The Baker Bunch: Snowpocalypse 2014 and District Pinewood Derby

What...a...week! Monday we started like normal and had school.

Bryce feeding his baby!

Bryce and Nicholas farming!

Avery and Bryce hanging out!

Monday night they called school off for Tuesday because of the forecasted snow on Tuesday. It began snowing on Tuesday about 8 and snowed for around 13 hours. We got a lot of snow! Probably over a foot! We ended up being home Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Zane also had Friday off, but the rest of us had school/work, so Zane went to work with Matt. They worked until noon then left for the afternoon.

Snow day! We had three jammie days in a row!

Snow day 1 - snow ice cream! Doesn't Bryce look excited?!?

Survey says...YUM!

Not only was there a lot of snow, but it was also very very cold! The boys of course wanted to play in the snow. So we bundled up, which took us about 20 minutes. It wasn't five minutes later that they were whining and wanting to go inside! I'm not a huge fan of snow days for this reason! We become TRAPPED inside and it's not always a lot of fun!

Brycers all bundled up!

Matt snowblowing while the boys thought it was fun to let the snow blow all over them!

At the close of day 2, knowing we were heading into day 3 of snow days, we went to JoAnn's to buy a craft for the day! I was glad that we did so, it was a lifesaver!

Craft time!

Mason chose a treasure chest

Zane decorated super hero bobble heads

Bryce colored and painted

At first I tried to be really good and limit "screen time" for them...and eventually they got the best of me and I caved. I let them have electronics. It was life-changing as it was QUIET and they were NOT fighting or hurting each other! Life continues to move on...

Bryce watching "tractors" on youtube!

A moment of weakness...they were enjoying watching a movie together...no fighting!

Thankfully we had something good to end our week with! Saturday morning was the District Pinewood Derby! We went into it really not knowing what to expect. We had been talking to Zane since his big win at the pack race about what may or may not happen at this race. Matt and Zane went there before the rest of us. It was sure a packed house!

Zane waiting for the competition to begin

Matt, Bryce, and Mason waiting

My three sons!

Bryce kept going over and sitting with Zane!

One of the races.

There were 70 heat races for the wolves. We thought we'd be there forever, but it went rather quickly. Matt was really worried because the track there was wooden. The track we raced on previously was aluminum. He said "This car isn't set up for a wooden track." I kept telling him not to worry and that there was nothing more that could be done. Turned out he didn't need to worry at all. Zane's car really blew everyone else's away! He won every heat race he was in (8 of the 70)! He even had one of the fastest times of the day! It was so fun and exciting to watch! Turned out that Zane WON the wolf races!!! He made it to the finals later in the day!!

Everyone getting their certificates and their cars back

First place - Zane Baker!

I didn't really capture this in time, but this one makes me smile. As soon as Zane won, Matt was swarmed by dads (okay, like 3) that wanted to know his secrets, what he did, etc. They were very kind and congratulated him, but it was neat to see!

The top 4 winners of the wolf races

Results

Matt's parents were already scheduled to come down so all of the boys could go to the monster trucks. Little did we know we'd be back at the FINALS later that night! It worked out though because Grandma and Papa could watch Zane's car! So we went there, watched him race to 2nd PLACE OVERALL, then the boys headed to the monster trucks while Keeta and I shopped and ate at Oklahoma Joe's! Yum!

Scouts waiting for the finals to begin. Funny that Zane doesn't know one of these boys! None of them care!

Bryce and those fingers - he had a sucker AND his fingers in there at the same time! Silly boy! (And the scratch on his head was self-inflicted...getting up too quickly from under the kitchen table)!

Little ones entertaining themselves in the back of the room!

Zane with his medal - before the announcement that he won 2nd place!

During the final races, there were many fast cars. Zane's car experienced a few losses during the finals - the first ones ever - but that was okay. This is what we had worked to prepare him for! When they began announcing the winners - I expected him to get 4th or maybe even 3rd - going by the times he had compared to the other boys. When they announced 4th and 3rd places and neither one was him, I thought "oh no - I didn't figure this right." But then we were very surprised to hear "2nd place - Zane Baker!" He had the hugest grin! When they handed him the trophy he kept saying "this is heavy!" Oh man, I was happy and excited for both Zane AND Matt!

2nd place!!!

Top 4 finishers at the finals

My two Pinewood Derby winners! So proud of them! And love that they are able to share this time together!

Results from the finals. Look how close the times are!!!

The boys all left straight from there to the monster trucks. Bryce had been looking forward to this for weeks! Anytime we'd say "Who's going to the monster trucks" he'd raise his hand and say "Me!" If anyone else said they were going he'd point to them with a gruff voice and say "NO!" Ha! I guess only Bryce could go. Matt said Bryce didn't have much of a reaction while there, but when he came home he told us all about them by telling us the sound they make and showing us how they moved around. Matt said Mason was pretty into it - dancing around and cheering. The boys have so much fun with their dad and Papa at the monster trucks!

Zane cheering

Mason cheering

Bryce enjoying the show!

Somehow they talked their dad into these $15 snow cones!!!

Always the favorite - Grave Digger!

Matt's parents spent the night. Today we went to church together, then out to lunch. We love having them here and hate seeing them go! Bryce is now at the age where he cries when they leave. He kept yelling "NO" at them when they were saying good-bye! I hate seeing that, but it warms my heart to see how much they love their grandparents and vice versa!!!