(no subject)
Another snow day :P Toby and Trevor are sitting here playing a Ninjago game of Toby's creation. Which means Toby changes the rules every five minutes. I think I might have just broken that one up before it got bad. We really need to do a lot of cleaning today anyway. (Won't they be thrilled.)
So. Big weekend, huh?
We had the Pinewood Derby Saturday morning, which was a lot of fun. Very different this year since Toby really has integrated with the Pack. I heard several kids cheer for him when his car was up, which was cool. His car didn't do so hot this year, but he did all the work himself and it didn't do so badly, either. The only thing Howard did was cut the car (because 8 year old + bandsaw = not a great idea), but Toby designed it. I think he would have been fine with it if Trevor's car hadn't gotten second place in the sibling race and Trevor hadn't gotten a medal. The sibling race is sort of funny, because the winners were Trevor (6), a five year old, and a sixth grader who's done five Pinewood Derbies before. On the one hand, I was laughing with the oldest kid's dad because "way to beat those little kids!" On the other hand, the little kids get LOTS of help from parents, so way to go to the sixth grader for beating the dads :) The leader's race was entertaining, too. And they also do awards for best paint and stuff, which is nice.
They're starting to talk about themes for next year, and one suggestion has been video games. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of that idea, especially since the theme extends to other events like the Webelo cookoff and the Blue and Gold banquet. However, I have a very simple solution that I've already mentioned to Howard, which is just take the word "video" and make the them "Games." Then you include sports, board games, video games.... (And okay, so I'd probably immediately make my car next year a Hunger Games car, but still....) Anyway, the kids and dad all had a good time, mostly. Toby whacked his chin hard on a chair, which hurt, and then later at the end he had a bit of a meltdown. I really wish he'd stop the meltdowns at these scouting events. I didn't mind when he cried because he hurt his chin- I can tell when there's a "this REALLY hurts!" cry, and that one definitely qualified. But the meltdown at the end probably had a lot to do with his brother getting a medal and him not winning anything, so.... ::sigh::
I went for a run on Saturday because it was super warm (well, low 40s- that's super warm, right?) and I got a good distance run in, and then we went out to dinner after. And I came home to find the Harry Potter fandom had erupted.
I don't really care that JKR talks about the canon, because her world and all that, and I don't blame her one bit. I would, too. that said, I'm very glad she never put Hermione and Harry together. I don't have a super-strong investment in Hermione/Ron, but I really like that there's this amazing series for kids out there where there is a guy who is genuinely friends with a girl. With all this talk about friendzoning, it's wonderful that we can hold up this model and say, "See? This is what friends are!" Hermione's value to Harry is unwavering, because her value is dependent on their friendship, not her desire to sleep with him. So I really do like that.
As for Ron/Hermione, I both agree and disagree with JKR's statement that they would need counseling. We see them when they're seventeen and just getting together. Ironically, it makes me think of a quote from JKR herself: 'It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.' Ron and Hermione could be a success as a couple or a disaster, and I think it depends on the choices they make going forward, not what we've necessarily seen in the past when they were kids, before they figured these things out. I wouldn't have minded Ron and Hermione NOT getting together, as long as they ended up with people outside the trio. (Because while Ron/Harry would have been cool, there would have needed to be some more ground-laying for that to work in the epilogue. Not that it couldn't have, but there needed to be some. But also I suspect Ron and Harry are best off as friends.) But my shipping interests were always Remus/Sirius anyway, so I just am not that invested in this particular quote :)
Also, I can't help agreeing with the statement that if I was JKR, there were things I would regret far more, like Albus Severus (did Harry still think he could speak Parseltongue? Also, I get the Albus, even though I wouldn't personally do that. But I would have rather seen him name a son Colin Albus than Albus Severus. Snape might have been on the right side and done some things right, but he was still a bastard to Harry personally.) or the camping or several other things. But oh well.
Superbowl party last night. I made a dessert plate of Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies and Fudgy Vanilla Brownies, both of which were a hit. The brownies are really good, but I have to take a moment to comment on the cookies, which I've made before. For one thing, they are actually pretty low-cal, at 72 calories a cookie. For another, I didn't realize this, but they are apparently gluten free. And let me tell you, these things are to DIE for. They're the deepest, richest chocolate, and just amazing. Not too hard to make, either, as long as you have a mixer or the patience to whip egg whites by hand. I've made the cookies before, and I will definitely make the brownies again, especially since my little vanilla lover was in heaven.
Planning on spending the day cleaning bathrooms, working out downstairs, keeping the kids from killing each other, and working on my Valentine's exchange fic. Hope everyone has a good day and isn't too snowed in!
Oh, also, it's almost time for bsg_remix this year. I'm wondering if it's worth it, or if everyone's had enough?
So. Big weekend, huh?
We had the Pinewood Derby Saturday morning, which was a lot of fun. Very different this year since Toby really has integrated with the Pack. I heard several kids cheer for him when his car was up, which was cool. His car didn't do so hot this year, but he did all the work himself and it didn't do so badly, either. The only thing Howard did was cut the car (because 8 year old + bandsaw = not a great idea), but Toby designed it. I think he would have been fine with it if Trevor's car hadn't gotten second place in the sibling race and Trevor hadn't gotten a medal. The sibling race is sort of funny, because the winners were Trevor (6), a five year old, and a sixth grader who's done five Pinewood Derbies before. On the one hand, I was laughing with the oldest kid's dad because "way to beat those little kids!" On the other hand, the little kids get LOTS of help from parents, so way to go to the sixth grader for beating the dads :) The leader's race was entertaining, too. And they also do awards for best paint and stuff, which is nice.
They're starting to talk about themes for next year, and one suggestion has been video games. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of that idea, especially since the theme extends to other events like the Webelo cookoff and the Blue and Gold banquet. However, I have a very simple solution that I've already mentioned to Howard, which is just take the word "video" and make the them "Games." Then you include sports, board games, video games.... (And okay, so I'd probably immediately make my car next year a Hunger Games car, but still....) Anyway, the kids and dad all had a good time, mostly. Toby whacked his chin hard on a chair, which hurt, and then later at the end he had a bit of a meltdown. I really wish he'd stop the meltdowns at these scouting events. I didn't mind when he cried because he hurt his chin- I can tell when there's a "this REALLY hurts!" cry, and that one definitely qualified. But the meltdown at the end probably had a lot to do with his brother getting a medal and him not winning anything, so.... ::sigh::
I went for a run on Saturday because it was super warm (well, low 40s- that's super warm, right?) and I got a good distance run in, and then we went out to dinner after. And I came home to find the Harry Potter fandom had erupted.
I don't really care that JKR talks about the canon, because her world and all that, and I don't blame her one bit. I would, too. that said, I'm very glad she never put Hermione and Harry together. I don't have a super-strong investment in Hermione/Ron, but I really like that there's this amazing series for kids out there where there is a guy who is genuinely friends with a girl. With all this talk about friendzoning, it's wonderful that we can hold up this model and say, "See? This is what friends are!" Hermione's value to Harry is unwavering, because her value is dependent on their friendship, not her desire to sleep with him. So I really do like that.
As for Ron/Hermione, I both agree and disagree with JKR's statement that they would need counseling. We see them when they're seventeen and just getting together. Ironically, it makes me think of a quote from JKR herself: 'It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.' Ron and Hermione could be a success as a couple or a disaster, and I think it depends on the choices they make going forward, not what we've necessarily seen in the past when they were kids, before they figured these things out. I wouldn't have minded Ron and Hermione NOT getting together, as long as they ended up with people outside the trio. (Because while Ron/Harry would have been cool, there would have needed to be some more ground-laying for that to work in the epilogue. Not that it couldn't have, but there needed to be some. But also I suspect Ron and Harry are best off as friends.) But my shipping interests were always Remus/Sirius anyway, so I just am not that invested in this particular quote :)
Also, I can't help agreeing with the statement that if I was JKR, there were things I would regret far more, like Albus Severus (did Harry still think he could speak Parseltongue? Also, I get the Albus, even though I wouldn't personally do that. But I would have rather seen him name a son Colin Albus than Albus Severus. Snape might have been on the right side and done some things right, but he was still a bastard to Harry personally.) or the camping or several other things. But oh well.
Superbowl party last night. I made a dessert plate of Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies and Fudgy Vanilla Brownies, both of which were a hit. The brownies are really good, but I have to take a moment to comment on the cookies, which I've made before. For one thing, they are actually pretty low-cal, at 72 calories a cookie. For another, I didn't realize this, but they are apparently gluten free. And let me tell you, these things are to DIE for. They're the deepest, richest chocolate, and just amazing. Not too hard to make, either, as long as you have a mixer or the patience to whip egg whites by hand. I've made the cookies before, and I will definitely make the brownies again, especially since my little vanilla lover was in heaven.
Planning on spending the day cleaning bathrooms, working out downstairs, keeping the kids from killing each other, and working on my Valentine's exchange fic. Hope everyone has a good day and isn't too snowed in!
Oh, also, it's almost time for bsg_remix this year. I'm wondering if it's worth it, or if everyone's had enough?