Arrow of Light

Another big milestone for our boys—Logan officially earned his Arrow of Light and crossed over into Boy Scouts! 🏹

I honestly couldn’t be more proud of him. There were definitely times along the way when Logan wanted to quit and wasn’t sure if Cub Scouts was really his thing. But he stuck with it, finished what he started, and earned that Arrow of Light. And now all three of our boys have officially earned theirs.

Logan wasn’t exactly excited about the idea of continuing on into Boy Scouts. In fact, he was pretty sure he didn’t want to do it at all. But after the Enchanted Rock campout he had so much fun that he decided it was worth giving it a try after all.

We'll see how he likes Boy Scouts and where this next chapter takes him. I'm glad he is at least giving it a chance.

Enchanted Rock

Logan has been looking forward to the annual Webelos and Arrow of Light campout at Enchanted Rock all year long.

In fact, there were only two reasons he decided to stick with Cub Scouts this year: first, he knew it was only for half a year before crossing over to Scouts BSA, and second, he absolutely did not want to miss this campout. After last year's trip, Enchanted Rock had earned a special place on his list of favorite adventures.

Brad and Logan hit the road and made a stop just outside Fredericksburg for some famous Texas BBW. According to Logan, it was "the best meal of my life" high praise from a picky eater.

Of course, no camping trip is complete without at least one forgotten item. Before reaching camp, they realized Logan hadn't packed a hoodie. Anyone who has ever camped in Texas knows that even when the daytime temperatures are warm, those evenings and early mornings can get surprisingly chilly. A quick stop at a local general store solved the problem, and Logan left with a new hoodie and a lesson he'll probably forget again someday.

Once they arrived at the campground, they got their tent set up, unpacked their gear, and settled in for the weekend. There’s something special about camping with a group of Scouts—friends running around playing games, laughter, and just enough dirt and adventure to make it memorable.

The next day brought the highlight of the trip: hiking Enchanted Rock. The massive pink granite dome never disappoints, and the boys spent hours exploring, climbing, and squeezing through the famous rock crevices. For a group of adventurous Scouts, it was basically a giant natural playground. They scrambled over rocks, discovered hidden passageways, and made fun memories.

This year's trip felt especially meaningful because it was a bit of a redemption story. Last year, Logan started feeling sick during the campout, and Brad ended up driving him home early. While getting Logan home safely was the obvious priority, Brad was disappointed to miss one of the campout traditions: breakfast at the famous German restaurant in Fredericksburg on the way home.

Thankfully, this year everything went according to plan. Logan stayed healthy, the weather cooperated, and they got to enjoy the full campout experience—including that long-awaited German breakfast. After missing out the year before, Brad was especially excited, and it lived up to the hype.

As Logan wraps up his Cub Scout journey and prepares for the next chapter in Scouts BSA, this campout was the perfect reminder of why scouting is so special. The hiking, camping, friendships, and shared adventures are what make these years memorable. And judging by the smiles, stories, and enthusiasm that came home with them, Enchanted Rock remains one of their favorite scouting traditions.

 

Logan part 2

Logan's growing up and we're soaking in this stretch of time with Logan as much as we can.

I jumped at the chance to chaperone Logan’s last elementary school field trip, and I’m so glad I did. The trip was to the Katy ISD Outdoor Learning Center, and it could not have been a more perfect day. The weather was beautiful, just right for being outside all day.

The kids rotated through different outdoor activities like fishing, archery, and exploring nature. While the fish weren’t bitting too much (apparently too many recent field trips had them well-fed), that didn’t take away from the experience. There was still plenty of laughter, friendly competition, and just pure fun being out in nature. Getting to watch Logan with his friends in that setting made it even more special.

That weekend was a Scout service project with Keeping Fulshear Beautiful, where we spent time picking up trash and giving back to the community. It’s always rewarding to see the boys take pride in their work and understand the value of service. As a bonus, after we finished, they treated us to lunch, always a win! There was even a table set up where the Scouts could check out some snakes, which of course was a huge hit.

To coincide with Thanksgiving Logan’s elementary school puts on a family picnic. Unfortunately, I had to miss that because of work, but I was so grateful that Brad was able to step in and spend that time with Logan. 

That night they also got to attend the Father-Son activity, which made it even more meaningful. Two years ago, when it was their turn, Brad had a business trip and couldn’t make it, so it felt extra special that they were able to go this time especially since it’s Logan’s last one in elementary school.

The best part about being the yearbook photographer was that I was able to go to this event that I normally wouldn't have and capture these  capture these sweet memories.  They had a great time.

Boys and their 6 7

These events just make me feel a little nostalgic. Logan is growing up, and while it’s bittersweet, I’m so thankful for moments like these that let us soak it all in.