The Pinewood Derby / Nelson Notes

The Pinewood Derby

3.06.2019

The boys got to participate in their very first (and quite possibly very last*) Pinewood Derby!

Levi is only six and wasn't an official contender, but he didn't want to be left out of the fun. So we bought them both some kits and sent them to the kitchen table to sand down their creations.

"Is it smooth enough now, Dad?" they asked at least a hundred times.

I can't believe how much money we dumped into these things between the kits and the paint and the weights. I also became a hypocrite and did something I promised myself I would never do: put all the finishing touches on for them. Yup. I have no painting skills, but I brushed on some gold flames and hot glued those pipes. Per request, of course. So I guess these are my derby cars too! And admittedly, they are equal parts Bron's cars as well, he being the driving force behind this task and all the time and work he put into those silly pieces of wood.

Sooo… the pinewood derby cars are actually a family project!

They're pretty cool. The boys are pretty proud.

Jed and Levi both had a blast racing their cars last night. The cars kept getting faster and faster with every run as the kids tweaked the wheels to make them run more smoothly. It's definitely a night Jed and Levi will be talking about for a while. Glad you had fun, boys.

*I say "possibly last" pinewood derby because the Church is giving up the Scouting program next year and creating their own program for the youth. I wouldn't mind doing another round of derby cars but it wouldn't break my heart either if we never had to make any more.

Jed and Levi grabbed some dish towels as they sanded their pinewood derby cars down at the kitchen table. I'm not sure it helped with the mess, but they had good intentions! And as soon as I pulled out the camera, Conrad wanted in on the fun too! Haha.