Fun with the Finger's: Grace's Amazing Race Birthday

Saturday we got to be apart of Grace's 13th birthday party, which was an Amazing Race birthday and one of the most fun parties we have been too! Dawn had asked me to be one of the chaperone drivers for one of the groups which I was more than happy to do. Who knew us adults would have as much fun as the kids did?! There were 4 teams of 6 kids and each team followed their clues to complete challenges all around town, ending up at Grace's house here in our neighborhood. My team was the green team and included Grace, Phoenix, Journey, Ramsey, Eliza Kate, and Kennedy. Dawn and Westley had gone all out planning this party and it was so much fun. We started at the church where the groups got their first clue which was putting a puzzle together only to have to flip it over to tell them where the next clue was. After solving that our group was first to arrive at the Elementary school where Kelly & Kate were waiting to give the challenge and next clue. The groups had to be tied together with a rope (around their legs) and make a lap around the track. Since each group consisted of older kids and younger kids, it could be quite challenging to figure out the best and fastest way to get around. I also got to snap a picture of Cohen with her group while we were there. I loved watching her and it was a great thing she wasn't in my group because I know she was a lot tougher and less likely to whine or complain.

A Group shot before we started

My sweet girl ready to go

Challenge #1

Trying to put the puzzle together again...this time to read the back

Challenge #2-LES track

Cohen's group getting started

Green Team coming back around...in the lead! Ramsey had a lift from Phoenix but still had the rope on :)

Each team got $1 after making their lap and with that had to go buy gum, take it back to the church with a receipt to get the next clue.

Kennedy & Ramsey running out with the gum

This time they had to "go home and sing the song with the line "I don't care if I ever get back". I thought this would stump a lot of them but my group was quick to know they needed to go to the ballfields and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". I videoed them singing & then we were off to Shawn & Nat's house. There it was the hardest challenge for everyone. They had to cross a roped out "river" with 3 boards and 3 blocks without falling in. So it took a lot of thinking to figure out how to get across. The blue team who was last to arrive was first to leave because they got across first. Here is the green team trying to figure it out.

They got across at last by going so far on the boards and then jumping to the "bank". Next clue was unscrambling the name of the place to go which was Morgan's Hardware store. They had to go to 2 spots in the store to find the next clue which sent us on our way to Harbin Lumber company. We almost beat Westley there even though we were slowed up by a slow driver. These kids were screaming for me to pass them--in the turning lane that is, in the middle of town! I had to explain how illegal that was and that we were already pushing it! haha! At Harbin's the team had to have 5 team members nail a nail into a board-straight that is :) At this point the green and blue teams were neck in neck. It was starting to get nerve wrecking!

going through the hardware store

Nailing away

From there we made our way to Carnegie Library to find the sign that showed the year the library was built, which was 1911. They had to take a picture with the sign, so while I kept the car running at the stop sign they kids jumped out and would have to take a selfie. Both the green and blue teams were finding the sign & taking their pictures at the same time! Once they jumped in the car we sped off headed to the finish line, blue team hot on our trail! Since Lavonia's festival was Saturday we had more traffic to deal with than normal and when I got to the stop sign in town there were cars coming from both directions and turning. This would really hold us up so the kids let the window down and yelled to get a man to let us pull out...the winning move I call it. haha! This allowed our car to get right in front of the blue team since they had turned to avoid that busy stop sign turn. We must thank that nice man for letting us out! We headed back to Gillespie Estates going faster than I would normally drive and still being asked by the kids to go faster! haha! I had to let them out at the front of the subdivision and they had to run up to Grace's house. It was a race between green and blue teams to the finish line but the green made it first! Yay green! Hard work and mad driving skills do pay off! I think every team came in on 2 wheels with us chaperones on edge just like the kids. It was a lot of fun though and Dawn & Westley did such a good job. I know Grace and all her friends loved it! A fun way to turn 13 for this special girl for sure and we were so glad to be apart of it! We love you Grace!!