Pinewood Derby Champion!

Brody had the opportunity to participate in his very first Pinewood Derby this year.  He was extremely excited but I don't think any more so than Shane.  After receiving the kit, Shane went on the internet to find out as much as he could about pinewood derby cars.  It was fun to watch him explain the different steps in building a car to Brody.  After many hours of work, including almost 3 hours by numerous people (myself included) on the flames alone, he had the derby car he wanted.  Next year we will buy stickers! When we arrived at the race, one of the boys mentioned that he had bought $40.00 wheels to put on his car to make it faster. The rules of the derby state that you are supposed to use the parts included in the kit. He was the scout leader's son and kept telling all the boys how he was going to win because of the money they spent on the car.  Brody was extremely nervous and we kept telling him that extra money and adjustments to the rules doesn't guarantee a winner.  As the cars started racing, it was interesting to see that the car that had the more expensive parts on it wasn't fairing so well.  In fact, the little boys family started asking me all sorts of questions about Brody's car. "Where did you put the weights.  Front or back."  "Did he get better wheels?"  etc.  Unfortunately I couldn't help them out being as how I didn't help on the car except for the flames.  Maybe...that's what made it go so fast.  Once again there is a lesson to be learned.  Money does not buy happiness and...breaking the rules doesn't pay off.

The finished product...Look at those Flames!  HOT!!!

Good looking car if I do say so myself.  It was exactly what he wanted.

Getting ready to race.

And they're off! Several races took place and this is what the majority of them looked like..

The boys anxiously waiting to see who won.

Brody was so excited.  1st place and undefeated.  Haylie was quite the cheerleader.  She cheered him on through almost every race.

First place in the Derby + Best in Show...can't ask for more than that.

Just as soon as we got home Brody wanted to call his Grandpa Allen and Grandma Connie to tell them that he had won since they weren't able to make it to the race.  We all had a lot of fun and look forward to another great experience next year.



Birthday fun at Lagoon

This year, instead of having a big birthday party, Brody decided all he wanted to do was take a friend and go to Lagoon and stay overnight at Aunt Mony's for a couple of nights.  I told him that I was fine with what ever he decided he wanted to do. Going to Lagoon was going to be a lot easier on me being as how I was still on crutches, but I was really going to miss doing the big birthday theme party.

After really thinking about who he would like to take, he asked Tate Torgerson's mom (who is also his teacher) and she thought that sounded like fun.  A week to ten days before we were going to go, Liz called me and said Tate would be unable to attend because they had a doctor's appointment in St. George that she had forgotten about and is was that same day.  Brody was a little sad but he had a back up plan in mind.  He invited another little guy who was definitely not my first choice.  Hesitantly, I agreed to let him make his own friend decision and told him to go ahead and ask that little boy.  

He asked his "friend" if he wanted to go and plans were made.  We were planning on leaving after school on Friday and would pick the boys up in Loa.  When we got to the Elementary School on Friday, Haylie came bouncing out of the school with a very slumpy brother behind her.  My heart sank.  I just knew what was going on.  When Brody got to the car, I asked him where his friend was.  Brody's response "He's not coming!" followed by eyes full of tears.  He was absolutely devastated.  I called the child's mother and come to find out, this little boy had been going back and forth about whether or not he wanted to come since Wednesday.  Are you kidding me? I thought maybe I deserved a little heads up but obviously not. I was hurting for Brody, angry at the mom, and disgusted with the little boy.  How could you do that to someone that is supposed to be your friend?  The only way I could think of to calm our nerves was to try and turn it into a learning situation.  I asked Brody what he was feeling.  He explained to me that he was sad,  mad, his heart hurt and he didn't know what else. 

I took that as my cue.  I tried to explain to him the difference between true friends and so-called friends. True friends will go out of their way to be kind to you, and they care about your feelings. Someone who respects you and shows you they do by their actions. A true friend is a friend that will always have your back regardless of the situation without expecting anything in return.  So-called friends are the kids that will play with you, get in trouble along side you, and when it's time for discipline, will turn and point the finger at you to save themselves.  These so-called friends don't respect the feelings of others or care how much damage their actions may do.  They will lie, cheat, bully, and what ever else may suit them as long as they get what they want. 

Brody and I talked about it for quite a while.  He had told me numerous stories about this same little boy getting in trouble for things he had done at school before I agreed to let him go. Hind sight being what it is I should have stuck with my gut feeling and told him to choose a different friend.  We talked about choices that were made and how a different choice would have produced a different outcome. After crying for almost an hour, I got him settled down by telling him that maybe he and Dillon could go to Lagoon Saturday night just the two of them because I was proud of what an admirable young man he had become and I trusted him to go by himself and make good choices.

When we got to Monica's house she asked where Brody's friend was.  I told her what had happened and she was as angry as I had been.  We talked about it for awhile and decided we wouldn't focus on it anymore.  We were going to do everything in our power to make sure Brody had a good weekend and he did.

On the way home, I asked Brody how he was feeling.  He told me that he didn't think the little boy was a true friend and I told him I had to agree.  Brody said, "Mom, I am still going to be nice to him, but I don't want to be friends with him."  I told him that I was okay with that.  It reminds me of several conversations I've had with my "therapist" Dr. Daph regarding the unhealthy people we have in our lives.  Whether by choice or other means, these unhealthy people are not good for us.  They wear us out and make a definite negative impact on our lives.

I still get quite emotional when I think of Brody walking out of the school that day with his head hanging down, shoulders slumped, dragging his feet, and tears in his eyes.  I hope that this will be a lesson learned for him, and that he will learn and grow from it and he will actually think about how his actions may impact someone else.  I am very proud of my "little man" and the sweet spirit he has.  He has chosen some pretty good little friends now.  He is still nice to the other little guy but chooses not to play with him. Unfortunately for that young fella he has not made the best choices in friends and can't seem to stay out of trouble.  Another life lesson...actions/consequences???  I think YES! 

Dillon and Carter.

Brody and Haylie

Uncle Trev and Uncle Cory

Brody won himself a NY Yankees helmet by pitching 3 pitches in a row over 30 mph.

Shane and Haylie

I believe I can fly...

Brody's birthday posse...Tavia, Haylie Corbin, Triston, Hadley, Carter, and Dillon.

Frankenstein dropped by for a surprise visit.

One of Brody's favorite rides.

Waiting to go

Tons of fun!

They both loved this ride.

Fortunately for Brody, he has a true friend in his sister.  She is always there for him and even though they have their squabbles at times she has his back and he knows he can depend on her regardless of the situation.  Love my kids!





Happy 9th Birthday Brody...Look how far you've come!

Wow!  I can't believe my little boy is already 9 years old. His interests right now are, shooting his pellet gun, playing baseball, hanging out with his dad, and clogging.  He is a great student whom his teacher says is very eager to please.  He is a great example to his little sister and he is her hero. I love to get hugs and steal kisses when he will let me.  He has been a HUGE help to me the past couple of months and picked up the slack where I left off.  I am very proud of him and thank my Heavenly Father every day for sending him to us.  Thank you Brody for choosing us...you have made our lives complete!

It seems like it was not very long ago when I started my blog and one of my very first entries was Brody's 8th birthday.  I thought I would incorporate some pictures from previous birthdays just for fun.

 

 Brody's 2nd birthday...Our little farmer John! 

 Brody's 3rd birthday...cake that made his face black...and new boots.

 

Brody's 4th birthday...jungle party and a trip to the circus.

Brody's 9th birthday.  They always get to choose what they want for their birthday cake.  This year he wanted made from scratch German Chocolate cake and frosting.  A favorite for his dad. 

Haylie and Shane had to be the first ones to give him birthday spankings. 

Uncle Lance getting in on the action.

Hurry Lance...it looks like he is about to get away! 

A very special lady in Brody's life.  He has always truly loved Grandma and Grandpa Great.

Grandpa Great...always a tease.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid books from our good friends Kim and Jerry.

A special gift from Grandma and Grandpa Durfey.  Made with love by Grandma.

Haylie was able to open her birthday present from Kim and Jerry early since they won't be here for her birthday.  It was a Tangled activity book and as soon as she opened it she went into her room and we didn't see her for the rest of the night.

Breakfast before school.

Yankees hat from his biggest fan...Haylie

Coveralls from Shane and I.  They are a little big but we figured he could use them for a couple of years.

His favorite gift from us...an upgraded pellet gun.  Ooohhh...boys and their toys.  He learned from the best (his dad) at a very young age, "You can never have too many guns".



Boulder Mountain Grouse Hunt...and When it rains...it pours.

This year Shane forgot to put us in for the Sage Grouse hunt.  Allen couldn't believe it when he found out that Shane of all people had forgotten to enter us in the draw.  Hind sight being what it is, it is probably better that we didn't draw out this year because I would not have been able to hunt.  That being said, we could still hunt Blue Grouse.  Shane got everything ready to take our little family, to where his camp has been all summer, so we could enjoy a weekend on the mountain and he could take his pup out to hunt.  We loaded up on a Friday afternoon in September and headed out.  Friday night we got there just in time to set up camp and eat dinner.  He had invited Allen and Connie out the next day to get a load of firewood and then eat dinner with us.  It is always such a joy to be able to spend time with them.  They got there early enough that after the firewood was loaded the guys still had time to go hunting.  Connie, Haylie and I stayed in camp and played cards and visited.  We absolutely love to spend time in the outdoors as a family, and I am very sad that we didn't get to do more of it this year.  I am really looking forward to having "a great outdoors year" next year.

This is how Haylie spent a lot of her "down time."

The paper plate in the bush was her target.

Little "Princess Single Feather" was a pretty good shot. She kept shooting and shooting until she got it exactly where she wanted it.  She ended up putting it right in the middle of the bulls-eye before she went on to something else.

Shane, Brody, and Gunner with the day's kill. Way to go boys!

Getting Gunner to pay attention to me instead of the bird was not an easy task but I did end up with a pretty good picture. 

One afternoon the kids were helping pull weeds down by the fence when all of a sudden we had a massive rain storm.  We've had a lot of these this year.  It seems like we had never ending rain for several weeks.  I didn't have to water nearly as often as most years and for that I am indeed grateful.  I looked out my window just in time to see both of them dive under a tree and try to squeeze together so they didn't get soaked.  I immediately went for my camera.  Unfortunately, I didn't break any speed records and by the time I got outside Haylie had jumped ship and headed for the house.  Brody, on the other hand, waited out the storm for a little longer. 

Trying to stay dry.  I don't think it worked so well.

Headed for the house. 

Kind of wet and a little cold.  Besides, lightening was popping all around and this mama is a chicken and told him to get out from under that tree.