Anderson Family 2012

Special Occasions Galore

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:06:00 +0000

While blogging is not my forte, I feel that special occasions deserve a post every now and again. This past month has been full of special occasions and I wish I could pause time for just a little bit so that I could savor the present for just a little bit MORE. February began with our youngest turning 8 years old.

This included a birthday party with friends at USA Sports,

getting her ears pierced,

and most importantly, choosing to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.
All of Kamryn's grandparents travelled here from Utah for the event. Our California cousins were also able to attend, along with many of our dear friends here in Hollister. It was a lovely day and we are grateful to the many people who contributed.

Arnell and I also celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary in February. We spent it in San Francisco...one of our favorite places to visit. The BYU Men's Basketball team happened to be playing a game at the Univ. of San Francisco so we began our get-away there. What an exciting game!(BYU won by 85-84) While that might not seem very "anniversary-ish", we are avid BYU fans and will cheer for them anywhere, anyway we can:-) We stayed at The Argonaut Hotel which is at the end of Fisherman's Wharf.

I think it's safe to say it's the nicest hotel I've ever been in. We don't know this for sure, but we have a hunch they upgraded our room (our room was HUGE and had an ocean view....which my husband admitted he did not reserve). The hotel even left us a "Happy Anniversary" note along with some sparkling apple cider. It's the little details that can make all the difference.

The weather could not have been more perfect either. Because of the warm sun, we were able to walk all over SF and not worry about rain (Ghirardelli Square, the Ferry Building, Giants Stadium). But as we were leaving SF, the fog was rolling in and looked very menacing. We drove home along Hwy 1, stopping at several beaches that had been listed on a website Arnell found titled, "10 best places to stop between SF and Santa Cruz". We had fun taking pictures and just walking along the shores.
Our day ended at an Italian restaurant in Santa Cruz called "Kianti's". I was surprised to find all of our friends there waiting! It was actually a surprise dinner for all the February birthday girls (one of them was me:-)). What a nice surprise it was too! And at the end of the night, I didn't want to go home. It's hard to see some things end and this anniversary was definitely one of them. Thank you Arnell for a wonderful time!

My birthday is at the end of what my husband affectionately calls "Mega Week" (valentines, anniversary & my birthday). My only desire for the day was to NOT cook. I just wanted to be free of that responsibility for one day. So we all went to Cozy Cup for breakfast, my friends took me to lunch, and my family made dinner at home. It was the best! Love, love, love my family and friends. You've made this busy month so memorable and fun!

10 Mile Mission Run---San Juan Bautista, CA

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 07:45:00 +0000

Yesterday marked the 3rd year I have participated in this event. The first year, my two oldest children and I ran the 5k. Last year I ran the 10 miler by myself. Yesterday my youngest ran the 1 mile Fun Run (and did awesome by the way). My two middle kids ran the 5k (awesome as well). And I did the 10 miler again. Unlike past years, many of my friends and their children were there as well to participate and it made the whole morning SO MEMORABLE! I am so proud of my kids for WANTING to do it (yes, WANTED to). If I can instill a love of running (or any other sport/exercise) in them, then I will sleep better at night knowing I did something right as a parent. While I constantly struggle with my weight, I have always been consistent with exercise in my life and feel that my overall health has benefitted because of it. It's a lesson I hope my children are learning. And while I am sorta proud of myself for running 10 miles yesterday, the thrill of the day came from my children running.

Blogging Funk

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 04:53:00 +0000

I've been in a blogging funk for the last 6 months or so. While it's easy for me to spend time READING blogs, I just haven't been able to muster enough strength to write my own. I have plenty to write about and plenty of pictures to post (cuz let's face it, blog posts are much more fun with a picture, right?). But I have always been an inconsistent journal writer, and that's what my blog is, a modernized journal. My journal-keeping mimics my scrapbooking efforts as well. I have attempted on several occasions to organize my pictures in a meaningful, fun way. But to my dismay, I spend HOURS and HOURS trying to design a page and end up disliking the outcome. It's not a gratifying experience. But you give me a sewing machine, a tile saw, or any other power tool and I am as happy as can be! In a nutshell...I guess blogging is not a creative outlet for me, as it is for so many others. While I LOVE reading blogs (it's a source of much inspiration for my projects), I just don't have the energy to blog about my own. I do have another blog that is in the works. This one will be a journal for all my sewing, craft & home provement projects. It's my hope to be more consistent with that blog at least. In the meantime, I WILL do better about keeping a record of our family. They bring me so much joy--it's a shame not to write about it.

Merry Christmas 2010

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:37:00 +0000

Make your own digital greeting card

Toughest Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:13:00 +0000

Next to being a parent, I believe being a teacher is one of the hardest jobs that exists in this world. It's the last day of school and I can't help but feel gratitude for the many wonderful teachers my children have had over the years. Our school district is in serious financial trouble and many fine teachers have been laid off. I feel sadness for the struggle this poses. I wish I had the means to make it all better for them. I wish there was a way to give them all the credit and recognition they deserve. But I can't. All I can offer is my utmost appreciation and thanks. But I'll never really be able to thank them enough. These few pictures are just a small tribute.

Mrs. Deetz-Berlin's 3rd grade teacher

Mr. Talavera-Kort's 5th grade teacher

Mrs. Molina-Kamryn's kindergarten teacher

Mrs. Crepeau-Kylii & Kort both had her in 4th grade

Mr. Rivas-Kylii's 5th & 6th grade teacher + 7th & 8th PE coach

Play Ball!

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 06:19:00 +0000

It's here! Baseball season has begun! First games were played today and Kort's team, the Rockies, started out well with a 10-3 win. Kort is a rookie this year (got drafted to the majors), so he has to prove himself a little bit more. He had an impressive first game and we are excited to see him grow and improve. As much as baseball has overrun my life this past month, it's all worth it! Even the team banner, which took every spare second of my days, was fun to do.

Eastern Caribbean Cruise

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:30:00 +0000

A few weeks ago Arnell and I had a chance to go on a cruise with some of our dear friends from Hollister. We boarded the ship in Miami and stopped at four ports: Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; St. Thomas, USVI; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Grand Turk, BWI. It's only the second time that we've ever cruised, (eight years ago, right before we moved to California, we went on a Western Caribbean cruise with some friends of ours from college). For those eight years in between cruises, it has been hard to get away for more than a day or two and I feel so grateful that my DH finally made it happen. Thanks Arnell for a wonderful week! I hope it's not another 8 years before we do this again;-) I want to go back tomorrow!
(click on slideshow box if you want to see pics in full size)

A Year in Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:01:00 +0000

I have not blogged in months so I decided to play "catch up" by stealing an idea from two of my friends' blogs. Thank you Stef and Denae for the idea!

I realized that I could really make two blog posts....one could be "Favorite Pics of the Year" and the other "Highlights of the Year". This slideshow is a compilation of both. I can't believe how big my 2009 photo file is. It was really hard to narrow my selection so there are 90 photos to view. Click through as fast or slow as you like:-) Double click on the photo to enlarge it.

Summer Re-cap Part II

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:07:00 +0000

Four days after Berlin's birthday, we celebrated Arnell's. He was born on July 4th which has several benefits: 1-He never has to go to work on his birthday, 2-Almost everyone else he knows has the day off, 3-There is always a party going on, and 4-FIREWORKS! It's a pretty fun day to have a birthday. Better than being born on Christmas for sure. We left Bear Lake and spent the 4th in Brigham City. The 4th of July is a big deal there. The city has all sorts of activities going on all day,
ending with a firework show. We spent a good portion of the afternoon and evening at the city pool with family. The pool is right next the the baseball fields where the firework show happens. It closes during the firework show. But instead of fighting the crowds for a spot on the baseball field, we were able to stay at the pool and watch from there (we have connections--Arnell's brother manages said pool:-) It's become a fun tradition the last few years.

Our last day in Utah was spent driving from Brigham City to Highland, making stops to visit old friends from our youth and from college. We packed in a lot of visiting that day and it was worth every mile :-)

The Petersens

The Wakefields

The Sharps (had to post this one with daughter licking her foot--far left)

It was a great trip! So great we decided to do it again two weeks later to attend our nephew's wedding and go to a family reunion. The drive was torture but being with family made it worth it.

Jayson & Jordan Lee Anderson

Ila Anderson with her brother, Hatch Howard (Uncle Bud)

Kort on horse for first time

Kylii, Berlin w/cousin Jacelyn

Berlin w/cousin Kaci

Summer was busy as ever but we wouldn't want it any other way. Can't wait for 2010!

I'm a little bit country.....

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:37:00 +0000

One day while at Bear Lake this summer, my husband was sporting this hat and sunglasses. It made him look bit like country music singer Kenny Chesney. Anyone agree? Or was it just the hat? At any rate, I think I feel a Halloween costume coming on:-)

Summer Re-cap Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:02:00 +0000

I have so much to write about that I actually keep putting it off. But I realize it's time to put it in print before I forget. I'll pick up where I ended in May.

The summer fun began with Fort Benito Cub Scout Day Camp. Kort got to participate as a 3rd year cub scout and I helped teach the cooking session for the boys each day. For 5 days these scouts worked on their certification skills and had an absolute ball. It was a pleasure to be a part of it and see how much the boys learn while they are there. It's no wonder they can't wait for it to roll around each year.

The day after scout camp we left for our summer trip to Utah. We spent the first week in Brigham City so Kort could attend a basketball camp help at Box Elder High School (Arnell's alma mater). We also made it to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. It was absolutely beautiful! Of course my kids thought the angel Moroni being struck by lightening was the coolest:-)

(Notice half the family missing in this picture. Arnell, Berlin, and Kamryn had the stomach flu that day. We were sad they had to miss this.)

Here's my sister Lani and her darling family. They went to the open house with us along with Nanna and Pappa K.

Week two of our Utah vacation was spent in St. Charles, ID at the Bear Lake house. It is one of my favorite places to go. We had no agenda, no schedule, just a week of time to spend however we chose. We did celebrate Berlin's 7th birthday there and had a good time at the beach that day (ugly-white-man beach is a more appropriate term). Below is a slideshow of pictures from the week. It was a great getaway and we can't wait to do it again!

Faster than a speeding bullet???

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:52:00 +0000

Summer is flying by as usual. Ten weeks of vacation sounded really nice to me at first. But now that there are only 4 of them left, I am panicking! There's not enough time left to do the things on our "To Do List". I'm not complaining though. Our summer thus far has been very eventful and loads of fun. I haven't blogged for almost two months because of that. Yet the blog post possibilities are endless. My mind is continually thinking of what to write. The purpose of today's entry is to rid myself of the guilt that comes with not keeping a regular record of the Anderson family happenings.

While time seems to be speeding by, my running pace is in slow motion. I've been training for my very first marathon for the last 10 weeks or so. Today I ran 13 miles. That's a half marathon technically speaking. So why am I not elated? For one, my right arch is terribly sore. And secondly, I am a slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww runner. I've been trying to speed up the pace a little bit but it's just not happening. I'm sure any of you experienced runners out there will tell me not to worry about my pace so much. But I just want to be a little bit faster. Today's run was a good test for me though. I feel like a full marathon is now possible.

Stay tuned for pictures from our June trip to Utah. I finally downloaded them to the computer and will blog about it all later. We are making one more quick trip to Utah this week for a wedding and reunion. The pics and posts will come later:-)

Kort Turns "10"

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:49:00 +0000

I love the month of April. It's the time of year that awakens those yearnings for summer. Easter, Spring Break, and Kort's birthday always make for an eventful month. But the days pass so quickly! It's now the end of May and I am finally writing about April.

Kort's birthday was on a Friday this year. It was the week of spring break so school was not in session. Arnell took the day off so we headed for the beach and spent a good portion of our day there. The wind made it cold but the sun made us burn. Needless to say, we enjoyed our time there. The sand and waves always provide endless entertainment. The beach is one of the many, many things WE LOVE about California.

It is hard to believe that Kort is now 10. He's a decade. He's a Webelo. He's almost done with 4th grade. He's enjoying baseball. He's learned a lot from his piano teacher this year even though he doesn't like to practice. He's a great brother to his sisters. He's a terrific son. He's gonna be an awesome man someday too soon. Happy Birthday Kort!

Click on pictures to see in full size.

"DIY" is my middle name

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Tue, 12 May 2009 04:00:00 +0000

For most of my adult life, I have been a "Do-It-Yourself"er. I believe my parents played a huge role in this. When I was 5, my dad(a brilliant engineer) contructed our home almost entirely by himself. My mother (an amazing artist)has spent 30+ years decorating it, transforming it into a 5 star hotel. I don't remember ever helping them with their projects, but I do remember WATCHING. I was fascinated by the process my dad went through to get the swamp cooler running every summer. He let me climb onto the roof with him and hose down the a/c screens (okay, maybe I did help a little bit). Whenever the sewer pump in the basement malfunctioned, I was right there on the front line, waiting to see what the problem was (usually a cotton ball or q-tip). Because my dad is a BYU engineering professor, one "perk" has been use of the campus woodshop. Many of the tables, benches, cabinets and chests found in my parents' home were constructed in that woodshop. And I was right there watching them build it all.

I like to think I've followed in my parents' footsteps. My DIY adventures began with refinishing old furniture. Then it was tiling. Then it was carpentry, followed by drywall finishing and many other things in between. I'm really happy with the outcome of most of these projects. Because I did them myself, there is a sense of accomplishment that would not be there otherwise. So why do I blog about this right now? I just finished a lighting-improvement project in my kitchen. The original lighting consisted of two flourescent fixtures which flooded the room with a yellow, gloomy glow. I have always hated the way the light made me feel so I never even turned it on. I have been wanting to change it since day one of living here. So 4 1/2 years later and a little motivation (like family coming to visit), I finally got it started. And it took my dear friend and neighbor, Annette, to make me finish it. She, too, has hated her kitchen lighting so we did this project together, like so many others in the past. But she is a much faster worker than I am. She started it after me and finished it before! If it weren't for her quickfootedness, I may have never completed this project. Thanks for moving me along, Annette! And thank you, mum and dad, for instilling in me the desire to be a "DIY"er. You are the best!

Photo Tag is....S.C.A.R.Y.

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 01:19:00 +0000

My friend, Stef, photo tagged me. Now I tag Amber, Andrea, Cecy and Lorie:-) Take a photo of yourself right now, just as you are. No preparing, no nothin'! Then post it on your blog with a tag for somebody else to do the same.

Disclaimer-----Just got home from sitting at 2 hour baseball game. It was HOT! We seem to have gone from winter to summer overnight here in Hollister.

In Full Swing

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:50:00 +0000

Little League baseball season is here! From endless practices to frequent games, our lives seem to revolve around baseball right now. But it's worth it. Kort is enjoying it and learning some valuable life lessons. Here are some pictures from one of the first games. All I can say is, "Heeeeey batter, batter!"

30 Minutes at the Park

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 03:54:00 +0000

Each week while my son is at his half-hour piano lesson, I take my younger two girls to a nearby park. With spring in full gear, the landscape offers the perfect backdrop for picture-taking. I still feel overwhelmed by my new camera and all it's features. I figure the only way to overcome that feeling is to experiment. Most of the pictures in this slideshow were taken in "AV" mode. This setting lets you have manual control over the aperture (how much light is allowed in). I obviously let a LOT of light in, but I still like how it looks. More importantly, I love the smiles I captured while my girls were at play. They constantly remind me that it is the simple things in this life that can mean the most. (Click on photos to see pictures in full size)

Phil's Fish Market & Eatery

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 02:35:00 +0000

Moss Landing, CA is a small fishing town situated in the middle of the Monterey Bay along Hwy 1. It is known for it's antique shops, power plant (largest one in California,) and award-winning restaurant, Phil's Fish Market & Eatery. It is, by far, my favorite restaurant in the world. My brother-in-law, Jim, told us to go there when we first moved to California. He had worked on a project at above said power plant and had been to Phil's a few times. Growing up in Utah, we didn't really know what fresh fish tasted like. Now we do. And it has kept us coming back for years and years. Anytime we have family or friends come to visit, we make sure Phil's is on the agenda. Every once in a while we're able to go there with our Hollister friends too. Last week we piled into Dickson's SUV and made the 40 minute drive. It was such good food, awesome company, and we can't wait to do it again! (By the way, to see pictures in full size, click on the photo.)

Love Week 2009-Final Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:53:00 +0000

Love Week 2009 wouldn't be complete without a post about my husband. We just celebrated our 15th Wedding Anniversary! It's hard to believe it's been that many years. We had an all-too-short getaway to Carmel, CA and were pampered at The Tickle Pink Inn. What a quaint place it was, tucked away in the hillside of Carmel with nothing but ocean views from every room. If you are ever in Carmel, I highly recommend staying there.

I've mentioned before in previous posts that my husband has a great deal of patience. He never seems to lose his cool. It's one of the many things I LOVE about him. I can't figure out how he does it. Remaining calm amidst 4 children and a stay-at-home mom is an amazing feat. I am grateful to him for that because it balances the dynamic between us. For you Twilight-ers reading this, you could compare him to Jasper. If Arnell arrives home at the end of the day and finds us frazzled, just his mere presence settles everything down.

There is so much more I could write about my husband. But this post would be a mile long if I did so. I'll sum it up by saying, "I Love you, Arnell!" Thank you for 15 awesome years! Looking forward to the next 15 and beyond.

From Feb 16, 2009

Love Week 2009-Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:39:00 +0000

If you are ever in need of a chocolate frosting recipe, look on the back of a Hershey's Cocoa container. There you will find one called "Perfectly Chocolate" chocolate frosting. The name doesn't lie. IT IS PERFECT! And it is one of the things I L.O.V.E. Even after eliminating processed sugars, fats and flour from my diet, I truly miss this yummy dessert. So when my darling daughter Kylii made a cake for my birthday, complete with this frosting, I just couldn't say "No". It was physically impossible. And guess what? I enjoyed every single bite!

From Feb 22, 2009

Love Week 2009-Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:11:00 +0000

Here is a picture of some darling young women from my church, all of whom I love. For almost two years now, I have had the privilege of serving as the Young Womens President in our ward. This calling has been a humbling experience. I have learned so much about these awesome girls and am inspired by their spiritual strength. They certainly stand out among their peers because of their high moral standards. They love their Savior and are not afraid to let the world know. As you can see in this picture, they radiate happiness and joy. I get to be around that joy at least twice a week and for that, I am so grateful.

From Feb 20, 2009

Love Week 2009-Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 07:58:00 +0000

I've been debating whether or not to blog about this subject. Part of me is afraid that writing about it will jinx any future success. The other part of me is proud of my success and wants the whole blogging world to know. So here goes!

Last October, two of my friends and I hired a personal trainer to get our butts into shape. We all train at the same time and split the cost. I LOVE it because first and foremost, I am with two of my best friends and we have such a great time whenever we're together. So if you're gonna be tortured at the gym, might as well be with people you like, right?

Secondly, I LOVE it because I am finally putting my health at the top of my priortity list. Years of having babies and raising them really takes a toll on a woman's body and mine is no exception. It was depressing to look in the mirror and not be happy with what I saw. I knew I had to change it. I had all the knowledge and tools to do so. Just needed a little push.

What is my total loss to date? 23 lbs. My body fat percentage has dropped by 13% as well. Another thing I LOVE. I still have another 25 lbs. to go to reach my final goal. But for the first time in my life, I truly believe I will get there. My trainer has pushed me to levels of physical strength that I never thought possible. He has also taught me how to eat the right foods. It's a way of eating that I plan on following for the rest of my life. It's simple, easy, and the way God intended us to eat. This I know for sure.

My husband has lost 30 lbs. on this same program and looks pretty awesome! Just one more thing to LOVE! At age 40, he is in the best shape of his life. I'm sure neither of us would have had success doing this alone. But because we're both working toward the same goal, sabotage is less likely:-) We've been able to support and encourage each other all along.

I will save the "Before" and "After" pictures for a later post. I want the "After" picture to be really good! Again, I've been a little superstitious about writing this. I hope I haven't jinxed any future success. Instead, I hope I've created a little pressure to keep going. At any rate, cross your fingers for me!

Love Week 2009-Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:49:00 +0000

I got this idea from D-Dawg. She is a fantastic blogger and I feel so happy after reading her posts. "Love Week" will be a series of posts dedicated to the people/things in my life that I love. Most of it will be pretty random. I'll try not to think too much about it. I believe overthinking my writing causes me to lose the essence of how I really feel. Yet since there is SO MUCH that I love about my life, I couldn't possibly write about all of it. I'll have to pick and choose the things that are truly blog-worthy. Here we go!

Love #1-My children's eyes

My baby, Kamryn, just turned 5 last week. Sniff, sniff. This darling daughter of mine has the BIGGEST brown eyes you ever did see! Their deep, dark chocolate color is mesmerizing. I pride myself on the fact that she got them from me.

Berlin is my 6 year old (only 19 months older than the baby). Her eyes are a soft shade of green. They truly reflect the tenderness in her heart.

My son, Kort, is almost 10 years old. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone commented on his gorgeous eyes. They are so blue my heart melts whenever he flashes them in my direction. And flash they do!

Kylii is my 12 year old. Her eyes have changed from blue to green over the years. They show her sincerity, purity, honesty. And they look so much like Arnell's. His genes definitely dominated this time around.

I believe in the saying that "the eyes are the window to a person's soul". Not only are my children's eyes outwardly beautiful, they more truly reflect the beauty that is within.

"To facebook, or not to facebook?" THAT is the question...

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Six months ago I signed up for Facebook. I'm not sure how I got roped into it, but I did. I quickly learned that Facebook was going to take up a lot of time! Time that I really didn't have! IT IS SO ADDICTING! I find myself battling everyday whether or not to log on. But I always succumb, regardless of the guilt that comes from avoiding the more important things. But I'm also realizing (or justifying) that it's OKAY to spend time communicating with family, friends, old acquaintances, and more. I don't spend time with all the applications and games that Facebook offers. What I REALLY enjoy is the re-connecting and catching up with old friends, meeting cousins for the first time (who live in England), writing on "walls", and even the occasional chat. In the end, the time I spend isn't really a waste. I'm building/re-building relationships with people I care about. Plain and simple.

The Race is ON!

noreply@blogger.com (andersson-whanau) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:09:00 +0000

Not having any brothers in my family, I had no clue how big of a deal the Pinewood Derby is to a cub scout, and may I add, the parents of a cub scout. I have never considered myself a competitive person. So why do I even care how my son's car does? Here is my theory on what powers so much emotion and competition within this race. For three years now, we (and countless other parents) have spent a lot of time, a little bit of money, and a large quantity of sweat in making a car that we hoped would be a decent, not necessarily winning, competitor. The first two years, our son's cars came in last almost every heat. It was difficult to watch Kort fight back the tears. As parents, we felt like failures and vowed to do better the next time. But this year I did not want to have any part in the construction of the car. I did not want to feel responsible if it didn't do well. Part of me probably wanted to blame it all on dad if the car didn't race well:-D But when it all came down to it, we procrastinated and I had no choice but to help make the car. Ironically, Kort said he didn't care how fast his car raced. He just wanted it to look cool. I knew all too well that he WOULD care as soon as the race began (I already knew that I cared). And I was right. A competitive air filled the gym where the racetrack was set up. I could tell Kort was nervous about the race. I was feeling nervous too. Not because I wanted his car to win. I just didn't want it to come in LAST. Luckily that nervousness vanished as soon as Kort's car raced down the track for the first time. It came in second! Yay! That's all I needed. One heat where the car didn't come in last. I felt vindicated from the prior year's failures. Kort's car went on to win 2nd place overall. He was SO happy! And I felt relieved. My heart was breaking for a few of the boys who were obviously disappointed in their cars. I empathized with them wholeheartedly. I believe for them (and their parents), the seed of competition has been planted once again for next year's race. For me? I'm not worried about it. Maybe I'm NOT a competitive person after all. Just someone who enjoys seeing her son succeed.