Got Scouts? It's Pinewood Derby Time!

For this year's Pinewood Derby, I'm on the awards committee. My mission: To search for enough "award topics" for each Cub Scout in our Den. We have about 30 cubs, so this was a bit daunting. Until I turned to my friends and a few fabulous websites. And now, I'm sharing the love with you! There may be a few repeats on the list. I didn't get a chance to go through and sort them all. Be sure to mark this list on Pinterest, print it out, email it to friends and whatever else you do to save bloggy awesomeness for future use.

Cub Scout Award Topics 
(for Pinewood Derbies, Rain Gutter Regattas, or Rocket Launches)

1.    Best Paint Design
2.    Most Futuristic
3.    Most Original
4.    Most Realistic
5.    Fastest Looking Car
6.    Most Patriotic
7.    Most Unique
8.    Best Design
9.    Funniest
10.    Most Creative
11.    Most Humorous
12.    Sportiest
13.    Best Use Of Color
14.    Best Wedge Car
15.    Best Workmanship
16.    Most Aerodynamic
17.    Most Artistic
18.    Most Colorful
19.    Best Craftsmanship
20.    Best Detail
21.    Best Driver In the Car
22.    Best Funny Car
23.    Best Of Show
24.    Best Racer
25.    Best Vehicle Not A Car
26.    Coolest Design
27.    Fast and Furious
28.    Fastest Car In The Pack
29.    Judge`s Favorite
30.    Most Awesome
31.    Most Decals
32.    Most Unique
33.    Shiniest Paint Job
34.    Smoothest Finish
35.    Strangest Shape
36.    Kid’s Choice (where the children themselves pick a winner)
37.    Best Accessories
38.    Best Block Of Wood
39.    Top Movie Or TV Show Themed Car
40.    Best Color Scheme
41.    Best Jungle Car
42.    Best Law Enforcement Car
43.    Best Sports Theme
44.    Best Use Of Imagination
45.    Best Engineered
46.    Best Military Vehicle
47.    Best Flames
48.    Best Fuel Economy (slowest car)
49.    Best Imagination
50.    Best Use Of theme (assuming your group has a theme)
51.    Best Wood Carving
52.    Coolest Paint Job
53.    Best Truck
54.    Best Off Road Vehicle
55.    Crowd Favorite
56.    Fastest Car In The Den
57.    Fastest Car In The Outpost
58.    Most Complicated Wood Carving
59.    Ranger Derby Spirit Award
60.    Most Creative Use Of Material
61.    Most Cub Scout Pride
62.    Most Innovative Design
63.    Most Likely To Be On Front Cover of Motor Trend
64.    Most Scouty
65.    Most Sporty
66.    Most Colorful Paint Job
67.    Scariest Car
68.    Shiniest Car
69.    Simplest design
70.    Tallest Car
71.    Thinnest Car
72.    Most Bling
73.    Prettiest Car
74.    Strangest Shape
75.    Spirit of Pinewood Award
76.    Wildest Looking
77.    Muscle Car
78.    Plainest Looking
79.    Weirdest Looking
80.    Most Flashing Lights
81.    Most Lights
82.    Best Resemblance to a NASCAR
83.    Best Resemblance to an INDY Car
84.    Best Resemblance to an F1 Car
85.    Best Resemblance to a Monster Truck
86.    Most Cartoonish
87.    Least Wood Left On Car
88.    Best Classic Car Design
89.    Best Street Rod
90.    Best Drag Racer
91.    Best Use of Advertising
92.    Peoples Choice Award
93.    Racers Choice Award
94.    Best Paint Job
95.    Most Colorful Paint Job
96.    Shiniest Paint Job
97.    Best Use Of Color
98.    Most Realistic Paint Job
99.    Most Realistic Looking Car
100.    Most Original Design
101.    Coolest Design
102.    Best Funny Car
103.    Most Unusual
104.    Fastest Car In The Pack
105.    Fastest Car In The Den
106.    Sportiest Looking
107.    Best Workmanship
108.    Best Use of Imagination
109.    Most Aerodynamic Car
110.    Best Detail
111.    Most Unusual Car
112.    Most Humorous Car
113.    Fastest Looking Car
114.    Most Decals
115.    Smoothest Finish
116.    Strangest Shape
117.    Most Futuristic
118.    Most Patriotic
119.    Funniest
120.    Best Wedge Shape
121.    Best Driver In the Car
122.    Best Vehicle Not A Car
123.    Best Racer
124.    Best Design
125.    Most Unique
126.    Judge's Favorite
127.    Best of Show
128.    Most Creative
129.    Most Artistic
130.    Sportiest
131.    Most Creative Use of Material
132.    Best Fuel Economy (slowest car)
133.    Best Block of Wood
134.    Most Magical
135.    Most Imaginative
136.    Most Colorful
137.    Most Aerodynamic
138.    Car The Judge Would Want to Drive in Real Life
139.    Most Sci-Fi
140.    Most Energy Efficient (slowest)
141.    Sleekest Design
142.    Best Paint Job
143.    Most Innovative Design
144.    So Bright We Had to Wear Shades
145.    Cheetah Award
146.    Most American
147.    Most Explosive
148.    Most Flyin’
149.    Smoothest
150.    Shiniest
151.    Heaviest
152.    Lightest
153.    Fuzziest
154.    Tastiest
155.    Wildest

A Fun Way to Teach Flag Etiquette

My son, Rob, loves Cub Scouts. One of his Wolf achievements is to learn about the U.S. and State flag and proper flag etiquette. At home, we talked about the Pledge of Allegiance, what it means, and why it's important. When we got to the State Flag section, I thought I'd need to do some research, but Rob already knew a lot about it. He became my teacher as he told me what the symbols meant and how it's displayed. Of course, he knew it all because his awesome music teacher at school, Mr. Woodward, goes all out for Kansas Day and really gets the kids excited to learn about their state's heritage.

Rob has learned so much from his music teacher, he asked me if Mr. Woodward could teach him to fold and raise the flag, too. Mr. Woodward is the awesome kind of teacher who was willing to come to school early today to help my son. Rob was super excited to work with one of his favorite teachers and get to raise the flag for school.

Mr. Woodward taught Rob that the flag is lowered slowly while everyone else either salutes or puts their hands over their heart. Rob did a great job slowly lowering the flag. Then Mr. Woodward assisted him by unhooking first the state flag and handing it off to another student who helped. He then unhooked the U.S. Flag while Rob continued to hold the ropes, attentively listening as Mr. Woodward talked about respecting the flag, handling it carefully and not letting it touch the ground.

Next, Mr. Woodward taught Rob how to fold the flag. Together they folded the flag together twice. Then Mr. Woodward started from the red striped side and began the triangle fold. He talked with Rob about why the flag is folded in a triangle (how it looks like the hats worn during the American Revolution and shows no red). He taught Rob how to fold and tuck the end - Rob was excited to do that part!

Finally, Mr. Woodward taught Rob about unfolding the flag, how to hook it so it's right side up (because upside down is an international signal of distress!), and that when you raise the flag, you raise it briskly (the opposite of when it's lowered).  Then they did exactly that together. With a hand over my heart, I watched while my son briskly raised the U.S Flag & Kansas State Flag for his school. What a touching moment!

Mr. Woodward finished up with congratulations to Rob, signed off on some of Rob's Wolf flag requirements and I got a picture of the two together.

Today, I'm grateful for an incredible teacher who truly loves his students, an awesome son, and the opportunity to teach my children about the great country we live in. What are you thankful for?

Summer Fun

We've had so much going on this summer. It seems like we've been on the run and I know I've been neglecting my blog. Sorry everyone! I hope you enjoy seeing some of the "coming and going" we've been doing.

First up - my awesome son, Isaac, earned three pins and completed his Webelos badge on July 8th! 

My totally cute hubby is the Cubmaster of the pack, so he got to present Isaac with his last cub scout badge.

Thankfully, he didn't stick me when he gave me my Webelos pin!  =)

Isaac, Mom & Dad after the pack cheer for Isaac.

Second up - Rob and Anna had some cute stuff going on . . .

Don't they look like angels getting ready to go spread some mischief?

And finally - some birthday love with our adopted mama, Marge Gifford. 

John and I were invited to a family & adopted family surprise party. All of Mom Gifford's kids flew in from around the U.S.  We had such fun catching up and playing! My daughter, MJ, played photographer and got some awesome pictures. It's always fun to see how much more relaxed people are when kids take the pictures . . . 

MJ even takes good pictures of herself! She totally gets that from her Dad.

John and Steve (Dad) Gifford

Mom Gifford enjoying her grandkids.

John and Mom Gifford

And of course, no Gifford get together isn't complete without some games - 

- and my opportunity to try to kick Nathan's butt. 

Unfortunately, I haven't succeeded in that venture yet.

But the day will come, Nathan. Yes it will.   =)

 So, that's a tad bit of what we've been up to. Right now, I'm working on laundry and getting ready to pack everything up for some family vacation time. I'm so excited to spend some time with my sweetie and no work phone calls! Wohoo!  

I hope everyone is having an awesome summer. Please tell me what you've been up to!

Cub Scout with Autism Saves His Teacher's Life

On Thursday, October 15th, ABC news ran this awesome story about a ten-year-old boy who learned the Heimlich maneuver in Cub Scouts. Through practice with his dad at home, this boy was able to quickly react and save his art teacher's life when she began choking in class. Get out your tissues!

Labor Day Weekend Recap & Preschool

My oh my. Labor weekend was fun! I'm posting LOTS and LOTS of pictures so you can enjoy our adventures.

To kick off the weekend, we participated in Isaac's Cub Scout Space Derby:


Check out Isaac's totally awesome rocket! He told me we were making a friendly dragon . . . then he told all his friends it was a dinosaur. :) Isaac did all the work except for the fine details (eyes & claws). The box is an ocean and the dragon is sitting on his island - or at least that what he told me it was!




Well, look at those two cute chickies!


The hard part about the Space Derby is that all the rockets have to be wound up the same amount. After trying to get Isaac's wound up to 100, I lost my grip on the propeller and cut my finger. All the wives got really smart and left the winding to the Dads after that.

During the wait between races, the kids all ran around playing chase and other fun games. Poor Rob. He couldn't keep up with all the kids. So I gave him my camera to go take pictures to his heart's content. Let me tell you, he took about 100. I thought you'd enjoy a few . . .


Anyone missing any body parts?


Hmm . . . that's a little spicy for Rob, don't ya think?


This was actually a pretty good picture of me & Anna Banana.


The kids really enjoyed hamming it up for our little four-year-old photographer.



At some point, the camera changed hands and MJ took a turn:


Ah, yes . . . Mr. Rob sucking on his thumb . . .


Some of the Cub Scouts hangin' out.


This is Isaac's former Wolf den leader. He's now in the Bear den.


Isaac playing the Lego Star Wars game on his Nintendo DS. We thought this would be the best way for him to not get super bored or overwhelmed by all the noise and echoes.


Hmm . . . two Robs sticking their tongues out! Rob above is from our congregation's bishopric (he's perfect for working with the kids, don't you think?) and the Rob below is our family clown.




Look, even Strawberry Shortcake made an appearance!


This is the actual loading dock for the rockets to race.


Anna playing with one of the young women.


Some space derby races . . .












At the end, each of the boys received an award for their rocket. This is Isaac receiving his award from John.

Whew! Didn't I warn you - lots of pictures! And there's still more to come.

We've been experimenting with Anna's hair. Doesn't she look totally cute? This is when she was getting ready for church this past Sunday . . .





Over the weekend, we also worked on my new office area in the kitchen. Here's some pics of John workin' hard . . .


John had to remove some of the supports under the bar to make way for the cabinet that will be installed along the side of the bar.




Here's the cabinet. It still needs to be painted. So far, John has installed a side door so he can access the wires at the back of the computer and a sliding door at the bottom so it's easier to move the computer in and out. There are also two adjustable shelves for the top of the cabinet. And of course, a door to hide it all. :)

And now, to wrap it all up, here are pics of Rob's first day of preschool:


Rob & Mrs. Steinhouser. Rob totally loves having her as his teacher!


The first place Rob goes each day . . . right to the puzzle tables.


Of course, all of his other friends go right to the fun stuff they can dig in . . . today it's macaroni noodles.

Anna and I left Rob to enjoy his morning at preschool. While he was having fun, so were Anna and I. Four of the other preschool moms from last year came over to my house and we all had breakfast to celebrate the start of school. We each brought something yummy to share and enjoyed talking the morning away! Then back to school to pick up our munchkins . . .


Anna Banana likes coming to the preschool, too. She gets to play outside while we wait to pick Rob up. Today, it was really rainy, so she got a bit wet.



I hope you were able to wade through all the pics. We had a great Labor Day weekend and we hope you did, too.