Science Fair Overload!

When Rix came home a couple months ago and said he had to do a science project, I may or may not have groaned. I am not a science person (hence the English degree) but he was excited and had already decided he wanted to do an experiment with mealworms. His class had just finished a unit on mealworms, and he thought they were pretty cool (I beg to differ - they are not cool and boring. And gross). We took the science project seriously because it was a homework assignment, but never did I think that this project was going to last for months!

When I was in school we didn't do science projects or have science fairs. The school district has only been doing it for six years now, and it's getting bigger every year. Even kindergartners do science projects now! Rix won his class's science fair. In first grade, the major portion of judging is based on the presentation - like how well Rix can explain his project and his findings. If you know Rix, he likes to tell people what he knows, and therefore this is right up his know-it-all alley!

Anyway, because he won his class's fair, he got to go to the district science fair at the high school.

In his class, when he found out he won (and totally cheesed it)

At the district science fair, showing one of the judges his project.

We didn't find out the results of the district science fair right away, and the next week was Spring Break, so we didn't find out then either! The next science fair was the Pacific Lutheran University Science Fair, where students from the South Sound region could come and show their projects. It was early on a Saturday morning, but we were troopers and showed up anyway. Carissa and Kelli came too with Hayden and Olivia and ther projects, and it was fun to have them all there. Rix ended up winning third place at the Regional Science Fair for his grade level. I was so proud and impressed! He is a natural at doing this, and loves it.

At the PLU Regional Science Fair.

So the other day I was at the school in the afternoon helping with the PTA popcorn sale, and heard the principal get on the PA system and announce (finally) the winners of the district science fair. And Rix won third place at the district science fair! Tonight we went to a reception held by the district to award the winners. He got to show off his project one more time and then all the winners got called up to receive a medal. He was sooooo excited for the medal. It's really cool looking too! I"m so glad this whole science fair thing is now over (for a year at least), but it was fun while it lasted. Rix placed in every competition, and I couldn't be more proud of him. He loves science and has the brains for it. Writing and art and stuff are things he hates to do, but science and math? Loves them! Now we need to come up with a fun experiment for next year, and hopefully it's bug free.

Rix with his certificate from the Regional Science Fair and his medal from the District science fair.

Rix's cool medal :)

Rix = Future Jimmer??

This was Rix's second year playing basketball and he loves (loves loves loves) it. He loved practice. He loved games (and winning, mostly). And he loved it enough that he would come home after school and shoot baskets in the backyard, even if it was raining. Last year his coach was awful - he didn't really teach the kids how to play and he was all about winning, which meant that the kids, like Rix, who were new to the game didn't play often because the team probably wouldn't have won. However, their coach this year was awesome. He was patient with their meltdowns (all 1st graders have meltdowns, right?) and took the time to really teach them. He didn't care if they won or lost, he made sure they all played and did their best. I would sign Rix up to play any sport that he coached!

Rix is #6. He chose it because, well, he's six. And last year he was #5. And the year before...you get it. He got really good at dribbling this year. Last year he would bounce the ball once, pick it up, and then run with it. But this year he really learned to dribble well. It's amazing what a good coach can do. 

Rix and Olivia (who is "guarding", I just don't know who she is guarding). It was really fun having Hayden and Olivia on Rix's team.

Roman and Bryce hanging with Bryan. Bryce looks waaaay to comfortable. Note that Bryan is not sitting by me. Apparently I'm too vocal at sporting events for his liking :)

Rix shooting. He also got really good at shooting this year, and made quite a few points every game. During one game he made half of his team's points!

This is my favorite. Whtever he made a basket, he would run away and do this "fist pump". It was his signature mood and made me laugh every time. And I was so proud of him, because he was succeeding at something that he loved and practiced hard at.

Poor Cole. I'd cry if Kelli sat on me too! Haha! Actually, he thought it was funny until the moment Carissa got the camera out. I guess Cole was being a pest (shocker, right?) and Kelli threatened to sit on him, and dang it she is a woman of her word!

The coach and Rix at the end-of-season "banquet" at McDonald's. Rix was sort of being a weirdo, but when is he not?

Rix with his certificate.

Rix really excelled this year at basketball, which was awesome because last year he had such a bad experience with his coach. This year he really enjoyed the game and understood what he needed to do. He loved to practice and get better, and he even got to the point where he didn't care if they lost, because he felt like he had played a good game. Isn't that the most important lesson for these kids to learn? He just started T-ball and he's excited to start a new sport, and since this is his third year in T-ball he feels comfortable with the game and everything. He really wanted to do coach-pitch, but you had to be 7 by registration time. But still, with the weather getting nicer, I still hear almost daily the request to go outside so he can shoot a few hoops. My future Jimmer?? Maybe!

April Fool's Day

Let's be honest. I'm not much of a prankster (although I do get a good laugh out of someone who is being pranked) and I have never really given much thought to April Fool's Day. However, last year my sister Carissa made these fun cupcakes from the Hello! Cupcake cookbook for April Fool's, and this year we decided to make our entire dinner an April Fool's Dinner! Rix even got into the spirit of things and gave Olivia a "present".

Rix put her present in a bag, and, uh, this is what she pulled out. She doesn't look to impressed.

Rix was a little disappointed that Olivia didn't freak out over the worms (in fact she wanted to keep them as pets). We did learn, however, that Carissa was not loving the worms. We just gave the present to the wrong person!! Maybe next year...

Rix's worms. Yuck.

For dinner I told the boys we were having ice cream. Rix smiled like we won the lottery and Bryce was in a state of dumbfoundedness. The looks on their faces were priceless! However, they learned quickly that this wasn't exactly what they had in mind.

It was a mashed potato "sundae". It's supposed to be layered with gravy (my kids don't like gravy, so I used ranch for them) with cheese "sprinkles" and a "cherry" tomato on top (which my kids don't like either). But they did end up really enjoying their potato sundaes! They thought it was fun, and ate almost all of it!

These are the cupcakes we made for dessert. It is supposed to be a "TV dinner", but the boys don't know what a TV dinner is. We've never really had one before. But the top row is "fried chicken", with peas and carrots, mashed potatoes complete with gravy and butter, and chocolate pudding. Pretty good, huh?

This one is my favorite! The "gravy" (caramel sauce) is so good on the cupcake!

Next year I will plan it all out better. I want to really fool my kids with dinner, and maybe a silly prank. Any ideas??