Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Rob's Birthday Song
For Rob's birthday, we went to Olive Garden. As you can probably remember, Rob did a good job of trying to embarrass me at my birthday dinner... (With the birthday saddle? Yeah, that's the one.) Well, thanks in large part to his friend Abe, the payback was sweeeeeeeeeet! Happy Birthday, bro!
The Scouts At Church
I don't think that my Scouts ever cease to amaze me. I know that they are exceptional young men and I know that I'm extremely lucky to be able to work with them. That said, they continue to blow my mind...
At Church, we've had some great lessons in Deacon's Quorum and I'm amazed at the testimonies they have and the spirit that we are able to feel together. Prior to our last campout, we had a lesson about feasting upon the words of Christ. On the way up to the campout, during a particularly good song by AC/DC, one of the boys asked if we could read our scriptures for a while. Yeah, these guys are amazing.
During this past fast and testimony meeting, one of the boys got up at the beginning of the meeting and bore his testimony about how much he appreciated myself and Tyler as his Scout leaders and how much his testimony has grown. I had tears streaming down my cheeks as I heard his words and it just hit me again how important this calling is to be a Scoutmaster to these young men. I love it so much. Sure, I love being able to go camping once a month and do fun things like Merit Badges and stuff. But as Dad told me, it's all about the boys...
After the meeting was over, someone came up to me and shared something about two of the other boys in the troop. Apparently we had a visitor in the meeting who was handicapped and sitting by themselves in the front of the chapel. After seeing the man alone while passing the sacrament, the two boys asked their moms if they could sit with him so he wasn't by himself.
These guys are so awesome. I don't think I could ever teach them as much as they teach me every day. Like I said, I'm so lucky to be able to work with them. Best calling ever...
At Church, we've had some great lessons in Deacon's Quorum and I'm amazed at the testimonies they have and the spirit that we are able to feel together. Prior to our last campout, we had a lesson about feasting upon the words of Christ. On the way up to the campout, during a particularly good song by AC/DC, one of the boys asked if we could read our scriptures for a while. Yeah, these guys are amazing.
During this past fast and testimony meeting, one of the boys got up at the beginning of the meeting and bore his testimony about how much he appreciated myself and Tyler as his Scout leaders and how much his testimony has grown. I had tears streaming down my cheeks as I heard his words and it just hit me again how important this calling is to be a Scoutmaster to these young men. I love it so much. Sure, I love being able to go camping once a month and do fun things like Merit Badges and stuff. But as Dad told me, it's all about the boys...
After the meeting was over, someone came up to me and shared something about two of the other boys in the troop. Apparently we had a visitor in the meeting who was handicapped and sitting by themselves in the front of the chapel. After seeing the man alone while passing the sacrament, the two boys asked their moms if they could sit with him so he wasn't by himself.
These guys are so awesome. I don't think I could ever teach them as much as they teach me every day. Like I said, I'm so lucky to be able to work with them. Best calling ever...
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Kaleidoscope
After we finished the trailers, we went out to dinner to celebrate the accomplishment. To honor the women in our lives, who were so patient with us throughout the process, we went to Mimi's Cafe. But before we could even begin to enjoy the feast, we had a little incident...
Right after we walked through the doors, Jeremy burst into tears. In fact, he was howling! It took a minute to understand what he was saying and figure out what was wrong until he held up his hand... He had been playing with a little kaleidoscope from his Halloween basket and had gotten his finger stuck inside!
Dad and I took him to the bathroom to try putting soap on his finger to slide it off, but no luck. His finger was swelling quickly and he was becoming more frantic by the second. Logically, the next step was to pull our our knives.
Holding his hand very still, we started cutting into the plastic. It was pretty sketchy with his little finger inside. Dad was able to use his pliers to pop the end off, which allowed us to get a better view of what we were doing. We cut, we sawed, and finally, we broke it free of Jeremy's finger!
The poor little guy was pretty upset, but that was nothing a strawberry banana smoothie couldn't resolve. Soon he was his bright and happy self and we were able to enjoy our celebratory dinner. Never a dull moment...
Right after we walked through the doors, Jeremy burst into tears. In fact, he was howling! It took a minute to understand what he was saying and figure out what was wrong until he held up his hand... He had been playing with a little kaleidoscope from his Halloween basket and had gotten his finger stuck inside!
Dad and I took him to the bathroom to try putting soap on his finger to slide it off, but no luck. His finger was swelling quickly and he was becoming more frantic by the second. Logically, the next step was to pull our our knives.
Holding his hand very still, we started cutting into the plastic. It was pretty sketchy with his little finger inside. Dad was able to use his pliers to pop the end off, which allowed us to get a better view of what we were doing. We cut, we sawed, and finally, we broke it free of Jeremy's finger!
The poor little guy was pretty upset, but that was nothing a strawberry banana smoothie couldn't resolve. Soon he was his bright and happy self and we were able to enjoy our celebratory dinner. Never a dull moment...
The Teardrops Are Done!
Halloween 2011
We had a great Halloween this year. It keeps getting more and more fun as Jeremy gets older and Ammon was even able to join in the fun. As you've previously read, I went to the ward Halloween party as Troy from "Swamp People." On Halloween night, I switched it up a bit and let my Utah pride show. Amber dressed up as a fairy and we enjoyed a perfect night out in the neighborhood. The weather couldn't have been better and Jeremy and Ammon made quite the haul! (It helps when you're the cutest bat and beaver ever seen.) We finished off the rounds at the bishop's house with homemade doughnuts and cider. It was awesome.
 |
| I figured it was okay to hang Amber's "House Divided" flag up... since my U flag is bigger. |
 |
| Jeremy and the giant jack-o-lantern. |
Monday, November 14, 2011
Swamp People
Well, guess what, we are HOOKED! This has become my new favorite show and I can't get enough of it. Seriously, this is reality TV at its best! I had absolutely no idea this way of life even existed 300 years ago, much less today. These guys are hardcore! 30 days to fill several hundred alligator tags to make over half of your yearly salary... Wow.
We just finished season 2 and I'm super depressed now that I have to wait until sometime next year to see my boys Troy, Junior, Willy, and co. catch more gators. I'm telling you that you have got to watch this show! In one episode, a guy gets pulled into the water and has to wrestle a gator as its trying to eat him! He finishes off the beast by pulling out a .22 pistol in the pocket of his overalls! LEGIT!
 |
| Troy Landry (center), his son Jacob (right), and his hired gun Clint (left). Troy is legit! He's the king of the swamp and freaking dominates. The guy had over 300 tags for the season! And he is hilarious! Whether he's shouting "Shoot um! Shooooot um!" or singing his crazy songs or jumping up and down because he caught a "tree shakuh," Troy is the man. |
 |
| Junior (left) and Willie (right) are my second favorite crew to watch. These guys actually made a homemade treble hook so they can hook gators out in open water while they're waiting for their lines to fill. In one episode, Junior misses the kill spot on the gator and the bullet hits Willie. Then Junior has to tell his wife how he "popped Willie" and it's hilarious! Great stuff. |
 |
| Trapper Joe (right) and Tommy (left) are a father and son team that are probably the most drama of any crew. Tommy is always forgetting something (like loading the gun) and they are constantly yelling at each other. But in the end, they always come together and it works out. They always bring the "salt 'n peppa." |
 |
| Bruce (right) and his dog Tyler (middle) are pretty entertaining. Bruce usually hunts alone (CRAZY), but in season 2 he brings along this kid Nick (left) as an apprentice. Bruce is the one who got pulled overboard by a gator and pops it with a .22 pistol in his overalls. It was epic. |
 |
| Terral (left) works with the local Fish and Game Department to catch troublesome alligators and relocate them back into the swamp. The only thing is... he catches them with his bare hands! At night! Pretty cool. His brother (right) shows up in a couple of episodes too where they catch giant catfish by noodling. Just stick your bare hand in an underwater hole, wait for the catfish to clamp down on you, and pull it out. No big deal. |
 |
| The Guist brothers, Glenn (left) and Mitchell (right) are straight up NUTS! They show up in season 2, living out in the swamp with nothing better to do than catch catfish, shoot squirrels, and chase turtles all day. Yes, they are as creepy as they look. My favorite Guist moment: when the motor on their boat dies and they have to row back home 4 miles away... with 1 paddle. Yeah, like I said, they're NUTS! |
History channel, Netflix, or YouTube. Check it out! You won't regret it. Oh, and did I mention "Swamp People" makes a great idea for a Halloween costume? Uh-huh. That's right...
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Metalwork Merit Badge
One of my Assistant Scoutmasters works in a metal shop and offered to have us up to his work to do the Metalwork Merit Badge. It turned out to be a blast! We learned a ton, had some laughs, and even got to make a few things to take home. We each made a way cool hummingbird yard ornament, a cookie sheet, and a Utah (or BYU) key chain. Definitely a successful night. The boys really enjoyed it.
And finally, this is what happens when you take a group of Boy Scouts to a metal shop... yeah. Like I said, they had a great time! Enjoy.
And finally, this is what happens when you take a group of Boy Scouts to a metal shop... yeah. Like I said, they had a great time! Enjoy.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Paul and the Priesthood
As you've read already, Paul Carter is one of my best friends. He's a member of theBRIGADE, an excellent homie, and now holds the Melchizedek Priesthood. I couldn't be more happy for him or more proud of him! Paul has accomplished a lot in his life and there's so much I admire in him. This, however, has to be one of the greatest accomplishments of all thus far in his life. I was honored that he asked me to participate in his ordination and to be able to be a part of this huge step in his life. Being able to be there with Tim and Jeff as well was even more cool. This is what theBRIGADE is all about, pushing each other, progressing, and bringing out the best in all of us. Congratulations, pal!
Bloomington Lake
For our latest Scouting adventure, we took the boys up to Bloomington Lake in Idaho. Bloomington Lake lies about an hour's drive north of Bear Lake up in the mountains. The lake is absolutely gorgeous and lies right at the foot of stunning rock cliffs. Hard to imagine a more beautiful spot!
We met up early since the boys were on fall break from school and were able to get away by 1:00 pm. We had 3 of the boys come and this was the first campout for my Assistant Scoutmaster Tyler. Before we made it too far from the city, we stopped at Sportsman's Warehouse so the boys could stock up on paracord, which would become a very important part of our adventure. Haha. With several hundred feet of the stuff, we were back on the road.
It was a pretty good drive to get there, totaling over 3 hours, but it was beautiful with all the fall leaves and the forest bursting with color! We were well-stocked with candy and snacks for the way up, which made the trip go by quickly. The highlight of the drive, however, was the request from the boys to read several chapters from The Book of Mormon as we went. It was so inspiring and awesome to see these young men with such a great desire to study the scriptures and show their testimonies of The Book of Mormon. These guys are the best!
We soon found ourselves climbing up a dirt road through aspens and pine trees, getting closer and closer to the summit of the mountain peaks that was to be our destination. When we finally reached the parking lot, we were met with a chilly surprise...
Yep, SNOW! It was pretty chilly as well with a cold wind blowing down from the peaks above us! As you can see, the troop wasn't exactly prepared for the cold... (at least in this picture!)
After putting on some warmer clothes, we trekked our way up towards the peaks and found ourselves looking at first one, then two beautiful mountain ponds.
Tyler, having been here before, informed us that these two were just the beginning, so we continued on. We came around the bend and...
This lake is GORGEOUS! The water is so clear and inviting, even though it was pretty cold outside. I really wish we could have had a boat or canoe with us because that would have been prime for sure. We had another more important matter to deal with however, the rope swing! We walked around to the east side of the lake where a giant pine stood at the water's edge. Wrapped around the trunk was exactly what we were looking for... The rope swing was ready and we couldn't wait for the next day so we could try it out!
This would be the time that something awkward happens, just like it always seems to whenever I'm out camping with the Scouts. And sure enough, something awkward did happen... So we are checking out the rope swing when a guy comes out of the trees on the hillside above us and just stands there staring at the boys. Tyler asked him: "How's it going?" to which he just got really jittery as he responded: "Fine." We made some small talk for a few minutes, but he was really finicky and acting strange, so we left and decided to go set up camp. (To be continued...)
We headed back towards the truck and found a great spot to make camp on top of the hill above the parking lot in a small circle of trees that made for a great windbreak. We packed up all of our stuff at the vehicle and hauled our belonging up the hill and made camp. As we were setting up our tents, our "friend" walked by on the trail towards the parking lot, completely out of breath and sweating profusely.
"Are you staying up here tonight?" he asked. "Yeah, we are." I replied. "Oh, okay. Well..." and then he just got all nervous and turned and walked away down the trial. We continued to finish setting up our tents and get our sleeping bags set up when he returned, back up the hill and still out of breath.
"Are you seriously thinking about doing that rope swing?" "Yeah, we are. As long as the weather is nice," we answered. "I'm not trying to ruin your trip, but I don't think you should go back there. 20 years ago, a woman jumped in that lake and her lungs collapsed and they couldn't get her out and she DIED. So I strongly advise you not to go back there. Don't do it." We all just kind of sat there dumbfounded. Seeing our response to his "advice," he finished with: "I just really felt like I should tell you that. Hope that doesn't spoil your fun." And with that, he was gone.
We all just shook our heads, but it was still so weird. Too weird. Tyler was the one who brought up the idea that the guy may have been hiding a dead body up there, but we dismissed that as a little too much. But we decided to check the rope VERY carefully in the morning before our swing, just in case he had messed with it...
The rest of the night was a lot of fun. We ate dinner, made plenty of jokes, and tried our hand at paracord bracelets, which turned out AWESOME! One of the boys even made a belt! It was rad. We roasted some marshmallows, played some Phase 10, and curled up for the night. We had some pretty gusty winds for an hour or so, but after they died down, it was a very peaceful night. Well, besides the boys laughing and giggling like girls. The funny thing is, I'm actually starting to be able to sleep right through it!
We woke up the next morning to three pairs of eyes peaking into our tent! Haha. The boys did a great job starting a fire and soon we had a delicious breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs, and pancakes cooking over the flame! The day had dawned beautiful and a warm sun was shining.
After cleaning up our breakfast supplies, we all knew the time had finally arrived! We hiked over to the lake, which now was welcoming over a dozen other people who had come up to fish, and soon had a fire going. Everyone around the lake stopped fishing and fixed their gaze upon us as we took off our shirts and untied the swing from the tree. After checking the rope, and the surrounding area for freshly-buried bodies, it was go time, and Tyler went first...
Yep, we all did it! And yes, that is snow in the background and YES it was COLD! But it was such a rush! In fact, it was so exhilarating, three of us did it again a second time!
I couldn't be more proud of the boys. They manned up and did it! It was such an awesome experience! This truly is what life is all about. This is LIVING. We all gathered around the fire to warm up and enjoy the sun on our backs as we roasted hotdogs and revelled in the glory of our manhood.
We hiked back to camp, packed up our gear, and soon were on the dirt road heading home. By the time we reached Bear Lake, the three boys were fast asleep in the back seat. We stopped for (famous) raspberry shakes and then were back on the road, making it home without event.
This was such a great trip! These boys are the best. They continue to inspire, impress, and amaze me. It's really hard to say who has more fun on these trips, me or the boys. I'm learning so much from them! It was also great to have Tyler there. He did such a great job of preparing and taking care of the boys. I couldn't ask for a better Assistant Scoutmaster. I can't wait for the next campout...
We met up early since the boys were on fall break from school and were able to get away by 1:00 pm. We had 3 of the boys come and this was the first campout for my Assistant Scoutmaster Tyler. Before we made it too far from the city, we stopped at Sportsman's Warehouse so the boys could stock up on paracord, which would become a very important part of our adventure. Haha. With several hundred feet of the stuff, we were back on the road.
It was a pretty good drive to get there, totaling over 3 hours, but it was beautiful with all the fall leaves and the forest bursting with color! We were well-stocked with candy and snacks for the way up, which made the trip go by quickly. The highlight of the drive, however, was the request from the boys to read several chapters from The Book of Mormon as we went. It was so inspiring and awesome to see these young men with such a great desire to study the scriptures and show their testimonies of The Book of Mormon. These guys are the best!
We soon found ourselves climbing up a dirt road through aspens and pine trees, getting closer and closer to the summit of the mountain peaks that was to be our destination. When we finally reached the parking lot, we were met with a chilly surprise...
Yep, SNOW! It was pretty chilly as well with a cold wind blowing down from the peaks above us! As you can see, the troop wasn't exactly prepared for the cold... (at least in this picture!)
After putting on some warmer clothes, we trekked our way up towards the peaks and found ourselves looking at first one, then two beautiful mountain ponds.
Tyler, having been here before, informed us that these two were just the beginning, so we continued on. We came around the bend and...
This lake is GORGEOUS! The water is so clear and inviting, even though it was pretty cold outside. I really wish we could have had a boat or canoe with us because that would have been prime for sure. We had another more important matter to deal with however, the rope swing! We walked around to the east side of the lake where a giant pine stood at the water's edge. Wrapped around the trunk was exactly what we were looking for... The rope swing was ready and we couldn't wait for the next day so we could try it out!
This would be the time that something awkward happens, just like it always seems to whenever I'm out camping with the Scouts. And sure enough, something awkward did happen... So we are checking out the rope swing when a guy comes out of the trees on the hillside above us and just stands there staring at the boys. Tyler asked him: "How's it going?" to which he just got really jittery as he responded: "Fine." We made some small talk for a few minutes, but he was really finicky and acting strange, so we left and decided to go set up camp. (To be continued...)
We headed back towards the truck and found a great spot to make camp on top of the hill above the parking lot in a small circle of trees that made for a great windbreak. We packed up all of our stuff at the vehicle and hauled our belonging up the hill and made camp. As we were setting up our tents, our "friend" walked by on the trail towards the parking lot, completely out of breath and sweating profusely.
"Are you staying up here tonight?" he asked. "Yeah, we are." I replied. "Oh, okay. Well..." and then he just got all nervous and turned and walked away down the trial. We continued to finish setting up our tents and get our sleeping bags set up when he returned, back up the hill and still out of breath.
"Are you seriously thinking about doing that rope swing?" "Yeah, we are. As long as the weather is nice," we answered. "I'm not trying to ruin your trip, but I don't think you should go back there. 20 years ago, a woman jumped in that lake and her lungs collapsed and they couldn't get her out and she DIED. So I strongly advise you not to go back there. Don't do it." We all just kind of sat there dumbfounded. Seeing our response to his "advice," he finished with: "I just really felt like I should tell you that. Hope that doesn't spoil your fun." And with that, he was gone.
We all just shook our heads, but it was still so weird. Too weird. Tyler was the one who brought up the idea that the guy may have been hiding a dead body up there, but we dismissed that as a little too much. But we decided to check the rope VERY carefully in the morning before our swing, just in case he had messed with it...
The rest of the night was a lot of fun. We ate dinner, made plenty of jokes, and tried our hand at paracord bracelets, which turned out AWESOME! One of the boys even made a belt! It was rad. We roasted some marshmallows, played some Phase 10, and curled up for the night. We had some pretty gusty winds for an hour or so, but after they died down, it was a very peaceful night. Well, besides the boys laughing and giggling like girls. The funny thing is, I'm actually starting to be able to sleep right through it!
We woke up the next morning to three pairs of eyes peaking into our tent! Haha. The boys did a great job starting a fire and soon we had a delicious breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs, and pancakes cooking over the flame! The day had dawned beautiful and a warm sun was shining.
After cleaning up our breakfast supplies, we all knew the time had finally arrived! We hiked over to the lake, which now was welcoming over a dozen other people who had come up to fish, and soon had a fire going. Everyone around the lake stopped fishing and fixed their gaze upon us as we took off our shirts and untied the swing from the tree. After checking the rope, and the surrounding area for freshly-buried bodies, it was go time, and Tyler went first...
Yep, we all did it! And yes, that is snow in the background and YES it was COLD! But it was such a rush! In fact, it was so exhilarating, three of us did it again a second time!
I couldn't be more proud of the boys. They manned up and did it! It was such an awesome experience! This truly is what life is all about. This is LIVING. We all gathered around the fire to warm up and enjoy the sun on our backs as we roasted hotdogs and revelled in the glory of our manhood.
We hiked back to camp, packed up our gear, and soon were on the dirt road heading home. By the time we reached Bear Lake, the three boys were fast asleep in the back seat. We stopped for (famous) raspberry shakes and then were back on the road, making it home without event.
This was such a great trip! These boys are the best. They continue to inspire, impress, and amaze me. It's really hard to say who has more fun on these trips, me or the boys. I'm learning so much from them! It was also great to have Tyler there. He did such a great job of preparing and taking care of the boys. I couldn't ask for a better Assistant Scoutmaster. I can't wait for the next campout...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)