Sunday, July 10, 2011

Dance of Joy


When I step on the scale in the morning it better be 10 pounds lighter than I was yesterday.  I know I sweat twice that much today.  I don't do heat well at all.  For good reason.  It gives me a migraine, flairs my rosacea and makes me very uncomfortable.  But I desperatley miss my boys and for that I will stand in an oven for hours on end to spend time with them.


This beautiful property sits along the banks of the Truman lake in South Western Missouri.  It is hidden in a tiny one stop sign town named Iconium.  Ico as the scouts call it is home to the world famous Peach Nehi Floats.  Multiple trips during the ten day camping adventure are spent walking to town to feast of these divine creations.  


Family day is the busiest day of the year here.  It happens each weekend of the camping session.  Today was no different.  Except that the heat was excessive, the shade was scarce, and the wind was non existent.  Now, on to the good part...


This is our latest warrior.  Today Mac, our oldest,  became a Warrior at H. Roe Bartle Camp.  I am not sure what the whens and the whys of this is.  I do know he is in it like his father.  My husband camped here when he was kid.  For two years Michael has given up ten days of vacation, air conditioning and all electronics.  Clearly, I need to don scout attire or Indian garb to get this kind of time with him?


Lots of lashing and braiding is being done by our middle son Jerod.  Can you see him?  We tease him every time he wears camo.


Claire was such a happy sweaty sister.  


Toto made the ride...there was a small hiccup in the  arrival of Sadie Mae the traveling friendship bag.  Its okay because Toto is going to tell her all about it.


This is utter excitement for sitting in the heat ...can't you tell!


Again, I can't tell what this is other than the Dance of Joy.  Something about the history of the Indian tribes and how it relates to the growth and maturity of boys to men...yada yada yada.  


This is the mother and son dance of friendship.  Here we are walking the ring along with six other mothers and their sons that we walked in to  Kindergarten together.  


Here is a genius idea...let your husband have the camera and he can take a picture of your best side.
Such a touching moment to be there among the mothers of all these boys that just yesterday were in grade school it seemed.  The scouting environment is that of a family among our troop.  Boys that spend time in and out of our home tossing the football along with moms and dads that have mingled for years.  


 This is the comfortable temperature outside.  Claire and I made two stops on the way home.  One at an Antique Mall and one at a Flea Market.  We came home empty handed.  Not one thing caught our eye except for the fountain drink from Sonic.

12 comments:

Debby said...

Congratulations to your son and to the whole family for braving those awful temps. I hate heat. I have been getting migraines with it as well. We haven't even hit 100 but probably this week. Sorry that the traveling friendship bag didn't get there. Hope it isn't lost. I am on the list. Rehydrate and stay cool.

Anonymous said...

What fun - even though it was hot! Our son is 27 now - and my dear husband and I remember days like this and nearly tear up! It all goes by so fast. It was hot here today, too - but no humidity. I think that is where you guys suffer so much! Cute pictures!!!

Nan said...

Blowing some cool Alaskan air down to you Renee.

GardenOfDaisies said...

Oh Renee, you crack me up! The last time I let my husband get behind the camera to take a picture of me, he chopped off my head. You see me from the chin down. :-) Today was truly a cooker. I had to leave the house to go on an errand for my sister, and the AC in my car has gone haywire. I thought I was gonna die before I got back home. Congrats to your sons on their accomplishments at Bartle. And Toto is truly adorable.

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

It's great that your son has done that for the past two years. Getting away from all the electronics that pull at our kids these days is a really great thing. We just spent 10 day in Nepal and stayed at a lodge without air conditioning and no tv -- the kids handled it well but it was only for two days. :) Have a great new week. Tammy

Musings from Kim K. said...

Your pictures are absolutely precious and they show just how blasted hot you really were. You must be so darn proud of your sons. What amazing accomplishments.

PS. We only stayed until the 5th inning at the baseball game. We had been there 3 hours and Josie was really struggling with the heat. With her heart, we decided that our little above-ground pool was calling us...the Whitecaps were going to lose anyways. Here's to hoping that today is a much cooler day for you!!

fee @ chipper nelly said...

OMgoodness - that temperature!!! We can only dream of such heat - grass always greener blah blah blah!
It all looks amazing - and right up my boys street! Thinking your boys owe their sister (and mum) big time...
fee x

Anonymous said...

Congrats to your boy! What an honor. I would have been bawling like a baby in the mother walk....just like I did when I deposited my kiddos in the hands of their Kind. teachers the first time!

Your backsides looks fine in that photo...but I know what ya mean about putting the camera in the hands of the hubby!

My friends and I attended the Bingham-Waggoner Antique Show (Independence) on Sat....and it was hot...but not as hot as yesterday when we went to the Alexander Majors Hist. Home (82nd and St. Line) for a little sale. It was brutal...I don't know how the vendors could stay out doors with it all day. They did have tents set up beneath trees...but it was still very hot!

Again..congrats to your boy...and to you and your hubby!

dana

Kathryn D. Duke said...

just love your little Toto hiding in your bag!!!

laurie -magpie ethel said...

What a wonderful camp and tradition for the boys to attend. Sounds like a magical place to spend some growing up time. I am with you on the heat - don't like it one bit - I turn into a grouchy witch. Really, I do! 104 would make me cackle.

I love happy hour at Sonic...give me a big old diet cherry limeade and I am a happy camper..altho that grouchy witch still may surface with that heat!

Congrats to Mac.

Mecky said...

It looks like the kids had a great time!

We enjoyed a 111 yesterday breaking the well remembered 110 of 1980.

Fee, we all here would love to send you our warm temps! Just don't send them back. I am sick to death of seeing 100's in the 7 day forcast. I want some 80's back. This heat is getting too much!

birdie blue said...

could your boys be any sweeter, renee? the camp looks magical, but i'd be good only for about an hour in that heat (and humidity).

love the pic your husband took, they don't quite get it do they?

xo
molly