Heslop Family Amazing Race

Over Christmas break we watched almost a full season of Amazing Race. We planned to watch the season finale tonight and, in anticipation, Aliza prepared an Amazing Race for the family. It was boys against girls and Aliza was the producer.

It took a little bit of decoding to figure out the clues based on the spelling. =)

The excitement was palpable. Josiah was competitive. Anna was super excited and willing to do anything. Aliza did such a great job with the clues...I'll fix the spelling for your reading enjoyment. ;)

Detour: Clear It up or Set It Up. Clear It Up: Memorize the living room setting. When you're ready, we (Aliza) will break it and you'll fix it. Note: one team at a time. (Translation: Memorize the placement of the couch throw pillows and everything on the side tables. Aliza will destroy the room and you will put it back together. Aliza will judge how well you do.) Set It Up: Memorize the table setting. When you're ready, we will break it and you'll fix it in time for dinner. Note: one team at a time.

The boys chose setting the table and the girls cleaned up the living room. The boys passed with flying colors and the girls had to "keep working on it" as the judge said.

Road Block (a task that only one person can complete): Sticking: You will have to pick some stickers and put them on the lines on the paper.

The boys were long gone, but Anna did an awesome job for the girls!!

Route Info: Go to your rooms and make your bed. When you think you are comfortable you will get your next clue. Note: If your room is taken, wait or choose a free room.

It took the girls a couple times to figure out that "When you think you are comfortable" meant that you had to be laying in the bed to get your next clue. Apparently the boys figured this out right away!

Pit Stop: Go to the DVD shelf and there is your Pit Stop. The boys won and their prize was a pile of books.

It was so much fun that Aliza immediately produced a second leg of the race to be run immediately following lunch!

Route Info: Kitchen Song: Use the kitchen utensils to make a song. When we (Aliza) thinks its beautiful you get your next clue. It took both teams a couple tries, but Daddy figured out what pleased our judge first.

Detour: Make a Lego or Summer Day. Make a Lego: Build a Lego boat out of Legos. When we think it is ready to be played with we will give you your next clue. Summer Day: Make a pretty sweet place to hang out. When we think you are having a good time hanging out, we will give you your next clue.

The boys built Legos, but the girls pulled ahead with their sweet place to hang out. I wish you could have seen Anna's enthusiasm.

Road Block: Picture Practice: Copy the picture in front of you. When we think you copied it perfectly we will give you the next clue. Note: Be careful with my crayons. (Insert Mommy giggles here.)

The girls got a head start, but Anna didn't quite understand the clue so she had to start again. Daddy didn't quite get the picture right (lol) and Anna got a bit of leeway for her age so the girls were handed their clue first.

Pit Stop: Go to the girls' room for your Pit Stop. It was a foot race to the finish line. Daddy had to pick up Isaiah before he ran so the girls finished just ahead of the boys. The girls prize was a stuffed animal.

The children really really wanted to do more races, but Mommy and Daddy thought it would be best if we stopped while everyone was still having lots of fun. At supper Anna was still begging for another race. She had to settle with watching the Amazing Race tonight. Aliza and I had a team that we really wanted to win. They didn't win, but it was still fun to watch.