Pinewood Derby 2013

Saturday was Jacksons first Pinewood Derby tournament! Jackson decided what design he wanted, and then imparted his vision to Eric to cut. Eric also helped him insert the liquid lead into the bottom of the car for weight. Thank goodness! Can you imagine 8 - 10 year old using such extreme power tools. My heart can't take it.

I did deem it safe enough to put Jackson in charge of sanding:



And painting. He chose a black motif:



He also decided to adorn it with a red J (for Jackson-obviously) and a white #17 (his school number).



The finished product:



If you have not yet participated in a Derby tournament, I will warn you now that it is stressful. You realize some kid has to come in last, but you are just hoping against hope that it isn't yours!

There was some stiff competition. His fellow competitors:



Each car races four times, once on each lane. All lined up:



And they are off:



Jackson got first once, second twice, and third once. They then average the times to come up with your final score. With an average time of 3.4435 Jackson came in 7th place! Which was exactly in the middle. Not last. Whew.... He was pretty happy about it, especially when he realized that everyone that beat him was older than him.

The racer:



Way to go Jackson!

12 X 12 - May 2013

My first three pictures take place early Sunday morning before 2:30 a.m.! I find it virtually impossible to go to bed before 1 a.m. on a Saturday night. I am a firm believer that Saturday nights are made for staying up late, and nobody can tell me different.

I had finished a book on Friday night, and had not yet started a new one, so early Sunday morning, while waiting for Eric to come to bed (he isn't an early to bed individual either), I caught up on some magazine reading. I happened to read two articles from a March issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, that detailed life with interesting, so-called unconventional mothers, which I thought it was apropos to be reading on Mother's Day morning.



Tucker sleeps in a kennel beside my side of the bed. I generally allow him to hang out on my bed while reading, but make him go to his bed when it is time to go to sleep. In this picture he is listening to me tell him to go to his bed, and is trying to decide if he will obey or not. He did, but it took him a few seconds.



Then at 2:17 a.m. (I looked) Tucker woke me up with some whimpering and whining. He is an excellent sleep through the nighter, and has never done this, but apparently he had forgotten to go to the bathroom before bed and just couldn't hold it anymore. Luckily after a quick trip outside he was satisfied.

While waiting for him to come in I spied Sade asleep in our room. She has not been an excellent sleep through the nighter lately, and after being woken up too many times in the middle of the night, Eric and I finally caved and made her up a bed on our floor. That way when she comes in in the middle of the night she doesn't have to wake me up. This could quite possibly turn into something I regret, but I'm tired people!



I have lots of pictures about Mother's Day so that will get it's own special post.

After getting ready for church Jackson made a soda tower that he was quite proud of. This face depicts him saying, "Oh yeah. I'm cool."



 After a Mother's Day morning filled with breakfast and presents, and soda towers, we set off for church. All of Eric's meetings were canceled on Sunday, so we all left to go to church together!



As a special Mother's Day treat to all of the women in the Ward, all of the men, Young Women and Young Men took over the primary and nursery so all of the women could go to Relief Society! I haven't been to Relief Society in 6 years so it was a real treat for me. I was surprised to find lots of my friends are back row sitters. I most assuredly am not, but of course I sat back there with them anyway.



Upon arriving home we discovered Tucker covered in purple. Eric finally deduced that Tucker must have stolen a purple crayon, taken it outside, where it melted, and then stuck his nose and paws in it.



Eric and Megan regaling me with stories about teaching Primary.



Eric was in charge of the 4 year olds, while Megan took over my class, the 5 year olds. They both had interesting experiences and I think I could even go so far to say that they were eye opening as well. 4 and 5 year olds ain't no joke!

While Eric and I made linner (what we call lunch and dinner), Sade and Meg played a little Guess Who:



It must have been too much excitement for Sadie because afterwards she promptly fell asleep on the couch.



For dinner we had tilapia, feta cheese dip, corn on the cob, and watermelon. Amazingly it was a meal that every single person ate. Even Jackson! After dinner, I sat down on the couch (Holla - Mother's Day), while Eric, and the kids, but mostly Eric, cleaned the kitchen.



I ended up falling asleep on the couch (unprecedented, the excitement must have been too much for me too), but ended up waking up in time to spend the evening outside.



It was gorgeous weather, but we are currently in the process of letting all of our grass die so we can put in the basketball court, so I don't exactly enjoy spending time out there. It is just so hideous!

See Mother's Day post below.......

Mother's Day 2013

My Mother's Day pampering started out with a heart shaped pancake breakfast courtesy of Eric:
 

Then after getting ready for church it was present opening time! I opened Jackson's gifts first. He made me an All About Me booklet at school, where he said I was 36 years old (close), I like to eat out (so very true), I am really good at reading (true again), I relax by reading, watching T.V. and blogging (he knows me so well), that he would buy me a bigger house if he could buy me anything in the world (I'll take it!), and that I am as special as Harry Potter (big time praise!).



He also had Eric take him to Chipotle to buy me a gift certificate. He certainly knows the way to my heart:



Megan made me a super creative I Love You card, and bought me a hat to work out in. Awesome.



Sade was really excited to give me her gift, and I was really excited to get it. She made me a card covered in hearts, AND a super cool birdhouse to hang out on our tree outside:



I also received a new necklace, sunglasses and an arm band for my phone when I work out. Double awesome!



Lastly, I opened the card Eric gave me. Jackson (my most sentimental child) insisted I read it out loud. While doing so, Sade (not so sentimental) made throw up sounds. Picture proof:



The flowers the kids picked out for me:



Me and the kids:



Megan refused the participate in the funny pick. I know she will regret that decision 15 years from now:



I'm one lucky Mama:



And I'm lucky to have an always supportive, loving, hilarious Mama of my own. Happy Mother's Day to my mom and to all moms reading this too!

Children's Museum

Last week when the kids only had half days of school due to CRT's, we took the opportunity to visit the new Discovery Children's Museum. Twice! It was the perfect time to visit because no one was there. Well.....Except for about 50 other kids from Somerset that had half days too.

The first day we had time to visit about half of the museum. The kids loved each and every exhibit. Smiles were plastered on their faces the entire time.



This flight simulator video game is awesome:



I do believe the water area was Sadie and Jacksons favorite part:



On our next visit we were able to see most of the rest of it:



Right now they have a George Washington exhibit that is fascinating. Seriously. It will be there until May 15th in case you want to check it out.

Also, it is not exactly the cheapest place to visit, but if you buy the year pass (as I did) and then go multiple times (as I plan to) it becomes downright affordable.

Go. It's seriously awesome.