TKD Test

Over the weekend it was the Engineer's turn to have a tae kwon do belt test. He was nervous and excited, both, on the morning of the test. I told him I thought that was appropriate. His nerves and excitement would help him to have a little extra energy when he started feeling tired.
It must have worked. He sailed through the test with lots of energy. At the end, it was time to break boards. Thank you, Artist, for helping your brother practice! He performed a brilliant back kick and broke the board. He did it so well, the instructor challenged him with a thicker board. Here he is holding his inch-thick pieces of broken board. He looks so pleased with himself. This test was also special for the Artist. It was her first time judging at a belt test. The Artist was nervous at first too, but soon she settled in and got used to the form she had to fill out. She wishes she could have watched her brother more, but she needed to keep her eye on a young lady who was testing for her red belt.

The Engineer will not be receiving his test results tonight. Instead my children were invited to the martial arts school's satellite location to do a sparring demonstration. Perhaps next week the Engineer will be sporting a green belt.

Painting

The Artist has been drawing for her art classes in school this year, but in her free time she has been doing some painting. This past week she made this little tray. Rick and I are so pleased with the way it came out, we will have to think of a place to display it.The photo was taken before the finish was applied, because I thought the finish might add a glare to the photo. The finish is applied now, and it provides a protective coat and a soft luster.

Panda-monium

Yesterday, Thanksgiving Day, was filled with near and distant family, food and fun. As our meal was winding down we were talking around the table, getting ready to clear and wash some dishes before we started the coffee and brought dessert to the table.

Then my brother brought up a game he had played at a gathering with his friends a while ago. It is a word game with movie titles and word replacement. Can you see where this is going? Think of a movie title. Replace one word in the title with the word Panda.

For the rest of the meal we called out many movie titles. Then for the rest of the afternoon and evening they came more slowly, but always getting a chuckle from someone. And wouldn't you know it? The next morning, when I had hoped to be sleeping, my thoughts were still going to the movies and bringing pandas along.

I don't want to take the fun from you, but I will list a few of my favorites to get you started!

Seven Brides for Seven Pandas (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers)
Full Metal Panda (Full Metal Jacket)
Panda on a Wire (Bird on a Wire)
While Pandas Were Sleeping (While You Were Sleeping)
Walk the Panda (Walk the Line)

Can you continue the Panda-monium?

Grammar Lessons

Neither the Artist nor the Engineer are particularly enamored with Grammar. It is not at the bottom of the list for them either. It is merely a school subject in the middle of the pack, slightly annoying to both of them.

Interestingly, both my children prefer grammar this year, compared to past years. The difference is the curriculum. We abandoned A Beka in favor of Shurley Grammar. The Artist tells me she is learning more and the explanations are more clear. The Engineer loves his jingles and the concreteness of the work involved with classifying sentences. The colorful pages with cute little animals on them did not endear A Beka to him. Black and white pages with charts and paragraphs of text with a jingle CD do the trick.

Today it happened that both kids were assigned expository paragraphs. Here they are suffering through the chore (he he he).I am amused that the Engineer felt a need to tell me that writing paragraphs is his second least favorite part of grammar class. His least favorite parts, he continued, "are writing in the journal and taking tests." Then with much enthusiasm he added, "But I don't complain about it!"

Thames & Kosmos Kudos

The Artist began this week's science experiments today using her Thames and Kosmos C1000 chemistry kit. She was off to a good start, but soon the instructions became ambiguous. Specifically, they said, "Add a shot of soda water." Oookaaaay. The instruction book lists the items from home that I will need to provide, and neither a shot glass or a jigger is listed. So just what do they mean by a shot?

A shot as in "...add a shot of Tobasco sauce to the roux..."? Or as in, "Add a shot of Bailey's Irish Creme to the hot cocoa"? The accompanying cartoon-like illustration shows liquid pouring directly from a bottle. That's no help.

On the off chance that I might reach a real person rather than a machine, I called the company. That is how I learned the somewhat off-putting price of the chemistry set was worth it. I received great customer service.

First, a automatic directory gave me clear choices. Then my call was quickly answered by a live person. I briefly explained my question and he got his copy of the manual to see exactly what I was reading.

The representative did not have a definite answer to my question. Instead he suggested I try the measured shot from a shot glass and see if that amount would work as expected. Furthermore, he instructed that I should call back if it did not work so he could replace, at no charge to me, the chemicals used in the failed attempt.

That is top-notch customer service, I could not ask for better. I did call back, though, to let the representative know the measured shot from a jigger was the correct amount. Perhaps the change will be more clearly noted in the next edition of the instruction manual.

Thank you Thames & Kosmos! I am a happy cutomer.

Pumpkin Prep

Here's one of our autumn pumpkins just heading into the oven to be baked. This one is destined to become breads and soups.

After baking at low temperatures for a few hours the skin will easily peel or be pulled from the flesh. Then I can puree it and it will be ready for use. Maybe tomorrow we will have pumpkin soup for dinner.

Chores

Setting, Mom setting the table for supper. Child, anxious for dinner, wants to sit at the table 15 minutes before the food is ready.

Mom: Go make your bed, you left it unmade all day.

Child: Oooohhhhhhh (whiney).

Mom: You know that is something you are supposed to finish before school in the morning. Don't whine.

Child goes into bedroom. Mom sets table and calls family to supper.

After dinner, Mom sees this:I know it is harder for him to make his bed when it is against the wall, but even taking that into account, this is not going to pass inspection! Poor kid will not be happy with me.