Pinewood Derby

I both love and hate the Pinewood Derby at the same time.  It's such a fun event for the boys but I absolutely hate the weeks leading up to it.  No matter how much Jason plans it there is never enough time to finish the car and we are always trying frantically to paint the car and get the wheels on just in time for the race.  The boys are really excited about making the car at first but then it gets to the sanding.  "Is it done yet, Dad?"  "No, go work on it some more."  And then I'll save you from hearing all the whining that comes after that.

This year was no exception.  When it was time to pick out a design Jared pulled out the box of Hot Wheels and started looking for ideas.  He picked out what he thought was the perfect race car.  Jason kept asking, "Are you sure?  That's going to be a lot of work?"  He was determined though and for the most part he was a pretty good sport about working on it.  He asked Jason if they would win.  Jason told him not to count on it.  He'd never built a pinewood derby that won.  I tried to convince him that it wasn't about winning, just having fun making and racing his car.  Finally it was painted and waiting for wheels the morning of the race.  I was trying to get everyone out the door to their various activities that morning when I heard something fall on the floor and Jared and Kaitlyn both say in horror, "Oh no!  It's broken!"  I walked in the room to see Jared holding the broken car almost in tears.  All that work and he hadn't even had a chance to race it yet!  So we pulled out the super glue and hoped it would hold for the race.

Here he is ready to weigh in his car.

Jason did put a little more effort into finding tricks to make the car faster.  In the end a bit of luck helped him out when a "mistake" turned out to give the car a slight advantage.  Anyway, Jared was thrilled that his car won almost every race.  He was so excited to win 2nd place in the pack.  He even wanted to frame the certificate when he got home!

Andrew was a little jealous of Jared's success.  I guess there are advantages to being a younger child.  At least Dad has figured out a little more about things like making Pinewood Derby cars.  Andrew has been keeping busy working on his scouting though.  At a recent court of honor he received his Star rank advancement.  He's earned half the merit badges for his Eagle and is close to finishing several others.  Now if I can just keep up sewing on the patches.

I've Heard That Before

Last week was our Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet.  I was in line helping my kids get food when I heard a comment come out of my friend's mouth behind us in line that I've said a million times myself.  "That's all you are going to eat? A roll?  I swear I have the pickiest kids in the world!"  No you don't.  I do.  And for that fact there are probably a dozen other mothers in the room that would argue for that bragging right. (If you can call it that!)  I was pleasantly surprised to look down at my own kids plates and see them full of food.  Well, my pleasure didn't last long because soon they were up running around the room with their friends while there plates looked just like they did when they sat down.  And then I found myself repeating what I say over and over.  "This is dinner; if you choose not to eat you choose to go hungry."

I found soon after I became a parent that there are plenty of people around with different parenting ideas that are always ready to criticize my own parenting techniques.  The first few years it really bothered me but at this point, to be honest, I don't really care.  So feel free to criticize or disagree with my methods but I'll share it with you anyway.  I've never forced my children to eat anything.  There choice is simply this.  What is on the table is what they have to choose from.  If they choose not to eat it, they choose to be hungry.  If they don't eat dinner, there's no dessert, snacks, PB&J, etc.  They can just wait until breakfast.  This is one rule I've really done quite a good job of sticking to and I really thought after twelve years a child would learn to eat something he doesn't like rather than go hungry.  So maybe my tactic has failed miserably because I'm now starting to see a church mission a few years down the road and wondering if my son will literally starve to death if he goes to a country that lives on rice and beans.  On the other hand I've decided it has a lot more to do with the child than anything I have or haven't done as a parent since my five year old loves to try new food and I really haven't done anything differently with her.  So to all my friends out there who think they have the pickiest kids in the world, I'm sorry.  I share your pain, but I'm also ready to take bets on who's the pickiest.

So the last few months I have been forced to put most of my hobbies on hold.  Mostly marathon training and snow skiing that usually occupy all our free time in the winter.  The good news is that it's given me more time to rediscover a hobby that I had really forgotten I enjoy, cooking!  After the first few months of morning sickness where nothing looked appealing, now everything looks good.  (If you don't believe me just ask my doctor how much weight I gained in the last month...)  I've been on the lookout for new recipes and trying out new foods.  My friend told me about a fun cooking blog Jamie Cooks It Up .  Try it out for yourself.  She's got some fabulous recipes.  Some take a lot of time and some are great for a quick meal.  There have been a couple that turned out as flops and I wondered how her pictures turned out so perfect but for the most part our family has really enjoyed them.  I'm trying something new tonight and I can already tell what my picky eaters are going to say when the sit down.  "Yuck, I don't like this!"  My response will be the same as always.  "You can't say you don't like it when you've never even tried it."  Maybe someone will go to bed hungry but after all, I have the pickiest children in the world!

Field Trips, Class Parties, and Temple Trip

It's that time of year where it seems like there's not a lot going on yet at the same time we are always busy.  So with lack of much exciting news to write about here are a few pictures of things keeping us busy.

Jared's class field trip to Astrocamp.

Jared and I attempting a "scientific experiment" at Astrocamp.

Andrew and Jason at the Bountiful Temple

Old Post Youth temple trip

Kaitlyn's class Valentine's party

Tribute to a Hero

Last month tragedy struck our community when six police officers were shot while in the line of duty. Five are recovering but one life was lost. On the day of the funeral the boy scouts were asked to line the funeral procession route with flags in uniform. I checked the kids out of school and we headed down town to where we had been asked to be with our flags. It was such an amazing sight to see miles of streets lined with flags and people. We waited on the cold for a few hours but I was so glad we did. The procession lasted for over an hour mostly consisting of police officers from all over Utah and several surrounding states. It's too bad it took something so tragic to bring the community together like that but it made me feel so grateful for those who risk their lives everyday to keep us safe.

Pregnancy Drama

Yesterday morning I spent close to an hour trying to find something to wear. I was just going to the treehouse museum for a field trip with Kaitlyn. What I was wearing really should not have been a big deal. Yet it was agonizing trying to find something that looked flattering on me. After hopelessly trying on every pair of jeans I own I opened up the box of maternity clothes I'd dug out of the basement only to decide I'm not big enough for those yet. So I gave up and threw on the only pair of pants that still fit (ugly brown corduroy) and headed out the door in spite of what I looked like. To add insult to injury, Kaitlyn picked that moment to say, "Mom, you're not as skinny as you used to be."
We did have a good time once we got there. After all, I suppose I'll fit in my jeans again some day. Kaitlyn made a darling pig in their play of The Three Little Pigs.

It's a...

Ever since we told Kaitlyn that we were expecting a baby she has been adamant that she wants a sister.  No matter how many times I explain we have no choice in the matter she has made it clear to everyone that the last thing she wants is another brother.  So yesterday was my ultrasound and we found out it's a boy!  I'm excited but I was nervous to break the news to Kaitlyn.  The other day she did mention that she didn't want to share her room so I was hoping she would be OK with the idea.  I sure was wrong.  She broke into tears and sobbed for quite a while after I told her.  The poor girl was heartbroken!  I tried to point out the numerous advantages of being the only girl but it didn't help.  I guess I have the next five months to get her used to the idea.  My glimmer of hope was when she said her prayers last night and said, "bless that I will be happy with my baby brother and I won't tease him too much."

It's Been a Long Time

Life had been getting pretty comfortable around our house.  All the kids are in school.  It's been years since I've regularly gotten up with children in the middle of the night or changed diapers.  I have been finding more time for myself and even rediscovering I have a few hobbies.  (Okay, one slightly insane and very time consuming hobby but a hobby nonetheless.)  However, there are times when I look at my kids and my heart aches missing how they were when they were little.  I don't know how I can watch Andrew pass the sacrament and be so proud and sad at the same time that he is growing up.  Christmas is one of those times that bring back so many memories of fun little toddler boys running around  thrilled about a new toy train or puzzle.  Every day I give Kaitlyn a hug and wish I could freeze her because I think kindergarten is the perfect age!  But as much as I don't like it, there is absolutely nothing I can do about time marching on and everyone getting older, including myself.

So with all these feelings we are excited and nervous to welcome a new baby to our family in June!  Six years is a long time to forget.  In a way I feel like when we were expecting Andrew and everything was new and surprising.  Six years is long enough to forget how miserable morning sickness is and how much I really hate being pregnant and not feeling like myself.  It's enough to forget the emotional roller coaster that comes along with it and Jason's perplexed looks of "how can you be crying when you were so happy just a few minutes ago?"  I've forgotten how long forty weeks can really be.  How come it seems to go so fast for everyone else?  I watch all the serious runners out working hard on their new years resolutions while I have had to accept the role of a jogger just trying to get a little exercise.  Some days I simply wonder if I am going to live to see the end of this because like I said, I'm not as young as I used to be!  Mostly I have to try to remember that in a few months when I hold my baby I won't care anymore and it will all be worth it because right now that is really hard to believe.

Keep posted because next week is my ultrasound.  Jason has been trying to convince me to not find out what this is but I really believe he doesn't have as much of a say as I do and I want to find out.