The Fine Print

Thursday, Freestone couldn't go on his scout hike because of a baseball game, so I told him I would personally take him on a hike.  His leaders are trying to help him get his Webelos deal, so we had to check this off.  Later that night, I had to make good on my promise, and I really didn't want to.  I chose the Lagoon trail because it's easy and there are animals to look at.  Freestone grumbled that it didn't count as a hike, and I told him to go off the paved trail and wallow around in the mud if it made him feel better.

Obviously, we weren't prepared for any sort of a "real" hike.  I was wearing a dress and Ptolemy wasn't even wearing shoes, unless you count the padding on the feet of his jammies.  Freestone, in very scout-like fashion, was prepared, if you don't count his interesting choice of footwear.  Not with the normal wilderness stuff, but with a sandwich for Don Carlos, a lid to pour the dog's water into, and a baggie of shredded wheat for the rest of us.  So, if we had gotten lost overnight, I'm sure we would have been just fine.

The "hike" was one of those things that makes you want to get out and do fun things all the time.  Perfect weather, great kids, and the sweetest little dog ever.  Neither Freestone nor Ptolemy stopped talking the entire time.  I have two of the most loquacious boys in the world!

Ptolemy's observations were hilarious.  "Mom!  Come see these horses that are fat and they have horns!"  Yeah, we really do need to get out more!

 The next day was Freestone's long-awaited Davis County Ballroom audition.  The only glitch was that, while we were long-ly awaiting it, we were doing nothing to prepare for it.  At least I wasn't.  Freestone was working hard on his ballroom team at school, sharpening his skills.  My job was to get the clothing ready , which didn't come up on my radar until the day of.  In fact, it was two hours prior when I was texting my friend Jacy, that I said, "I haven't been able to find the black pants yet."  She probably thought I was crazy!  Fortunately, Jacy had some black slacks we could borrow.  What would I have done if she hadn't saved me?  I don't know!  "A wing and a prayer" has become my motto lately.

We picked up Jacy's son for the audition and both boys sat in the back seat with my other kids, who drove so many places Friday that they were able to watch "Little Rascals" twice through.  May, I tell ya!  Freestone set down his book long enough to go through the two-page audition agreement with a fine-tooth comb.  I said, "Freestone, you're probably the only kid ever who has read the fine print on the ballroom dance audition form."

He scolded, "Mom, this is what professionals DO.  They read the fine print."  I don't know whether to think that he has a future in ballroom, or the law.  For now, this kid is mega into ballroom.  His audition buddy, Bransen, commented, "I don't read the fine print.  I just go because it's really fun!"  That's the spirit.  Whatever their reasoning is, I'm glad these boys are so enthused about things.  They were big stars in the audition, being boys.  They got to dance with half-a-dozen girls who were also auditioning.  I'm assuming they made it onto the team, being boys, but haven't heard anything official.  The from didn't say anything about when results would be posted, did it, Freestone?