CC Ends and Easter

CC ended this week.  This was reckoning day for our science projects.  For two weeks we had worked on making a bridge out of straws, rubber bands, and playdoh.  In Henry's class, most of the boys were making straw swords, wands, or whatever else they could think of, so us moms were working on the bridge.  We were under the impression that we were putting a red Solo cup on the bridge and filling it with pennies to see how much weight it could hold.  Under that assumption, we were confident in our bridge.  Then testing day came and they were using hymnals from the church.  Ours held a whopping one hymnal before collapsing when the second was placed on it.

Henry's class bridge

Josiah's class fared better and got 5 hymnals.  The best class got 12 hymnals before the hymnals actually got off balance and fell.

Then for another two weeks our classes had worked on making an egg protector out of 50 popsicle sticks, 9 paper towels, and rubber bands.  Again, the kids in Henry's class helped for a time, before they were distracted with sword making, so us moms worked out how best to protect the egg.  Testing day came and when that egg dropped, everyone said, "Ohhhhhhh."  We all heard the egg go splat.  It most definitely did not survive.

Josiah's class added a parachute to their structure, and although the parachute egg protectors worked better in general, theirs still cracked open.

Kids with closed fists were voting that the egg would survive.

We'll be ready for next year.  It was a good lesson in learning from our failures.

Not only was there excitement for CC finishing, but the kids also went crazy to have two packages arrive.  They made glitter glue pictures, painted ceramic eggs/bunnies/ducks, and decorated our mini tree with Easter balloons.  Caroline screamed when she got her princess shirt.  For someone who hasn't watched many princess movies, she sure loves princesses.

They proudly wore their new shirts.

Jump ropes were part of one package, so we tried our hand at it.  Trying to teach our overeager kids how to jump rope was quite an experience.  They all kept trying to jump backwards, with the rope going behind them instead of in front.  At the end of the first day, Henry jumped 4 times in a row which was miraculous up to that point.  By the end of the second day, Josiah made it to 12, so they were picking it up.

This kid can get some air.

Henry had another karate belt test this week, too.  We weren't sure he was going to make it to the test.  At class in the afternoon he was just falling apart left and right.  We knew he probably wasn't happy because he got called out on being silly with Josiah, but it still didn't account for his continuing to fall apart.  At dinner afterwards, he told Todd he doesn't like sparring because he's always the last one to get his gear on.  I think it's because he spends so much time watching the others get theirs on instead of just concentrating on his gear.  But he managed to pull it together that evening and Todd said he did very well on his test.  Even the instructor noted his change in disposition, which further encouraged Henry.

He broke both the skinny and the fat board on his first try.

In years past, on important holidays, we've always tried to rush and take pictures before getting to church on time.  So, we've learned to take pictures just a few days prior in a more relaxed environment.  That's what we did on Thursday.  Easter pictures.  The kids did great.

We even got a few good ones at church when we went Saturday afternoon.

We thought a Saturday afternoon service would be nice and relaxed instead of cramming in with 1000 other people on Sunday morning.  It was.  The church was half empty, it was far more relaxed.  Caroline had a whole row of seats in front of us to dance as the music moved her.  Apparently, worship music led her to move from headbanging to ballet twirls to what some might call organic free expression.  When she wasn't dancing she was downing half a pound of Cheerios.  The boys did slightly better, except we sat near a railing and they tended to look over the railing for most of the service.  That and Josiah got my attention to tell me he was going to take a nap.  Uh, no sir.

Easter morning was nice and relaxed.  The kids were pretending to be Cockrell Agents all morning, so Todd sat them down to give the agents instructions for the egg hunt.

We made Resurrection rolls again.


We played outside and watched too much television.  We're taking next week off from school and I think we're all looking forward to a nice breather.