What Is It With Guys?

The older my boys get, the more apparent it becomes to me that the male and female brain are utterly different. Sure, there are lots of things we can agree on and have in common--but there are some things that the boys (and my husband) get SO excited about--and I just don't "get" it.

Here is a list of some of the "boy" activities that have been going on around my house this summer. Stuff I just can't get interested in.

--About ten thousand paper airplanes have been created (I can't seem to buy paper fast enough to keep up with this).

--Several bottles of Diet Coke and Mentos have been exploded.

--Multiple remote controlled airplanes and helicopters (and one blimp) have been flown and crashed.

--Lots of experiments involving vinegar and baking soda.

--Slingshots--many of them handmade.

--"Guns" made out of clothes pins.

and the newest fascination:

--Homemade hot air balloons.

This last one really threw me for a loop. I'm all for the kids doing projects and I was open-minded when Teddy presented me with a list of supplies he would need to create his own hot air balloon--garbage bags, masking tape, balsa wood, candles. What? CANDLES? You mean, there's fire involved?

Once I heard about the fire, I said no to the whole idea, but Don got just as excited about making his own hot air balloon as the kids and said he would take over as Project Supervisor.

So Operation Hot Air Balloon was underway.

Last night was the big launch. Don asked me the photograph the event which I reluctantly agreed to--the whole thing made me so nervous I really didn't want to witness it. Let me set the scene: five four excited boys, one husband, a GIANT plastic bag that they made by taping other bags together, my hair dryer, lots of balsa wood and a whole bunch of candles (and matches).

The plan was to get the "balloon" going by heating it up with the hair dryer until it was buoyant enough to light the candles (!!!). They had the thing tethered--but just with thread--and I had visions of the balloon breaking free and landing on the roof of my neighbor's brand new house and burning it to the ground.

I managed to get a few pics before escaping back into the house:

The excited gang filling the "balloon" with hot air.

That looks safe! Hair dryer and fire! You can just make out Patrick's expression in the background--total awe!! And there's my neighbor's new house--just looking at that picture with the flames looming makes me shudder!

And we have lift-off!

This is when I ran into the house in a panic--but the thing was actually flying!

They were so pumped up after that, the testosterone was palpable!

I think I'm going to make an appointment for lunch at American Girl Place with Pickle--I need to retreat to a big doll tea party!