Scouting is awsome.

I am now the 11 year old scout leader. I started back in July so I guess it has been a little while. This last weekend I took the boys on a camp out. We had a few of them who have just turned 12 and a few others who will be turning 12 in the next little bit so we decided to take them and the older boys so they could get used to each other. It was a great camp out. We did not have as many of the older boys go but the two that went are awesome.

My Adam and Jackson Balser were the two older boys who showed up. What I like about these two is they show up and generally carry their weight around camp. You don't have to be their mother. Their packs are packed with the right stuff, you never hear them say, "my mom didn't pack me..." nor do we have to tell them everything to do. They are a good influence on the younger boys and I was glad to have them along. I told all the younger boys that these guys are the ones to watch and be like. I think a key part of the scouting program is good scout leaders and older scouts to roll model the younger boys.

There were 8 boys and 3 leaders/parents who went with us and in the picture they are left to right, Daniel, Tanner, Adam, Brother Gardner(Cadens Dad), Brendon, Pk, Brother Balif(Scout Master), Jackson, Caden and Ben, I was taking the picture. I am excited for this group as they are all really good together and have the potential to be a solid group of good peer pressure.

We went hiking up American Fork Canyon by Tibbel fork. It was a little bit past the season of fall colors. There were still a few leaves left on the trees but not many. It would have been a lot better 3 weeks earlier. It was only relatively cold so all in all the whole things was a success. We did a 5 mile hike that was quite an adventure. We took a wrong turn and indeed up having to climb strait up the side of the mountain through the underbrush to get back on track after the trail we were on ended. I would recommend that hike to anyone who wants to see some of the beauty that exists in the rocky mountains, just make sure that you take the turn to the left when the trail forks.

There were some breathtaking views when we got to the top. I saw a hawk circling over the lake below and watched him with my binoculars. It was really cool. The lake you see way down below the boys on the left is Tibbel. Adam is about half way up the side of the mountain where we had to blaze our own trail. I did not have enough room for all the pictures but just out of the picture of Adam there are two caves on the far mountain. Maybe some day I will hike up there and check them out.

I try to be the last one in line when on the trail so that I can pick up any stragglers that might be falling behind. This was a section of the trail that I pictured as being just beautiful 3 weeks ago. Right now it is just bare oak trees but picture all those leaves you see on the ground still attached to the trees above and full of color. I love the outdoors and I love the scouting program because it gives me an excuse to go out and enjoy it.

Monday night basketball, Really? Come on now...

I get irritated about national politics and feel that this country is in a tail spin. However I get it and realize that the voice of America is choosing these things and my voice is becoming more and more of a minority. So I simply do my best to voice my concern and then I go on living my life realizing that the train is on a crash course and will most likely crash with all kinds of pain involved. This I accept and deal with. However there are some things that just down right piss me off! I received an email from the city of Eagle Mountain announcing a men's basketball league. I love basket ball and got all excited about it. I read on in anticipation, thinking of the guys that would be fun to play with on a team. Then I read the part that makes me so mad. It is to take place on Monday night! Now those who read my blog and are not LDS may not understand. Since I was a small boy I have heard the leaders of the LDS church ask local church, civic and other leaders to not plan things on Monday nights so that families could have that time for family night. In Eagle mountain you have a concentration of LDS people that is greater then any other place in the world. In some neighborhoods you are upwards of 80% LDS. I am sure there is some reason that they have selected Monday night but in my opinion, based on the demographic there is no reason to do this. In the national theater I have no voice but in my community I think I do and so I am asking all who read my blog to join with me in making our voice heard. If you are of the same opinion as me please respond to this with me. I have sent an email to the Eagle Mountain Sports Director, Jason Hall, letting him know how I feel about them scheduling this on Monday nights. His email address is jhall@Emcity.org. You can read up on the details of this by clicking here or going to http://www.emcity.org/. Please join me in responding and tell all your friends and neighbors to do it as well. Lets have as many people as possible respond.

This afternoon I recieved an Email from Jason Hall and the city has changed the nights of the basketball games. Thanks to all those who participated. The website has not been updated but I am sure it will be shortly.

Snow, hummph!

I hate the snow. I prefer to be warm and dry. Yes, from time to time you can find things about the snow that are fun but for the most part I hate snow. Today was the first snow and I scowled at it all day long. It did my no good but at least I gave that blasted white stuff the what-for. Makes me wonder why I left Mesa!

Am I just getting Old?

So I have noticed something. When I was younger I used to be able to memorize phone numbers like crazy. I had at any given time the ability to call 25 to 30 people just from memory. I noticed the other day that I only have about 5 numbers in my head and Lisa's cell is not one of them. It has been suggested that the brain only does what it needs to and in todays culture we have cell phones and auto dial and so there is no need to learn these numbers. Thus the brain does not store it. Now that may be true for some but I have no cell phone (the one I had went through the washing machine) I have never used auto dial and so I have to say I am a bit perplexed as to why I can not remember phone numbers anymore. I think it is just like the glasses, old age is starting to catch up.

New Pictures

I took Lisa and the kids up American Fork Canyon on Sunday and we got some pictures. It was a lot of fun and we kenneth got some nice shots of us. Have a looksee.

I like pie!

I have to apologize about not blogging for a bit. Work is crazy so sometimes you just have to relax and take a break. I did that a few weeks ago when my mother and father in law were here visiting. Lisa and her mother went up to Salt Lake City to the Women's conference held every October. They had a great time. It was her mom's first time to attend a meeting there. I on the other hand stayed home with her dad and the kids. I was not in the mood for the root beer floats Lisa left us. I wanted pie! I like pie and will eat it to engorgement.
I went out and picked some apples off my apple tree in the back yard and pulled out the "Fat Sisters Cookbook." This is a wonderful cookbook and let me tell you those fat sisters can cook! I followed the instructions to the best of my abilities and made probably one of the best apple pies I had ever tasted. I am sure that I was a bit bias but it was really good. I felt like the little red hen. I grew the apples, baked the pie and enjoyed it to my hearts content. Dosen't this shot of the finished product make you think it's about time for thanksgiving?