Topic: Start your own TAR tradition. Your kids are gonna love it

[kadilahopper]

Hi die hard TAR fans.  My family has the ultimate TAR tradition.  We call it our  "Amazing GRACE Race".  The reason why this tradition was created was because TAR came into my life when I had no hope.  Ten years ago when I was 44, I had a stroke.  I was unable to walk, I was deaf in my left ear, and my eyes were so unstable it was hard to control them.  All I knew was fear.  I was young, I had no idea what my future would be, would I have to be put into a nursing home, would my husband stand by me.  Lord have mercy it was a dark, dark time.  And then TAR came into my life.  I was in the rehab ward when TAR first aired.  I was mesmerized.  Until that moment all I could think about were my fears.  While watching that show, I started to dream.  TAR gave me hope.  Something to strive for.  Instead of dwelling on my fears, I started concentrating on what I could do and how to get better.  TAR gave me determination.  After seeing TAR for the first time I not only wanted to walk, I was determined to run.  I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.  I created and dedicated our family tradition to TAR.  Below are pictures of our 2009 race.  Our local TV station covered it and it was a great race.  It was very simple to put together.  I took four pictures of downtown Wilmington that represented four members of our family.  I named it our "Heritage" edition.  At each location a family member was set up with clue cards and wardrobe that each racer had to put on and then race back to the starting point.  At the starting point each racer, dressed in their costume had to recite a statement that represented their ancestor before they were allowed to receive their next clue.  The one who completed all the tasks first and returned to the starting point were declared the winner.  It was hilarious.  First place was Chance, 2hr 53 min. Brandon, 2hrs 54 min.  Michael 3hrs and 03 minutes and last was Travis 3 hrs. and 23 minutes.  Below are pictures from our 2009 race.  I hope you will enjoy and I hope it will inspire you to create your own TAR tradition.  I also have photos of our 2010 race. I will post info and photos of it later.  (I had the boys, 34, 28, 27, 26 dress in cloth diapers, bibs and piggy banks and run into Wal-Mart on their first task.  It was hilarious!)  Think outside the box!!!!!!!  It is a trip.  Enjoy  We are going into our 7th year.  :<)

[georgiapeach]

I LOVE this idea!! What a wonderful story! Can't wait to see your photos!!

[TexasLady]

Posted for kadilahopper

[TexasLady]

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[TexasLady]

It looks like they had a great time! 

[georgiapeach]

And what good sports!!

[mswood]

That's a really great story.

[kadilahopper]

Thank you Ms. Wood.  And many, many thanks to Georgia and TexasLady for helping out with the photos.  For any one who is interested in this idea I just wanted to let you know that I put on 2009's race for less than $20. The 4 photos I took of the "downtown monuments" I downloaded and then printed them from my computer.  I got the  women's clothing from the thrift store. ( This ancestor was my mother)  I spray painted 4 hats gray and painted the CSA emblem on them as well as made the soldiers bags with emblems and got the swords from the dollar tree. (This ancestor was Newitt Jackson).  The presidential seal I printed off the internet and made a pendant out of it. (This ancestor was Andrew Jackson).  And I bought four black toboggans, braided eight strands of black yarn and pinned them inside the hats as well as purchasing 2 blankets from the thrift store and cutting them in half. (This ancestor represented a cherokee chiefs daughter on my husband's side.  I can't recall her name).   2009's race tested their physical endurance as well as taught them about their ancestors.  You ladies know that as mothers we are always teaching our children.  I want my sons to pass down their knowledge of their heritage to their children and our Amazing Grace Race will help them to do that.

[David]

Yours is a great story, Kadila. Never thought TAR would be so great, and now, I'll love it more than ever.

Thanks a lot for sharing!

[kadilahopper]

Below are pictures from our 2010 race.  There were 5 tasks and this year I expanded our race to encompass the whole city of Wilmington.  Each of the 5 clue envelopes contained 2 cards; 1. Stated the name of the task. ( In each task name card I used various colors) and 2.  The directions on how to complete the task.

1st task: (Starting point to first destination, Wal-Mart)  Dress in cloth diapers and bonnet, take provided piggy bank full of coins and go inside Wal-Mart and purchase baby food and juice.  Pour food and juice into baby dish and sippy cup provided .  Once you have finished your meal you may receive your next clue.

2nd task:  (Destination: Cape Fear Community College).  Complete your three stages of school work before you can remove your diapers and then put on your cap and gown  . You are now a graduate, and will receive your next clue.

3rd task:  (Destination: Hugh McCrae Park) Dress in clothing and wigs provided and start baking.  Once you have completed a baker's dozen of homemade biscuits you will receive your next clue.

4th task;   (Destination: USS North Carolina Battleship) Choose a table and fold up each piece of clothing and linens neatly and put them in as many baskets needed and then place in your vehicle.  When you have completed the task you will get your next clue.

5th task;  (Destination: Federal Building, downtown Wilmington)  At the starting point of the race take out all your "task name cards".  Separate the colored letters into groups and unscramble the words.  Then place each word in the proper order till you have found the meaning of this year's race.

ANSWER;   "Mothers are the heart of the home"

Winning order:  Brandon, Travis, Chance, Michael

[kadilahopper]

More photos.

[kadilahopper]

Last three photos;  Drivers,  drivers and racers, and 2010 family race photo.

[georgiapeach]

I LOVE your sons! What great sports and they even look good in diapers.

[kadilahopper]

Thanks Peach. They are good boys or I really should say men.  I love the fact that they are so very close as brothers.  After our 2009 race they all went out and had the chinese symbol for brother tattooed on each of them.  Just as TAR is about relationships, so is our race.   They have already been at me for months for a hint as to what this years race will be.  They will definitely need their noggin this year.  No dressing up.  Just alot of physical and mental challenges.  Our local station will be covering it this year.  It will be a blast!

[kadilahopper]

As a footnote to those of you who might like this idea but don't want to go beyond your house or neighborhood, our first 4 years were at home. Mostly due to weather.

1st year:  I hid "gifts" throughout the house;  I wrote clues in envelopes to direct them to the hiding place.
                (This was fun, but it was like letting a herd of cattle stampede through the house)
2nd year: Each son had a chalk board and chalk from the dollar tree.
                I had wrote specific sentences describing a relative and they had to write down who they thought
                 the relative was.  The first person to get 20 right won.
3rd year:  I separated a manger scene and hid the pieces throughout the neighborhood.
                 I gave cryptic clues to their location.  When all pieces were found each son got to choose an
                 envelope which contained a scrambled sentence.  When each son had unscrambled their sentence
                 they had to "cross the finish line" and read their statement in the correct order to win their prize.
4th year:  I blew up about 200 balloons and let them float in my living room.  Each one had either a letter or
                 a "better luck next time" in them.   If they answered a question right they got to pop a balloon. 
                 When they had all the letters needed to solve the puzzle then they had to put the letters in the
                  right order.  Who ever solved the puzzle first was the winner.
So you see, it can be simple and you can start while your kids are young and create a wonderful Christmas tradition for them.  Think about it. :<)