Lauren & the DISTRICT Science Fair...

The District Science Fair was today.
6 1/2 hours of check-in, set-up,
judging without students present,
judging with students present,
open house to the public and then the awards ceremony.
And don't ask me how I managed to squeeze in dinner, kid's homework, and 2 1/2 hours of shuttling kids to and from the fair and piano lessons...
CHAOS!!!
We didn't get home until 10 o'clock, but it was all worth it.
Nearly 300 projects were entered into the District Fair and
40 students received honorable mentions with another 50 winners selected to go to the
Regional Science and Engineering Fair.
I sat snuggled with Lauren throughout the awards ceremony and as awards were announced, Lauren leaned over to me and said,
"I'll be happy if I win or if I just get an honorable mention."
I asked, "But you won't be happy if you don't win something at all?"
She thought about it for a second...
and looked at me with her big brown eyes and shook her head as though her little heart would be utterly broken if she didn't get any recognition for her work.
I told her, "Lauren, we're so proud of you for being here! You should feel really great about even coming to the district fair."
She nodded appreciatively, but her heart was totally set on more.
Each award was announced by announcing the school,
then the child's name, and then the project title.
EVERY TIME her school was mentioned, my stomach would clench and
I sat begging in my mind, "Please say Lauren next, PLEASE say Lauren!"
We watched over half a dozen of Lauren's friends called to the stage as honorable mentions and winners.
(Which was awesome, by the way, because last year not a single student from their school was chosen for any awards. So a BIG congrats to all of the those students -
you have done your school proud!)
However, every name called seemed to make Lauren's chances seem more and more slim.
80 projects - 80 of the 90 had been awarded at this point and the award ceremony was almost over.
I was in agony... I can only imagine what Lauren was thinking.
And finally...
HER SCHOOL...
HER NAME!!!

Lauren's project was one of the 50 winners!

Congratulations Lauren!

We are so proud of you! And happy for you!
And delighted with the perma-grin you've been wearing since your name was announced!
(She was stilling grinning from ear-to-ear when I tucked her into bed at 10:30)

Special thanks to Grandma Hunny and Grandpa who took the time to come down and show their support for Lauren. (FYI: I've since learned that my Mom was a science fair winner too. I had NO idea! Way to blaze the trail Grandma!)
And Best of Luck to our girl!

Lauren & the School Science Fair

Let's be honest... I NEVER participated in any science fairs, so when Lauren was required to do this for school, I felt nothing but panic. Of course, Matt has been traveling again so the only help for her project had to come from me, and anyone who knows me knows that science is NOT one of my talents!

Lauren's teacher sent home a HUGE packet of information including a long list of projects "NOT TO DO." That list wiped out every idea that sprang to my mind, but then I remembered working with Zach on the pinewood derby last year. I mentioned to Lauren that there are a lot scientific principles that go into making those cars. Lauren latched onto the idea of testing one of those principles/theories and that became the science project.

We built three cars with extra weight placed in the front, middle and back. I cut the cars and Lauren helped sand them, paint them and she assembled the race track. She went through 8 books and 2 videos about gravity and created her hypothesis. She managed the car racing while I did the timing and Max fetched the cars after each race. And she missed a family activity to stay home and finish putting together her display.

I heaved a giant sigh of relief when it was all done, but Lauren was so excited about her project that she could hardly sleep. And then she ended up sick the day of the science fair! She threw up early in the morning, but later on INSISTED that she felt better and "really wanted to go to school." The fair was in the morning so Max, Jared and I went to the school to "cheer" her on and see the fair. By the afternoon, Lauren was miserable and called me so she could come home (ironically, her call came between Gabe and Zach's calls to come home sick too - what a day!) Anyway, tonight I asked her if she knew her grade for her science project.

"I was one of the kids who was picked to go to the District Science Fair!" she exclaims.

I was simply hoping for an "A," but Lauren REALLY wanted to go to the District fair. Before the fair, Matt - aka 'Benedict Arnold' - had given meager praise that the "project might get a B." Hah! See what we girls can do without Mr. Wizard around! ;-)

Congrats again, Lauren! She is one of 10 fifth graders who's science projects will go to the district fair. (I'm still trying to get details.) Good luck to our cute girl!

Gabe's Patriotic Program

The first grade at Gabe's school has been working on a wonderful patriotic program since the beginning of the year, and Gabe has been singing the songs he's learned around the house a lot. He would even say things to me like, "Mom, I just LOVE the grand finally of my program... it makes me cry happy tears."

Well, on Wednesday night, we were finally able to see the program and the grand finally was the song, "I'm proud to be an American."

The school invited a Marine to post the colors for the program and the kids were able to shake his hand afterward. Some of the girls were so cute. They walked away saying, "I'm NEVER going to wash my hand!"

It was a great tribute to our nation and a reminder of how blessed we are to live here. Thanks for doing such a great job, Gabe - You bring happy tears to MY eyes!

Clear Creek Field Trip

I recently chaperoned Lauren's fifth-grade overnight field trip to Clear Creek. 24 girls... 3 teachers... 2 Mom's and 29 hours of snow shoeing, exploring, ropes courses, snow angels, burying teachers in snow, karaoke and dancing, science experiments, crafts, snow sculptures, movies & popcorn, squealing girls and dodge ball 'til we were sore! Whew! So fun... I'm soooooooooo tired!