Thursday, February 3, 2011
What Good is 6+ Inches of Snow...
...when you're sick and can't play in it? So, while his friends in school are having to make up snow days, we'll be making up sick days. That's what I get for being smug I guess.
Poor Elijah has the nastiest cough I think he's ever had. As you can see (or not) from the photo above, he is just bundling up in the house. I would feel more sorry for him if he and his daddy weren't going snowboarding in just over a week. I will be all by my lonesome since my wrist is still in a hard cast.
While they are gone, I guess I will use the time to do some things around here that need to get done. I think I will get a jump start on my annual spring cleaning and maybe a few improvements as well. I also need to record Elijah's grades, for most of the year unfortunately. Graded, just not recorded, which actually in Oklahoma, I'm not even required to do.
One last thing, I finally got started back to Crossfit and Zoning. This time Jeff has as well. It is a bit harder this time. It could be 6 months before I can really start using the left arm. I guess I need too talk to the doctor about that. Looks like a lot of lower body work. I wonder how rowing would go?
While they are gone, I guess I will use the time to do some things around here that need to get done. I think I will get a jump start on my annual spring cleaning and maybe a few improvements as well. I also need to record Elijah's grades, for most of the year unfortunately. Graded, just not recorded, which actually in Oklahoma, I'm not even required to do.
One last thing, I finally got started back to Crossfit and Zoning. This time Jeff has as well. It is a bit harder this time. It could be 6 months before I can really start using the left arm. I guess I need too talk to the doctor about that. Looks like a lot of lower body work. I wonder how rowing would go?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Blizzard Pictures!
Here are a few pictures from our house. As you can see, it will be a few days before the tree house or exercise deck will be used. We may even avoid the hot tub since single digit temperatures are forecast for the next few evenings! BRRRRRRRRRR!!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
SNOW!!!
Well, this is one way to temporarily stop a severe drought. Drop a foot of snow on the ground. Then add temperatures of single digits for the next 4 days. It should be hard to catch any grass on fire. It's a good thing to because winds have been in the 50's.
We took advantage of the cold to teach some science. Ever throw hot water into the freezing air?
You'll get snow (because we didn't get enough the old-fashioned way). Here's the science behind it:
All things being equal, cold water freezes faster.
It takes time for the energy contained in a hot object to be transferred to a cold object. However, the rate of heat transfer is proportional to the temperature difference between the two objects, so hot water will lose heat faster than cold water. In other words, if you have water at 90 degrees C and water at 10 degrees C and the freezer is at -10 degrees C, the hot water will lose heat five times faster than the cold water; however, the cold water will still win the race. As the hot water cools it’s rate of heat transfer will decrease, so it will never catch up to the cold water.
Some people claim that hot water freezes faster because a pot of boiling water can be thrown into the air on a cold winter day, and it freezes in mid air creating a shower of ice crystals. Whereas a pot of cold water thrown into the air comes down as large blobs of water. This happens because the hot water is so close to being steam, that the act of throwing it into the air causes it to break up into tiny droplets. (hot water is less viscous than cold water, listen to the sound it makes when you pour it in the sink) The small water droplets have a large surface area which allows for a great deal of evaporation, this removes heat quickly. And finally, the cooled droplets are so small, that they can be easily frozen by the winter air. All of this happens before the water hits the ground. Cold water is thicker and stickier, it doesn’t break up into such small pieces when thrown into the air, so it comes down in large blobs.
Joe Larsen, Ph.D. Chemistry, Rockwell Science Center, Los Angeles, CA
Kathy Ceceri also blogs at Home Biology
We're just glad that we didn't get the ice that was expected earlier in the week!
We took advantage of the cold to teach some science. Ever throw hot water into the freezing air?
You'll get snow (because we didn't get enough the old-fashioned way). Here's the science behind it:
All things being equal, cold water freezes faster.
It takes time for the energy contained in a hot object to be transferred to a cold object. However, the rate of heat transfer is proportional to the temperature difference between the two objects, so hot water will lose heat faster than cold water. In other words, if you have water at 90 degrees C and water at 10 degrees C and the freezer is at -10 degrees C, the hot water will lose heat five times faster than the cold water; however, the cold water will still win the race. As the hot water cools it’s rate of heat transfer will decrease, so it will never catch up to the cold water.
Some people claim that hot water freezes faster because a pot of boiling water can be thrown into the air on a cold winter day, and it freezes in mid air creating a shower of ice crystals. Whereas a pot of cold water thrown into the air comes down as large blobs of water. This happens because the hot water is so close to being steam, that the act of throwing it into the air causes it to break up into tiny droplets. (hot water is less viscous than cold water, listen to the sound it makes when you pour it in the sink) The small water droplets have a large surface area which allows for a great deal of evaporation, this removes heat quickly. And finally, the cooled droplets are so small, that they can be easily frozen by the winter air. All of this happens before the water hits the ground. Cold water is thicker and stickier, it doesn’t break up into such small pieces when thrown into the air, so it comes down in large blobs.
Joe Larsen, Ph.D. Chemistry, Rockwell Science Center, Los Angeles, CA
Kathy Ceceri also blogs at Home Biology
We're just glad that we didn't get the ice that was expected earlier in the week!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Swan Lake
Two nights ago I went to the ballet for the first time. The Russian National Ballet Theatre was performing just 6 miles from my home at Armstrong Auditorium. Now mind you, this is all from the perspective of a girl from Texas/Oklahoma who has only ever learned the two-step and Cotton-eyed Joe, but I believe, if you are going to see one ballet in your life, it should be the Russian Ballet performing Swan Lake. (Too many commas? Anyway.)
You can find several places on the web with a better report of the story, but here is my quick version.
Boy comes of age, has big party, and is told he must marry soon. He's not thrilled with the prospect, goes hunting with friends. Meets beautiful girl, who along with many other girls, is a swan by day, girl by night. this of course is due to evil wizard. (Isn't always?) The spell can only be broken by true love. Wizard finds out boy has fallen for girl/swan. Takes his own daughter to boy's next party. She looks like the first girl and he professes his love for her, making it impossible to break the spell. Boy realizes mistake and returns to the lake to seek forgiveness, which he is given. Now here is where it gets murky. There are several endings. She commits suicide, or they both do, breaking the spell due to the act of love. The wizard is killed, breaking the spell. Another has her dying but resurrecting to human form.
It was really interesting to see this acted out in dance. The costumes were beautiful as were the stage settings. Some were still in use from the 1960's. One thing, if I'm going to watch men in tights, it is much more fun when they have 100+ more pounds one them and a star on their helmet. (I am an girl from Texas!)
I really did enjoy the evening and would go again in a heartbeat!
You can find several places on the web with a better report of the story, but here is my quick version.
Boy comes of age, has big party, and is told he must marry soon. He's not thrilled with the prospect, goes hunting with friends. Meets beautiful girl, who along with many other girls, is a swan by day, girl by night. this of course is due to evil wizard. (Isn't always?) The spell can only be broken by true love. Wizard finds out boy has fallen for girl/swan. Takes his own daughter to boy's next party. She looks like the first girl and he professes his love for her, making it impossible to break the spell. Boy realizes mistake and returns to the lake to seek forgiveness, which he is given. Now here is where it gets murky. There are several endings. She commits suicide, or they both do, breaking the spell due to the act of love. The wizard is killed, breaking the spell. Another has her dying but resurrecting to human form.
It was really interesting to see this acted out in dance. The costumes were beautiful as were the stage settings. Some were still in use from the 1960's. One thing, if I'm going to watch men in tights, it is much more fun when they have 100+ more pounds one them and a star on their helmet. (I am an girl from Texas!)
I really did enjoy the evening and would go again in a heartbeat!
The Black Swan-Odile
The White Swan-Odette, Prince Siegfried, Von Rothbart-the sorcerer
Armstrong Auditorium-Edmond, OK
Tabitha-she's a guide at Armstrong Auditorium, and my daughter
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Eventfulness
Well, it has been a fairly eventful couple of weeks! We have been to Dallas and New Mexico. We went to an aquarium and concert as well as snowboarding. All-in-all it was mostly a great time, mostly.
It started 2 weeks ago with a train ride to Fort Worth. We took the Heartland Express from OKC to Fort Worth, rented a car and headed to Dallas. Of course to get there you have to pass through Arlington, the home of Cowboy's Stadium. What an amazing building! It was closed to tours because they were preparing for the Cotton Bowl the next day :-( Next time.
We checked into our hotel in Dallas, then walked about 4 blocks to American Airlines Center. The whole reason for the trip was to see the OKC Thunder play (and defeat) the Dallas Mavericks! It was a lot of fun and we did indeed prevail!
The next day we went to the Dallas Aquarium. It was a little oasis in the middle of downtown Dallas. Then it was off the the train station to head back to OKC. That was Friday night.
Saturday after church, we headed off to New Mexico. Early the next morning we hit the slopes. After about 4 runs downs, we hit the lodge for lunch and then I headed back to the slopes. This is where "mostly" comes into play. After getting off of the lift, and down the ramp area, I fell. I fallen getting off the lift, at the bottom of this ramp, in the flat area where you get your board strapped on, lots of times going down the mountain, and lots of times much harder. This time was different and I knew it immediately. Although it didn't really hurt, I knew I had broken my wrist. Removing my glove confirmed it. After ski patrol, a trip to Taos and the ER, I spent the rest of the week inn the lodge. I did have the company of my little buddy Brendan on occasion and the evenings were nice with friends.
Back home we went to the George Strait/Reba concert. Another thing to check off the bucket list! It was a great evening and our first date night since August.
Oh yeah, now I have a great blue cast!
It started 2 weeks ago with a train ride to Fort Worth. We took the Heartland Express from OKC to Fort Worth, rented a car and headed to Dallas. Of course to get there you have to pass through Arlington, the home of Cowboy's Stadium. What an amazing building! It was closed to tours because they were preparing for the Cotton Bowl the next day :-( Next time.
We checked into our hotel in Dallas, then walked about 4 blocks to American Airlines Center. The whole reason for the trip was to see the OKC Thunder play (and defeat) the Dallas Mavericks! It was a lot of fun and we did indeed prevail!
The next day we went to the Dallas Aquarium. It was a little oasis in the middle of downtown Dallas. Then it was off the the train station to head back to OKC. That was Friday night.
My buddy
Michael from ski patrol
Reba and her Reba costar-funny!
Fancy
This is Where the Cowboy Rides Away
Oh yeah, now I have a great blue cast!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Look at My Kiddo!
Okay, this is completely a brag post. Elijah has had several opportunities to interact with OKC Thunder player in the past few months. He has attended 2 Thunder basketball camps and players always come for one day to play with the kids and teach them a few things. In the first camp last August, on of the players stole his shoe then the other one in a fake slam dunk, set it on the back of the rim. Last week we were at the Lego OKC City scape and saw him on the video running at the OKC Arena display with Daeqwon Cook. Pretty neat.
Before the first game against the Rockets he was chosen to be the ball delivery boy. For that he was to simply give the ball to the ref and get his picture taken. Well, the ref asked Elijah who he favorite player was and then the ref called Kevin Durant over to meet Elijah. The guy who picked Elijah said that never happens. As far as we know it hasn't since then.
Last week he went to his second Thunder camp. He was able to meet James Harden and Eric Maynor. I went to the Thunder website to find out about that night's game and the first image to pop up Had Elijah clearly displayed. You could look at more photos and video as well. He was in one more photo and the video. He actually "scored" against Maynor!
So enough bragging, for now.
Before the first game against the Rockets he was chosen to be the ball delivery boy. For that he was to simply give the ball to the ref and get his picture taken. Well, the ref asked Elijah who he favorite player was and then the ref called Kevin Durant over to meet Elijah. The guy who picked Elijah said that never happens. As far as we know it hasn't since then.
Last week he went to his second Thunder camp. He was able to meet James Harden and Eric Maynor. I went to the Thunder website to find out about that night's game and the first image to pop up Had Elijah clearly displayed. You could look at more photos and video as well. He was in one more photo and the video. He actually "scored" against Maynor!
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