Pine Wood Derby!

Gentleman start your engines!!!! It's time for that wonderful Boy Scout tradition, the Pine Wood Derby.

Sam digs right in with his very own tools. (The workmate is Dad's)

Now sanding the wood he cut

Seraphina was at a friend's house for the start of the work but once she got home she was ready to get in on it.

Sam and Daddy let her play with the scrap wood

Now sanded and ready for the first coat of stinky paint. As you can see Sam is wearing a mask because Asthma and spray paint don't mix too well.

Now figuring out the weight

Polishing the wheels and axle's. Seraphina badly wants to use that tool, but only Sammy got to

These are obviously not Pine Wood Derby related. Seraphina got a lot of pig cooking supplies from Nana for Yule (see previous posts for pictures) and she made these "for luck"

Registered and ready to race! (In case you aren't a 9 year old boy the car is modeled after The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. Sam named the car "cheese touch", which is a bad thing to have though in the end of the book the Wimpy Kid ends up using it to his advantage)

Mr. Bert set it on the track while Mrs. Rose (one of Sam's leaders) takes a picture

I think his face says it all here. As you can see he didn't win though he was given a trophy for participating and the Best in Show award. I really want to focus on Sam's face here because he was an awesome sport about not winning. He cheered on his friends and rejoiced when one of the boys from his pack placed third. I know that the "experts" think everybody wins helps kids but as you can see they know it's not how it should be and the "experts" would do well to talk to some of the kids they are forcing their ideas on. Sam had fun and giving him an award for the sake of having one is insulting and unnecessary as you can see from his lack of pride in the award he is holding. (OK stepping off the soap box now) We had a great time, the day was fun and the kids had a blast with both the races and making their cars and THAT's what it's all about!!!