Mad Scientists (week 369)

In the new year, we have been trying to strike more balance between our athletic and our intellectual pursuits.  For Christmas, we received a number of different science kits with projects that range from exploding soda geysers (Mentos and diet coke) to creating miniature tornadoes in a soda bottle.  We have built volcanoes out of baking soda and citric acid, and have done color-changing experiments using test tubes and color drops.  The fun part about it is working together and learning little things about the world around us.  Since I am not the most patient guy in the world, there is also a lot of waiting, reading directions, measuring ingredients, and having to come-up with ways to decide who gets to do the scooping, the stirring, and the dropping.  Since there are three or four of us usually involved, we have to be creative.

This weekend, we also finished up with our Strikers soccer team  at the Orange County "Rockstar Tournament" at Foothill High School. It was a total change of pace because I got to play goalie for the tournament and really got into it.  The first few minutes of the first half that I played was somewhat of a disaster and I let in two quick goals.  After that, I was almost impenetrable with my unorthodox aggressive style of goalie play.  It drove the other kids and parents (and my own coach) crazy that I was running outside the box and challenging the players from the other team.  I finished the weekend (and the season), with a 2-2 tie to Manhattan Beach.  I had a great game, although Christopher and Daddy were in the car for two hours while Chris finally took a nap.  

Chris has been working on his third case of Strep Throat in 2 months.  This has not been easy on Chris and it certainly has not been easy on the family.  He has been a madman! He feels bad, so he doesn't sleep well.  Since what he needs most is sleep, he is almost unbearable for everyone around him.  We feel bad for him, but he cries about everything and complains about everything else.  With Mommy getting over the flu and Daddy fighting through another cold, fingers crossed that this is the last round of illness for everyone for a while.