Pinewood Derby Car ready to go!

J had a ball putting decals onto his car.
J is screwing in the weight set to the bottom of the car. The car can not be more than 5 ounces, so dad will take it to work tomorrow and put it on the scales.
The finished derby car ready to go!

Pinewood Derby Car Progress

Official Tiger Cub!

J loves the cub scouts! We are in a fantastic troop. Last night was the "Blue and Gold Dinner" where badges and awards and advancements happened. The theme was Chinese New Year and we had Chinese food catered in. Apart from it being a bit lengthy for a 7 year old to sit through it was a total blast! The leaders told jokes and did skits in-between the groups getting awards and that really livened it up! J got his Tiger badge! YAY!

This is J's pinwood derby car ready for coat #2 of gold paint. He really has done the huge majority of the work on this car all by himself. Daddy only did the work with the dangerous tools.

J blasting on coat #2 of gold paint. We bought a trigger attachment for the spray paint can that makes it a lot easier for him to paint. When we did his space derby rocket he had a hard time pressing the nozzle with two fingers and aiming.

Countdown to the Derby!

The Pinewood Derby construction has begun! We went to the cubscout store this weekend to buy the kit. Today J drew the shape he wanted on the side with a pencil. Dad traced it onto paper and glued it to the side of the block. Dad did the cutting with a coping saw. Mom was nervous and couldn't watch that part. Dad did a good job and no fingers we lost.
This is where J really go to get his hands on. He is busy shaping the wood with his rasp and dremel tool. We got a good bit done tonight, but there is still much to do.
J is sooooooo into this! He wanted to finish the whole thing tonight, and put on the paint and decals. But it still needs a good bit of sanding and shaping.

Sleepover Indoor Camping

Not exactly 'Roughing It'!

J had his friend sleep over this weekend. We set up the tent in the living room and they slept in sleeping bags and had a lantern. It was a whole lot of fun. The boys loved it! They could watch movies and play the Wii from INSIDE the tent!

Valentine Legos

For Valentines Day J got some bucks from his grandparents. He chose this Lego mx-41 switch fighter.

New Trebuchet in the works

This is Dad's new trebuchet model. We are still working out the kinks with the sling.
This was a joint project by J and Dad. J built the fuselage and tail. Dad did cockpit and yellow/gray wings. J did wing extensions, tips, and nacelles.
J at an indoor play area 'hanging out'. We would love to install these swings in our house!
A lego star wars pod-racer. A quickie project. I think this is Sebulba's.

Lowes build-and-grow workshops

This weekend mom was out of commission with foot surgery so Dad and J got out and had lots of fun! Both Lowes hardware and Home Depot have special *Free* programs every few weeks where kids get to go and use tools to bulid small projects from kits.
They provide an apron and safety goggles that you get to keep. You also get a badge for each project you complete that goes on your apron. They provide the kit and all the tools you need for free.
It is lots of fun!

Another Lego Master in FL

This is a picture of another J in FL. (Incognito) He just turned 6!!!! J in FL also likes to make star wars Legos!
This is General Grievous' Ship:

The Invisible Hand and other mini models

Above is 'The Invisible Hand' not bad from memory...and he likes to split it into two pieces just like in the movie when the ship is destroyed. Below is this months Lego Brickmaster toy. Nana gave him a years supscription to brickmaster and every two months he gets a kit. J does a great job assembling them by himself!
Below: A super star destroyer!

Puzzles and Games

A picture of J working a Star Wars puzzle. He really likes puzzles and simple games like chutes and ladders, sorry!, parcheesi, and go fish. We are trying to get him into more advanced games like checkers and UNO etc...
Even puzzles inspire J to build Lego starships!

some lego stuff

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY! GO PATS!!!

Go PATS!! It is super bowl sunday and it is a beautiful day outside!

Yesterday we went to the museum and had a great time walking around the grounds outside and visiting the animals. We also went to the library and got a cool book of chemistry experiments...you will be hearing more of that later. And we have also been getting a lot of books on CD. Stories like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Stewart Little and The Chronicles of Narnia. We had been getting the read along books on tape for ages, but these are stories he can just listen to as he plays in his room or is falling asleep. Mom LOVES the library!

Oh and some great websites J loves are the Lego Digital Designer you have to download and install it but J is learning great technology and computer skills and he doesn't even know it because it is just so much fun!

We have also been having fun together with Make a Flake where you make virtual paper snow flakes!

He also likes Google Earth. J locates his house and his school...and this AM he found cape canaveral and disneyland in FL.