Pinewood Derby 2012

Isaiah participated in his packs Pinewood Derby last night.  He seemed to have fun and his car won a few races...but the Pinewood Derby kind of frustrates me.

Technically, the boys are supposed to make their cars by themselves with minimal help from adults.  What happens is the boy finds an "awesome" car design, dad cuts it out  (because boys can't operate a band saw), boy sands...and sands, and sands..., and then boy puts on a base coat of paint.  From here many parents take over so the car will look truly cool...and not like an eight or ten year old painted it.  I have been on both sides of that coin.  I have let my son(s) paint and detail his car all by himself, AND I have been the parent who has the boy do the base coat and then taken over the project.  It bothers me that the coolness factor overshadows the fun of the boys making their own cars.

The other thing that has always bothered me about the Pinewood Derby is that it truly feels like the boys take a backseat for the adults to have fun.  Once the boys are done designing their cars and the weights and wheels are in place...they aren't allowed to touch their cars...AT ALL!  The adults take the cars from the boys and line them up on a table with "security guards" to make sure that once they weigh exactly 5oz., someone doesn't secretly add more weight so their son's car will win.  "Security" tape is placed all the way around the track so none of the boys can get to close to the track.  A few adults (or older scouts) are assigned to pick up each boy's car and place it in the correct starting gate...and then one adult gets to pull the lever to start the race.  The boys don't race their cars...and it makes me sad.  They barely help make the car and then the adults run the race while the boys watch from behind a roped barrier.

That's all I'm going to say about it.  I just wish it really was more about the boys and less about the rules.

Here are some photos from Isaiah's Pinewood Derby race last night.

I love Caleb's face in this picture!  hahaha!

I thought the car in the middle was unique.  They used a cell phone for the weight!

Isaiah found a Wii remote Pinewood Derby car on the internet and decided that he wanted to do one.  I think it turned out great!

Priesthood Advancement

Caleb was ordained to the office of a teacher today.  I am so proud of him for accepting these new responsibilities and for being worthy to hold the priesthood!  He was ordained by Darwin and Brother John Zeek (who is a counselor in our bishopric...and is also leaving on a mission with his amazing wife in a few weeks to Florida!)

Here is a link to the pictures of when he turned 12 and was ordained to the office of a deacon.  I can't believe how much he has grown since then!!

Service on the USS Missouri

This month, Isaiah's cub scout pack got to do a service project on the battleship USS Missouri.  They got to help clean the inside with little brooms and dust pans.  I'm pretty sure that the man who was leading them around and giving them an amazing tour only gave them the brooms so they would have something in their hands and would be less likely to wander off or touch things they weren't supposed to.  It was a great tour/service project, and afterwards, they were able to raise and lower a giant US flag on the ship and then got to learn how to properly fold the flag...and what each fold made in the flag meant.  I took video of the flag raising (with my phone) and the wind was blowing pretty good into the microphone, so you can't hear much of the beginning, but here is a link to the video.



The boys had a great time and I'm so glad Isaiah had this opportunity!

Trying out the jail cell! 

Looks are everything...right?

Conversation with Isaiah this morning as he is putting gel in his hair (which he doesn't usually do before school...)

Isaiah: Mom, can I use your hair dryer to make my bangs spiky?

Me: Why are you doing spiky hair this morning?

Isaiah: Because today is track tryouts, and if I make my bangs straight up, it will look like I am running faster.


HAHAHAHAHA!! 

‎2012 Scholastic Art Awards. Silver Key Award winner.

Brooklin won an award for a drawing she did in art this year.  I have mixed feelings about the picture. It is actually a picture of me when I was a baby, but when her art teacher saw it in it's early stages, he told her, "I don't like cute baby pictures.  I hope you are planning on doing something else with that."...so she turned me into a ZOMBIE!  I am proud of her for being recognized for her talent...I just wish this particular picture wasn't the one that won!

I'm sad to say that I accidentally deleted the "good" pictures I took with my nice camera.  These were taken with my phone...but I am grateful that I at least have some pictures!

Caleb turns FOURTEEN

We are still investigating how in the heck Caleb got old enough to be FOURTEEN...  but he did, so we bought him presents and made him a cake.  He chose to eat his special birthday dinner at home, since it WAS Sunday. (and if I would ever get on-top of my blogging, I would be able to tell you what I made him!...but it is March 23rd, and I SO don't remember now!!)

He got some fun presents and was surprised to find out that he had "friended" us on Facebook!  He was actually pretty excited about being old enough to have a Facebook.

You Want Me To Be WHAT?!

Bishop Loder asked me to be the PRIMARY PRESIDENT last week!  I'm pretty sure I laughed out loud when he asked me...hahaha!  It wasn't anything I was expecting...AT ALL...but the Lord knows what I need, so I'm gonna have to trust him on this one.

I did just graduate from COLLEGE...so I don't have that commitment any longer.  AND all my kids are in school.  I didn't really know what I was going to do with all my FREE TIME, and I HAVE been praying to know what I was supposed to do next... so I guess the LORD knew all along.  He just didn't want to scare me too badly BEFORE I graduated, otherwise I may have tried to get out of it by continuing in school...even though I knew I was done there.

The Lord's timing is ALWAYS best, but I am so impatient that I NEVER see it that way until AFTER the fact.

...and I wonder why I have to teach MY kids the same lesson over and over...

Maybe someday I will learn. =)

Dillingham Airfield Hike

We went hiking with Isaiah's cub scout troop today at Dillingham Airfield.  There was this great boat at the beginning of the hike that I just HAD to have my picture taken with!  It describes me on every hike we go on. =)

This next picture is of the entire airfield.  This is where you go (on Oahu) if you want to go skydiving.  You can see a plane over the ocean if you look close.  (This is six photos, shot vertically, and stitched together in Photoshop)

This final shot is all of us at the top.  My kids all raced up the trail and had half their lunches gone before I made it to the top.  Darwin was kind enough to stay with me even though I was a "Slo Poke".  I love hiking...I'm just not very good at it. =)

Diamond Head Crater

We've lived here on Oahu for 18 months...and this was our first time to hike up to the top of Diamond Head Crater.  It was so worth it!!  What an amazing view!!

Hiking to the top.

Kids waiting for me to catch up...

This is me resting.  I had to stop and rest A LOT...

Can you see all the little faces??

Going back down.