My first baby boy is all grown up...

Cub Scout Pack 293 held their annual Blue and Gold banquet this past weekend and our little boy...OK, not so little, Jakob crossed over from being a Cub Scout to a member of Boy Scout Troop 219! We are so incredibly proud of ALL the HARD work, dedication, and determination that Jakob has given over the past 5 years in order to make this accomplishment happen!! I have no doubt that he will one day become an Eagle Scout!! So here are some highlights over the past 5 years & I am going to put together one of my smile box creations of some more favorites...maybe tomorrow...I need to get to bed now :-)!
Here is Jakob & Paul with their winning boat in the Rain gutter Regatta...as a TIGER...he also won the Pinewood Derby that year...beating a Web.2!! Look how cute he was!!
Here is Jakob his second year...Oct. '05.

Pinewood Derby, '06...he won second place in his group & 7th over-all...out of 80!! Not bad, esp. considering I had to help make the car since Paul was on temp. duty somewhere...

Here is Jakob at the Blue and Gold '06...look at little Ben & poor Rachel with a broken arm!

Blue and Gold '07...

Blue and Gold '08...

Blue & Gold '08

Summer Picnic '08...

Blue & Gold '09...Jakob waiting to cross over...

Troop 219 boys helping Jakob cross over...and if you can enlarge this...you can see how hard I am fighting back the tears...

Changing out his neckerchief...

Jakob with his new uniform & holding his hard earned Arrow Of Light Award!!

Each one of those colored bans is a symbol of all his accomplishments!! (OK, that is tiny string wrapped around & around & around & around, glued on, it took me several HOURS!! to make this!!!)

In boy scouts every Pack has the same neckerchiefs for each level. However, in Boy Scouts...each troop has their own design...this is the back of his new one...way cool!!

So, as you can see from this group shot...the boys who have been together the past 3 years (Jakob's first 2 were in Delta Junction) are now all grown up and are now going to 3 different troops...I am sure they will still see each other around town and at scouting events. Go back now & look at how much the boys have grown over the years...so cool!!
And, now here are a few shots of my little monkey, Sam, hamming it up for the camera...the kids think the camera is permanently attached to my face & Sam has learned early to make goofy faces...crazy!! And he already wants to see himself on the screen after you take the shot!

I was talking to a friend, turned to Sam, picked up the camera & this is the face he gave me...too funny!!
So now we are anxiously awaiting Paul to come home for his mid-tour 2 weeks of R & R!! We have reservations at a wonderful ski resort, Aleyska & everyone can't wait to hit the slopes for a few days & then relax at home...in btw. hockey games & the kids wanting to wrestle Daddy!!!

Paul left his base camp, went to Kandahar where he sat for a few days, and now is making his way to Kuwait, Germany, Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, and then FINALLY will be home in a few short days...HOPEFULLY!!!