Beans, Scouts and Teens

Can you tell our focus is on the garden in the Spring? The good news there is that the beans are starting to come up! It's so much fun to see the curled stems lifting the dirt, and knowing that there will actually be little bean plants showing the next day.

My experiment with soaking the bean seeds for several hours before planting does speed up germination. The beans in the first bed are just a bit ahead of the ones I planted almost a week later, but soaked before planting. Okay, so it wasn't a controlled experiment. I used different varieties, and some of the seeds were older than others, and they were planted at different times, etc. So, where's the elementary-schooler needing a science fair project???

Kid news:
Miriam is off to Richmond with her school chorus, and won't be back until Saturday night late. The kids are with Pratt this weekend, so I don't have to stay up to go get her, but I don't get to hear about the trip until Sunday evening, but I'll update then.

Samuel received six merit badge cards at Wednesday's Court of Honor, but only received five of the badges, because the trip to the boy scout store had already occurred by the time Samuel got his card signed. He'll get that badge the next time someone makes a trip to council.
The campout for his first Hornaday service project was approved by the Troop Committee, and the director of USNA Security, who has to approve the use of the site, just happens to be a friend of ours from Japan, and affiliated with the troop! The final details will be worked out over the next week or so. If anyone is available to help install nest boxes and predator guards on Saturday, June 24th, just let us know!
The Troop Committee decided to schedule a Saturday Board of Review so that Samuel can will be able to meet the time requirement for his next advancement prior to the November Court of Honor! It also looks to be one of the largest Boards of Review ever held by this troop, with more boys ready for advancement than we've had ready at one time. Amazing what happens as momentum builds! We had two small Boards of Review this month, and have already had three boys advance!

Liza's big thing these days is fighting Senior Slump as the school year draws to a close. Gee, I'm glad she didn't get promoted to Senior until this month!

And Tori??? Don't know. She received notice on Monday that, due to her continued non-compliance with our expectations, she needed to move out. (It's not as short notice as it seems. I did have a hardline talk with her two weeks earlier-bills paid & two hours of household maintenance completed by noon each Monday, or move out by Tuesday. We've been trying to make this work for all involved since her return from Spain last November.) She stayed somewhere else on Tuesday, but was back Wednesday for a nap, shower, and came back to sleep after James & I had gone to bed. She "wasn't available" for a conversation last night while the other kids were at their dad's, so we spent the time moving her clutter out to the driveway instead.

Parenting is a tremendous growth experience! And just when I think I've figured out one challenge, they grow again, and I have a whole new set of challenges to master! Is this why grandparents seem to sit back and grin???? I'm just so glad I have James at my side these days!