Monday, March 17, 2014
History Day Take Two
Eli is the defending Minnesota champ in the junior group documentary division for History Day. Went on to National's last year and placed 8th in the nation. So what does his younger brother do when assigned to take on a history day project? Well, he enters in the same category as the defending champ. Who is hell bent on a repeat. So we've been watching their film's develop and they are both impressive. So far so good- both advanced from school to regions, and now regions to state. But the competition now tightens. They go head to head- 2 of the 40 or so films vying for the 2 spots that bring a trip to Nationals in DC in the spring. Not a lot of wiggle room. And they both want it badly. I love that it encourages them to dig deep and work hard. But I have a feeling that this is not going to end without tears somewhere. Maybe just mine, but I kind of doubt that.
Can't get enough of winter
Even though the Twin Cities were covered in endless feet of snow all winter, and were a xc skier's paradise from December til March, it's still nice to get away to more snow in further northern climes. In February, right as our house was ready for re-entry and settling in, we packed up our bags and headed north to Camp DuNord for the second annual Open/Expo extravaganza. 8 families. 18 kids- 14 of them middle school boys this year. I'll say that again. 14 middle school boys. And it was a hoot. We completely lucked out on the weather- fresh snow in the woods- the trees were astoundingly beautiful, plus sunny skis and temperatures in the 20s with just a hint of light breezes. We could easily have landed on one of the many sub-zero days and had to either really bundle up or get lots of air fresheners for the cabins if we were going to stay inside all day. We skied 2-4 times a day. The kids developed their version of the Winter Olympics. It was quite adorable- xc ski sprints, longer races, a biathlon that involved skiing then throwing a frisbee at a tree, slalom events on the tubing hill, plus an attempt to mimic the inaugural 'slope style' events. The only one that probably will never come to an olympics near you is "Hunger Games Run". Not sure how it went down, but it involved a king of the mountain type thing at Blueberry Island, then a dash to shore, where you could push competitors into the snow banks, from which many had trouble re-emerging. There were results kept and medals made. I think Tim LG was the most involved in the whole thing- he got way more into it than any of the kids. Because he is the biggest kid.
I skied out into the BWCA and fell in love with the gentle down hill from the ridge on the North Arm Trails back down into camp. Could take you an hour to get up to the top of the ridge and maybe 15 minutes of gliding down. Lovely.
The last morning we awoke to a snowstorm, which didn't stop us from getting out into the woods on skis. We broke trail through nearly a foot of new powder. The term 'silent sport' really was appropriate. Except for the fact that there were lots of middle school boys skiing with me. They thrilled to hit pine branches with their poles, causing avalanches of snow on unsuspecting victims- most often themselves.
Best of all was the great crew of people. 7 other families that we have met through our educational journey. What a great community. Can't wait to return next year!
I skied out into the BWCA and fell in love with the gentle down hill from the ridge on the North Arm Trails back down into camp. Could take you an hour to get up to the top of the ridge and maybe 15 minutes of gliding down. Lovely.
The last morning we awoke to a snowstorm, which didn't stop us from getting out into the woods on skis. We broke trail through nearly a foot of new powder. The term 'silent sport' really was appropriate. Except for the fact that there were lots of middle school boys skiing with me. They thrilled to hit pine branches with their poles, causing avalanches of snow on unsuspecting victims- most often themselves.
Best of all was the great crew of people. 7 other families that we have met through our educational journey. What a great community. Can't wait to return next year!
One grammatical correction this English teacher mom will not make:
My son currently calls whipped cream "whooped cream", like the cream got its ass kicked. Love it.
Peer pressure
When I first started this parenting journey, I had minor foreboding thoughts about peer pressure and how it might affect my kids in their teens. Didn't expect it to be used against me like this: On a day when temperatures were forecast to be very close to 'close the schools' limits (for the record: -20 temp or -40 windchill), but not close enough, Eli walked by in the upstairs hallway and just off-handedly commented, "I hear all the cool parents are keeping their kids home due to the cold tomorrow."
Theo's 2013 Christmas List
Even though Christmas is over, I wanted to remember this year's list out of Theo: A Nimbus 2000. And a bald cap. That was it. Made me laugh. He read through the 7-book Harry Potter series 6 times this winter, so I see where the Nimbus 2000 comes from. Not sure on the bald cap. Santa failed to bring it, but he didn't seem to mind. Too busy riding his broom, up in his room, in the midst of his own Hogwart's adventures.
History Day Levels of Stress
One day this winter, President Obama came to speak at Union Station, just a few blocks from the boys' school. Eli happened to be looking out a window when the impressive motorcade drove by. Caused him to reflect on Obama's life and what that might be like. Came home with this question, "Mom, do you think Obama lives every day at like History Day levels of stress?" Yes, Eli, probably something like that.
Highlights from a winter to remember
I didn't realize how cold it has been until I jumped into my car after work on a 45 degree, sunny afternoon. Went to put on some lipbalm that had been sitting in the car and accidentally smeared it all over my face because it was melty. Then felt the joy rush through my body- "The lipbalm is melty!!!" That moment of joy made me realize how seriously frozen we have been.
There were a few highlights however.
Once, while walking outside with Eli for a block on a brittle night, Eli yelled out, "My face! It's frozen! I feel like I just got a bad botox injection!" I love the mind of the 14 year old boy. You just never now what you are going to get.
On another day, as a blizzard threatened from the West and temperatures dropped I stopped by my local library- midday on a weekday- and it was packed! This is how Minnesotans prepare for an emergency. Grocery store lines? Probably not- but the library was a mob scene.
During one of the first school cancellizations for cold, the boys and I met up with Amy and her three boys at the Y to get out some energy. We grabbed a cart of plastic balls and locked ourselves into a racketball court. It is amazing we survived. That dodgeball game was brutal. It just kept going. At one point, Amy tried throwing the ball discuss-style and proclaimed herself to be in immense pain. So of course I had to try it. I don't know if it's something new due to being in my forties, but damn- the blood or something shot through my arm and into my hand. Made a snapping sound. Damn thing hurt for hours. Funny in retrospect, and at the time. We finished with relay races and elbow tag. The hearty laughing gave me one of my best ab workouts of the year.
After one big snow we gathered with Amy and crew to make a snow sculpture. Started with a plan to make a reindeer using two trees as antlers. Kind of turned into Donkey from Shrek. If we had tried to make Donkey, we would have probably ended up with a reindeer.
One of the later 'cold days' with school cancelled coincided with the first day we could start using our kitchen. All other surprise days off of school were still lovely, but we were getting a little cabin fever-y compacted into our truncated living room with no kitchen to use. Didn't stop us from hosting a couple fabulous game days with the boys' classmates- but it wasn't super comfy. So when a Friday rolled around, and school was cancelled, and the kitchen usable, I was in hog heaven. Made muffins, bread, pumpkin bread, all by about 10am.
One night I ran over to the alley neighbors to deliver a loaf of pumpkin bread- the start of my thankyou for the dinners provided when we were sans kitchen. Usually I just have to go out my door, across the yard, down the steps and through their yard to their side door. Could do it in my sleep. But on this day it was an obstacle course. Our back yard is a labyrinth of paths around construction equipment, then I went down our luge-like iced up stairs, past snow drifts that towered over my head, through a hedge row of snow drifts to their gate, which doesn't open, so they have dug snow steps up and over, through their yard where the clothesline hit me in the chest- I was that high up on the compacted snow. Finally made it, with a smile on my face even.
And the last highlight- that even on the most bitter of cold days (and there were plenty to choose from) you could always walk on the sunny side of the street, which made things a little better!
There were a few highlights however.
Once, while walking outside with Eli for a block on a brittle night, Eli yelled out, "My face! It's frozen! I feel like I just got a bad botox injection!" I love the mind of the 14 year old boy. You just never now what you are going to get.
On another day, as a blizzard threatened from the West and temperatures dropped I stopped by my local library- midday on a weekday- and it was packed! This is how Minnesotans prepare for an emergency. Grocery store lines? Probably not- but the library was a mob scene.
During one of the first school cancellizations for cold, the boys and I met up with Amy and her three boys at the Y to get out some energy. We grabbed a cart of plastic balls and locked ourselves into a racketball court. It is amazing we survived. That dodgeball game was brutal. It just kept going. At one point, Amy tried throwing the ball discuss-style and proclaimed herself to be in immense pain. So of course I had to try it. I don't know if it's something new due to being in my forties, but damn- the blood or something shot through my arm and into my hand. Made a snapping sound. Damn thing hurt for hours. Funny in retrospect, and at the time. We finished with relay races and elbow tag. The hearty laughing gave me one of my best ab workouts of the year.
After one big snow we gathered with Amy and crew to make a snow sculpture. Started with a plan to make a reindeer using two trees as antlers. Kind of turned into Donkey from Shrek. If we had tried to make Donkey, we would have probably ended up with a reindeer.
One of the later 'cold days' with school cancelled coincided with the first day we could start using our kitchen. All other surprise days off of school were still lovely, but we were getting a little cabin fever-y compacted into our truncated living room with no kitchen to use. Didn't stop us from hosting a couple fabulous game days with the boys' classmates- but it wasn't super comfy. So when a Friday rolled around, and school was cancelled, and the kitchen usable, I was in hog heaven. Made muffins, bread, pumpkin bread, all by about 10am.
One night I ran over to the alley neighbors to deliver a loaf of pumpkin bread- the start of my thankyou for the dinners provided when we were sans kitchen. Usually I just have to go out my door, across the yard, down the steps and through their yard to their side door. Could do it in my sleep. But on this day it was an obstacle course. Our back yard is a labyrinth of paths around construction equipment, then I went down our luge-like iced up stairs, past snow drifts that towered over my head, through a hedge row of snow drifts to their gate, which doesn't open, so they have dug snow steps up and over, through their yard where the clothesline hit me in the chest- I was that high up on the compacted snow. Finally made it, with a smile on my face even.
And the last highlight- that even on the most bitter of cold days (and there were plenty to choose from) you could always walk on the sunny side of the street, which made things a little better!
Back in Business
Since my last entry on January 13, things have improved greatly at this old house. We did spend any spare moment in Februrary with a paint brush in our hands, painting the kitchen, living room, dining room, hallway, front entry, basement stairs, basement, and new basement bathroom. Every one of those things in a different color. We invited several lovely souls to help us and did get it done just in time to move up to New Brighton while they refinished our floors on the first level. Floors were done and ready for us just as we jumped in our car to head out for a DuNord winter getaway. Tough to leave when we had so much to do back here, but we survived.
Since getting back in to the house, we've spent weekends making it back into our home. We were finally able to put a rug down yesterday, which has decreased on the echoing. All in all, I love it. It's much more open, much more user-friendly, and the teen lair in the basement has been well-utilized already. We hosted 7 boys here to work on History Day projects and hardly knew they were in the house.
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