Eagle Scout

A year later Erik is finally getting all the accolades that come with his eagle rank. He's sat in several eagle's nests in the past year and eventually made it to his own this time. I just didn't have the "eagle powers" a year ago to put together a court of honor.

Erik designed his invitations and the program and Ashlyn put together the poster for me.

My favorite photo was this one:

I'm not sure where it came from but the look on both Erik's and Scott's faces is priceless. The caption read Duct Tape Merit Badge.

We combined with another scout in our ward, Evan Huffaker. They both wanted a very simple, low key program and that's what they got.

Erik's gone from this

to a grown up person overnight. Okay, maybe not overnight. But it sure seems that way.


I watched my mom pull her hair out with my brothers getting their eagle awards and I told myself I would not do that. I have been extremely blessed with tremendous scouting leaders along the way who have been supportive and helped both Erik and Nate along their scouting path.

In Erik's little speech he told about forgetting his sleeping bag on an overnight camp out 10 miles from our home. Instead of running him home to get one, the scout leader lent him an extra blanket he had. Erik said it was one of the coldest nights but he learned to never forget his sleeping bag again.

Paige Lerdahl accompanied Erik to his first cub scout day camp where she related to me how Erik could not pee in the outhouses they had set up. She tried to get him to just go off into the woods. Unfortunately, I had taught my boys to sit like a girl while using the bathroom. She ended up driving him down the mountain to a gas station to use the facilities. After hearing this story, I commissioned Tyler to teach our boys how to relieve themselves like a man. No scout -- or scout leader -- should end up in that predicament ever.

The rank of eagle scout is quite an accomplishment and there are few that get there. I just hope Erik has learned a few things about character, integrity, hard work, dedication in addition to the things he had to do to earn merit badges.

Even Nate got a little excitement when Aaron Roberts lent him his sword to use during the flag ceremony.