Camp Raymond: boyscout camp

Every few years my boys' boyscout troop goes for a week to a boyscout summer camp. This summer was Declan's turn to go to Camp Raymond.  Eddy was asked to accompany the troop so that made it possible for McCoy to go as well as McCoy would be to young to go otherwise.  They set out at 2am early Monday morning so they could arrive to Camp Raymond by the 8am flag ceremony.  Eddy felt like the drive was pure torture! They also had to re-route due to a fatality on the highway that shut down the road for several hours. 

McCoy far left, Declan in middle on the way to Camp Raymond

Whole Troop 

(Eddy far right, McCoy center, Declan just left of McCoy)

While at Camp Raymond the boys were able to work on merit badges and were fed very well in a cafeteria.  Eddy was able enjoy many naps and some leisure time.  Eddy is an adventurous soul and took the opportunity to rappel down a cliff.  

Declan's favorite thing at Camp Raymond was the Climbing Merit Badge which included rappelling.  According to Declan the tater tots were epic! During Declan's down time he enjoyed playing liar's dice with his fellow scouts.  

Eddy rappels

McCoy thought scout camp was pretty fun and he thought the food was pretty good.  His favorite merit badge he did was Leatherwork.  He did get homesick as he had never been away from home for a whole week before.  McCoy also liked the trading post where he got a cool knife and a baja hoodie.

Declan, Eddy and McCoy in the cafeteria

I received only a couple of photos of their adventures the one above was one of my favorites! Without a mom to nag them to take photos there isn't too much photographic evidence of their scout camp week but I'm sure they have lots of good memories of it.

Zaynzley's First Needlepoint

I had, had a great idea to take all the kids to the craft store and pick out a simple kit for them to do.  Creativity and crafting has so many good benefits, and I felt like we spend so much time and effort on various sports that maybe this craft project would help balance things out.  All the kids (except Quinton who was with the team) each picked a kid-friendly craft kit out.  It wasn't to long after we started the kits that I realized I had in reality bought myself 4 kits to accomplish.  All of them need such help it was really like I was doing them.  Zaynzley was the most interested in doing her kit which was a simple needlepoint and so we worked on off for the last year or so. Eddy also pitched in and would help from time to time. Today we finally finished it! We of course lost the instructions so I just filled in the face as best I could remember.  So it isn't perfect but in crafting that is not the win--the win is in finishing something!  Zaynzley is pretty happy about it now that we can finally hang it in her room.

Zaynzley and her kitty 

(FYI thats a kitty)

Eddy has been press-ganged into crafting and he is delighted to be helping!

Eddy working on Archer's needlepoint

Now I have just 3 more projects to go for the win!

$25.00 Ice Cream Sundae

Where can you find a $25.00 ice cream Sundae? No, not Italy, where once my sister was bamboozled into buying a much more expensive gelato than she expected.  We knew what we were buying-- a baseball helmet full of Cold-stone Creamery ice cream!  The whole family had gone to a Diamondbacks baseball game. Eddy likes to sit at the very top in front of an air conditioning vent.  It is quite a steep hike-like going straight up to get to our seats.  Once you're up there you have to be pretty motivated to leave your seat and head down ten flights of stairs to the bathrooms or food vendors.  Luckily for us, Eddy was willing to make the trek.

Eddy's triumphant return

Eddy holding the helmet of ice cream, waffle cone pieces and 

two brownies with seven spoons!

Moments after arriving everyone digs into the ice cream

 The ice cream lasted quite a while and most of us had had plenty and there was still some left.  Of course a few valiant ones were willing to finish off every last bite.

Archer holding the nearly empty helmet

Quinton savors the last of it

(Just down from him were a group of shirtless boys--Archer decided to join them)

Not only did we get $25.00 of ice cream but Eddy also got a souvenir helmet for his office!  

What a bargain!!

Eddy's Favorite B-day Cake!

Eddy is not the biggest fan of birthday cake, but he finally found a recipe he likes. 

Recipe Follows:

Eddy's Favorite Birthday Cake

8 oz. ground beef

2 slices American Cheese

1 hamburger bun

1/2 Onion chopped

1/4c. Jalepenos

2 T. Mayo

1.  Take a bun and toast it  2. Put on a hand-shaped, flat grilled patty, add melted cheese 3. Add another patty with add cheese 4. Top with grilled onions with jalapenos and the bun top smeared with Mayo  5.  Add candle and light 

                                   

Eddy with his Cake, and Scott

His best friend runs a grill shack that really makes the best hamburgers in town (Eagles Roost). Before Eddy got a job as principal he and Scott worked together in the summer as handy men.  They became such good buds that Scott can make Eddy's Favorite Cake without a recipe now!

                                                          Happy Birthday Eddy!

A Horrific Tail (not for the squeamish)

Now that Eddy is a principal he can come home for lunch once in awhile which is something he never could do as a teacher.  (Such a fun mid-week date!)  We had some leftover pizza hut pizza and I was heating it up in the oven so it would be nice and toasty for when Eddy arrived home for lunch.  About the time I was expecting him to arrive, he called to say something had come up at school and he would be a half hour late.  I then turned off the oven to keep the pizza warm till he got home.  About forty minutes passed and Eddy called to say he say wouldn't be able to make it all.  Zaynzley and I sadly decided to eat some pizza without him.

Just about then Archy got home from school and saw Zany eating pizza and wanted some.  I reached in the oven to get him a piece and I saw a MOUSE running around in my oven!  I screamed and slammed the oven door shut.   I immediately called Eddy and told him what happened and asked what I should do?  He recommended turning the oven on, which is gas, and cranking it up to 500 degrees.  I said I would but demanded that he come home immediately.  A mouse in the oven isn't something a girl wants to face alone.  I disturbingly wondered what the smell of roasting mouse would be like? Maybe the smell of the leftover burning pizza would hide any other odors. Then my thoughts turned to the fact that the pizza Zany and I just consumed was recently in the company of a mouse.  That darn asiago pizza hut crust was just to much for a mouse resist.

As I waited for Eddy to get home, I watched the oven temperature slowly rise.  If only I had cleaned my oven door so I could see into my oven better and see what was happening but it was to dark to make out any activity.  We gave the oven a good ten minutes at 500 degrees.  We then trepidatiously opened the oven door to see black pizza but no mouse.  Eddy then decided to pull the oven out from the wall.  Out came the mouse alive and well and it ran across the kitchen accompanied by screams (Eddy's or mine who's to say) and went under the dishwasher.  I decided the best thing to do was borrow a Red Ryder BB gun from a friend and shoot the mouse when he came out.  Eddy set up a sniper nest, and lay in wait for the mouse.

Zany joins Eddy in the sniper nest

I went to walmart to buy mouse traps of all kinds and to buy what I imagine hunters would eat while lying in wait for their prey, jerky and a vanilla pepsi.  I delivered the soda and jerky to Eddy and he continued to watch for the mouse.  At one point the mouse began to come out and Eddy shot but the mouse went back under the dishwasher.  We put out the glue traps and Quinton joined Eddy on stakeout with another BB rifle.  They waited for over an hour and no mouse.  I decided the best thing to do was turn out lights and have all the kids go to bed and have the house quiet.  We put barricades to keep the mouse in the kitchen.  About five minutes after the house was quiet I went back to kitchen and I saw the mouse on the glue trap. I called for Eddy.  

Just then Declan and McCoy were on their way to the bathroom and get a drink and got to see what happened next.  I yelled for Eddy to shot the mouse, meanwhile the mouse was struggling desperately to get off the glue trap.  Soon only the mouse's tail was caught on the trap and Eddy fired several shots from close range.  We were afraid the mouse was going to get his tail off the trap so Eddy grabbed some pliers and got hold of the mouse's tail.  Eddy then began bludgeoning the mouse with the rifle.  After ten good whacks it was all over!  

Barricade with Zany and Eddy still on Sniper duty. 

She actually feel asleep next to Eddy on sniper duty.

(Walmart bag with more kinds of mouse traps.)

Whack-A-Mouse

Who knew all that time Eddy spent at Chuck E Cheese 

playing Whack-A-Mole would one day pay off!

Eat what you kill, right?

All in all Eddy spent 5 hours lying on the floor waiting for a mouse, and it was his first hunt and first kill.  I don't think I will mount that trophy though!  If you asked me what true love was when I was youngster I would have pointed to fairytales and said Happily Ever After, of course.  Now that I am older my answer would be different.  True Love is to be willing to lie on a cold floor for hours because you know your wife will freak if she has to go to bed knowing there is a mouse roaming the house. 

My Hero the Mighty Mouse Slayer!  

Thanks for my Happily (Mouse Free) Ever After!

At Long Last!

Over five years ago, Eddy got his masters degree in Education Leadership so he could be a Principal.  He has applied for four Principal jobs over the last five years but never got the job (we had decided we didn't want to move away from here to pursue a job so Eddy had to patiently wait for principal jobs in our area to open up).  He didn't let the rejection get him down and when he heard that a nearby district was hiring an Elementary Principal he applied.  

Introducing the newest Elementary Principal in the Gila Valley: 

Principal Carlton.

All gussied up for his interview, soon to be Principal Carlton

Eddy is very excited to have his first administration job and funnily enough he applied five years ago for this same job but didn't get it.  Although he is a bit nervous he is ready to jump into his new challenge.  We are all very happy and know he will be a great Principal!

What Weekend?!

This weekend was consumed by one sickness than another and a near mutiny.   Poor Eddy noticed on his way home from work that maybe he was getting sick. By the time the seven minute drive was over and he was home he felt quite ill and his throat burned like fire.  Whenever Eddy has a sore throat it is always a strep throat.  He had a raging case of strep that was accompanied by bouts of dizziness and aches.  He spent his entire weekend miserable on the couch or in bed.  

(Warning: this paragraph may not be for the squeamish) Declan woke up early Sunday morning feeling ill, he leaned over the top bunk rail and threw up.  From that height the spray covered a very large area and I was once again glad for my decision to have no carpets in my house.  Luckily wee Archer didn't pop his head out of the lower bunk to see what was happening.  Eddy made it to Declan's room first where he found Declan standing on his bed cupping as much throw up  as he could in his hands.  We later had a discussion about next time possible just throwing up on his blanket rather than spraying every non moving surface with chunks.

Declan

Due to the aforementioned illnesses, we once again had to postpone our Easter egg hunt.  One thing and another has causes us to cancel and reschedule our traditional Easter egg hunt in Duncan.  When I told the children we had to cancel on Saturday because Eddy was sick but not to worry we would just move it to the next day in the hopes Eddy medicine would kick in and he would feel better. This news was met with many dark mutters and vague threats.  When Declan woke up sick on Sunday we had to cancel the hunt for this weekend altogether.  I had a full blown mutiny on my hands.  There were many tears and fits of anger and disappointment expressed loudly.  Much better to never children tell when things are occurring so they won't have fodder for mutiny.  

All I can say for this weekend is we survived it and we may be penciling in a Easter Egg hunt for this next weekend but don't tell the children.

Start 'Em Young

When I was kid I can clearly remember countless hours spent at home improvement stores like Home Depot.  My dad always had a project or two going.  I found Home Depot somewhat boring as a kid but I did like playing with the tile and laying out different patterns.  In the intervening years, Home Depot has learned if you can start kids young in building projects you can create a customer for life.  They have a workshop for kids every first Saturday of the month that is free.  My kids love to go and build something in the kids workshop.  

It's funny how kids just grow out of things of their own accord. This has happened to Quinton with the Home Depot Kids Workshop.  He didn't make a box but he was assigned to help Archer with his.  I did a terrible job photographing it as I was so busy helping McCoy with his project.  I didn't even remember to take any photos until the painting part.  They assembled these from precut wood using nails and wood glue.  They really enjoyed getting to use a hammer.

Zany paints while Eddy helps Archer

Declan carefully paints his box

McCoy really enjoyed picking his pattern

Archy, love the Saturday morning hair

Makes me kinda wish I was a kid again so I could make one!

10,000 dollars richer . . .

in the classroom, anyway.  Eddy applied for a grant from United Way to help make his classroom a digital classroom through the purchase of 32 Chromebooks (laptops).  In his proposal he requested $10,000 to allow for a set of classroom laptops and all the extras you need for it.  He was very excited when he was approved for the grant.  Eddy is working on a second masters degree in Curriculum and Technology in Education and this grant will allow him to incorporate more of what he is learning into his classroom.

Paragraph below from the article that appeared in the local newspaper:

"The season of giving continued a little longer for the United Way of Safford and one Elementary classroom this month as representatives from the United Way awarded Mr. Eddy Carlton, a third grade teacher at Dorothy Stinson Elementary a grant of nearly $10,000. Shortly after the winter break Mr. Carlton filled out the grant application that would make his classroom a 1-to-1 computer classroom. On the morning the grant was awarded the United Way representatives were greeted to cheers and posters made by students in Mr. Carlton's class. Mr. Mike Moreno, Principal of Dorothy Stinson and Dr. Mark Tragaskes, Superintendent of Safford Unified Schools were both in attendance for the award ceremony. Mr. Carlton and his class are very excited for the opportunity to become a digital classroom and are grateful to the United Way for their continued generosity."

Mr.Carlton (Eddy) presented with a check for $10,000!

Mr. Carlton's class made posters to say thank you to United Way

Congratulations, Mr. Carlton and big Thank You to United Way for making it possible!

2015 Pinewood Derby

It's that time of the year where the menfolk in these parts blow the sawdust of the ban saws and see who can make the fast car in the west.  Yessir, it is Pinewood Derby time, a long held cub scouting tradition.  Each cub scout is given a kit containing a block of wood, axles, and tires and then the fun begins.  The cub scouts have very little to do with the construction of their cars but if they are really lucky they get to paint and maybe sand a little, for the most part the Dads take it over and do it all.  It isn't a terribly fair contest as you have to have own or have access to woodworking tools.  For years we didn't and Eddy would do the best he could with what he had and poor Quinton would always come in last.  Many a tear was shed at these Pinewood Derby Races.  Nowadays, Eddy is more experienced and has a friend with a nice woodworking shop.  So his cars do quite well and the boys are all smiles.

This year McCoy had a space shuttle themed car and Declan had a sleek race car.  The race is results are all electronic and Pinewood Derby is taken very seriously.  There are lots of rules from how heavy the car can be to who can touch the car (just the scout) but the boys do have a lot of fun.  

McCoy (left) and Declan with their cars

Getting their cars all set on the track with projected race info behind

Declan watches his car closely

Very closely

 (his is the red one in the lead)

When it was all said and done McCoy took 1st place for Wolves and 3rd place over all. Declan took first place for Webelos and 2nd place overall.  They could go on to districts which is the next level of racing but I prefer not pursue greater glory and just enjoy our success.  No need to add more tears the Pinewood Derby experience. 

McCoy with his trophy

Declan with his trophy

New for the Loo

I have strong opinions about toilets.  I spend a lot of time with my toilet cleaning and trying to protect it from lots of boys who would use it carelessly.  We have just the one toilet for all seven of us, very 1940's I know.  When something was dropped on the toilet breaking the porcelain connecting the toilet to the tank I maybe smiled inwardly.  At last, I could get the toilet of my dreams! Unfortunately, the toilet still worked fine for a whole year.  Then a big piece of porcelain fell off and water began slowly dripping from the tank.  I decided it was time for a new one.  With five males using this toilet, I was willing to pay extra for an all-in-one toilet to stop pee getting between the toilet and the tank.  I also wanted an elongated toilet, the bigger target the better.  I also wanted an enclosed S bend but that made the toilet really pricey so I had to forgo that wish.

We special ordered the toilet from Home Depot (Kohler: Santa Rosa $300.00).  When it finally arrived Eddy unboxed it and it was lovely, gloriously large and sparklingly white.  I have learned over the years through many, many projects that the difficulty of a project can be judged by the number of trips you take to Home Depot.  Sometimes it is ten or like this project just one.

Prepping the plumbing with old round toilet. Eddy updated the water shut off valve (1/4 turn valve) and always replaces the hose when working on toilets. Eddy prefers TP2 pipe thread sealant over Teflon tape.

What else came in the toilet box?

Eddy at Home Depot with, if you look closely, an elusive home depot worker

New kind of toilet seal combines traditional wax seal that is encased

A couple of years after we bought the house we were having toilet troubles and we took off the toilet to discover a root as big as a mans forearm in (length and width) that had grown into the sewer line but the sewer pipe was intact it had grown through the wax seal.  That was a nasty one.  Thankfully it has never grown back!

Welcome to the family, I am sure you will get to know us all very well!

Eddy's note...DON'T OVER TIGHTEN!

Mystery Artist

When Eddy has to go to early morning meetings or be an a.m. substitute bus driver, he likes to pick out his clothes the night before and lay them out in the living room so he won't wake me up (nice guy).  At lunchtime, a fellow teacher asked Eddy why he had a guy drawn on his rear.  Eddy had no idea what she was talking about.  Then several other people noticed.  Eddy was horrified when he discovered that someone had used his pants for some artistic expression.  He was forced to continue wearing the pants the rest of the day much to his chagrin. I had noticed that someone had draw in pen on his pants but I had no idea he hadn't seen it and he was going to wear them.  No one as of yet has fessed up to the deed but if I was a betting mama I would put my money on Archer.  It is a rather cute stick figure and seeing how it didn't come out in the wash we can continue to enjoy the doodlings of the mystery artist.

Fancy Pants

The One-bite Cookie Monster

 Quinton really wanted to make cookies probably because he knows that is the only way they will get made.  I picked my favorite cookies to be made using the Andes Mint Chips (recipe on the back of the bag).  Light mint flavor and they only use one stick of butter!  The whole family had some cookies and there quite a few leftover.  Everyone was about their own business when I heard a sharp yell of shock.  Eddy discovered Zany delicately picking up one cookie taking a small bite then putting it back and then picking up a different cookie and taking one bite.  He was shocked, horrified and offended by the very thought of a person systematically taking one bite of each cookie. In fact, he thought it was something I would do.  When I told Nona over the phone about one bite cookie monster she said it sounded like something I would do and my sister agreed.  Now who is offended?  I haven't ever done it but now thinking about it maybe I would like too!  

How many cookies did Zany bite before she was stopped?  Nine cookies!

Zany caught in the act

Nine cookie victims

A day later I made pumpkin rolls-savory (not to be confused with pumpkin roll-sweet), and the leftover rolls were sitting on the counter unattended.  When who should appear and start taking one bite out of the rolls? Zany but she was stopped before she had gotten to number four.

Now which roll needs one bite next?

She is a one bite wonder.  I guess we will have to keep a close eye on her come Thanksgiving all that lovely food left unattended.

2014 Christmas Ornament Selections

Eddy and I were married December 17, soon after Christmas came and although we had a Christmas tree we had only a handful of Christmas ornaments.  When my children are grown, I want them to have a box of ornaments that they loving picked out over the years of their childhood that they can take with them when they leave home.  Every year as a family we go to the store and everyone gets to pick an ornament for that year, I used to try to find ornaments that represented something from that year but it was to hard to find ornaments accordingly so everyone just picks one that they like.

The kids love to go pick out their own ornament and really look forward to it.  I set the price of how much an ornament can cost ($2) and then when they find one they like they put it in the cart but if they find another that they like they have to switch it out as only one ornament in the cart per person.  It has taken a few years to perfect the process. We almost never go to the store as a whole family and after the yearly pick out ornaments trip I remember why-chaos.  We keep our focus just on the ornaments and try to make it as quick as possible.

After singing christmas carols on the drive to the store we arrived to find Wal-mart had set up a lovely photo shoot for us.  So we obligingly took a photo.  Wait, what was that sound?  A groan of a teenager and a whoosh of air as he darted away.  Maybe Quinton needs to sing more christmas carols with his off-key family to get him in the spirit of Christmas.

Merry Christmas from four Carlton children, I bet Santa is taking notes

 Can you guess who picked which ornament?

A. Rhiannon-I am trying to make Santa's life easier,

 now if someone is naughty he doesn't have to bring his own coal 

he can pluck this off the tree and drop it in a stocking

B. McCoy-loves his sundevils

C. Quinton-he found his ornament the fastest and every year he picks a Santa

D. Declan-he really liked this sleigh and one of his favorite christmas carols is Jingle Bells

E.  Zaynzley-found hers right away and happily carried the cupcake the whole time

F.  Eddy-has high hopes for the Arizona Cardinals this year

G.  Archer-Acorn for some reason Archer really wanted an acorn even though he has never seen a real one as they don't grow around here.  He kept picking ornaments like a turquoise oval with a band of gold glitter and declaring it was an acorn and his choice for this year's ornament.  I was fine with that whatever his heart wanted.  As we were about to leave, Eddy asked Archer which ornament was his I told him it was Archer's acorn and Eddy said why doesn't he get that acorn pointing right at a real acorn ornament that we overlooked.  Archer was very happy to find a real acorn ornament and it even had a jingle bell in it.

Look at all those ornaments to choose from!

Declan faux bites a cupcake ornament so then his bros have to do it too

Archy bites an almost acorn

McCoy finds a golden apple

Eddy's favorite ornament section the Arizona Cardinals and Sundevils

Archy nearly bites Zany's ornament

Archy, McCoy, Declan, Quinton, Eddy & Zany

Ornaments selected, just need to write their names and year and then hang them on the tree with all their ornaments from years past!

Merry Christmas to Me!

 For years now, I have wanted a cabin in the woods to call my own (unrealistic dream at this time). [Lots of the old established families around here have cabins on Mt. Graham (10,000 foot mountain) but they don't own the land as it is leased from the government so no banks will loan the money for a cabin purchase, you have to have cash in hand to buy one and they aren't to cheap.] I just love the coziness of a cabin and decided that one of my favorite things about a cabin, a fire in a wood stove, could someday be mine.   I had no where in my house to put a wood stove but then we turned our former single car garage into a family room and suddenly I had a possible location.  

The next issue to be decided wood stove or pellet stove?  I did lots of research and even watched youtube thinking at the time I can't believe people make videos about this (fire burning in a pellet stove) and what's more I am watching this video fascinated by it.  I like the authenticness of a wood stove and I am a romantic soul, so the idea of going into the wild and harvesting wood was greatly appealing to me.  Once you have your wood stove, there are no motors, it can last a lifetime unlike pellet stoves with their three motors and control board.  Wood stoves are silent unlike noisy pellet stoves and nowadays wood stoves have large glass like windows so you can watch the fire (another favorite pastime).  I decided that a wood stove was the right fit for me (although you can even buy eco-bricks [Tractor Supply Company] that are wood byproducts pressed into a brick shape much like pellets that you can burn just like logs except they last 2 1/2 times longer, if you would like that convenience).

Eddy was not a fan of the wood stove idea but I gradually wore him down and I think more as a way to shut me up he finally agreed to it.  After many wishful visits to Tractor Supply Company, I finally got to go and chose my own little wood stove and bring it home.  Eddy the handyman took it from there and was able to install it in a weekend.  As with most home improvement projects there were many problems to solve and difficulties to overcome.  Eddy preserverved and before I knew it I was sitting in front of my own little cozy fire.  What a lovely ambiance it brings to a room!  I roasted myself into a stupor and loved every minute of it (it may have been eighty degrees outside but I really wanted to try it out).

Countless hours spent at home depot selecting things for projects: here we are selecting tile for under the wood stove that we didn't end up having to do (thank goodness) and ended up returning all these supplies.

Eddy (flashing the sundevil sign as they were beating Notre Dame quite nicely) cut out a hole in our ceiling for the wood stove ductwork.  That is true love I tell you, to give up watching part of your favorite team to be in a tiny attic only four feet tall with only rafters to kneel on.  Thankfully no feet came through the drywall.

Eddy did the majority of the work while I was gone, so I don't have any more photos of the process to share.  

At last, Eddy lights the first fire

Archy had been excitedly waiting for days to have the wood stove installed.

This is how he spent the first hour of the wood stove's life sitting in front of it, watching it.

Now, the only trouble is I live in Arizona and it isn't quite cold enough for wood stove use, yet.  Our days get into the eighties, too hot by half!   The children and I have commenced praying for colder weather because like me they love a good fire to watch and warm oneself by.  Dare I say, we may even be praying for a little snow this winter which would be a miracle as it only snows once every thirty years or so. Even though this wood stove consumed all my presents for my birthday, Christmas, Valentines, St. Patricks, Easter, and Fourth of July I couldn't be happier to have it at long last.  Now if we could just get out of the eighties and maybe have a sixty degree day you'll find me thankfully enjoying a small fire and probably folding laundry.  Bring on the cold weather, I can't wait!