Secret Keeper Girl

It wasn't easy, but I managed to download these pictures from the Mabee center site. They took pictures of the Mom's and Daughters at the event. We had a great time =) Sorry I can't make the pictures bigger.

This was everyone who went with us

Amber's Piano Recital

Amber has an awesome piano teacher and she didn't seem nervous at all when she performed 1st at their outdoor recital at Centennial Park this weekend =)

She helped Amber set up her music before the performance, the wind was blowing it a little.
Amber started, but the piano wasn't turned on, it didn't seem to phase Amber at all =)

Amber did a great job! I wish I had video taped this so you could hear her . . . maybe next time =)

We had to leave as soon as Amber performed because we had tickets for a Secret Keeper Girl event at the Maybee center for Mothers and Daughters. Mike took Ryan out to eat and to our local band competition. It was a great night for everyone!

Proud of both kids for excellent grades =)

Ryan:
A - Spanish - 97%
A - Social Studies - 92%
A - Honors Science - 91%
A - Math - 101% (and this is Ryan's most difficult subject, he has worked really hard!!!)
A - English - 96%
A - Band - 93%
A - Honors Literature - 93%

Amber
A - Spelling -Specials - 95%
A - Social Studies - 91%
A - Reading - Specials - 95%
B - Math - Specials - 88%
B - Language - Specials 89%
C - Science - 78% (this is Amber's favorite subject, but she's not in specials)

Boy Scout Family Campout =)

We went camping this weekend with the Boy Scouts. Our first Family Camp out with the Scouts (not Cubs anymore). They have a family camp out every year. We drove up Friday night and could tell right away that it seemed quite a bit hotter than we thought it was going to be. I heard someone say it hit 97 degrees on Saturday which was our main day there. We spent most of it climbing Robbers Cave and rappelling down. Everyone had a great time! I got a book read (on the drive up and during some down time) Yes, I went, even though there are no pictures, so no proof, I truly was there. Amber got to play with and make some new girl friends. Mike got to go rappelling, and Ryan had the most fun, hanging with the Scouts and being a boy (Boy Scout of course - ha ha)

My Man at our tent site =)

The boys, being goofy.

I think Ryan has a screw loose and Josh is trying to help him with a HUGE nail he found on the ground.

We used our trailer a lot this trip. The boys even used it as a table sometimes

Ryan had fun playing with a stick he got from their last camp out. He had "improved" it with duck tape and had quite the weapon!

Ryan got to sleep with a Scout buddy instead of family. They took care of their own tent and camp site, as you can see they set it up like an Army base with rocks nicely outlining their camp site.

The girls took pictures of each other.Luckily it was a family camp out so Amber had other girls to play with, and they did play, like crazy =) We all had fun =)

Amber being a goof while everyone was getting ready to eat. The white trailer was the kitchen area. We ate well too =) Our big meal was Saturday night and they cooked brisket, pork, chicken, shrimp, stuffed peppers, corn, sausage it was incredible! Breakfast burritos were good too with sausage, eggs and cheese on a flour tortilla =)

The big event for this campout was that the boys got to go rappelling =) This was all done at Robbers Cave which was also very cool. We spent most of the time telling the kids that our great great relative was Archibald Clement who was with the James Gang (Robbers Cave is the hideout for Jesse James and his gang). I kept reminding them that they are also related (on my side) to Zachary Taylor (12th President of the United States). They seemed to think both were pretty cool. Not sure how Zachary would feel being compared to an outlaw in the James gang (hee hee)

Truck full of boys leaving the camp site going to Robbers Cave to go rappelling.





Mike got to rappelling too but I did not get any pictures =( The rocks he rappelled off of were a lot higher than what the boys used. It was after 1:30pm and the girls (Amber and her friend) were very hungry, hot and tired so we left.

It was late because on our way up the mountain we got a little sidetracked. A 20 year old boy fell quite a few feet off some big rocks (20 ft) and landed on his back. We were second on the scene and Mike ran down to call 911 and lead the EMT's back up to where he was. There were 2 EMT's and one was a young girl and the other a large guy who was not climbing up the mountain. After Mike brought her up he went back down to meet the fire truck and lead them up. There was only one young guy on duty at the fire station nearest so Mike led him up. Poor guy was in big heavy fire pants and all (did I happen to mention yet that it was 95+ degrees).

Mike helped carry him down on the backboard, then came back up and caught up with us. After three trips up and down the mountain, in 95+ degree heat, at a pretty quick speed, I thought we might be calling the paramedics again . . . but nope, Mike even went rappelling later (with no lunch even).
The EMT is the blond in front, the two guys in the front were with the guy who fell and the guy in the very back was another guy like Mike who just happened to be right there. He was the first response and practically caught the guy. He got him water right away and stayed with him while Mike did all the climbing up and back. It made for an exciting day, and we are hoping that he guy is okay. He was young and seemed okay, but we sure heard him fall and I'm sure he was in a bit of shock.
Overall it was a good day and a great camp out =) I got food for the girls and when Mike and the boys got back I helped make them sandwiches too.