weekend recap...including Corinn's 6th bday...

ugh - i'm such a blog slacker!

not only with posting...but with reading & commenting too! i haven't had time to check in on my friends' blogs in quite some time & i feel so out of the loop...i apologize...it's this damn job! ;0)

anyway, better late than never...here's our weekend recap...

Saturday, Jaden's Cub Scout Pack had their annual Blue & Gold Banquet - this was our first year attending...they kick off the banquet with the derby car Pack races...this is where the top 3 from each of the Den races compete for the top trophies

i told you how Jaden's only goal at the Den races was to win a trophy...luckily, they didn't hand out trophies then - but i was worried how he'd handle the winners getting 1 this time...i prepped him, explaining that the big winners probably would get a trophy, & that it was ok that he didn't...he was actually ok with it - finally saying "u're right Ma, it's only a trophy" ;0)

but i still had hope that he'd win the "most original design" competition since it was purely based on the amount of money each scout could collect in their box

Jaden drew his 3-headed dragon car on his box...his aunt Kelly (my sis) donated $10 to the cause...i threw in $30 & crossed my fingers (hey, the money goes to the Scouts - so it was for a good cause)

but honestly, it was this car AND box that should have won! i mean look at this kid's creativity!

me & another mom were in charge of counting out the money toward the end of the banquet...i had high hopes when she counted Jaden's total & told me it was $41.75...all the other boxes i'd been counting had $15-20 in them!

but then, i got to this one kid's box...it was a pretty cool car - actually a truck, but definitely not the most original...but he must have had all his grandparents & uncles in attendance at the banquet - cause his box total came up to $129.50!!!

Jaden did come in 2nd, but of course his total was no competition for the little rich kid ;0)

so anyway, the time came to hand out the trophies...they ended up not only giving one to the top 3 winners of the Pack races - but they waited to hand out the Den race winner trophies until the banquet too...so there was this table with about 15 trophies on it & i'm praying that Jaden doesn't cry...i know he's still hoping he'll get a trophy - but i know otherwise...so i'm busy trying to chat with him & talk about how fun the banquet & races were...just basically trying to distract him so his mind isn't on the trophies

they give them all out & then it's time for the "most original design" winner to receive his plaque...i announce the winner & let everyone know that the Scouts raised $312 with the voting (pretty cool fundraiser, huh?)...then i sit down

then the Pack Master announces that they have 2 surprise awards...we had some visiting Scout Masters from other local troops at the banquet...& the Pack Master had asked them to vote on 2 different categories

one was "best overall design" & they awarded that boy with a plaque as well

the other was for "best craftsmanship" & wouldn't u know?
Jaden won!!!

he was so stinkin' proud! & i may or may not have cheered a little too loud for him ;0) but to see him go up & accept his plaque (a pretty good trophy replacement) was priceless!!!

i posted on Corinn's 6th birthday last week...but we just had her party this past Sunday

she wanted not 1, but 2 cakes...she wanted to include both her favorites right now - puppies AND kitties ;0) she & i sat down & drew up the design - the puppy was to be brown, but yellow cake...& the kitty was to be white with gray stripes - & fudge chip cake

i won't tell u about how the puppy's head fell off right before the party...& how i had to scramble to repair it & find a way to keep it standing...but hey, it worked & was all worth it in the end!

we invited all our local immediate family (my mom & bros/sis - & their kiddos)...plus Corinn had a sleepover the night before...she was allowed to invite over 1 friend - but lucky for her, her BFF is a twin...so she got a 2fer! ~lol~

i tell ya what - girls are awfully loud...especially when u get 5 of em together! ;0)



Corinn had waited almost a whole week from her actual birthday to open presents - so she was just a tad excited! ;0)

Curtis was at Corinn's beck & call all day...earlier, he'd taken all 4 girls (plus Jaden) to the river to throw rocks...he drove around until they found a playground that wasn't still covered in snow so they could play too...then, when one of Corinn's friends wanted the training wheels taken off one of the girls' old bikes, he was right there to assist...what an awesome daddy! ;0)

& i just thought this pic of Corinn & her BFF locking arms was sweet ;0)

& that was it - another busy/fast weekend that just flew on by!

but hey, it's getting warmer here...it's starting to feel like maybe Spring is right around the corner (jumping for joy inside!)

well, if u don't count all the random snow we got yesterday & that's still coming down today...it's not enough to count really - didn't delay school or anything...i think it's honestly too warm to stick...it's crazy how "warm" 40 degrees feels after nothing but super low temps for so long!