Rock, Paper, Scissors

Round 1.
Paul & Julia : Rock, Paper, Scissors  - Shoot!
Paul: Scissors cuts paper.  I win.

Round 2.
Paul & Julia : Rock, Paper, Scissors  - Shoot!
Julia: Rock!   Paul: Sun!  Sun melts rock.  I win.

Round 3.
Paul & Julia : Rock, Paper, Scissors  - Shoot!
Paul: Sun!   Julia: God!
Paul: You can't throw God!
Julia: Okay, then Universe! [she waves her hands around]

Round 4.
Paul & Julia : Rock, Paper, Scissors  - Shoot!
Julia: Sun!  Paul: Dark Hole!
Steve: It's called a black hole.

Then we got into a discussion about what would happen if a dark hole approached our solar system, with Steve reassuring everybody that there were no black holes close enough to worry about.

Bright plans

This evening I sat with Petra at the dinner table while she dawdled over her salad.   I was half listening to her chatter, when I realized she was detailing what her life would look like when she grew up.  I grabbed a pen and paper.  A few of the things below were in response to my questions, but most of it  just overflowed from her mind.

When I grow up and have kids -

• we'll have only yellow bananas with no brown bits
• the only dessert will be dark chocolate hearts in pink foil wrappers
• our pets will be a cat, dog, and pony painted pink
• we'll only have scrambled eggs, not fried
• we wouldn't go outside when it's cold
• we will have a big Chex Mix bin
• their bedtime will be 8:30
• we would only watch long movies
• we would all get pink hair, like pink hair polish from the place that colors hair
• my name when I grow up will be Petra Grace Planet because women get to change their back name when they grow up, but boys can't.
• I'll change my first name to Flower
• My new middle name will be Chocolate.   Flower Chocolate Planet.
• My cat's fur is going to be pink with orange polka dots and blue stripes
• I want to live at Myrtle Beach
• My car when I grow up is going to be made out of bananas.  There wouldn't be wheels - it would just be slippery.

This was too much fun, so I asked Julia about her plans for when she is all grown up.

• I'd like my job to be at a restaurant or I'll be a pop star, and I'll have pink and blue striped hair - or polka dots
• I'll sing, "I'm a pop star and if you believe me, you're one."
• I want to live near Myrtle Beach.
• I'm going to have kids - 2 or more.  At least 2.
• When they're babies I'm going to die their hair red with blue polka dots - now that's standing out for a pop star!
• When I grow up I'm sure to wear crazy socks every day.

Lenten Heart

What am I willing to surrender to the Lord?
What am I willing to hand over?

My name - it used to be steadfast.
My house.
My future dreams and plans.
My old comfortable routines and rituals.

What am I willing to let go to the Lord?
To hold with open hands?

My reputation.
My service.
My pride.

Can I treat with contempt these things I have prized?
Lord, if I sacrifice my grip on them to you,
Will you honor this feeble, backsliding gesture,
And reward me with Your Self?

Beggar that I am, I would give you the things I never controlled,
and ask for a share in the riches of Heaven.

Better than a pocket knife

Each year Paul's scout den divides their monthly meetings between the dads.  Last year Steve led the meeting on rope tying at our barn, and it worked out really nicely.  This year Steve looked at leading the meeting about engineering.  One of the requirements was for the kids to build a little shoe box catapult using rubber bands and whatnot.  He said, "Well - I have a working trebuchet at home."

The boys and their dads came tonight.  It was colder than we expected when we picked this date back in October.  They started outdoors so that it would still be light and practiced firing the trebuchet with different projectiles.  On the side they saw Midnight dispatch a mouse.  Good kitty.

The boys were supposed to learn about pulleys and block and tackle.  Steve lined them up around the front of the mower to see if the 7 little 9 year olds could lift the one edge.  They got it to budge, but just a bit.  Then he hooked the mower to the block and tackle in the barn.  A single boy could lift half the mower up.

Later they came inside and got to play with Paul and Julia's little circuit kits a bit.

My favorite part of the evening was when Petra came in from the barn because she was cold.  She opened the north door by herself, which is an accomplishment in and of itself.  She told me that she had come inside because it was too cold out, but that she had enjoyed watching the trebuchet fire.  She said, "We watched the trebuchet throw stuff with the cat."

"YOU LAUNCHED THE CAT!?!"

"Hee, hee, NO!"

Steve powered through enough stuff with the boys tonight that all they have to do is make a sketch of their home floor plan and they will have earned a there Engineer badge.  Good job, honey.

We are forging ahead

Yesterday was Great Grandpa's birthday.  Happy Birthday, Grandpa!  The schools closed in honor of the occasion.

No, wait.  The schools closed because of the ice and cold.  That's right.

My day sounded a little like this:

"Yes you have to help with chores.  Go shovel.  Move the laundry along.  It's time to do some school work.  No you may not play your i-pod now.  Read to your sister.  This is how you figure out if a number is prime or composite."

We did have some play time in the snow, a picnic lunch in Paul's bedroom, and some praise for work well done.

And then there was dear sweet little Petra.  She seems to have fun at our evening Tae Kwon Do class, but keeps claiming that she doesn't like it.  Last night she even seemed to be excited when she realized that she knows almost everything she needs to know for testing for yellow belt.  But on the way home we asked, "Petra did you have fun?"
"No."
"Didn't you like working with Madison's daddy?"
"No. I don't like Tae Kwon Do."
"But Mr. Boeh said you liked kicking the bag."
"No, I don't like it."
"Which do you dislike more preschool or taekwondo?"
"Both."
"Which would you rather go to preschool or taekwondo?"
"I'd rather stay home."
"Too bad.  They are good for you and you're doing both."