2 for 2!!!

Braydon got his Buck!!

A few thoughts from this past weekend: (this was written by the Dad)

Being the horrible journal keeper that I am, at the very least, I have started writing down thoughts and experiences from hunting trips that I have been on. This past weekend was full of "experiences" for me and more importantly, positive memories for all who were there.

Starting with a fresh elk steak breakfast burrito and ending with a questionable Arby's sandwich (Did anyone else have "problems" on Sunday or was it just me and Braydon?) there was a lot of fun and excitement in between. It is fun to watch all of the kids (I should say young men and women) get excited about tromping through thorns, stickers, dusty, bug infested terrain just for the small chance of possibly being able to see a deer and then maybe have a chance of getting to shoot one. There aren't very many kids that want or even get a chance at having those experiences. They are spoiled and I'm happy for it! I enjoy watching the kids interact with each other and watching the friendships form which I am positive will last a lifetime. Having gone hunting a time or two in recent years, I am sure the boys would agree with me that it was a lot of fun hanging our with the girls this time. Besides the obvious "good looking factor" that they provide, it was fun to talk with and get to know them more and hear what is going on in their lives. I would hunt with them anytime! It was refreshing (we had plenty of non-fresh times on the drive home right Brent? "Guttin-a-deer!"). Brent can explain that one. Having spent the previous weekend with Kiley and Taylor, we (Braydon and myself) quickly learned that there is a time to be serious and a time just to kick back and have fun.
We did have fun! It was educational as well. I never knew I had a "wenis", and then I found out I have two. Who knew! Each time I hear the song "She'll be coming around the mountain...", I will picture myself on that hillside with Mitch, Brent, and Michael, packing Michael's deer our. Thanks Makenna!! Other things I learned; Brent still snores, always carry a rifle (that was a BIG deer Senaka!), watch out for guys in a red truck, it is easier for one guy to drag a deer 150 yds downhill in the dark knowing that the guy in the red truck will be there any minute than it is for two guys for drag one uphill 20 yds in the daytime, Senaka and Kinzie need socks for Christmas (Senaka only has short ones and Kinzie only has one pair which are knee highs!), good luck waking up Conner from a dead sleep, Braydon is camera shy, Michael likes candy before bed, Riahana and 50 Cent are good hunting music, Chalee would consider moving to Nogales, Mitch now has a better knife than me, and the list goes on.

Shooting a deer or not, it was a lot of fun. I had to keep reminding myself that I had a tag as well. Normally I would want to do anything possible to fill that tag but it didn't seem to matter on this trip. When I look at the photos that we took, I can't help but smile. These were truly "good times"!! I can only speak for myself but I am sure the others would agree. I am very pleased with the friends my children are choosing to keep and the relationships that are forming. They have a lot of positive examples to follow which is encouraging. To top it all off, Sunday morning we had one of the best primary programs I have heard in a long time and we ended the weekend with an awesome fireside at our Bishop's house with all the young men, committing them to all serve missions. It was a great weekend.
Eric