A Week Highlighted

One could say yesterday was the beginning of a new week, and while technically that would be correct, here, in the Kirby household, it was the end of a busy week.

A few of the week's highlights were the celebration of my sons' birthdays (two sons born on the same day, five years apart), a killer football game, a significant road trip for my teens, oh, and we couldn't possibly forget Pirate Day!

ENJOY!

(As always, click the picture to enlarge it if desired!)

Do these faces say "Exhausted!" or what?!
A FULL BIRTHDAY, ending in football practice, a quick shower,
and *finally* birthday cake!
At their request, I made my homemade chocolate cake
decorated by yours truly!
It was yum!

Pirate Day - September 19th
In keeping with our football season Thursday night tradition,
V fulfilled the requirements of Krispy Kreme to receive a whole dozen doughnuts free!
(Score one for the family, buddy!!)
And to make the deal even sweeter,  by the time we arrived, they had run out of the plain glazed, which was the original offer, SO they gave him a free dozen filled doughnuts!
You can imagine his double delight!

"Road Trip!" morning!
'Someone' wasn't about to be left behind!
I had placed our bag by the door, along with her pillow a top.
I do believe she made her position crystal clear!

My view.
A bit surreal and grand at the same time!
(Husband is riding "shot gun.")

My traveling buddies!

Yummy lunch, at least in my book!
Salmon lasagna with steamed veggies.

And double score! Our entire lunch was FREE!
Don't you just love it when the Lord blesses with
unexpected surprises?!

Waiting for class to begin.

My view.
Serious race setup

 

Okay!
So, *now* I get to introduce you! 

Meet Doug Herbert. 

Read about his story HERE 

To all North Carolina parents, I cannot emphasize enough: 

 ENROLL your teens in this five hour class! 

For those outside North Carolina, 

go ahead and check their website anyway! 

They have been to over twenty states already,
including a recent driving clinic in Alaska. 

Their goal is to have this be a nationally accessible clinic. 

It is a safe environment for your teen drivers to experience THE leading causes to accidents and what to do in the event they find themselves in such situations. The B.R.A.K.E.S' trainers are the best of the best. You know the guys who train the Secret Service to drive the President? These are some of those guys. Some of the other trainers are stunt drivers for commercials and movies.

My children had nothing but good things to say about the instructors and the instructions they gave.

They run small classes, ensuring your children get plenty of "seat time" - going through the different scenarios numerous times until the child becomes "comfortable" in those intense situations.

Pictured here:

1) A "skid track" (at the "back" of the photo) --- used to get the kids knowledgeable and comfortable in the event of a skid, and how to prevent it from becoming a spin. Note the white car on the far left going into a skid. That's a KID driving that car (after the instructor has demonstrated what to do and is now sitting shotgun). They will do it again and again until the child does the maneuver correctly (and hopefully with increasing confidence).

2) The "distraction track" -- (Note the car on the far right at the "front" of the photo.) This track is where they put the kids through the rigors of concentration while throwing distractions at them, such as a ball being thrown at the car or the radio suddenly being turned up loudly. The instructors have a whole arsenal of methods they throw at the kids to get them used to staying calm with the unexpected.

There were other courses, such as the "drop wheel recovery" track (where one (or two) wheel(s) drift or goes off the road), which is one of the highest ranked situations for inexperienced drivers having serious accidents.

Another track was the "evasive maneuver" track (aka: how to avoid becoming a part of an accident already happening). And they covered "panic stop."

By the end of this year, 10,000 kids will have gone through the program in less than five years time!  That sounds like a lot until you consider how many kids are on the roads these days! 

Go HERE to get more information!  

Scroll down to "Driving School and Schedule" and then MAKE the time and GO! 

For those with younger children not yet driving,
bookmark their link! 

You are going to want it in a few years! 

Blessings to Doug and those who work with him! 

It is a GREAT group of people with a GREAT mission:

Actively equipping our kids with necessary driving skills! 

B.R.A.K.E.S 

Be responsible and keep everyone safe! 

Have a blessed week all! 

Deborah