Light/Silver Tomahawk.  Anyway, he usually builds like 18 foot tall log cabin fires like this one above.  Some of the boys were complaining that it was too small.  I thought it was awesome.  Later on when the Indians came in, they lit that Tomahawk on fire too! Awesome sauce.

 Grandma Trapp and Tristan

 Aaron, was one of the staff at Eastman.  He was hilarious! We watched the staff and the scouts do a bunch of skits!  They were so much fun to watch and so funny too!

 Troop 107 doing their skit.  

Tristan's troop didn't do theirs until today so we didn't get to see it.  Bummer.

 Tristan's troop #110.  He sat with us the whole time though. :)

 Another one of the staff performing "magic tricks". 

 The guy on the right is Egbert.....more about him later. 

 Some of the crowd.

 My Egbert story.

Egbert is one of the staff at Eastman.  After all the skits and before the Indian ceremony he called a few of his friends to the center and gave them each a candle.  They all lit them and stood behind him.  Then he started talking about how he had been working at Camp Eastman for three years now and how great it has been.  And one day he was assigned to crafts and handiworks cabin or something like that.  Well a new girl had been hired and he had to work with her.  First he gave her a little corner of the cabin to work in and went about his business.  Then they started talking and got to be good friends.  He said that he always takes a walk around camp on the last night to soak everything up.  That year she found him and they walked and talked all night long.  Finally at four in the morning, on one of the benches there in the campground, he finally worked up the nerve to ask her out.  She said yes.  That was on July 24th three years ago.  So, the night we were there happened to be the 24th of July.  He then turned to her in the crowd.  She was sitting next to her her brother and Egbert told him to bring his sister to the center.  That is when it dawned on me just what the heck was going on !!!!!  I was beyond thrilled!!  It was just getting the point where it was getting too dark to get any decent pictures but, I still tried to get what I could. 

 She was so nervous!! It was the cutest thing I have ever seen!! Oh my goodness, seriously, I was tearing up!  For reals!  Yes, over people that I do not know!  But, I have never been in a situation where something that RANDOM and AMAZING has happened!! 

I could not stop talking about it.  Probably annoyed all those around me.

 He said something clever along the lines of

"At first I gave you a corner, now won't you come join me in mine." 

 Or something...can't remember word for word.  

 Will you marry me?

 Yes!!!  

 Then the whole Indian thing started.  It was fantastic! Next year we will be taking the bigger boys for sure!  It was so cool and very serious.  

 The drumming was impressive. 

 As was the dancing.

 The ceremony had me drawn in the whole time.  It was this intimidating, wonderful thing all rolled into one.  I am really glad we went back to watch it.  

We were supposed to pick Tristan up tomorrow morning but they called today and said they were breaking camp early and to pick the boys up at 7:00 tonight.  Tristan's home now and is so full of stories and youthful excitement.  I love it!  He said he was glad to get back to a clean bathroom though!