pinewood derby | 2014.

the pinewood derby went over pretty well this year.  of course, there was a few of those parents who take it very seriously but that just adds to the whole experience. i do consider myself a competitive person so, when they announced there was no winner this year, i was a little disappointed.  apparently, there was some cheating going on.  intentionally, unintentionally, i don't know.  but how could you have a race with no winner?  even if it isn't my kid (which i always hope he wins) but i like to see a winner!  anyway, it is what it is.  jack still had some fun and he had a pretty great cheering section. (namely:  jonah, eden, and ava).  until next year, pinewood derby.

gilbert days 5k.

a few weeks back, we (jason, jack, ava, and i) ran in the gilbert days 5k.  we have done it for the past 3 or 4 years but this was the first year that ava ran the 5k. in the past, she has only ran the mile so this was a kinda a big deal for her.  she was quite the super star and she hung in there the whole time.

the plan was for jason and i to stay with her because for one, jason hadn't ran in almost a year so he was pretty much out of shape and i even questioned if he could hang with her and two, i had just had my appendix taken out two weeks prior and wasn't sure how much i should push myself.  well, about a mile in i decided to try and catch up with jack.  he took off pretty fast in the beginning but i thought i could catch him.  i thought wrong.  jack ended up finishing a minute or two ahead of me and jason and ava came in after me.  i was so proud of my kids and so thankful for my parents who came to cheer us on and help watch jonah eden while we raced.  it's nice to have family close by.

i could tell the next that day that ava had pushed herself to her limit because she kept saying how sore she was and every time she would go up and down the stairs she would say how much it hurt her legs.  i realized a 5k to her is like a marathon to me.   hopefully by next year she will forget how miserable she felt afterwards and she will want to run it again :)

jack's 9th birthday.

jack celebrated his 9th birthday about two weeks ago.  it was on a saturday and usually a saturday is great day to have a birthday because both mom and dad are home but our dad had a work thing that day which was actually a dodge ball tournament that he just "had to go to" (no, he really did) so we decided to have an early morning birthday celebration.

jack had previously requested what we wanted for his three meals on his birthday.  for breakfast he wanted french toast.  so, jason and i decided instead of birthday cake, which he had the night before at his birthday party with friends, that we would create a french toast cake.  we stacked pieces of french toast on top of each other making a giant tower and then topped it with strawberries, bananas, raspberries, powder sugar, and syrup.  it was by the far the best idea for a birthday cake yet.  most importantly, jack thought it was cool.

after the traditional birthday song and blowing out candles, it was the traditional time to open presents.  this year, jack got hot wheel cars, a lego book, and a lone ranger lego set that he had been eyeing.  he was very excited for all three gifts.

now that jack is 9 years old, i am officially feeling old.  i told jason on his birthday, that i couldn't believe we have a 9 year old.  it just feels old.  i think especially because i can remember back when i was 9 and in the 3rd grade.  it's like a flashback and i know the years are going to start flying by.  we only have 9 more years with jack and then he's off on a mission.  putting it that way, he is already half done with us and that makes me very sad.  they really do grow up fast.  (where's that pause button?)  being that he is our oldest, his birthdays always seem like reality checks.  yes, you are getting older and yes, so is he.  anyway, he is a great kid and has so much personality and we love him to death.

happy birthday kiddo.... hope your last year in the single digits is a good one.

my handsome boy and his school program.

jack sure does clean up nice.  he is so handsome and he picked his red, white and blue outfit out the night before because he was so excited for his program.  he could've worn his boy scout shirt but he was very set on wearing a tie.

i've seen a lot of school programs thus far,  but this one was my favorite hands down.  jack actually sang and did actions and even had a speaking part.  i was very impressed with his performance.  hopefully he is turning a new leaf when it comes to showing off his stuff in front of large crowds.  he still says he wants to act and be in a singer so this is a step in the right direction. we will see how his summer guitar lessons go!

one more year down of school programs!

pinewood derby | 2013.

pinewood derby.

2013.

first year in the derby and jack had the winning car.  jason, of course, waited until the night before and the morning of to do most of the car building but he seems to do his best work under pressure.  jack also put some of his own touches and suggestions into his car and was by his dad's side during the whole construction.  i was so proud of these two. my little dream team, as i like to call them.  the only problem is now jack is going to expect to win every year and that is not likely. i think we may of had some beginners luck on our side.  sometimes losing can be humbling and jack may need a lesson or two in that department.  so maybe a loss in the future might not be such a bad thing either.  although, i was glad that he had a good experience with it this year so next year he will be excited for it too.