Destination Imagination

Yesterday was the Central Illinois Regional Destination Imagination Tournament.  If you've been reading my blog long enough, you already know what Destination Imagination (hereafter referred to as DI) is.  If not, you can learn a little more about it here.  It's a team competition incorporating teamwork, problem solving, and creative thinking.  Both Eliza and Audri participated.  I was the Team Manager for both their teams.  They will both be moving on to the Affiliate (state) tournament in April.  The top 3 teams advance, and Eliza's team placed 3rd, Audri's tied for 1st.  Both teams did great!!

Eliza's team participated in the challenge titled "The Solar Stage".  They had to create a story in which a character found themselves in a situation where they needed to use solar power.  They also had to incorporate Theatrical Lighting.  At one point in the presentation, they had to give a signal, and at that point the room lights were turned off, and the team had to provide all the lighting from that point on.  Eliza's team came up with a story about a family who lives in an igloo in Alaska.  They want to make cookies for a party, but their oven doesn't work.  They make a tool to capture solar energy and convert it to solar power so they can make the cookies.  The problem is, they use too much solar power and melt their igloo!!!  During the party, they use a cool multi-colored light to create a party atmosphere.  Unfortunately, the girls had a little hiccup.  They had a short in their extension cord that tripped the power strip, resulting in then having NO POWER when the lights were turned off.  They had to have the lights turned back on and do the rest of their skit without their lighting.  They recovered SO WELL.  They had such composure for 10 year old girls!!  They were able to explain what SHOULD HAVE happened to the judges, and I'm relieved that they have a chance to do it again. 

Audri's team participated in the challenge titled "Project Outreach: The World Canvas".  This challenge is a little different than the others.  The team actually chooses a project that will help fill a community need.  Then, at the competition they do a presentation about their project.  These girls made individual gift baskets for  the 72 patients at the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate, here in Peoria.  They sold cookies and took donations, and raised over $800.  Then, they went shopping and purchased gifts for the patients.  They had a list of the patients, with their ages and likes indicated.  Then, they made personalized cards and put the gifts together in baskets.  Here's a photo they used in their presentation of the day they delivered the baskets.  They did a great job on their presentation as well, but a few technical glitches as well.  It's all about learning, and both these teams will have a chance to strut their stuff on April 14!!

I love finding people "out there" who understand me

Do you want to understand the stage of life I'm in right now?  Read this post.  She totally gets it.

Happy Day of Love

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!!  I've never been big on giving my kids gifts for Valentine's Day, but I do like to start their day off with a little love.  This morning we had heart shaped biscuits with strawberries!!  Ok, some of the biscuits are heart shaped.....

I hope you have a chance to show a little love to those who matter most to you in your life!!

Happy 15th, Dailie!!

Dailie turned 15 today!!  To celebrate, she chose to go out to dinner and a movie as a family.  We went to Basta's, a great Italian place in Peoria Heights.  Then we saw Hugo, which was very good, but a much slower moving film than I expected. 
We had a great time together.  It was so nice to just be together doing something fun and relaxing.  Today, I fixed Dailie's favorite meal, chicken pillows with mashed potatoes, and made a pumpkin spice cake with a cream cheese glaze.  It was delicious, so I've shared a link to the recipe I found online.  I'll be making that again. 

Dailie is a delight and a joy.  She is growing up, and I can't seem to stop it, so I've decided to enjoy it.  She is beautiful, and talented and she has a quiet confidence about it that I find intriguing.  It's so enjoyable to get to know your children.  At first, it's like you just see yourself, or your husband in them, but then as they continue to grow, you begin to see the facets of their personalities that are like neither one of you, or a beautiful blend of the two of you.  That's the way I feel about Dailie's quiet security.  She knows who she is, and is confident in that.  I admire her.  Happy Birthday, Dailie!!  I love having you as a daughter!!

Her next birthday she'll be 16....I can handle this, I can handle this....