Pinewood Derby

 Tom and Isaac rocked the derby this year with "Diamondback" the car.

They brought home the Piston cup (try saying Piston cup slowly)

This is the only potty-mouthed joke that makes me smile.  Next time you watch

the movie "Cars" you'll hear it.

I had nothing at all to do with this project  and I loved it.

I just sat back and observed the process. 

We are not creative, building, crafting types over here....

we amuse one another over our efforts.   

My mom used to build all my brothers cars for them.  She was and still is energized by a project.

She made sure there were windows, grills, doors...fancy creative stuff and they were fast. 

She didn't pass that gene on to me.

However,  I did help out by allowing them to use my kitchen 

table for a week, piled high with the stuff creation is made of.

Don't mock my contribution...it was not easy for me.

Yes,  we have the book and Tom discovered all the secrets.

1.  Bake the wood 2 hours in a 250 degree oven

2.  Cut your racer into the "wedge" shape...boring but aerodynamic. 

3.  And finally, a secret weapon....

take a drill to the bottom of your car and go nuts.

Ok not really,  Tom just added too much weight 

and had to take it off somewhere so it could "make weight" which is 5 ounces- FYI

watching them drill the car was a hard pill for Isaac to swallow.
 He was a little ashamed of how his car was looking.
Style over substance.

    But the disappointment faded as soon as Diamondback smoked the competition.

      His sad looking car ended up setting a record for the derby track----3.46 seconds.

Typical me, I didn't get a photo of him with

 the piston cup (hee hee)

so this will have to do.

Shuffleboard

Tom and his BFF, Bill Okland, have birthdays within a day of each other.

 I don't think Tom or Bill wanted a party but we did it anyway....they were due one.

I just made sure it was not a surprise.  I know my husband well enough not to throw him that curve ball.

I hope it is obvious enough that we had a theme.  

Since we are all aging rapidly, we decided to celebrate with a shuffleboard tournament.

Many dressed the part, including myself.

I never dress up....but I decided to try and be "fun" this time.

Rob and Bridget

Super duper authentic...from hair net to the shirt in the zipper.

The next morning they both participated in the Tour de Mesa...70 mile bike race.

These two are the most active, adventurous, well traveled couple I know.

Thanks again Shawni for capturing a lot of the evening for me.

I am sorry that I don't have a shot with you in it and that Dave was in China. 

I thought Isaac would like the fact I dressed-up. 

 He used to beg me to, for Halloween. 

All I got from him was "That isn't even funny."

I guess it ranks right up there with my dancing.

I think that if my children ever need to be punished, I could just dance

in front of their friends.

When we reserved the shuffleboard courts at the retirement community,

 I didn't think something through... actual retirement age folks lived there. 

(I know I don't think through a lot of things)

The last thing I would ever want to do is offend or make-fun of someone....especially this generation.

Luckily while I hid in the car with my stereotype costume on, 

Tom went out to talk with some of the shuffleboard club  

and explain to them what we were doing.  

They were so lovely about it and laughed right along with us. 

By the end of the party we were all great friends.

In fact, they asked if I would write up an article

 for their community newspaper and give the shuffleboard club a plug.
They also invited us to join their shuffleboard club and then they saw how badly we played.

Kaci brought food from America's Taco shop and yummy bite-size cupcakes from her neighbor.

Happy Birthday Tom

Jack's Egg Hunt

Grandpa Jack always throws a wing- dinger Egg Hunt the day before Easter.

A couple weeks prior--there is a contest held for the best theme, song, and poem about the hunt.

Jack is the master of hype.

The only requirement, for the contest, is that it rhyme with the year. 

 This year was tricky with it being 2012.  

The newlyweds, Chad and Carissa, were champions in the poetry category.  

I can't remember it exactly but it had to do with the Aztec calendar and the end of the world. 

They will do anything for a little extra money.  

My mom just takes in all in stride and

 reminds Jack to stop pushing the siren button on his mega phone

After a sufficient amount of hype is achieved--

the hunt begins.  

Youngest to oldest are released in stages.

After all the trees and bushes are searched, 

Jack announces the vicinity where the $20 egg is buried.

All dignity is lost

At the conclusion of the hunt is a pool dive.

Lucky britches got a $20 egg

I love this tradition and appreciate the effort that is made to bring us all together.

It was a beautiful day.

My mother's roses were in bloom all over the yard. 

Even Granny Gucci made it another year....a little senile but still cute with that under- bite of hers.

Unfortunately, Ike was sick and missed the whole darn thing.

Grandpa Jack and Nana felt so badly they took him for shaved ice a couple days later.

More Volleyball

When I look back on this stage of raising kids, volleyball will be wedged in there.

A volleyball laying around the house, tournaments, jerseys, spandex, knee pads--

the kids out bump/hitting to each other in the front yard.

This season, Meg and Summer have been playing club volleyball...on the same 14s team.

Some parts of that work great, and some...well, not so much.

This is the "volcano eruption" cheer to get things started.

Earlier in the season...it was the best part of the match.

To highlight how different my girls are.....

Meg reminds me to bring my camera and Summer asks that I leave it home. 

Walking a tight rope, I tell ya.

 This week, Summer will have foot surgery.  

She developed a bunion when we were training together for a 10k race. 

I thought we would see a podiatrist for orthotics, but when the x-ray came back he told us that she has a deformed foot that will only get worse without the help of surgically fixing her big toe. 

This kid has had so many problems with her toes, ankles, joints.  

So-- she is quitting her powertap group and will miss the rest of the volleyball season.

 This team has officially graduated from "Bad News Bear" status to a real team.

It is has been fun to watch them improve and when they win a game..it is a huge deal.  I think we may have the loudest cheering section.

 Because Meg is 12 and has never played club, we told the coaches to just have her be a practice player. However, she has seen a lot more game action than we anticipated.

My brother Chad has been one of the coaches.  What a champ he has been.

He had no idea what he was getting himself into (: