So here’s what happened...

A couple of months ago Caleb was going to go to Cub Scout Day camp for three days and I casually mentioned to the den leader, “Hey if you guys need a hand with anything let me know.” I don’t really know what I was thinking but it was along the lines of baking or filling water bottles or who knows…certainly not what happened next. Next thing I knew it was 6:30 the next morning and I was driving a 15 passenger van with 11 boys aboard to day camp. Can you see the word sucker written across my forehead?

Two things: First: I have an enormous aversion to the heat and it was 111 degrees that day. Second: I know some of you consider me high maintenance and I don't know if I could argue about that. Well, all of the boys had spray bottles and were given carte blanche to spray anyone they wanted including leaders. (Let’s just say that with a stern look I told them that most certainly DID NOT apply to me and my head stayed dry all day.)

At the end of the VERY LONG day (We got home after 10pm) I had to admit it was actually kind of fun. I totally LOVE boys (Always have…with the exception of Beth most of my best friends were boys growing up.) and Caleb and I had fun hanging out together all day so all in all I really kind of enjoyed it.

So moving to more recent events, when we found out that our ward’s Bears Den leader was moving Rob gave me that look he gets and said, “Dude! I hope you like scouts because you know what’s coming don’t you?” A little slow on the uptake it hadn’t occurred to me yet, so I said, “First off…I’m not a dude. Second…what are you talking about?”

Well he was right and I did get called to Cub Scouts as the Bears Den Leader and yes I am happy about the calling. Like I said, I do love boys and if I am helping Caleb along with his requirements I might as well be helping a group of them.

I confess I do have one trepidation: the dreaded scout shirt. Ugh. The colors, the shape, (or lack thereof), the fabric. Clearly it is a garment designed BY men FOR men…and I don’t mean those “men” on Project Runway! Let’s face it people if Heidi Klum herself wore a scout shirt, even she could not make that thing look good. And so it is with bitter surrender that I don the scout shirt and join the ranks of dorky den leaders everywhere. My new mantra: “It’s only your vanity Tracie.” (Kill me now.)

Caleb wanted a few pictures of him and I looking super hot in our scout uniforms---Nate took these pictures.




This pose was Caleb's idea...scout salute and all...he cracks me up!