Pinewood Derby is a Cuss Word in our Family.... or at least to Scott and I .  Our boys get so excited and we dread the and count down the years until we will not have to participate.  So Scott started this years car with Jo-nathan and came up with a wave design.  It was initially so cool.

Scott may have called me with a plea for me to help Jo-nathan finish the car because work was so crazy.  I must be crazy because I said yes.  I had to find enough weights and attach everything, and grease the wheels and file them?  So his car (with life preservers) came just short of the weight limit, yeah, all wheels stayed on, and the hot glue held the weights until almost the end of the racing.  I was on a time limit too.

So Jo-nathan did not take first.  Max cried because he did not race or something, and I missed the whole racing event for a haircut appointment.  Not bad.

A whole year until the next derby.  Wahoo

Climbing Trees

There is a grove of scrub oak trees at the base of rock canyon park.  We love this huge green space that employs are time while Katie dances.  These oak trees are perfect for learning to climb trees.  We love climbing trees... learning to balance, feel comfortable at new heights, and finding the perfect path up.  Sara may not be smiling, she gets frustrated and not being able to keep up with the older siblings, but by the end of the dance year all the kids were doing great.  We collected  the acorns last fall and made a cute felt acorn garland using the acorn caps.  The kids love looking for them each year.   The park has huge hills to roll down and run up. They are nice and tired by the end and I  get in a little extra exercise.  Win, win.

A busy year

We love to celebrate all kinds of things here in the Allen home.  But mostly we love to be with together as a family.  When we get busy, as all end of school years do, we loose these times together and get a little cranky with one another.  We are headed into summertime.  I love summertime.  However, it gets a little old when there is no formal plan or schedule and so I am hoping to get that together this week.  I want to finish planting my garden and watch the apricots grow.  I love it when the kids sit in the backyard and play games.  The trees are loaded with fruit  ....yah!   Peas are growing.   Pumpkin seeds sprouted.  Warm weather is a come'n.   Summertime is almost here with no homework days and no carpools and popsicle fingers.  So happy.