Busy Boy

Jackson has had a busy couple of months. First, the Pinewood Derby. Dave and I are almost as bad at making fast Pinewood Derby cars as we are at potty training children. Definitely sub-par on both accounts. But one thing we certainly can do is making a good looking car, and frankly this year, we rocked it again with a Jimmer car. Jackson was all over that design, and it was fun putting it together with him. And after taunting Dave about his lack of proper wheel placement over the last few years, I finally got a "If you're so good at it, do it yourself" from him. And you know me .... that's exactly what I did. And guess what, Jackson had his FASTEST CAR EVER. I'm just sayin. Dave did admit that my wheel placement technique was far superior. And that's pretty much what I was after ... well that and for Jackson to be happy. We are not "spend hours bonding over making a Pinewood Derby car" sort of people. We are more the "let's see how cool we can make our car look without having to use any power tools at all" kind of people. You get the vision. Jackson REALLY loves this car. So we are calling this year a success.




As a fifth grader, Jackson got to participate in the Hope of America celebration at the Mariott Center last month. I think this is just about the coolest thing the fifth graders do all year. Our family really enjoyed the program once again. I think this is exactly what our fifth graders need ... a bit of patriotism and pride in their country. They (and all of us) are subjected to WAY too much bickering and complaining and nonsense from the adults about this country that we live in, and I don't want them growing up not being proud to be an American. We have a lot to be grateful for, and if it takes hundreds of kids sitting in the shape of a flag singing to us in order for us to remember that, then I just hope we can always take part in the Hope of America program.