Go, Go, GO!

It is that time of year again...Derby Day! We have been sanding, painting, tinkering with our cars for the last two months and today we were able to finally race them.  I have decided that our family is not about speed,  aerodynamics, or sleekness...we are all about the interesting, funny, weird, how slow can we go kinda derby car.  And a couple of us came in dead last all day....it was awesome!  

Here are some of our fabulous designs...

Francesco Brnoulli !

Her car is a replication of one of her sand art bottles
she made at a fair in Lundington, MI!

She did an airport complete with a flying plane!

My car was The Little Engine That Could....I think I can, I think I can!

We enjoyed watching all the races!

Here is the mom vs. my oldest daughter race..I won ( I won't tell you my train was a little on the heavy side...so I did have an unfair advantage)

Here is our annual "Family RACE" and the actually race car won!

My daughter came in 2nd for speed.

Getting her trophy from our childrens pastor, Pastor Kelly!

I came in 3rd for speed...did I tell you there was only three in our division!!!! hahahahahahaha

What a great family time and I got this super duper cute picture of shorty!  Love it and love racing our crazy fun cars!

GET JOY!

Go check out previous years derby days here!

Racers Start Your Engines!

 It's Derby Day!

No car for me this year, no time.  But I brought all my old ones and put them in the museum.  I raced them and the VW Van won!

 My son's car...of course McQueen!

 My middle daughter's tribute to Bethany Hamilton.  She won first in design!

 My oldest daughter's design, afternoon picnic! 

 Slowest car; but the cutest I think!

 He won 2nd place for speed, good job boy!

 Johnson annual family race....the winner....the baby boy!  

Whoo HOO!

Too much fun!

GET JOY!

Derby Day

Today, was our church's "Derby Day"! We had a blast racing our cars.

The front of my car...Girl's Ministries is ready to roll!

The back of my car....I love all the bumper stickers!

A Derby Dance! Whoo Hoo!

Tinker Bell and her mouse Cheese!

Zhu Zhu pet!

The cars are ready to race!

The race is on! Go, Go, Go!!!!!

They both won first place for design.
Annual Johnson Family Race!

Who do you think won?....This is a staged picture...my oldest daughter won, the Johnson family race!

Derby Day is a fun time!
GET JOY!

Derby Day

Pinewood Derby 2010

My sailboat all finished!


The girls are so proud of their truck and rv!

I think we all have summer vacation on our minds!
Here are the results of my sailboat in the adult catagory!

And always the Johnson family heat! The girls totally killed me in speed....it was a little unfair...two against one.

Ship Ahoy!

So yeah, it is pinewood derby time around the Johnson household. And this year's may be the pinnacle of my car making career. I may even have out done my 1st place car of last year in design. But...will it even be considered a car...because it actually is a boat? Well, considering last years was not a car either we should be fine.

This year I actually got brave and cut out my own car and the girl's cars. I was so scared that I would cut off one of my fingers. I didn't...or there would be a whole other blog about that and I would probabl t pe like t is. hehehe Here is a picture of my car/boat without the sail. Oh, I have to admit I had help building the mast.

The sail folds down so it can race. I don't expect to do well in speed...I expect to come in last. I don't care ...it is all about the creativity for me.

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My first car is the inspiration for the sail. The boats name is MPACT! Which is the name of our girls ministries group and who is participating in the derby along with the Royal Rangers. John thought the name was funny for a boat though because you would not want someone to run into it. I agree...I worked to hard on this bad boy!

Here it is, the body all finished...now all it needs are the wheels. It will be interesting to see what it does next Saturday!

Loving it!

1st Place!!!!

Okay, here is where I don't listen to a thing I write. I have to brag a little. I finally won first place for design at our churchs' pine wood derby. I have tried for three long years. 2006 My first car was a bug, for which I won 1st place in speed. Sadly, I was dissapointed in this because I was trying for 1st in design. Pathetic, I know.

The next year, I tried really hard and pulled out all the stops. I made an ice cream truck. I even bought a button that played music. What was great about this car is when it hit the end of the track it flipped and nearly took out all the other cars. It was one great Ice cream truck. Didn't even place. It was a sad day for me. So sad I took a year off. Pathetic, I know.

This year I came back with a vengance. I decided to pull at their heart strings. Because surely no one could vote against a baby. Thanks, Mary for this brilliant idea! This year I did my son in a carseat. Way to exploit my poor child. But, "IT WORKED" and I would do it again. Pathetic, I know.

So, My husband does not care for the derby and does as little as possible to participate. This year he did a door stop. He even jammed it under some doors to see if it worked. The morning of the race, he slapped some wheels and weights on it; and called it good. He came in third for speed. What? All you hardworking pinewood derby car makers are thinking. What?!!!!

My daughters did a ladybug and a tribute to "Barbie and the Diamond Castle" All in all, it was one great day. Maybe, a day to go down in the Johnson's History Books. Yay, for ME! Pathetic, I know!