More evidence that sarcasm doesn't work on 5 year olds.

Friday Fragment time, which is an opportunity for me to throw together a few disconnected tidbits, thoughts and recollections of the week that was.











A few days ago Princess Puppy was on the other side of the door as me and I could not be interrupted, so I told her to wait a minute and not to come in. She just kept on trying to come in and tell me whatever problem she was having at that moment. I told her again to wait a minute and not to come in. She just kept jiggling the door handle and trying to come in and get my help. I finished what I was doing and impatience got the better of me as I said to her: "What part of wait a minute and do not come in don't you understand?". She thought about it a second and said "both."





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Today we were studying the digestive system in our anatomy class. Did you know that if you unwrapped your small intestine it would be 20 feet long? We decided to measure 20 feet out just to get a better understanding.

I like activities that help reinforce the words read from the page. Last week we were learning about the Israelites being deported to Assyria in 721 B.C. We learned that 27,290 Israelites in all were sent to Assyria. The text suggested that we take some small items like matchsticks, toothpicks, or buttons (we used coins) and group 100 of them together.


We even made our coins spell out 100. It really hits home how many Israelites that was when it would take almost 273 groups like we made to equal 27,290.



Much thanks to Linda Hobar and her fine Curriculum, The Mystery of History which has so many good activities like this to add to the lessons.

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This Friday and Saturday is the state robotics tournament. I have wanted for some time to describe my thoughts about Spider Droid's team advancing from sectionals. The sectional they were participating in was a double sectional. Meaning that 2 distinct sectionals were being held at the same time and location. with 15 teams in each sectional. At the beginning of the meet the organizer announced that instead of 3 teams advancing to state from each sectional as was customary, They had just found out that 4 teams each would advance.

The teams are evaluated in 4 categories. 1) Performance. 2) Research Project. 3)Teamwork and 4) Technical Excellence

In performance the team has their robots compete against other teams in 4 different heats. The teams are given a score for each heat and it is the best score of the 4 heats (not an average of all 4) that determines who wins. This is the only 1 of the categories where you know how you are doing as they post all the scores on a screen in the gym. Droids team got off to a great start and had the best score of both regionals in the first heat. They were not able to replicate that score in the subsequent heats and ended coming in third in their regional for performance.t

The other 3 categories are all based on judging. Before they announced the results the event organizer made it clear that coming in first in any of the categories does not assure a trip to state nor does not finishing first mean no trip.

This is all well and good. But as they made the announcements for the first place winners, I couldn't help thinking after their team wasn't announced as any of the category winners that this just wasn't their year. I remember thinking about taking droid to go see the state tournament and how much he would enjoy it. After a few "Honorable mention" type awards, which I was disappointed they didn't get, they announced the 4 state qualifiers in each region.

The first team they announced was his team, The Fanatix! I was in shock. I really haven't been that surprised since Amy threw me a surprise 40th birthday party some six years ago. Before I go on, I just want to say that I would have been fine (and Spider Droid more so) if they hadn't won. 30 teams met that day a week before Christmas and I would venture to say that each one had the time of their lives.

That being said, I still am so proud of my son and his team. I am pretty certain that this weekends competition will be the end of the line for the Fanatix, but Oh, what a ride it's been.

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That's all the fragments I have. For more, head back to half past kissin' time by clicking here.

6 months and 2 days from now

This opens . . .



I can hardly wait!

Off to the races!

It seems like the beginning of January seems to be a rude awakening of activity that we somehow forgot about in all the holiday flurry.

First, we forgot to sign Spider Droid up for spring soccer, which we took care of in the nick of time!

While at the park district signing him up, we remembered to sign up Puppy for ballet...which started yesterday. Got that in just under the wire. Whew!

On top of that, the Lego Robotics state finals is next Friday and Saturday.

And then the homeschool co-op starts up again. Not to mention Awana on Monday nights, in which the two older are working on Bible Quizzing as well. Then after that is over, I am sure that Spider Droid will want to be in the Awana games again. There's always something, you know. Homeschooling doesn't always involve being at home! Homeschool, it's not a place, it's a state of mind. In fact don't think of it as homeschooling, it's more like life.

Pizza

I want to make one thing clear. Chicago is the best place in the world for pizza. People who think New York style pizza is even half as good as what Chicago offers are just, how do I put this diplomatically? Delusional!


So, when I say that Amy makes restaurant quality pizza here in the NW burbs of Chicago, that is high praise indeed.


She can take this . . .


Make it look like this . . .





And eat like this . . .



That's what I call good pizza!

HSD Rewind: Blogoversary edition

It has been exactly 2 years since this blog started. Here is a reprint of our first post from 1/6/2009.

Why We Home School:

Three precious reasons:Princess Puppy, Bunny and Spider Droid!

Meanwhile back in 2011: Thanks for being part and parcel of this crazy look at whatever it is we look at here.

Coming Soon: More of the same and a bit of the unusual.

Hall of Fame 2011 Votes and Picks

It's time to tell you who I would vote for IF I was a voting member of the BBWAA.
.

Too bad I don't have time to go into more detail. Like many of these players prospects, maybe next year.

If I had 10 votes, the 10th vote would go to Edgar Martinez (1 down from last year)

If I had 9 votes, the 9th vote would go to Larry Walker. (new on the ballot)

If I had 8 votes the 8th vote would go to Bert Blyt leven (1 up from last year)

If I had 7 votes the 7th vote would go to Dale Murphy (same as last year but not on "official" ballot this time.)

If I had 6 votes the 6th vote would go to Fred McGriff( up 2 from last year.)

Which brings us to my official unofficial ballot. There are 5 candidates who I would vote to for the Hall of Fame if I had the vote. Last year there were 7 I would have sent to Cooperstown. Murphy, I decided was not quite worthy of the honor. Robin Ventura failed to get 5 %of the vote last year and Andre Dawson was elected to the Hall. This leaves 4 from my ballot last year and 1 newcomer.

If I could only have 5 votes, my 5th vote would be for Lee Smith. Smith is up one place on my ballot from last year.

If Icould vote for only 4, my 4th and final would be cast to former Houston star Jeff Bagwell.

If my maximum vote # could only be 3 the third vote would go to Roberto Alomar. This is one spot up from where I placed him last year.

If I was limited to only 2 votes my second vote would be for Harold Baines. This is one up from where I had him a year ago.

If I could only vote for who I thought was the most deserving Hall of Fame candidate this year, my vote would go to Tim Raines. This is also 1 place up from where I had him last year.

That's who I would vote for. But now let me put my prognosticators hat on. I think there will be 2 players elected this year. Alomar and Blyleven. I think 4 first timers will receive 5 % or more of the vote. If I had to guess who I would say Kevin Brown and Rafaeal Palmeiro in addition to Walker and Bagwell. If it's not 4 I believe it will be more not less.

So those are my votes and picks. I can't wait to find out what will happen.