After going to the dentist to having a crown put back in place, nothing beats having a much needed spring pedicure with some “My Throne for a Cranberry Scone” on my toes.
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Tests, Tests, Tests…
I just realized I never did mention our weekend activities here. Back in February, Jason qualified to participate in the TMSCA State Science Competition. Basically, the math & science teams from across the state have competitions that involve tests, and if you have a qualifying score, you get to go to State. So Friday morning at 6:00 am we headed up to the local middle school to get on the bus with 23 students and their parents and headed off to San Antonio.
On the way, we stopped in Schullenberg, Texas at a local bakery. They were ready and waiting for us (one of the parents had made arrangements earlier in the week) and had posters up, welcoming us and encouraging the kids to do well at State. It was really cool – the kids immediately saw the signs as we pulled up, and we got to take them with us when we left. I also got to take something very special with me when I left – my crown on the bottom right side of my mouth came off as I ate a kolache, so I got to take it with me in a little to-go container! I put lots of tape on top so I wouldn’t lose it, and I go in to see the dentist tomorrow morning to have it put back on. It has made eating such fun.
Friday afternoon was spent at SeaWorld, as you might have noticed from the Flickr photos in the sidebar. Afterwards, we went to the hotel to check in, clean up, and head out to dinner. Then it was back to the hotel so the kids could do practice tests before heading to bed. Saturday morning we were up and out the door at 7:30 to head over to UTSA for the kids to take their tests. We were there until almost 5:00, but I had my knitting with me so it wasn’t that bad. Jason didn’t place in the top 20 for Science, but he had a good time. I’m just glad that he qualified! I knew he was smart, but it is always nice to see him recognized for it.
Today is the Math portion of the TAKS test for 7th & 8th graders here in Texas; tomorrow, they will be taking the Language Arts portion. In honor of the test, I had to snag this from Stargazer:
No Child Left Behind – The Football Version
1. All teams must make the state playoffs, and all will win the championship. If a team does not win the championship, they will be on probation until they are the champions, and coaches will be held accountable.
2. All kids will be expected to have the same football skills at the same time and in the same conditions. No exceptions will be made for interest in football, a desire to perform athletically, or genetic abilities or disabilities. ALL KIDS WILL PLAY FOOTBALL AT A PROFICIENT LEVEL.
3. Talented players will be asked to work out on their own without instruction. This is because the coaches will be using all their instructional time with the athletes who aren’t interested in
football, have limited athletic ability, or whose parents don’t like football.
4. Games will be played year round, but statistics will only be kept in the 4th, 8th and 11th games.
5. This will create a New Age of sports where every school is expected to have the same level of talent and all teams will reach the same minimal goals. If no child gets ahead, then no child will be left behind.
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B-L-I-N-G-O…
Blingo is a new search engine (with Google power behind it) that gives away prizes every day like Apple iPods, Amazon Gift Certificates, a year of free movies at Blockbuster Online, and more.
By joining Blingo Friends you can invite your friends to use Blingo, and when one of them wins a prize you win the same prize. That means if one of your friends wins an iPod, you win one too. (Or if you sign up under me, and you win something – I win the same prize. Limit of two prizes per month.)
Just click this link to join Blingo Friends (it only takes 15 seconds).
(Remember, use a “throw-away” e-mail address, but one that actually works. They send you a confirmation e-mail, and I’m sure you will need to get to that e-mail in case you win a prize. However, if you are worried about spam, set up an e-mail address you can toss if needed. I use creative ones like site name AT my domain. So blingo@ was what I used for this one.)
Sign up – because really, aren’t we all about the free goodies? And you search anyways, don’t you?
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For All the Boys…
Since I know at least two of my friends are pregnant with boys, and there are other friends that have young boys, I think I need to master the Devan sweater, which just might be one of my favorite patterns for little boys. Or girls for that matter, because who says that boys should have all the fun?
Isn’t that sweater simply adorable?
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Lace Love…
Now that I’ve changed the pattern I’m using for Mel’s lace wedding stole, I no longer have the desire to stick the Addi Turbos in my eyes. It has been smooth sailing, and I was even able to work on it while traveling this weekend.
Now I’m making myself paranoid that it’s not wide enough. I want it to be something she can wrap herself up in, like this. That is not the pattern I’m using though – I am doing a traditional feather and fan pattern. Problem is, it’s just a “here is how to do the pattern” chart – not a full pattern. I’m doing 4 repeats, with a garter stitch border on each side , for a total of 80 stitches. It is a lace weight 100% merino wool and I’m using a size 5 US needle. On the needles (unblocked, obviously) it reaches from Mike’s elbows to his shoulders. He’s my model right now since Mel is 5 inches taller than I am, so I figure if it is long enough for him, it will be long enough for her.
I’ve been told a million times that lace comes out much wider when blocked. Is that true? Anyone have any tips? (I could just block what I’ve done so far as a test, but … hmmm. That just seems too easy.) Maybe I’ll see if I can borrow some size 5 needles and use my spare ball of yarn to make a swatch to block while I continue with what I’ve already got on the needles.