Chuck's summer outdoors, parts one and three

Chuck's calling at church is the Boy Scout Committee Chairman, and over the summer he had the opportunity to take the Scouts on some adventures.

First was Scout Camp for the 12 and 13 year olds back in June. With help from the other leaders (and input from the boys) Chuck planned the menu, activities, and logistics for the four-day adventure.

This left me at home with the little boys, which I didn't mind at all . . . until I realized that he apparently spent the time being chauffeured around the lake in a canoe manpowered by the Scouts :).

The boys had a great time and a few of them got closer to earning their Wilderness Survival merit badges by building shelters and sleeping in them one night.

By the time Thursday rolled around, Clyde and Will were pretty psyched for Chuck's return, so they enthusiastically painted a sign for him.

All taped up on the garage!

And Chuck sweetly created a mini-Scout Camp for the boys the next night. It was delightful; they slept out in the tent and I slept inside. I love backyard camping!!


Part two was actually a Young Men/Young Women camping activity that Chuck and I both were able to go on, which means I have lots of pictures and lots to say, necessitating a separate post.

Part three was a high adventure hike the second week of August.
Over the course of four days, these two leaders and two boys covered thirty-something miles in the Bighorn Crags.

The group visited twelve alpine lakes in their wanderings,

and I'm pretty sure that between Chuck and Brother Kirkendall, at least half of their pictures were postcard-worthy and Chuck made sure to explain each one to me in detail when we were reunited. There sure is a special, if somewhat cheesy, relationship between boys and nature :).