1. Jake FINALLY got all A's on his report card! That B in reading was killing him and he finally got an A. Good job dude. I guess you didn't do the "bare minimum" this quarter :) I wonder if he said anything to his teacher about that...
2. After much procrastination we finally had our Pine Wood Derby. (Yes, it is late to be having it. That is what happens when you have a slack Cub Master. Just kidding Aaron. He is the Cub Master.) And after much procrastination in making the car (Aaron and Jake were still finishing it up right before we went to the church to set up), Jake came in first place! He also got the award for shiniest paint job. Don't worry it was fair, the Bishop was the judge and everyone got a trophy. Speaking of trophy...Check out the trophies I made for the boys. They are totally cheesy but the boys loved them:
I got the matchbox cars at Bi-Lo on clearance for 3 for 89 cents. Some blocks of wood for a couple of bucks, liquid nails, and silver spray paint. I was going to use my label maker to label the trophy with the award name, but Aaron didn't think it would stick. I ended up writing what the trophy was for and the year on the bottoms. Only boys would love them, but I am glad they did!
And here are just a fraction of all the pictures I took... But as you know that is still a lot of pictures...
Aaron and Jake last week starting on the car. This is them pretending they wanted to take this picture. They aren't the best actors, but at least they humor me.
Jake doing some sanding. Aaron told him the key to a fast car is sanding. Aaron won his Pinewood Derby 3 years in a row. As you can see Jake is wearing different clothes in the pictures. It took several days to get it just right. Aaron still said he wished they had just one more day to work on it, but they didn't need it! It won any way! :) (Jake wore these shorts and then informed me I had to wash them so he could wear them to school on Monday as part of his costume for his play at school. He ended up wearing them 3 of the 4 days of school this week, which means I washed them 3 times. The other day I didn't have time and he had to wear black pants. I am telling you this so if you notice them in every picture you won't think I let him wear dirty clothes.)
Spray painting the first coat on Monday.
Aaron putting wood putty on after adding the weights.
Jake on blow dryer duty. He was trying to dry the wood putty quicker. Yes, this was the day of the race and they still had to put the wheels on it.
Testing out the track while setting up. The missionaries couldn't resist checking it out too.
Jake's awesome car. 13 is his favorite number, ever since it was the number on his basketball jersey. It was a lucky number for him because the won all but one game. Aaron also used it as his jersey number after that. It wasn't so lucky for him. His team at church only won one game and that was actually a forfeit. At least it was lucky again in the Pinewood Derby!
Some of the boys checking out the competition before we started.
The cars waiting to be judged...
A couple of cars were over weight but A LOT. They are supposed to be 5 oz or under and we had 2 that were pushing 9! So, a little work had to be done to get them race ready.
Chow time.
I hate that this is blurry! This is Jake winning his first set of races. He was just moving too fast, but I love the picture any way.
Brother Russell, our Webelos Leader was the finish line judge, with help from Brother Callahan. I love the kiddos laying down to get the best view possible.
The Monroe ward has an awesome track!
I never even took my apron off! (We had dinner too for the Blue and Gold Banquet)
The Pack with their trophies and cars.
Jake and Aaron.
Jake at home after the Derby, with his trophies and car. He's got the "blues" (dark circles under his eyes. It is a tell tail sign he is tired. He will be wide eyed and playing one minute and drooping, with the "blues" the next!) big time and was ready to hit the sack! The big trophy is for the "Fasted Car in the Pack" and the little one is for "Shiniest paint job".
3. The last day of school was the next day and Jake was psyched! He was the only kiddo who signed out RIGHT after the play. At Marlow (our old school) no one really went to the last day of school, so Jake just couldn't under stand why everyone wanted to stay! His best buddy Corey left early too...Just not as early as Jake. They told me in the office he would be counted as absent. Who cares! He missed 5 days the whole year. I am a big believer that kids need personal days too! Jake's class did Aesop's Fables and Jake was the Crow, in the Crow and the Pitcher. You know the story where the Crow needs water but the pitcher only has a little in it and his beak won't fit, so he adds pebbles to make it rise up? He did great! I made his costume Sunday (they did the play all week for different classes starting on Monday...And he missed the only dress rehearsal on Friday-his teacher knew he wasn't going to be there-because we were "up the Mountain") night at 9:30. Starting Monday I am going to get more organized if it kills me! I will probably finally get used to working outside the home and getting everything else done at home when Aaron graduates, gets a teaching job and I am at home again! :) How do all you working Moms do it? More power to you! But any way here are the pictures from the last day:
Jake trying on the costume Monday morning before school to make sure it would work. The beak could have been better, but the wings are pretty sweet if I do say so myself. :)
The best picture I got of Jake during the play. Aaron had to go to class so I was videoing taping and taking pictures at the same time.
Jake sitting and watching the other plays.
In his costume again.
The whole class taking a bow. They all did great.
Jake and his best friend Corey eating ice cream at the party.
Jake and Ms. Swanson. He ended the year saying she was the best teacher ever. (She is a very nice person and a good teacher, but I won't go as far as to say she is the best. You all know how I felt about the whole not having recess thing. I can't say anything about her organization, because that would be so hypocritical. At this point in my life I am a MESS in the organization department) He is right, she is pretty awesome. Any teacher that can have a whole class of 3rd graders pass the EOG's and not go crazy, has got to be pretty darn good.
Jake and his assistant teacher Mrs. Helms. She is the one who admittedly (and very vocally! She has no problem telling anyone Ms. Swanson seriously couldn't do it with out her!) keeps Ms. Swanson on task and schedule. Isn't she so pretty? Both teachers teared up after the play and said what an awesome class it was. This is the first year I wasn't totally emotional about Jake moving on to another grade. That is some kind of miracle...
And now I am going to sleep....UPDATE: The piles of laundry are going to get done on Monday, but the linen closet is all organized again too! And I slept in until 9:30...after waking up around 6:15, out of habit, and rolling back over to go back to sleep. And I took a little nap after work. It was AWESOME! It is nice to have to house all to yourself on occasion! And I wasn't even scared like I thought I would be! I fell right to sleep all by myself (no family and no dogs) for the first time in 12 years. I am finally growing up. :) But the best part was when my guys got home.
