The Amazing Race

Yesterday morning, I got up knowing I had a lot to do. Asa was working, but our re-scheduled Amazing Race Party was that night, and I still hadn't put it all together. I needed to make a trip to the store, get the laundry done, and make the house 'company ready'. It was a lot to get done, and I cursed my procrastination tendencies, but it all worked out. I had all the prep work of what the tasks would be done weeks ago, but it still needed printed out and put together. Of course the grand prize gnome trophy had been purchased weeks ago (thank you Target clearance aisle!) I was so excited when I found the photo mailers at the dollar store, so everyone could rip open the Amazing Race envelopes just like on the show!! 

I don't know how many of you have seen the show 'The Amazing Race', but it's basically teams of 2 racing around the world completing tasks, with one team being eliminated most rounds. It was supposed to cap off our Reality Show week, but the scheduling just didn't work out for our friends. While we COULD have done it with just our family, I knew this one would be more fun the more teams we had. We settled on August 2nd, but with a couple of last minute cancellations, I ended up cutting it down to three legs instead of five, with one team being eliminated each round. 

So, here's how it worked: Each leg had three tasks. The first task was a route info card that told you how you would be traveling from one place to the other (the front yard to the back yard), a detour card that gave you the choice of two tasks (you only have to complete one), and a Roadblock card that gave you a task to complete that only one member of the team could do. After you completed each of the tasks, you would race to the pit stop mat. 

Asa finished work, and everyone showed up around 5:30. Justin had to work (from home - and his house is only about two minutes from ours) from 7:30 to 9:30, so he missed a bit of the party and didn't compete. But he did make us all some wings! 

Katie and Kevin brought their tortoise, Winston- so Winston and Deleno could have a play date. They visited over a plate of Romaine. 

I think, for this blog, it'll just be easier to show you in pictures how the day went. I think it was a hit, and while I didn't get to play, it was so much fun to watch everyone compete in the race. I wish I had taken more pictures, but it was hard to be in a bunch of different places at once while still moving the race along and watching to make sure tasks got completed. Had there been more of us, it would have been nice to have a helper. 

First up, lets meet the teams. 

We had the blue team- brothers from Land O Lakes, FL. (I was so excited when I found them these matching shirts for $2 a piece! I'd been saving them just for the party!) 

The green, father daughter team of Kevin and Angela (I thought it was awesome they too wore matching shirts)

The pink father-son team of Asa and Hayden. (I had to tie up that shirt for Hayden since it's Calibs- it was the best I could do to make sure they matched!) 

And the black/grey team- the all girls team of Katie and Tracy! 

I handed out the envelopes to everyone and explained the game. For the first leg of the race everyone got to open there envelopes at the same time. 

The first route info card took them from the front of the house to the back of the house via a three legged race. 

And they're off! 

When they got to the back yard, they had to find the detour clue box, where they got their next clue. (A bucket I found at the dollar store, complete with an amazing race flag that I hung from one of the palm trees in the back yard.) 

 Like I mentioned, detours are a choice between two tasks. 

This one was roll the dice (roll snake eyes), 

or roll the toilet paper (a whole roll around your teammate without it touching the ground).  

The black team and the blue team went with roll the dice. 

While the green and pink teams went with roll the toilet paper. 

Once completed, they had to find the roadblock clue box. 

This roadblock was called 'Who's feeling lucky?'

I put out a bunch of dixie cups (somewhere around 40 of them) filled with different kinds of cheerio's. Eight of them were marked, you had to eat the cheerios until you found the marked cup. 

Once completed the teams had to check in on the pit stop mat. Admittedly, I wish I had spent more time on the mat. I really wanted to make it authentic- but this is what I settled for. 

The first team to arrive on the mat, the black team! 

The second team to arrive: the green team! 

The third team to arrive: the blue team. 

While everyone else got very lucky finding the marked cups, poor Hayden had to eat seven of them before he found one. 

Asa, Hayden, I'm sorry to tell you, you are the last team to arrive and have been eliminated. Hayden took it better than I thought he would, and they were the only team to come to the mat even though they knew they had been eliminated. 

Everyone went inside for a break, and I prepared for the second leg of the race. Once I was ready, and I had stationed Asa and Hayden at various places to help me out, we started with our second leg of the race. 

Tracy and Katie got a 30 second head start for winning the last leg, then Kevin and Angela got their Route information. 

Calib and Peyton got to go 30 seconds after them. This route information had them carrying golf balls on a spoon. 

When they got to the back yard they were met with a detour of Make it Spicy, or Make it Cool. 

They could either eat a jalapeno, or make butter by shaking heavy cream in a jar (after the first leg, I really forgot to take pictures of it all set up!) 

I was shocked that both the black and blue teams went straight for the spicy. 

I felt kind of bad for picking this as a task- everyone was crying and talking about how awful it is- but they did it! 

The green team started with the butter, but gave up- and Angela was awesome and bit off at least 80 percent of the whole thing, before giving the rest to Kevin. 

The roadblock was up next, in which one person from each team had to memorize a Shel Silverstein poem I had posted on the front door. 

Once they thought they had it, they had to run back and recite the poem to our judge, Asa. They even got sent back to the front if they didn't get it right. 

Hayden got to play host this round, and let the teams know their fate. The black team arrived first, and the green team arrived second, eliminating the blue team of Calib and Peyton (After the jalapeno, Peyton wasn't the best of teammates- they didn't even make it to the mat to get eliminated.)

Then it was on to the last leg of the race. The black team again got a 30 second head start for finishing first in the previous leg. 

This time to get from the front to back yard, they had to play leap frog. 

The detour was a choice between a puzzle - or hula hooping for three minutes straight. 

Katie pointed out it didn't specifically state hula hooping around her waist, and when with spinning the hula hoop on her wrist and arm. Angela had it going pretty good, but lost it around 2 minutes and had to start over. 

When she dropped it Kevin went with the puzzle, though Angela decided to give the hula hoop another go- Katie style. 

In hindsite, and if you're going to do this at home- I'd go with maybe a 48 piece puzzle (the 100 pieces seemed a bit much), I'd also maybe go with a less spicier pepper. 

Eventually, they both moved on at about the same time the final roadblock: making a beaded lizard. 

I had found these at the dollar section at target, and thought with ages 6 and up it would be good. It took a little longer than I expected though, and maybe if you do this one at home go with something a little easier- like beading a keychain or something instead. 

Angela had a hard time with the beads, and Katie pulled ahead. 

While they worked on that, Hayden waited at the finish line to award the gnome. 

Asa, Kevin and Calib decided to take that time to play ring toss with Hayden and a hula hoop. 

But finally, the lizard was complete- and the all girl black team made it to the finish line. Hayden awarded them the gnome. 

They were pretty excited about it. (As well they should be, they earned that gnome!) 

Afterwards, we had a smores bar! 

Once you make a smores bar, you can't go back to normal smores. I'm telling you, it's soo good. 

Kevin really wanted to finish the puzzle he started. 

We came inside into the nice air conditioning (maybe if we do this again August isn't the ideal time for the event), and the kids played. 

(And so did Asa and Kevin) 

Justin showed back up in the middle of a wits and wagers game. He finally got to enjoy some chicken wings and was designated question picker and reader. 

Then we all played some cockroach poker, a popular game with the kids. 

(An obligatory self taken picture of me and Asa.) 

Apparently, Katie stole my camera for the same reason. 

The kids played some stratego and played with the basketball hoop in Peyton and Hayden's room while we all had some Magnum Bars (they were free at Publix this week!) and hung out. 

A coin was flipped to see who got to take home the gnome- Tracy won. But, the gnome has to come to any subsequent get-togethers we have so there can be an exchange made. They have shared custody after all. 

Thanks to Kevin, Katie, Angela, Tracy and Justin for making it over! We had lots of fun, and I'm hoping we can throw another Amazing Race Party. I promise, I won't make you eat anymore jalapenos! 

We slept in today (it was a pretty late night last night), cleaned up, and Asa and I made a trip to PDQ and Costco. Nothing nearly as exciting as the last few days. I think we have some tv watching and some nacho dogs in our plans for the evening. 

Next Up: Asa's in the office the next few days, and we've got some fair projects we need to work on!