Cupcakes, Cub Scouts and Mayhem

First of all, I'm not making cupcakes out of cub scouts. That would be wrong.

Today, cupcakes. 24 of them. For my son's class, since his birthday is on Saturday. He wanted store-bought. I wanted to save $$. We compromised with Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix.

When I was in elementary school (almost three decades ago) there was no classroom celebration for birthdays. No school announcements. No party hats. No need for my mom to bake (or buy) cupcakes in addition to birthday cake. Hmphf.

Cub scouts. What can I say about the Cub Scouts? My boy is entering 1st grade next year, and they sent recruiters to the school. (Yes, the Cub scouts recruit.) Aaron has his little heart set on joining, and, as much as I'd love to fulfill my dreams of merit badge mastery through him, I was hoping my husband would be the one taking him to the meetings. Not so. (At least, for tonight.) As much as I have been trying to be a brave, social mom, these things still bring me a bit of anxiety. But, I have to take one for the team and hope that John will be there to take him to the next.

Incidentally, John is doing what a great provider has to do every now and then--work late.

I know how Aaron feels, though. When I was a little older than him, I wanted to be a Brownie. I would stare at the other Brownie's uniforms, and all their neatly placed, beautifully embroidered badges, and wish and hope that someday I would be...a Brownie. One day, that opportunity arrived! My mom, after enduring much pestering from me, agreed to take me to a meeting! As the other mothers started to plan an day of camp, a simple request was asked, one that would end my short career as a Brownie:

"You'll need to sew your daughter a waterproof cushion."

Now, I love my mom, and I don't want to paint her as a villain, because she is not. She is also not the mother of a Brownie. She was pregnant with my sis and and sewing a waterproof cushion was more involvement than she wanted. So, my Brownie career lasted all of one evening...

Taking Aaron to join the Cub Scouts isn't just my duty as a mom...it's my destiny.