Happy 8th Birthday Test Pilot!

The Cousins joined us in celebrating the Test Pilot's 8th birthday.   We missed having my parents there.  They could not attend due to his impending hip replacement surgery.  We missed their presence as well as my dad's  photography skills.  It's his job to follow this crazy mob around at family gatherings and take good pictures.  Alas, we will have to make do.

He wanted a Star Wars party at the bowling alley.  I had never been to the local bowling alley for actual bowling.  It was very fun and kid friendly.  They had light weight balls, bumpers on the gutters, and even ball guiders to assist the kids.

Here's the Test Pilot and Cousin E.  We couldn't have a birthday without you.  They have been at each other's births and birthdays their whole lives.  Pretty cool!

This is the only shot of any actual bowling.  Wingman liked rolling the ball although his aim needs a lot of work.  He missed the lane once.  Crash really loved to bowl.  Who knew!  He wants to having a "bowling pin" party now.

We finished our Star Wars party day with some pajama wearing, popcorn eating,  and watching Return of the Jedi.  Those Ewoks are pretty funny!

Dress up

One of the best gifts my kids received for Christmas was a box of costumes.  It has costumes for cowboys, policemen, firemen, pirates, knights, and much more.  All the boys love it!  The funny part is that they mix and match the outfits.  

Here's Wingman in a cape ensemble with a light saber and sunglasses.  He calls himself "Super Baby" in this get up and states that he is "cool" with the sunglasses.  

Here we have a cowboy, carrying a policeman baton in one hand with a pirate hook on the other.  Argh!  He's good at saying "Argh!"

This is one of Crash's favorites.  The Knight's head piece with a cowboy bandanna, vest from the fireman, and a dagger.  He would sleep with the head piece on if I let him.

The Results are in 2011

Unfortunately, I could not attend the race due too the untimely flu colonization in my lungs, but the Captain did

a good job taking pictures, keeping our children alive, and working at the event.  He's the Pit Crew Chief.

I marvel how many pictures these days involve a head lock.  I don't know how it happens, but there is my sweet Crash in another head lock.  Boys!

   

Anyhow, back to the race.  Wingman won 2nd place in the Speed category in the open division.  He was just excited to get a trophy like his brothers.

Crash won 2nd place in the Speed category in his age division as well.  He said he had a good race.

The Test Pilot won 1st place in speed in his age bracket.  The Captain reports that the 2 fastest cars were only a few hundredths apart in time.  Looks like we had a very competitive race this year.

Now, they get to do what they have been wanting to do.  Just race and run those cars all over the yard and garage.  

Team Apple 2011

Team Apple has been feverishingly working on their cars preparing for the Gran Prix.  Here's a group shot of the Team Owner/Engineer plus the drivers.

Here's the Test Pilot's Land speeder car equipped with a droid and Darth Vader hanging off the back.  He did all his own painting this year as well as all the lego assembly.

Wingman had to have a Shamu car.  The Captain did a really good job with it.  Wingman was so excited to go to the race.

Here's Crash's car with flames down the sides.  He was very specific about his flames.

The Team is shaping up quite nicely this year.

Hiatus

This blog will take a hiatus will I succumb to the flu.  Please pray that no one else gets it.  No fun!

Getting ready

The Captain and the boys having been getting ready for our annual Gran Prix coming soon.  Here's Crash doing some wet sanding.

Here's all the boys having a sanding party.  The Test Pilot is doing a lot more work on his care by himself this year.  He loves it.

This is the early phase of The Test Pilot's landspeeder car.

Wingman had to have a Shamu car.  He likes to work on his car but he only last approximately 5 minutes then he just wants to take the car and play with it.  I hope it makes it to the car race.

Crash just wanted a purple car with flames.

I will post more pictures when they are done painting.

Park Day Mishap

I took the kids to our home school park day yesterday.  Crash had a slight mishap.  There's a reason we call him Crash.  No one saw what happened but he was wailing (not crying) and had a Wylie Coyote sized goose egg on his head immediately.  (This picture was several hours later and does not do it justice.)

I warned the other moms before I sat him that it would look bad.  There were plenty of gasps.  Luckily for me, he has done this before so I know it's not as bad as it looks.  Somehow, that really doesn't make me feel much better.

So we laid around with an ice pack on his head for a couples hours plus some Tylenol and he seemed to feel better.  He is going to have one nasty bruise for awhile.

The girl who cried wolf

I feel a little like the boy (or girl in my case) who cried wolf.

I said we were moving but...

we are NOT!!!!

The Captain was offered a good job with a good company.  He did accept the job and told his current contract job that he would be leaving.  However, the gentleman The Captain has been doing some contract work for counter offered that we could not refuse.

We are still a little in shock.  We have been thinking and planning for a move since the layoff in July.  I am very excited to be staying here.  It's nice to be able to make some plans.  That's been hard to do if you don't know where you will be next week.

God's grace and mercy have been so abundant every step of the way.  He did not have to provide a job here in a town where we enjoying living.  But He did and we are grateful!