Brigitta's First Volleyball Game
3-31-2012 ~ Blog #431
(David)
Brigitta's team had their first game today; they won all matches against Saint Barnabas.  Brigitta played and served well. 

Brigitta has this game face every time she serves the ball.

TARC Qualification Attempts

Today one of our rocket teams flew the best qualifying attempt shot we've ever had (11) which was 11 feet off the target altitude of 800' with no time penalty. In a week we'll find out if it was good enough to qualify for the national competition. I don't have photos, I was at Brigitta's game. The goal this year is to get two eggs to 800 feet and back down with a flight time of 43 to 47 seconds (without breaking the eggs). The difference from 800' (high or low) is the score with a low score being best. Outside of the flight time window there is a 3 point penalty for every second off. Each team only gets two qualifying shots in front of a judge. In a practice shot on Wednesday our girl's team hit 803', but the total flight time was 51 seconds, so that score would have been 15 had they called it as a qualifying shot. Here's a few shots from Wednesday:

Brigitta Makes a Movie

3-25-2012 ~ Blog #430

(David)

Brigitta had to make a superhero movie for her technology class, personal DVD Yearbook page.  We are pretty happy with it. 

Here's a hallbuzz.com link and a youtube.com link.  Below are a few stills from our shoot.

More Rocket Launches

We launched again last weekend as well as today.  Last weekend the Saint Vincent High School teams were launching at the site as well.  The first few shots below are of the St. V teams, followed by our rockets.  We are getting closer to qualifying flights, but we are also running out of time.  The deadline is April second.  Here's a video of a few of last week's launches.

Our pro rocket guy/mentor (Jerry from LOC Precision) builds and flies rockets as big as this one below that can reach an altitude of six miles. 

The natural progression for my "Stubby" A-size rocket was Mega Stubby which is built around an Aerotech F20.  Empty, this rocket weighs about 45 grams; the motor weighs about 80 grams and provides about 20 Newton seconds of thrust and burns for about 3.4 seconds.  The motor is made to lift a rocket about ten times this little guy's mass.  Needless to say, when Mega Stubby disappeared into the clouds its motor was still burning strong.  The recovery system for this rocket is it's own lightweight three inch nose cone as a parachute in addition to the body being so light that the pair basically tumble.  It worked perfectly with Little Stubby.  Mega Stubby, however, never reappeared; we stared up at the clouds for quite awhile, but nothing came back down.  I renamed it Mars Lander.

Rocket Launch

3-13-2012 ~ Blog #429

(David)

On Sunday we launched our big rockets for the first time.  The Saint Vincent High School teams were launching at the site as well.  Were doing well compared to previous years, but it sounds like rockets need to get to 800 feet within one or two percent high or low to qualify.  The challenge this year is to get two eggs to 800 feet with a rocket that weighs under 650 grams loaded and a flight duration of 45 seconds.

 Saint Vincent's teams' rockets launching.

The image above shows how one of our team's rockets had its parachute tangle in its own fins.  It came down fast and hard and was damaged, but not destroyed  We've noted t alter the shock cord length to lessen the chance of this happening again.

I brought along a couple of small silly rockets

The one below has an egg super-glued directly to the the top of the body tube and has no recovery system.

Amazingly the egg survived it's first flight thanks to thick grass and soft mud.

It broke on another launch, however.

Then there's Stubby.

He's three inches in diameter and the motor almost touches the top of the nose cone.  Upon the recovery ejection charge the oversized Easter egg nose cone blows off; it's tethered to the body so the two parts tumble down at a relatively slow decent.  It survived three flights unscathed.  I'm proud to say that this ridiculous rocket is of my own design.

The Prince and the Pauper - Saturday Night

3-11-2012 ~ Blog #428

(David)

Last night was closing night for The Prince and the Pauper.  I published over 250 photos and figured it would be best to give them their own page.  Under the link are a few after-the-show shots with Papa, Nana and neighbors.

250 Photos from The Prince and the Pauper - Saturday Night

The Prince and the Pauper - Friday Night

3-10-2012 ~ Blog #427

(David)

Last night was opening night for The Prince and the Pauper; tickets are still available for tonight's (finale) performance.  Shots are below:

Happy Birthday to Me

3-8-2012 ~ Blog #426

(David)

Photos from March 6th

Annika's Gifts

3-4-2012 ~ Blog #425

(David)

Annika opened her gifts today; here's a few more shots:

Happy Birthday Annika

3-4-2012 ~ Blog #424

(David)

Annika's birthday is today, but we celebrated it yesterday with an Explorer Party for her school friends followed by pizza and a movie with her neighborhood friends. 

Playing the Four Corners game.

Cake, ice cream, fruit, chips and juice.

Receiving instructions on how to find clues to solve their treasure quest.

Only one out of dozens of stuffed animals was hiding one of the clue pieces.

The balloons held notes, one of which instructed them to flip all of the shells to find the next clue.

Svea and Brigitta each lead a team on a hunt.

Some clues had to be read with a black light, others had to be read with a colored filter magnifier.

One clue told the girls to look in the piano bench.  Another said to flip all the red blocks and yet another said to spin the round blocks.  The clue-blocks the girls found plugged into the missing shapes.  When complete they learned where the treasure chest was.

Each girl got to try her bejeweled key on the treasure chest.  Inside were small treasure chests that contained their take home treats.

Later in the evening Annika blows out candles on her second cake of the day.

Happy Birthday Nana

Nana turned 89 on March first.

Bigfoot Sighted!

It was pointed out that a Bigfoot was spotted in one of our hike photos from last week.  Take a look:

The Prince and the Pauper

Svea and Brigitta will be performing in Dynamics Community Theater production of The Prince and the Pauper this weekend.  Tickets are still available for both shows.  The cost is $8 for adults, and 6$ for students and seniors.  Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 at the Tallmadge High School Auditorium. Please come out and show your support. To reserve seats, please call 330-217-1227 or email dynamics@tallmadgeschools.org.