Freshman Football

It wasn't until Brook and I were sitting in his truck last Saturday morning in the parking lot that it hit me. We had just handed over Zach's football gear: his washed jerseys, cleaned pads and disinfected helmet, and were getting ready to drive away. The football season had been over for two weeks, but not until that precice moment did it truly feel like it. Wow, I thought, football's over. It's strange how such a looooooong season (we've been committed to this sport since June), can end so quickly, leaving us wondering what we're going to do with our time.

Zach was able to play football again this year which we were all so happy about, Zach most of all. Bar none, football is his favorite sport. Almost like clockwork in the late spring, Zach announces that he's finished with baseball (it's never mattered how great of a team he's on at the moment; it was high school freshman baseball this past spring) and he's ready for football. We've almost had to bribe him to finish out the baseball season, at least. By that time, however, it's too late. His heart isn't in it anymore because he can sense football just around the corner. This year Zach played freshman football for Lone Peak High School. They played in the Cougar Conference freshmand football league and played all the other Utah county high schools south to Payson. His team had a truly incredible season, going 10-1. He had so much fun and enjoyed almost every minute of it. He learned SO MUCH and had such great coaching. For instance, who knew he could RUN the ball as well as throw? Evidently, a new head coach did. Freshman year begins the year of we're-serious-about-this-now-boys. It's definitely not the good old days of little league. Brook was all set to step aside and watch from the stands until he was asked to help out again. He's never sought after the whole coaching job like some dads do, but he was able to contribute and I'm so glad. Zach got one more year of father-son time every day. I hope Zach appreciates the time Brook spent on his behalf (heavens - we're happy Brook still has a job with all the time he had to take off early from work). I know Zach will have fond memories of this time in his life. I also know that he appreciates the "fans" he had at every single game. His grandparents and family were there to cheer on number 1 and the rest of the team.

I don't know why Zach loves the sport so much. I don't know if it's the hitting or throwing or running or competing or whatever. I do think, however, that "brothership" plays a large part in it for him (yes, brothership is a word - I looked it up). He trully feels he has brothers when he plays football and he'll do anything not to let them down. It goes along with that whole sports-can-teach-you-life-lessons-and-such.
Zach and his team went all the way to the championship game and ended up losing 13-14 to a team we'd slaughtered before. It was a disappointment, for sure. But rather than focus on one particular game, we've chosen to look at the season as a whole. It was awesome! It was great! We beat every team we played and we WON in more ways than one. Congratulations on a great year, Zach!

Happy (Late) Halloween

Better late than never, everyone. I would just hate to read our family book years from now and think that we just skipped right on over Halloween 2010. To the contrary, the Buhrleys DID celebrate and have a good time at it.
Highlights of All Hallow's Eve 2010: A trip to This Is The Place State Park's Haunted Village with Brook, Brynn and her friend Cierra. Can I just explain myself on this one? Everyone who's been to This Is The Place in Salt Lake City knows that it's a replica of a pioneer village, complete with a school, hospital, city hall, mill, pioneer cabins, etc. Soooooooo....... my thinking was that it would be a FUN place to take Brynn and her friend. I thought there'd be pioneer-dressed people telling ghost stories and such and that it'd be a good family activity. That's what I get for thinking. Not until we'd paid our money and stood in line for a half hour did we realize that it was, instead, a spook alley type gig with people who jump out of nowhere to scare the holy helen out of you. After 45 minutes of walking through the foothills of Salt Lake and being scared by weirdos, I was ready to have it over. It was fun only after the point. Another highlight: Brynn's Halloween parade at school, of course. Unfortunately, she refused to let Brook take her picture. And our last highlight: Halloween night, obviously. As per tradition, we enjoyed our chili and trick-or-treating. It was fun to spend even a little bit of time with each of the kids before they ventured off to more exciting venues.