Science quiz?

My 11 year old took this Science Knowledge Quiz. My 11 year old. And he scored better than 90% of the people who have taken it? Considering the questions, that worries me.

In all truth, he did ask me about one question, so I suppose technically we collectively scored 12 out of 12. But still, he would have gotten 11 of the 12 correct without me.

(H/T to The Common Room)

Flight of the Bumblebee

Accordion style. Pretty amazing, actually.



Sass and I were talking about musical instruments, which led to listening to some in our collection, which led to looking them up on the internet, which led to this. Isn't that always the way it is?

Grumble, grumble

I have been rockin' the coupon thing lately. People are getting tired conversations containing "Hey, do you need barbecue sauce? How about some A1? Please take it. Please."

Tonight I made a stop in the Kroger for a few things -- using coupons, of course -- and my total actually ended up being in the negatives after I used all of the coupons. I didn't really want to add anything, so I had the cashier take a couple of them off, and I paid my $2.03.

After I was in the car and on the interstate, I realized that I had left the change from my $10 bill in the little change dispenser in the self-checkout.

ARGH!!

How's that for negating all of the self-congratulatory thoughts on the couponing?

I just hope that whomever found my $7 felt blessed by it.

Something right

So much of parenting is a trial and error. At least for me. I'm sure that many (most?) parents will disagree, but I often find myself thinking, "Oh, I could have done so much better if I had ________." It's nice to actually SEE where something turned out well.

Sass and Spyder went to a Vacation Bible School this week, at a different church where they knew no one. Despite what non-homeschoolers might think, this was not a problem for them. Not at all. They are always ready to meet new people. The other children at the VBS? Not so much. At least not unless they look/act/talk like everyone else.

For those who don't know, Spyder has long hair.


This isn't exactly common around here, but obviously he isn't the first male to have long hair. And yet, all of the children at the church could NOT let it go. They teased him about it all week.

All. Week.

I can understand it being a topic of conversation the first day, as he was the only one in his class with long hair. But to go on day after day with it? Excessive, to say the least. And it wasn't just talking about it. The others were really mean about it. So mean that the day after VBS ended, he asked to get it cut.

Spyder is actually growing it to donate to Locks of Love. I think he said that at first so that I would let him grow it out, but now it has become truth. Little did he realize that I would have let him grow it long any old way. My only rules were to keep it brushed and out of his face.

We went to the salon and the stylist measured it. He is at 9 inches. It has to be 10 inches to donate. He mulled it over silently. I went to pay for Sass' trim because it was his decision. After a few minutes, he said, "No, I'm keeping it. I'm almost there. Doesn't matter that other people don't get it. I'm still me, and I know why I'm doing it."

Why am I pleased? Spyder navigated an entire week

a) with people he didn't know
b) in a completely new place
c) with those people who were determined not to like him,
d) ultimately deciding to continue with his plan
e) despite the raging disapproval of the children in his age group.

That is the kind of child that I was hoping to raise.