Fathers & Sons Camp Out

We just got back from the annual Fathers & Sons camp out.  Braden was not able to go with us this year because he has a job!  He literally started work the day before the camp out, so he didn't have much say about asking for time off.  I feel like I've crossed another milestone in life: having a son that's "too old" to go on the Fathers & Sons camp out.

We gave a couple people a ride to the camp out, the Lawsons, and being natives from the area they recommended that we stop on the way up the canyon and take a short hike.   The trail was about 1/4 mile and ended in a 20 foot waterfall that had carved out a large cave-like area at the bottom.  It was pretty cool.  The name of the trail was Grotto Trail.

The camp out was  held at Blackhawk Campground just off the Nebo Scenic Loop.  I found this site for the event and was hoping that it would be an enjoyable place.  Rain threatened on the way up Spanish Fork canyon, but by the time we arrived at the campground it had mostly stopped.  This site itself was beautiful.  We had a group site that took an entire loop in the campground.  There was plenty of room to spread out and mountain meadows (and the fire) kept the boys occupied. 

Zach and a friend disappeared for a long time Friday evening and later came and said that I had to come see what they had built.  They referred to it as a "fort".  Turns out they had built a wood igloo from branches and sticks.  It was pretty impressive.  The pictures below do not do it justice.  There is really a lot of room on the inside.  If we had not been strongly cautioned about bears in the area, I would have let him sleep in it.

The turnout for the event was the best I've seen in all the years we've been in this ward.  There were probably at least 80 people there, probably more.  Everyone seemed to have fun and several people commented on the location. At above 8000 feet, I expected it to be quite cold at night, but it was actually very pleasant.  The only negative thing was that at odd hours swarms of gnats would invade the camp.  They'd hang around for an hour or so making everyone miserable, then disappear.  Other than that, however, it was a really good time. 

Parker's (Abbreviated) Machine Pitch Season

Parker has been enrolled in the Lehi City's Machine Pitch baseball league this year.  Due to his broken arm, vacations, reunions and such he really didn't have a chance to play much, but he definitely enjoyed it when he did.  He played his first game just after his cast came off.  I was nervous that he would re-injure his arm.  He was a little unnerved about standing up to the plate with this machine chucking balls at him.  He got a hit at his first at-bat.  He was so shocked himself that he forgot to run and the other team threw him out at first base.  In the field, he played right field -- at this age that means the back of the infield -- and I don't think a single ball came within 30 feet of him. 

Besides that game, he played in one other game, the last game of the season.  He got a base hit, then rounded the bases to score a run.  He was so excited that he forgot to touch home plate and had to come back to do that. After the game his coach told the team he had been keeping track and they had won all of their games.  He then handed out a "first place" medal to each player. 

Despite not being to many of the games, he thought it was a lot of fun and says he wants to play again next year.  Here are some pictures from the final game of the season.

Making contact.  Parker gets a hit!

Ready to go on first base.

 Another hit!  Parker goes to third.

 Bringing it home.  Parker scores a run!