PSA- How to cut an apple

Since moving to new england, we've been eating a lot of apples. That means cutting a lot of apples. I don't know how you cut apples, but, the way I had been doing it took a long time and required a small knife to get all the seeds out of the pieces.
Here's the way I do it now
http://www.wikihow.com/Slice-an-Apple

jepordy and fecal matter

1. dr. oz was talking about how important it was to keep your tooth brushes covered so microscopic particles of fecal material don't make their way out of the toilet, thru the air, and onto your toothbrush. i'm pretty sure i have WAY bigger chances throughout the day to get microscopic particles of fecal material on me or my things... like when i get POO ON ME!! dr oz wouldn't last a day at my house. it isn't for the immune-compromised.

2. darcy had a blanket draped around her shoulders, then she opened her arms out wide, so the blanket formed a wall on either side of her. than a game idea struck her. "hey guys (addressing all the boys)! you choose a side to run at, just like a bull, and plow thru the blanket. behind one of the walls will be a chair. you have to run fast, so you don't know which side of the blanket has the chair behind it. you might crash, or you might just run on thru! just like jepordy!"

(authors note: "wha?")

Happy Birthday Tim- 2/17/11

The first time I met Tim, it was in Yosemite, when he and Beth were already engaged. Oh, I'd heard about him, of course, but that was via Beth, and an in-love Beth at that, so I didn't know what to believe. It was a big deal, because Beth was the first to get married, so it was our first look at what a brother-in-law might be like.
So we drove into a parking lot, and there was Tim- tall and handsome and friendly. I liked him right away. I remember him giving me a big hug and having to reach up really high. Since that day, i'm delighted to realize that I really do think of him as a brother now. What do you remember about the first time you met Tim?

-Carrie

The first time I met Tim was at a YSA dance I'd crashed when I was just barely 17. I felt like I knew him already. I said as much to him, which I thinked freaked him out, since I think he thought it was a pick up line, and I'd told him I was still in high school. At that very dance was when Beth and Tim set up snowboarding for the next day. I've always felt comfortable around Tim, as if we've been friends for years. Now we have. I've been very glad over the years that Beth brought someone into our family that we all get along with. Happy Birthday Tim!! I'm glad you're my brother.

-Claire

i met tim one day before claire. rachelle scott wanted to drop by her brothers place and get something from him. i remember every detail. the sliding glass door, the l-shaped tan couch that had seen better days, and the long drink of water draped over it. when another roommate came in, we were introduced, and i remember feeling like... like...(this is going to sound cheesy) like that was the face, and the eyes and the smile that i had been waiting for. his eyes just danced. it wasn't just that he was funny, or friendly, or even dripping sexy, but that i knew that face. you know the feeling of "recognition"? when you look at someone and realize that you know them? that was what happened. on so many levels. i was rocked. and every time he looks into my eyes and smiles at me, i get the same feeling. every time. that was a great, great day.

-beth

One of my earliest memories of Tim is going snowboarding at Sierra Summit. These are in no particular or maybe not all the same trip but: I remember going together to rite aid and picking out some really awesome old lady sunglasses. I remember finding someone's wallet in the snow. I remember Tim driving with the heater on and the window down. Once on our way back, he saw a 4x4 trail off the four lanes and without any warning at all he veered off the pavement and onto the trail. Aaaaaahhh! Happy Birthday Timmy. I hope something takes you by surprise this year and ends up being really fun.

-Vivian

I was SEVEN when I first met Tim. So I don't have very detailed memories of that time. However, I do have very strong impressions of getting to know Tim. I remember how excited I was when Beth said she was bringing home a guy named Tim, because her excitement was so infectious. I remember watching him walk through the door and having him be SO MUCH bigger than little me. He seemed larger than life, and so cool. He was perfect for my sister Beth...and perfect as my first brother. So that's what I remember of meeting Tim- being excited and slightly awed. Happy birthday Tim. You are a wonderful man, and a great brother. -Rachel

detention part 2

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=63416579628

sydney has detention now. she has it because she keeps forgetting her homework.. and because of the above incident and story, she asked if i was going to go for her. . she goes thursday.

Destination Imagination

So Sydney is in Destination Imagination, which is a GATE program at her school. Here is what it is all about. Today was their competition. They have different challenges to compete in like building (make something that weighs under 5 lbs with these dimensions, that can hold lots of weight- every lbs is a point), drama , etc. They choose to compete in a challenge called mythology. They spent months learning about the mythology of 6 different countries that they knew about a head of time. So at the competition, they choose a country at random, and are given 3 props. They don't know these before hand, just 5 min ahead. So they are given a country, 3 props, and have 5 min to prepare. Then they have 5 min to perform a skit where they have to drop as many bits of information on the country and its ancient mythology as they can. Points for clarity, plot, use of props, information given, etc. Their name was the DI Ding-Dongs.

This first video is their beginning (ding-dong, ding-dongs are ready), their statement about what country they got, throwing out as much info as they could off the top... the asula period?, samari, and buddism. Go Wyatt and Preston! And laying out the plot of the skit- that they are adventurers who are looking for the Dragon-king (a Japanese mythological creature) so they can take him back to the museum to make lots of money (with a dance).

This next video is a little hard to hear, but she says something about where to find the Dragon-king, and Wyatt scores again with "is that the tallest mountain in Japan?" See how they are supposed to think on their feet and insert info?! Genius. They climb to the top of the mountain and go into a "cave". They worked out in their 5 min who was going to be the "cave" etc. they all remembered their parts and worked together! Then they introduced their props, "Whose Line is it Anyway" style, getting more points for throwing in info about Japan at the same time! A tarp became a yoga mat, a cookie sheet a samari's shield, and a strip of sticky velcro a black belt for martial arts. Awesome. Then they meet the soft spoke Dragon-king who lays out his story. Something about 3 arrows...

The next video shows Sydney and Brianna building a Master-prop with all their props. Extra points! You will see it later. And then - a TWIST!! In the middle of their skit, they have to turn over a card that is placed on the floor, and incorporate whatever is on the card, into their skit. Apparently it said "the wind keeps blowing you backwards". They didn't keep up the wind very long, but good just the same.

The last one shows their master prop (if they combine all the props together into something and use it in the skit, it is extra points) "A Dragon-king Transportinator" and they use it to fly the captured Dragon-king back to the museum. But how do we know that? Because the kids were great about verbalizing what the heck was going on ("What is that?!" and "What does that do?" and "Will it take the Dragon-king to the National Dragon-king Museum?"), for the judges. Good flying, Sydney! Then they put him in the "cage" (Sydney and Lindsey), and talk to the museum curator about the price (5 mil each). At the very end, you can see Lindsey put up her hand to be a plaque that the kids read off of for MORE information about the captured Dragon-king.

Then they did an instant challenge, which we weren't allowed to watch, and apparently that went great because

THEY WON FIRST PLACE!!!

They are going on to the state competition in April!! Hooray for the DI Ding-dongs!

overheard

sydney: but if we mail it now, lucy still won't get our valentine by monday

eric: can't we send it by a jet or something?

s: that costs too much. mom will say it's too expensive

e: mom thinks $3 is expensive!

Here's Looking At You, Gordon

Gordon sent this to me. It made me feel special.

And here is a partial transcript from yesterday's chat, which I think is worth capturing, as it has permanently changed my self image:

carrie:
so, me and Claire worked out a 'who's who' in the Nation of Ashby
did you read that part?
Vivian: i didn't catch the nation part
4:20 PM sounded more like claire's office
me: I'm the figurehead ruler
claire: haha
me: ha
Vivian: the eeevil figurehead ruler?
me: Viv's the Machiavellian prince who really pulls the strings
claire: yes
the temperamental figurehead ruler
4:21 PM Vivian: so like Kim Jong Il?
rachel: kind of a nuisance?

Lucy Makes Up With Gravity

There's a Gary Larson cartoon that shows a wolf handing a bouquet of flowers to a sheep, with a caption that says something like: "It would never work; Bernie couldn't stop worrying what the pack would think, and Sheila just ate the flowers."

For some reason this image sprang to mind last Saturday as I spied on Lucy's ski lesson from behind a tree. I watched as her teacher crouched down, saying something instructive with a very earnest look on her face...and then I watched Lucy, paying no attention whatsoever, scoop up a big handful of snow and start to eat it out of her mittens. "This will never work," I thought.

So, it is with great pride, and a little amazement that I announce the following:

Lucy, (the Lucy who has been known to trip from a seated position), has learned how to ski!

I know you guys will think I'm exaggerating, so here is video evidence:


And, she even likes it!