We're to to see the... to be determined

Tomorrow, we leave for the Netherlands where my wife has made great plans to see the tulips in bloom. I'm moderately excited since their tulip crop is world renowned. That said, flowers are kind of a girly thing so I'm starting to scheme for a chance to see some windmills.

Windmills, as this article points out, are chock full of all kinds of cool engineering minutia and design trades. Much geekier than flowers. For added nerd enjoyment, I may also try to look at some dikes. I know at least one five year old boy who would love to stick his finger in one.

I'll try to have photos next week. What will be in those photos is yet to be determined.

Sticks and Stones

My oldest is developing a gift for veiled understatement.

Me: "Why does it make me nervous that Maddie wants to make a slingshot?"

Tess: "I have no idea. Does it have something to do with the fact that she and Micah argue alot?"

Against my judgment, I assist this endeavor. Raising up a future generation of nerds requires some dedication and a minor tolerance for risk. We sacrificed an industrial rubber band, a stick and a bit of duct tape to build the thing. Maddie is off to the woods to test fire it. Here's hoping that my homeowner's deductibles having risen by tomorrow morning.

(50 minutes later)

Update. Maddie is back from the park and the slingshot didn't work. Thank goodness. Hopefully tomorrow's dangerous goal will be something that doesn't assume good aim around other people's cars (like mixing dynamite for instance).

Ice Skating

Yesterday, Tess had a short test with her ice skating class. Photos are shown below. She did great and we were really proud of her. Click on the photo below.

Jenga Part II

Turns out that Tess reads this blog. While this has all manner of disturbing implications for our long term content, in the short term it allowed her to learn of my Jenga game with Micah.

On Friday, she threw the white glove of challenge in my face and demanded satisfaction.

Jenga with my oldest is a whole different level of play. In particular, I found her laser focus to be a little off-putting.

For the first time in my experience, we played to a draw. There were simply no more physically possible moves. Since it was my turn, I suppose that means I lost. Possibly it's time to move onto Chess. Or maybe raise the stakes and try this game.

Questions of the Day

1. How did I survive lower back pain in the years before I had a 10 year old to walk on my spine?

2. Is this quote equally respectable if I substitute Diet Coke for coffee? If so, I'm at least in good company.

3. Given the photo below, may I assume that I can add Jenga to the list of diversions that Micah has converted to Calvinball rules? The current listing includes Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Dominos, Trouble and Go-Fish. I regret to inform the Lowell clan that Iron Dragon has not yet made the list.

At the movies

This week, Maddie Merrick discovered that there was a new movie out featuring dragons. While dragons aren't on the same tier as dolphins in Maddie's pantheon, they do breathe fire, break things and fly around outside after bedtime. For all of these reasons, Maddie thinks that they're really cool.

After quickly screening this opportunity on youtube, the team decided that this was not an opportunity to be wasted. Despite the nice weather, the girls and I ran out to see it in all it's 3d glory this afternoon.

Micah, exhausted after a grueling morning of touching every single not-to-be-touched tool in the local hardware store, stayed home and napped.

Best of all: we got to keep the glasses.

Not Fair

I planned to be home alone for 2 evenings. I didn't anticipate being left here with an empty checking account and a refrigerator stocked exclusively with health food.

Happy Easter

I have been informed that townsfolk, having grown tired of the Old Spice commercial, are massing with pitchforks in the village square. A short post to slake their thirst.

The Ennis visit continues. I took vacation Friday and we traveled south to Lake Constance. We toured around a few small German towns landing in Freiburg for Easter.

We also visited our new, favorite ever (thus far) castle in Germany.

This morning, we went to mass (German) at the Freiburg cathedral. We then deposited the Ennis adults on a train to Paris. I returned to Stuttgart tonight so I can work tomorrow. Piper has kept the kids (all 6 of them) for another day of touring.

Click here for photos.

Good news for coffee fans

My wife, queen of the coffee aficionados, is going to be especially pleased by this news.

Just announced today, the glorious first of April.

Tomorrow, we are off to Lake Constance with our friends, the Ennis's. Dave is gassing up his rental car, a mercedes diesel SUV, to rock down the autobahn. I didn't have the heart to tell him how hard it would be to find parking where we're going.