And so it begins

School started August 31st. The day before school started the boys got to check out thier new classrooms, meet thier teachers and see who was in their class.

Mountain View School 2011-2012

4th & 1st Grades

 Zane sitting at his new desk, In kindergarten they sat in groups and moved around the room in stations as they had a base teacher but were taught by all 3 teachers. This year he is in one classroom  and his teacher is Mrs. Zimmerli and they have thier own desks.

 Standing by his name tag for his backpack and coat.  

Blake is a Mighty 4th Grader this year in Mrs. Shei's class - he was excited to learn that they would be getting thier own lockers this year.

Blake my 4th Grader

Zane my 1st Grader 

 

Brother's ~ I think they might like each other Not sure.

Always have to capture the backpacks, Blake and I started this when he was in Pre-School

I've tried the last 2 days of School to get the 1st Bus ride pictures. Hasn't happened yet as the bus as been very late, so late that I've had to take them to school, the 1st day they we're a little late and then right on time today. Hoping the bus will be on time tomarrow so I can get my 1st Bus Ride picture of the school year.

What handsome young boys ready for thier 1st day of School. 

End of Summer

To mark the end of summer we attended the Scout night at the Voyager's Game. It was a successful and fun evening even though the Voyagers lost. Blake and Zane had lots of fun with thier scout friends during and after the game. The Scouts (all ages), lined up on the field between home plate and 3rd Base for the opening ceremony. The 1st pictch was thrown by one of the scout leaders (aka Aaron W. of Troop 26) and one of our newest Tiger Cub Scouts (Deegan) got the opportunity to start the game with "Play Ball".

(Organizing for Opening Ceremony)

Blake participated in the Wet T-Shirt Contest - he almost won, still got to have the shirt anyway.

Zane decided to try the Slippery Noodle game and got a gift card to Noodle Express, i'm sure that will be his new favorite resturaunt since noodles are his favorite food.

After the game the boys helped pick up all the tennis balls thrown during the ball toss, so that they could get out in the outfield and set up thier tents. Approx. 40 Tents are set up by Scouts, Cub Scouts and Families. They then went on a tour of the Stadium and played a game of Capture the Flag, before heading back to thier tents.

After the game the boys helped pick up all the tennis balls thrown during the ball toss, so that they could get out in the outfield and set up thier tents. Approx. 40 Tents are set up by Scouts, Cub Scouts and Families. They then went on a tour of the Stadium and played a game of Capture the Flag, before heading back to thier tents. 

(Getting Ready for the Stadium Tour)

Pool Time

We got to go swimming at the Water Park with the Pack and with our school. The Pack had a swim party one evening and the school also sponsored an evening at the water park. Blake and Zane's favorite is the water slides. We tried out the flow rider, which was much more fun when Dad and Mom where there to keep them from getting sucked into the more turbulent areas.

Zane Chillin on the lazy river, he did get brave and come down the slide

Blake after he shot out of his favorite slide.

The boys also enjoyed time spent with Grampa & Grama Heitz and thier Kelly Cousins. Not sure what all they did, other than help pick Chokecherries one afternoon and play in the trees while we picked. Something about surfing down Grama's hill, sounds like it was fun.

Before summer vacation is officially over the we are going to the Voyagers Game and sleeping in the outfiled afterwards, scouting tradition. School officially starts the end of August and we'll go meet the teachers and find our classrooms the day before.

Melita Island

Blake and Robert went to Melita Island on Flathead Lake August 10-13 with 6 other Pack 26 boys and 4 Adult leaders. Since I didn't go, I'll let Blake tell you what they did.

Ready for the 1st Flag Ceremony of Camp.

Camp A Tee - Where the flag was raised and lowered each day.

While They enjoyed cooler weather and fun in the sun, Zane and I did too, we headed over to the water tower pool.

Zane warming up on his towel after jumping non stop in and out of the pool and going down the slides a couple of times.

Lewis & Clark

The boys got the oppurtunity to check out the Bateau that  Troop 466 from California was able to earn the money to have built and transported to Great Falls and then test out what it was like for the Corps of Discovery, Lewis and Clark used to navigate the Missouri River.

 

 Ben P., Travis S. James P. Zane B. & Blake B. waiting for the Ceremony to begin.

 I was running to camera's Blake is off to the left of Travis along with the some of Troop 466 who presented the Bateau to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.

 Checking out the Bateau, this replica was about 6 ft shorter than the one Lewis and Clark had.

Blue Angels and other cool stuff

Saturday and Sunday the Boys helped sell Souvenir Programs at the Great Falls Air Show. I vended at the Farmer's Market on Saturday and joined them about 2pm. I was glad I had a Volunteer Parking Pass and Entry pass, as I didn't have to drive all the way to Ulm, got to skip in through the gates, didn't get very good parking because of the late arrival time, but at least i didn't have to drive 14 miles around to get in. I didn't get any pictures on Saturday, just enjoyed the show. Sunday I did walk around before we got started and took a few pictures. Got a few pictures of the other acts when I wasn't helping boys sell programs. Blake and his buddy worked their hinnies off selling to a tough crowd, they tried to get sales from those that didn't purchase when they first arrived at one of the gates. Both boys were great sales man the first day, the 2nd day was a tougher crowd. Even though it was Free to come to the show, many by day 2 had less to spend as they had attended the Montana Fair the night before.

 

Blue Angels

Wednesday the Blue Angels flew into town for their show this weekend here in Great Falls, Montana - which is free to attend. On Thursday they were practicing and they flew over our apartments while doing their maneuver's. They literally flew right over us and of course I didn't have my camera in hand to try and capture them. But I was able to get a couple pictures, they look farther away than they were.

What we saw from the apartment that I was able to catch.

Today we got to go help set up the Scout info tent at the MANG and got to watch them practice the show along with other special guests (Military and others). It was a lot of fun. We'll go back out for the weekend shows as well but will be working as volunteers. Hope to get some better pictures (my card was full).

Where did July Go?

So its been awhile since I posted. Like over 2 weeks, so what have we been doing in those 2 1/2 weeks. We went swimming at the Electric City Water Park on the 20th, Summer school ended the 21st and Summer Camp ended the 22nd. So less running arround for me, I think.

The boys wanted to sell something at the Farmers Market so I nabbed as many crayons as I could find at the thrift stores in town and they separated them by color, removed the wrapers and broke them down so we could melt them and reshape them. We made Crayons in the shapes of cars, stars and flowers which they then sold at Farmers Market last weekend. They started out with 54 crayons and sold all but 18 of them.

They didn't have a sun shade so they had to move thier table to 3 different locations througout the morning. They also had a picture of a Scarecrow reaching down and picking up many different items you can purchase at the Farmers Market.

What is that?

Driving down River Drive towards the 9th Street Bridge Crossing and this is what we saw. Looks to be a dock or something. We crossed over to the other side and walked up the path for a closer look