Well this was a busy week to say the least. It started out in Boulder CO, and ended at dinner to celebrate the twins birthday, but only after playing knights and villains with 100+ kids. Generally as weeks go this was probably very quiet!
So after spending several days at a training class in Boulder on DSS, a fun, but strange dinner in a wild game restaurant that reminded me of an Irish B&B, a conversation on serial killers, flatulence and cannibals I flew home late Thursday night. While getting ready to fly home from Denver my IPOD contents were wiped while installing the mobile application suite, which left me sitting on an hour twenty flight with the prospect of reading the “if the plane crashes instructions” or some shopping with Sky Mall magazine. I decided I could handle the in flight mags, only to find some nut had glued them together with their gum! Gross was not the word. So I sat in silence between the Van Winkle twins who slept the entire flight.
Friday morning was bright and early as we begun DAY 1 of the Knights of Freedom Summit 2007. What is that you ask? Well a darn good chance to let your kids have a richer imagination that your own and learn some values as they go along. The KOF’s are a group similar to the boy scouts, except for home school kids. So for two days we take them and let them pretend to be knights of old, dress in knightly clothes and play swords and defeat the villain! Why was I there? I was on the weapons committee and also as number 1 son was there I was also a weapons trainer.
So DAY 1 passed well, with fun and teaching the kids how to make a shield! DAY 2 was more of the training with weapons and the final battle. During this final battle I got to change sides and fight for the evil king. For a number of the kids who I had trained that morning, this was hard to believe, how could I be a bad guy? So after a few sword strokes I corrected that oversight.
However it seems revenge was to be enjoyed more by them! When your with your band of evil doers, your pretender king, and surrounded by about 100 kids from ages 8 – 11, who want to kill the evil doers, you understand how Custer felt at the end. After the fourth wave we were tired and bruised. However after the next few waves we were surrounded in pockets and pounded. As our knights fell the younger kids were on them trying to squeeze the last drops of blood from their kill!
As you can imagine our numbers thinned and the bad guys began to fall. In the end there were a few of us left standing. Defiant and protecting our false king. As I watched the 100 + or so kids now surround us in a complete circle and charge us I knew then I was going to hurt, immediately or sooner. There was no pretend in fighting here, this was gritty combat, survival was the key. You have no idea how devious this number of 8 – 11 years can be, until the have you circled and pounded. We had explained the rules, no head shots, no groin shots, you know be knightly! Well I took a few to the head, and many many more to the back and chest. So much for knightly. What a riot! Probably the most fun I have had in a long long time. So dressed as a turn coat knight I got beaten (literally) by a 100 + 8 – 11 years olds and I had fun? Yes, what fun living for one weekend a knightly dream.
So for the final battle, my wife took pictures. My twins and little man were present too. The twins were 7 this weekend. Next year I will have all 3 at the Summit! It will be a riot!!! I however will most likely need a life flight!
So after the final ceremony we took the twins for dinner at Red Robin. This was fun and we hung out for a bit before they went to they’re aunts for the night. I do not remember then growing up so fast, nor do I remember the years that seemed to have passed so darn quickly. They are growing up to be handsome and wonderful little men. Ones I will need to nobble first at the final battle next year! Hey I was a villain cry me a river okay. I still ache from that battle.
So HAPPY BIRTHDAY twins! Your awesome and Thanks Number 1 for letting me share the 2 day dream of being a knight and a dastardly villain!