Cemetery

(As told by Matthew)

My mom and I were able to participate in a scout activity with the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) on the Friday before Memorial Day 2016. We put flags on grave markers of ex-military people at the Sumner Cemetery.  I could feel their spirits there, in other words I felt happy. I thought about what an honor they did to their country.

The VFW said we were to look for a raised cross on the grave markers or the name of the war the veteran had fought in. When we found a veterans grave we were supposed to inject a large poker in the ground to make a hole, then put a flag in it.

My favorite part was that it was an honor to service and recognize the veteran's that fought in wars. We even saw inside mausoleum. It was kind of amazing to see the things inside of them. (things like urns and photos) We found a crypt for a general.

I really wish I can do this again because it was kind of amazing because you can see graves of people who served in our armed forces.

I wondered what the veterans had done and how they had died.

(Placing a flag)

 

 

(Wondering about the lives of these veterans)


 





(The Sumner Cemetery with the flags honoring our veterans)

Summer Tans and Good Things

(Told by Ceithlinn)


So, school's almost starting, I've got basically everything I need, and I'm prepared for the Freshman open house. Everything's perfect! Except for one thing: My summer tan. I mean, it's great that I actually got out of my room this summer and got a skin color other than pasty-white, but it isn't even a 'Farmer's Tan'! For any of you who have also sported it, I feel your pain. It is not the best look. What's worse is that no matter what I do, how many shorts I wear, how much sunscreen I avoid, I cannot make my legs darken at all! So while my bottom half puts vampires to shame, my top half can melt an entire ice cream cone in thirty seconds. I guess it's not that bad, I'm just not used to my skin being a 'normal' color. Most of my family is from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England, so I basically have no pigment. But I'm also a Washingtonian, so I live without sun pretty much all year round. So, as you can see, my pigment-less skin has even less pigment. That being said, it's a great reminder of all the things we've done this summer!

At the beginning of summer, just a few weeks after school was out, my mother ran a Cub Scout Day camp. I was really proud of the camp shirts, since they were based off of my original design. My job during that was to make and pass out volunteer thank-yous and to watch Aimee. Between all the time playing with her, going out with the thank-yous, and washing and packing everything up, my arms and face were red with sunburn. With the help of aloe vera, it quickly healed and faded into a slight tan.

Final product

My concept

About a week later, I went to my church's Girls' Camp. It was a lot of fun to hang out with friends and learn new skills! I also loved the beginning and end of day meetings. Our 'Security Dudes' made their own skits and parodies to sing during roll call and they were always funny! Almost everyone was nice. When I got home, my skin darkened into the tan I have today.

So even though it may not be greatest looking tan in the world, the memories attached to it are worthwhile. Wow. That actually sounded really weird. Anyway, have a great day and be happy!

11 Year Old Scout Camp

(Told by Matthew)

The Scout Camp was 2 days long. Dad went with me. The camp was at Camp Thunderbird in Olympia, Washington. I had a fun time doing their activities. 

What I did there was I set up a tent. Well, the setting up the tent was hard. It took us almost the entire day setting up the tent, because we couldn't figure out how to set it up. It was dirty and it had a piece broken on one of the poles. The arch holder hook thing-a-ma-jiggy was missing. So, the pole wouldn't stay in an arch pattern. We got it set up by literally pushing the pole in the ground.

I figured out how to do flags. Well, unfolding the flag is easy, it's the folding the flag that is hard. Folding the flag it kept being hard because I couldn't figure out how to put the white end with the metal circles in the triangle. But I figured out how to stuff it in. On the last day I raised the Washington State flag during the opening flag ceremony.

 

I also tried swimming, but I failed. I was supposed to swim 25 feet in the cold lake after jumping in. The water was over my head so I started freaking out. Dad jumped in and stood 3 feet away to make my hopes go up, but it didn't at all. 

Ready to jump in the water

So, I went paddle boating instead of swimming. Well, it was fun and hard at the same time. First off it was hard because Dad is way heavier than me. So, the paddle boat was hard to steer, and he had more leg strength than me so I kept losing my paddle. We saw 10 ducks out there, all grouped into one. We went toward them, but Dad's weight steered away from them. It was a fun time in the water.

 

I also did some lifeguard training. I threw a safety ring into the water toward somebody who was pretending to be drowning. I also put a pole in the water to get somebody who was pretending to be drowning. 

 

Me throwing the ring -- I'm glad Dad took a photo while I was throwing it.

I also did a scavenger hunt and I found everyone so I sat down near the flag poles. 

Me, chillin' in the breeze

I had a lunch. I had a breakfast and another lunch. Oh, I forgot to add dinner. The food was amazing and we had two desserts in the same day. We made breakfast burritos in a bag. First, you turn on the propane stove with a pot full of warm water. Second, you crack two eggs into a quart-sized bag, and add bell peppers, cheese, and sausage. Then you close the bag and mix up the ingredients with your hands. Then put the bag in the now boiling water for 15 minutes or until eggs are to your liking. Finally, you take the bag out of the water and put the ingredients on a tortilla and fold it up like you would with a bean and cheese burrito.

Me, eating lunch

Me, sleeping and smiling at the same time

Holding a rake

Getting ready to do a service project -- my job was to take the hay out of the wheelbarrow.
We prepared a hill for a giant slip n' slide (10 yards)

Me, sleeping on the way home

A Hello From Ceithlinn

Hey! Ceithlinn here! How y'all doing? So, some things to know about me. I'm currently fourteen and will not be attending Bonney Lake High next year. I'll be attending Sumner High School instead (more on that later). In the past six months I have read all of the Percy Jackson series and most of 'The Heroes of Olympus' series, so now I'm part of the fandom. I probably would have read them faster (I'm a very avid reader), but it's been a crazy busy summer!

I also love Ninjago. We really need a new punctuation mark in our society. I say this because on one hand, I want to shout out my love of Ninjago with an exclamation point, but on the other hand, I think a period is supposed to go there instead. So maybe if we had a mark that was a cross between the two, I wouldn't have this problem!

Anyways, about Sumner High. It's a better fit fit for me than the other high school. It's got more of what I want to do. I can't wait to take the drama and art courses they have there! It's the best in the district! I'm also really looking forward to seeing some of my friends and making new ones, too. The people I've met there have all been really nice! It's a bit crazy that I'm going to be a Freshman this year though. I feel like I just started middle school! I mean, it was going to happen sometime, but I just thought it would be later.

Aimee's a cute little two year-old, which is good because it makes up for the two year-old attitude! I guess I'd have a bit of an attitude too, having to learn so much and the world being so much bigger than myself. I don't remember much about it, but I understand why she'd have a meltdown over a toy. She has also decided that she's old enough to climb things, things like bookshelves, toys, and boxes. I have no idea where she learned to do this, since we don't climb much. I love her and can't wait to see what she does in the future!

Well, I'm going to go. Have a great day and keep smiling!