The Frumps Go To The Races

Two weekends ago (I think...I've kind of lost track of time lately) we had our annual Awana Grand Prix race at church.

As usual, we were up late the night before finishing up our the boys cars.

Though I strive for fab, I always seem to fly by the seat of my pants seem to work well under pressure.

In years past, we've the boys have never had a car make it into the running for a speed trophy.

In fact, sad to say, the vast majority of our the boys cars haven't even made it all the way down the track.

Which is pretty sad considering it's DOWNHILL and gravity should carry it to the finish line.

But seeing as I am not the 'expert' where aerodynamic designs, graphite-lubed wheels and expertly placed wheels and weights are concerned, I've always just used my artistic abilities to help the boys come up with cars that could be contenders for the design category.

Here, young grasshopper paints his own car...and everything else within reach.



Big brother, an old pro and an artist to boot, got to work on his own car.



Just after I took this photo he rolled his eyes and made that "uh" sound which smacked of annoyance and said (rather sarcastically) "What? You gonna put that on the blog?"

Now judging from his body language in that moment, I took it to be one of those typical mixed-messages that teens send their parents.

The kind they usually give off when thirteen year olds squirm when mom or dad hugs them but you know they really want you to hug them.

So I replied (with equal sarcasm) "Got that right...since I don't have any wrestling pictures of you to put up and want to fairly represent my boys."

His response was the same annoyed-and-yet-glad body language that told me he really didn't mind that he was getting 'written up'.

Here Judah shows off his finished product.



Being that it was late and I was too tired to help him with some custom Fimo clay creation to trick out his car, we lobbed the head off of an old Happy Meal toy and added it to his car as 'weight'.

Anyway, bright and early the next morning we rose and went to the races.

Dad took the pictures because I was working the snack bar.

Because somehow, if you volunteer for something like that once in a church ministry setting, you're as good as locked-in for the next twenty years. It's like the mafia that way...once you get 'in', you can never get 'out', lol.

Totally kidding. I don't mind at all...unless my 'spotters' forget to notify me when my boys cars are up or they are handing out trophies.





Wonder of wonders, not only did we the boys both take home trophies, but, ahem, they finally defied convention (and tradition and, dare I say, gravity) and won trophies for speed!

Yes, their cars not only made it all the way down the tracks without any mishaps with wheels falling off (or cars jumping off the track), but for the first time ever both boys both got 3rd place trophies for speed!



WooHOO!

Ahem.

Anyway, to say they were pleased would be an understatement.

If only poor Judah didn't start looking a little peaked at the winner's circle.

I thought at first that he was overly tired from staying up later than usual the night before, but it turns out he was coming down with the flu.

And, in true share-and-share alike fashion, over the next week it cycled through our household. Fun, fun, fun.

Thankfully I started feeling better in time to make the wedding cake I mentioned last time, but that story will have to wait for a posting of it's own.