Nerd Outing

Once upon a time, 2 nerds went to a nerd convention.  It was called the Maker Faire, and it attracted a variety of makers and tinkerers.  

It did not attract Booney.

Booney was not interested in wandering around all day looking at nerd projects.  If Booney is going to endure swollen ankles all day, it needs to be for something more worthwhile...like a tour of an ice cream factory.  Where you get to eat ice cream at the end.

So Kitty and Papa Nerd went on the adventure together alone.  It was an exciting adventure for them, and they came home from the Faire with stories of 3D printed life-sized droids and self-made rockets that could fly high into the air.  Kitty was able to solder a pin for her shirt that flashed lights and made a rocket that flew higher than anyone else's.  It was sensational and worth every second.

Booney was happy for them.  She was also happy that she was able to stay home in her pajamas all day, baking brownies and watching a movie that no one complained about.

What a perfect Saturday.

Kitty and Michael have plans to attend another Maker Faire in the future.  It really was a cool event for people who are creative builders.  Kitty was incredibly excited and animated as she relayed all of the day's activities and marvels to me.  It made me smile.

Oh, and did I mention that Michael was captivated by the droids and is now building his own life-sized R2D2?

Well, he is. And it will only take a few months and cost the equivalent of about 6 Honey Baked Hams.

Thanks, Maker Faire.

Easta

Ah, Easter.  It's a time of celebrating the resurrection of our Savior, the arrival of Spring, and a chance to eat a hundred dollar ham.

Wait.  What?

That's right.  I bought a ham that cost 100 bones. It was an accident really.  I decided to try a ham from the Honey Baked Ham company, not realizing that they line their pigs with gold.  I moseyed into the store one day and proclaimed to the woman working the register that I wanted to buy an Easter ham.  She rummaged through the refrigerator behind the counter, plopped a ham down, and announced my total. I nearly shouted in her face, "Are you crazy?!  It's a ham!"  Good thing I had a $5 off coupon...

But -  the ham was actually incredibly tasty.  Michael is still talking about it.  I guess if you consider that we ate it for 3 meals, left some with my cousin, and made a breakfast casserole for a ward gathering with it, 100 doll-hairs for porky kind of seems justifiable.

Kind of.   

I suppose I'll call this our Easter of extravagance!  In addition to the lavish pig, we loaded our Easter with a myriad of fun activities.  Like a festival and egg hunt in a neighboring town.  Kitty was able to eat cotton candy, pet baby goats, and make new friends while we waited for the hunt to begin.  Aside from the 100 mile-an-hour winds, it was a beautiful spring day.  The only downside was that the egg hunt was indeed not a hunt at all.  The kids lined up around the perimeter of the lawn and the woman in charge dumped a box of Easter eggs into the middle of the lawn and shouted, "Go!" The entire thing lasted 10 seconds and Kitty only managed to elbow her way into scoring 5 eggs.  But she seemed happy nonetheless as she swapped items with her new friends.  Thankfully, our condo board put on a real hunt the following week and she was able to fill her basket there.

On Easter Sunday, Kitty relished in her gifts from her Dad...I mean...the Easter Bunny, we dyed eggs, and then took our regal ham to my cousin's house for dinner.  It was a wonderful day indeed.  The Easter Bunny even managed to gift Kitty a music box that plays the Star Wars theme song.  I didn't know that rabbit was such a nerd.  

Happy Easter!

Newsies

New contacts

New haircut

New wheels

New soccer season (And she scored for the first time.  Twice!  We celebrated with ice cream, of course.)

New jar of peanut butter

Life is good. 

Musicality

Kitty takes school very seriously.  She has already started planning for ways she can earn college scholarships.  Therefore, she naturally also takes school assignments very seriously - except for her weekly math homework - she waits until the morning it is due to complete it.  Every week.  I know it's because the homework is too easy for her. It only takes her 10 minutes to finish it so I don't push the issue. 

But I digress.  School assignments are mostly of high importance to Kitty.  So you can imagine her intensity when it was announced that the 4th grade would be putting on a music performance.

Kitty had me carefully put her music sheets into a folder so she could memorize them.  Then she lost the folder.

She excitedly reported to me everyday at pickup what the program was about and how cool the set design was.  

She was ecstatic to have a speaking part.

She was careful to remind me numerous times that the required uniform was either a red kimono or a plain red shirt with black pants.  She wanted a kimono.  Booney didn't want to spend $40 on a red kimono.

But then I couldn't find a dadgum plain red shirt anywhere.  Apparently no one is interested in red clothing after February 14th.  I scoured the interweb for days and days looking for something halfway cute.  I finally found an acceptable option and ordered it.

The next day Kitty informed me that others were struggling to find red shirts so the music teacher loosened the uniform requirements.  Now you could have any color of kimono.  Remember that pink one we saw on Amazon that was only $20?  

Yeah, I remember.  I also remember that I already purchased a red shirt.  It was only $7 plus my time.  Which probably comes out to around $167.

But I digress.  Kitty was enamored with the idea of dressing up for the program that she was so serious about that I couldn't tell her no on the kimono.  Amazon got me again.

By the day of the program, Kitty was worn out singing the same songs over and over again.  The music teacher was stressed and short with them during their 2 hour rehearsal.  Kitty was no longer excited about the program.  There were tears.

But then I reminded her about the kimono! She perked up a bit about that.  I'm glad I forked over the 20 bones for the costume.  She looked beautiful.  She even did her own make-up and her excitement returned.   

The program was short and sweet.  I sat in the audience and teared up that my baby is growing so rapidly but it was a fun evening.  They also had the kids' artwork on display for the event.  Kitty had drawn a dragon and colored it in with coffee grounds.  Coffee grounds!  

A few days later they performed again at the mall.  Kitty was chosen to strike the gong! We had another fun evening watching her perform in her cute pink kimono.  

Which reminds me...do you happen to need a plain red shirt?  I have an extra.  

Fooled Ya

Kitty LOVES April Fool's Day.  She begins planning her pranks months in advance.  This forces me to do the same.  She was locked and loaded this year and had surprises lurking around the house all day long.  Her first prank was on Michael when she set up her ball launcher in the bathroom.  His morning routine was disrupted by 4 foam balls flying unexpectedly in his direction.  Michael didn't admit to it but I'm certain the fright made him pee in his pants.

My first startle also came when I stumbled into my bathroom first thing in the morning.  I was greeted by a giant spider in the sink.  It was alarming and disgusting.  Kitty spent hours making the creature with her 3D pen.  That's how committed she is to this holiday.  She apologized a few times that the spider only had 6 legs and explained that she ran out of time and steam to make it anatomically accurate.  It was plenty revolting with only 6 legs.  

I gave Kitty her first prank by waking her up and telling her we'd bought her a new pet.  She excitedly exclaimed, "Is it a snake?"  

Not even close.

It was a bunny.  A very happy bunny.

There were plenty of other tricks throughout the day.  Things like rubber noodles in my slippers.

And a robotic lizard skittering out from beneath the shoe bin.

And a bloody Band-Aid with the claim Kitty had been seriously injured and might need stitches.  I was actually convinced for a moment on that one.

And bug ice cubes in Michael's water.

And copious amounts of lime juice added to his soda.  

Kitty also had a device that made a cricket noise, which she hid in the piano bench.  Michael searched high and low for the cricket in our house, wondering how in the world a cricket had entered the premises.  That one was the most effective prank of all.

I returned the love to Kitty with dyed toilet water.

And her tiger on the toilet to startle her when she walked into the bathroom.

And insects in her bed.  That one actually frightened her.  I didn't realize she's scared of bugs.  Sorry.

It was a prank-filled day indeed.  I'm glad Kitty has such a great sense of fun and humor.  She keeps me from turning into an old hag.  (Mostly)

Happy April Fool's Day, ya fool!