31/366: The Derby

It's that magical time.

When grown men become boys.

This year, the grown women became boys as well.

I am still amazed to hear from parents things like "They just put you with fast cars to make you look slower." or "Why haven't you raced, this ____ car has gone three times already, that's not fair?"

This is Cub Scouts, they aren't intentionally trying to make you look bad, you are doing that just fine for yourself.

Big Boy's car made it into the finals and all the cars were really close.  There never seemed to be one that was much faster than another.  I'd love to see the splits, tenths of seconds I'm sure.  Due to the closeness in speeds, we had a Race Off...never before seen (by me). Big Boy and another car did two heats by themselves...very exciting, for everyone.

And in the end, the black car won third overall, Big Boy's Turtle car (yes, I know it is blue) came in Fourth Overall, but won a First Place in his Den.  I think he was happier for the first than he would have been for Third Overall.

He is a good kid.  He is a good sport, didn't show a ton of emotion, didn't jump up and down at the wins, and didn't pout at the losses.  I love this boy.

Oh, and the Little Guy, too.

Incidentally, they both told me they were really happy, I just need to look at their eyes.  The mouths don't show happiness.

Here is a quick video of one of the heat wins for Turtle Car.

Hot Car Wash

I know, I'm crazy taking pictures of teens.

But seriously...doesn't this look like some sort of stripper car wash?

And you will notice in some previous photos, I'm digging the focal black and white filter.

Final Cake

I'm starting to really dig these cakes.

This one is so incredibly easy. One 9 x 13 chocolate and one pound cake in a casserole pan. The casserole shape was the mountain and the pieces cut off at the corners and to fit the round into the corner of the 9 x 13 became the ramps and hills. Couple crushed cookies as the dirt, a few cars and wa-la! Granted the icing job wasn't the best, but I frosted and decorated this cake in 13 minutes.

Maybe I should call this the Procrastination Cake.