In our meet against Concordia and St. Paul today, I ran for JV. In my first event, the 100 meter dash, I finished 2nd in a photo finish race (my coach said that I should've been in 1st, but they marked me wrong). After the long distance running finished (Nathan finished 1st in the mile again), I lined up for the 200, which I finished 1st in.
We didn't get much rest before the relay started. Natalie started, Megan was second leg, Olivia was third leg, and I finished. Unfortunately, we didn't get off to a good start, and by the time I got the baton we were in last place. Somehow, I pulled ahead, and Holy Cross finished in third.
I waited for about an hour, and then my best event started, long jump. Regrettably, the measuring tape we use to line up was off about two feet, so I didn't know where to start. I scratched my first jump, then jumped 13 feet 1 inch, then scratched my last two. I was extremely disappointed, because my best jump ever was 13 feet 3 inches. I think the reason I didn't beat this length was because I couldn't get my timing right.
At least I improved all my other events! Last meet, I finished the 100 in 15. 2 seconds, and this time I got a 14.5! I also improved in the 200, and I finished in 31.2, much better than last time.
GO CRUSADERS!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
2010 NFL Draft
I don't usually keep up with the NFL Drafts, but I can't help but hear a few things about it from the radio, Internet, and TV (doubtless you've already heard everything I'm about to tell you).
Not surprisingly, quarterback Sam Bradford from Oklahoma was the first pick, and he went to the St. Louis Rams. In my opinion, this wasn't the smartest move by the Rams. Their old quarterback was a perfectly capable (he wasn't great, but he was certainly capable) center. They have an excellent running back in Stephen Jackson. All they really need is a good wide receiver, because their passing play is virtually nonexistent.
Another dumb move, in my opinion, was the drafting of Tim Tebow by the Denver Broncos. I've always thought that Tebow was a bit overrated. He can't get rid of the ball fast enough, and he can't even throw a spiral. Sure, he won the Heisman Trophy, but that's only because he can run the ball extremely well. It's nice if an NFL quarterback can run, but it's certainly not necessary as long as he can throw the ball well, which Tebow cannot. Now, Tebow could have some success if he was at a different position, such as half back or running back, because he's pretty big (6 foot 3, 240 pounds, to be exact).
The other two college quarterback superpowers were Colt McCoy and Jimmy Clausen. McCoy was drafted to the Cleveland Browns as the 85th overall pick, and Jimmy Clausen went to Carolina as the 48th overall pick (my dad thinks that Clausen has a slow release).
Other notable drafts include the #2 pick, Ndamukong Suh, who dominated in college at Nebraska. Rolando McClain, famous for his amazing field goal block against Tennessee, went to the Oakland Raiders as the 8th pick. The Stanford running back Toby Gerhart went to the Minnesota Vikings (even though the Vikings have one of the best running backs in the league already).
The Packers chose Brian Buluga, an offenseive tackle from Iowa (phew), Andrew Quarless, a tight end from Penn State, Marshall Newhouse, another offensive tackle from TCU, James Starks, a running back from Buffalo, and C.J. Wilson, a defensive end from East Carolina. All in all I think we made very good picks.
GO PACK GO
Not surprisingly, quarterback Sam Bradford from Oklahoma was the first pick, and he went to the St. Louis Rams. In my opinion, this wasn't the smartest move by the Rams. Their old quarterback was a perfectly capable (he wasn't great, but he was certainly capable) center. They have an excellent running back in Stephen Jackson. All they really need is a good wide receiver, because their passing play is virtually nonexistent.
Another dumb move, in my opinion, was the drafting of Tim Tebow by the Denver Broncos. I've always thought that Tebow was a bit overrated. He can't get rid of the ball fast enough, and he can't even throw a spiral. Sure, he won the Heisman Trophy, but that's only because he can run the ball extremely well. It's nice if an NFL quarterback can run, but it's certainly not necessary as long as he can throw the ball well, which Tebow cannot. Now, Tebow could have some success if he was at a different position, such as half back or running back, because he's pretty big (6 foot 3, 240 pounds, to be exact).
The other two college quarterback superpowers were Colt McCoy and Jimmy Clausen. McCoy was drafted to the Cleveland Browns as the 85th overall pick, and Jimmy Clausen went to Carolina as the 48th overall pick (my dad thinks that Clausen has a slow release).
Other notable drafts include the #2 pick, Ndamukong Suh, who dominated in college at Nebraska. Rolando McClain, famous for his amazing field goal block against Tennessee, went to the Oakland Raiders as the 8th pick. The Stanford running back Toby Gerhart went to the Minnesota Vikings (even though the Vikings have one of the best running backs in the league already).
The Packers chose Brian Buluga, an offenseive tackle from Iowa (phew), Andrew Quarless, a tight end from Penn State, Marshall Newhouse, another offensive tackle from TCU, James Starks, a running back from Buffalo, and C.J. Wilson, a defensive end from East Carolina. All in all I think we made very good picks.
GO PACK GO
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Holy Cross Carnival 2010
This Friday was the Holy Cross Carnival, which is always loads of fun (except for last year, when the cotton candy machine caught fire and we all had to go outside for an hour). Sydney and her family always come, and we went around the school playing various games with some of my other friends.
In Mr. Albertin's room was the famous Pop Toss, which is always the most crowded room. I took home a Sunkist, and Sydney got a 7 Up (which I won for her). Unfortunately, my friend Meron did not win any pop, even though she spent at least half her punches playing the game.
Another fun game was the Penny Drop, where you dropped a penny into a tank full of water, aiming for a small cup. I, being the skilled penny-dropper that I am, plunked all three of my pennies into the cup.
In the gym was a moon walk, a giant Velcro wall that you could jump on and stick to while wearing a Velcro suit, and a baseball simulator. Another popular activity was the balloon artist, who could shape you a bracelet, a hat. . . he even made my friend a hockey stick!
It was a really fun time. Plus, the cotton candy machine didn't catch fire! The Holy Cross Carnival was a huge success, and I'm glad that Sydney and her family got to go.
In Mr. Albertin's room was the famous Pop Toss, which is always the most crowded room. I took home a Sunkist, and Sydney got a 7 Up (which I won for her). Unfortunately, my friend Meron did not win any pop, even though she spent at least half her punches playing the game.
Another fun game was the Penny Drop, where you dropped a penny into a tank full of water, aiming for a small cup. I, being the skilled penny-dropper that I am, plunked all three of my pennies into the cup.
In the gym was a moon walk, a giant Velcro wall that you could jump on and stick to while wearing a Velcro suit, and a baseball simulator. Another popular activity was the balloon artist, who could shape you a bracelet, a hat. . . he even made my friend a hockey stick!
It was a really fun time. Plus, the cotton candy machine didn't catch fire! The Holy Cross Carnival was a huge success, and I'm glad that Sydney and her family got to go.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Last AAU Basketball Games
Sadly, my AAU season has come to an end. We could've won our very last game, but since we played twice immediately prior to it, we were pooped (especially me, since I didn't get a single rest in the previous game). On top of that, my ankle was killing me and I couldn't swallow because my throat hurt (it still does).
Our first two games were great, and we easily finished off both of our opposing teams. In our last game, we played the best team in the tournament. I'm pretty sure that we would've won the game if we all weren't so tired. My coach said that they simply out-hustled us.
Can't wait for next season! Go Cadets!
Our first two games were great, and we easily finished off both of our opposing teams. In our last game, we played the best team in the tournament. I'm pretty sure that we would've won the game if we all weren't so tired. My coach said that they simply out-hustled us.
Can't wait for next season! Go Cadets!
First Track Meet
A few days ago was Holy Cross' first track meet of the season, and unfortunately, we didn't do so great.
Now, the only reason I didn't win every single event (excuse my not-so-humbleness) was that I was racing against varsity runners. I finished 6th in the 100, 5th in the 200, dead last in the relay, and, surprisingly, 2nd in long jump (my longest jump was 13 feet 3 inches)!
Logically, I should be racing against girls my own age, since winning is the point of the sport. My friend and I are going to write a petition so that I can, hopefully, run for JV instead of varsity.
The other Holy Cross runners did pretty good overall, and Nathan finished first in the 800 and 1600.
Wish us luck for the rest of the season! Go Crusaders!
Now, the only reason I didn't win every single event (excuse my not-so-humbleness) was that I was racing against varsity runners. I finished 6th in the 100, 5th in the 200, dead last in the relay, and, surprisingly, 2nd in long jump (my longest jump was 13 feet 3 inches)!
Logically, I should be racing against girls my own age, since winning is the point of the sport. My friend and I are going to write a petition so that I can, hopefully, run for JV instead of varsity.
The other Holy Cross runners did pretty good overall, and Nathan finished first in the 800 and 1600.
Wish us luck for the rest of the season! Go Crusaders!
Bring Your Child to Work Day
On Thursday, my dad picked me up from school at 10:30 to go to Bring Your Child to Work Day at his place of employment, BAE Systems, where he basically makes and tests air plane engines.
BAE is somewhat of a confidential place (since they make engines for the Air Force), so it really was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Also, some of the machines and equipment in BAE are highly sensitive to electricity, so if you merely touch it, it'll collapse. Because of this, only kids age 12 or older were allowed to attend Bring Your Child to Work Day.
We started the day out right by eating free pizza provided by BAE, while watching a presentation about what exactly the company does. After this, we split into 9 groups, and each group went to a different station. Our first station was the 3D printer station, which was absolutely amazing. The leader of the station explained that someone designs an object on a computer, then sends it to the printer, which proceeds to "print" out the object, moving across a block of powder, building the desired object one tiny layer at a time. At the end of the station, the man gave us all a little toy car, which the 3D printer had printed out.
Next, we went to a station in which we could control robots. Robots designed to play soccer. The little, triangular robot had two wheels protruding from the front, which caught the soccer ball. Then, a mallet would swing back and kick the ball. After failing miserably at controlling these robots, the instructors took the controls and humiliated us by easily directing the robots and scoring goals.
We then went to a station where we used an ohm meter to detect the resistance in a small metal wire. The resistances on each of the wires (334.6, 27.8, 6.66) all corresponded with a letter, and when you put all the letters together, they spelled a word (ours was capacitor).
Another fun station was the Lego station, where we used Legos to build an overlarge, pretend circuit board (and we had to produce them quickly, to meet the customers' needs).
My favorite station was the soldering station, in which we actually got to solder tiny pieces onto a real circuit board! It was extremely difficult, and a bit nerve-wracking, since the iron is more than 500 degrees! In the end, I think I became an expert solderer.
Our last station was in the failure analysis section of the gigantic BAE building. When a part fails, it gets sent to failure analysis, where there job is to find the malfunction and correct it. The amazing thing about it was the microscopes. They weren't technically microscopes at all. They were magnetic telescopes, which can magnify images - in 3D - up to 4600 times!
At the end of the day, we assembled in a conference room for the drawings. Everyone put their name in a bag, and if your name was pulled, you won a umbrella, or a CD case, or a BAE Systems lunch box. . . or an iPod Touch. Yes, I had about a 1 in 100 chance to win a iPod Touch, but. . . sorry, I didn't win.
At least I had an awesome time at Bring You Child to Work Day!
BAE is somewhat of a confidential place (since they make engines for the Air Force), so it really was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Also, some of the machines and equipment in BAE are highly sensitive to electricity, so if you merely touch it, it'll collapse. Because of this, only kids age 12 or older were allowed to attend Bring Your Child to Work Day.
We started the day out right by eating free pizza provided by BAE, while watching a presentation about what exactly the company does. After this, we split into 9 groups, and each group went to a different station. Our first station was the 3D printer station, which was absolutely amazing. The leader of the station explained that someone designs an object on a computer, then sends it to the printer, which proceeds to "print" out the object, moving across a block of powder, building the desired object one tiny layer at a time. At the end of the station, the man gave us all a little toy car, which the 3D printer had printed out.
Next, we went to a station in which we could control robots. Robots designed to play soccer. The little, triangular robot had two wheels protruding from the front, which caught the soccer ball. Then, a mallet would swing back and kick the ball. After failing miserably at controlling these robots, the instructors took the controls and humiliated us by easily directing the robots and scoring goals.
We then went to a station where we used an ohm meter to detect the resistance in a small metal wire. The resistances on each of the wires (334.6, 27.8, 6.66) all corresponded with a letter, and when you put all the letters together, they spelled a word (ours was capacitor).
Another fun station was the Lego station, where we used Legos to build an overlarge, pretend circuit board (and we had to produce them quickly, to meet the customers' needs).
My favorite station was the soldering station, in which we actually got to solder tiny pieces onto a real circuit board! It was extremely difficult, and a bit nerve-wracking, since the iron is more than 500 degrees! In the end, I think I became an expert solderer.
Our last station was in the failure analysis section of the gigantic BAE building. When a part fails, it gets sent to failure analysis, where there job is to find the malfunction and correct it. The amazing thing about it was the microscopes. They weren't technically microscopes at all. They were magnetic telescopes, which can magnify images - in 3D - up to 4600 times!
At the end of the day, we assembled in a conference room for the drawings. Everyone put their name in a bag, and if your name was pulled, you won a umbrella, or a CD case, or a BAE Systems lunch box. . . or an iPod Touch. Yes, I had about a 1 in 100 chance to win a iPod Touch, but. . . sorry, I didn't win.
At least I had an awesome time at Bring You Child to Work Day!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
2010 NHL Playoffs
The only time I seriously keep up with hockey is during the playoffs. Luckily, the Chicago Blackhawks are in the playoffs, and have a legitimate chance of winning the Stanley Cup. It's nice to be able to root for a good team.
The Hawks are currently in an intense, 7-game series against the Nashville Predators. Unfortunately, they are trailing the series 2-1 behind their relatively inexperienced goalie, Antti Niemi. Patrick Kane - of course - leads Chicago in scoring and assists. Hopefully, he can lead the Hawks to another victory tonight. If we don't win tonight, we're in serious trouble.
The Pittsburgh Penguins lead their series against the Ottawa Senators 3-1, and I hope that the Sens can pull off a win, because it'll be tough for the Hawks to beat the Penguins (providing that they get past their first series). As always, Sidney Crosby is dominating, with 7 goals and 9 assists.
Another exciting series is the Detroit-Phoenix series. The Phoenix Coyotes have done a surprisingly good job on the always-tough-to-beat Red Wings. This is all the more surprising because it is the Coyotes' first playoff appearance in eight years. I'm rooting for the Coyotes to knock off Detroit, so that Chicago won't have to face them (providing, once again, that they even make it past their first series).
The Boston Bruins are currently battling with the Buffalo Sabres, and the Bruins lead 3-2. The Sabres have an effective offense and a defense led by their silver medalist goalie, Ryan Miller, perhaps the best goalie in the league right now.
The Montreal Canadiens are facing the Washington Capitals, led by outstanding Alexander Ovechkin. The Caps lead it 3-2, and have a chance to finish the series tonight (cross your fingers and hope that the Canadiens will stay alive).
The Hawks are currently in an intense, 7-game series against the Nashville Predators. Unfortunately, they are trailing the series 2-1 behind their relatively inexperienced goalie, Antti Niemi. Patrick Kane - of course - leads Chicago in scoring and assists. Hopefully, he can lead the Hawks to another victory tonight. If we don't win tonight, we're in serious trouble.
The Pittsburgh Penguins lead their series against the Ottawa Senators 3-1, and I hope that the Sens can pull off a win, because it'll be tough for the Hawks to beat the Penguins (providing that they get past their first series). As always, Sidney Crosby is dominating, with 7 goals and 9 assists.
Another exciting series is the Detroit-Phoenix series. The Phoenix Coyotes have done a surprisingly good job on the always-tough-to-beat Red Wings. This is all the more surprising because it is the Coyotes' first playoff appearance in eight years. I'm rooting for the Coyotes to knock off Detroit, so that Chicago won't have to face them (providing, once again, that they even make it past their first series).
The Boston Bruins are currently battling with the Buffalo Sabres, and the Bruins lead 3-2. The Sabres have an effective offense and a defense led by their silver medalist goalie, Ryan Miller, perhaps the best goalie in the league right now.
The Montreal Canadiens are facing the Washington Capitals, led by outstanding Alexander Ovechkin. The Caps lead it 3-2, and have a chance to finish the series tonight (cross your fingers and hope that the Canadiens will stay alive).
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
IU vs Notre Dame Soccer Game
On Tuesday, I went to an exhibition college soccer game, along with Sydney, her dad, and her aunt. The game was held in Parkview Stadium, the same place that the Fort Wayne Tin Caps play (part of the field was in the infield).
Once again, the conditions were not ideal. Despite the cold temperature and biting winds, we braved the elements and watched the exciting game go into overtime, tied at two goals (while enjoying a gargantuan bag of popcorn).
We sat out there, covered in blankets, for the first 10 minute overtime, and then decided (as well as much of the remaining crowd) that it was time to admit defeat to the temperature and head home.
We never did find out what the final score was (at least, I didn't, perhaps Sydney did). Oh well, it was a great game!
Once again, the conditions were not ideal. Despite the cold temperature and biting winds, we braved the elements and watched the exciting game go into overtime, tied at two goals (while enjoying a gargantuan bag of popcorn).
We sat out there, covered in blankets, for the first 10 minute overtime, and then decided (as well as much of the remaining crowd) that it was time to admit defeat to the temperature and head home.
We never did find out what the final score was (at least, I didn't, perhaps Sydney did). Oh well, it was a great game!
Last Regular Season Komets Game
My dad, my brother, and I got to attend the final regular season Komets game on Sunday. (Thanks to Sydney's aunt, who scored us some free tickets!)
The game was a sellout, and everyone was really excited, since if our opponents, the Flint Generals, won the game, they would advance to the playoffs (we had already secured our playoff spot). If they lost (providing that Bloomington lost also), their season would be over.
The game itself wasn't much of a thriller, but the K's scored two goals in the first period. However, Flint scored a pair of goals in the second period. After the Komets scored once more, the announcer informed us that Bloomington had won, which meant that even if they lost, Flint would be advancing to the playoffs.
The final score was 4-2, in favor of Fort Wayne. There were no fights, but Leo Thomas clearly wanted to hit somebody, and David Hukalo blatantly shoved an opponent onto the ice, nearly causing a scrum.
Let's Go Komets!
The game was a sellout, and everyone was really excited, since if our opponents, the Flint Generals, won the game, they would advance to the playoffs (we had already secured our playoff spot). If they lost (providing that Bloomington lost also), their season would be over.
The game itself wasn't much of a thriller, but the K's scored two goals in the first period. However, Flint scored a pair of goals in the second period. After the Komets scored once more, the announcer informed us that Bloomington had won, which meant that even if they lost, Flint would be advancing to the playoffs.
The final score was 4-2, in favor of Fort Wayne. There were no fights, but Leo Thomas clearly wanted to hit somebody, and David Hukalo blatantly shoved an opponent onto the ice, nearly causing a scrum.
Let's Go Komets!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Tin Caps 2010 Season Opener
The Fort Wayne Tin Caps started their second season off right by defeating the Bowling Green Hot Rod's 6-0. Sydney and I had the opportunity to attend the season opener with Sydney's aunts, her brother Dever, and a few of her aunt's friends.
The game was action-packed and full of exciting plays, including a home run and a pop fly that came within a few yards of our seats! The only bad part of the game was the temperature. It was in the 30's and 40's throughout the entire game, and the wind chill made it even worse!
The hot chocolate was in such demand that when we tried to get some, it was more like "chocolate water" than "hot chocolate".
Well, at least we got to enjoy the huge, beautiful Parkview Stadium and watch the Tin Caps win their season opener!
The game was action-packed and full of exciting plays, including a home run and a pop fly that came within a few yards of our seats! The only bad part of the game was the temperature. It was in the 30's and 40's throughout the entire game, and the wind chill made it even worse!
The hot chocolate was in such demand that when we tried to get some, it was more like "chocolate water" than "hot chocolate".
Well, at least we got to enjoy the huge, beautiful Parkview Stadium and watch the Tin Caps win their season opener!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Happy Easter!
He is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia!
We celebrated this Easter Sunday in Valparaiso and Crown Point. What better way to start Spring Break than by spending Easter Sunday with family?
On Friday, after my dad got home from work, we hopped in the van and headed to Valpo. At first, the beautiful, warm weather seemed like a good thing, but try spending 2 hours in a cramped van with no air conditioning! We were all thankful when we pulled into my grandparent's driveway.
After spending a few hours playing with our cousin Sarah (in this instance, "playing" means sitting upstairs talking), we went to Immanuel for the Good Friday church service.
As always, it was very sad and mournful. 8th graders from Immanuel read the entire passion story, and the beautiful choir sang the haunting Lenten melodies as the church lights slowly dimmed. By the end of the service, it was completely black inside the church. The congregation left in silence, reflecting on the great sacrifice Christ made for us.
We then went to Crown Point to stay with my Grandma and Grandpa Maravilla. My mom watched Passion of the Christ with Ben, but I refrained from watching the horrifying, disturbing tale of Jesus' death.
On Saturday we went to my Aunt Marge's house to decorate Easter eggs. I made three colorful, creative eggs, and designated one of them to be my fighter egg (read on to find out what I mean by "fighter egg").
Finally, Easter Sunday dawned! We attended St. Paul with Aunt Marge, and sang the joyful, glorious Easter songs, listened to the pastor's sermon titled, "The Sign of Jonah", and all-around rejoiced!
After church, we returned to our grandparent's house and found our Easter baskets waiting to be opened! My gifts included candy, bubbles that were at least a foot in diameter, candy, and candy.
After playing outside with our new toys, we went to my Aunt Sue's house for a delicious Easter dinner. We also had an Easter egg hunt in the backyard (David found the most eggs, with a lot of help from yours truly). Sadly, we had to go inside for the rest of the evening due to rain.
Making the most of our confinement inside, we meandered upstairs to play Star Wars Battlefront 2. Regrettably, we were interrupted during our intense battles by my parents calling us to leave.
I wasn't too disappointed, since our next visit would be to Valpo to visit my dad's side of the family! After the quick drive, we arrived once more at my Grandma and Grandpa Speckhard's house and were greeted joyously by my cousins (save the Green Bay Speckhards), grandparents, uncles, and aunts.
We played upstairs, watched some videos on Youtube, played a game of football, and then came the main event. . . the Easter Egg Crack.
The object of this game is simple: to crack your opponent's egg. When the two eggs are tapped (alright, smashed) together, only one of the eggs will crack. The other will remain unmarked, and the person whose egg breaks is the loser.
The stakes are very high. Not only does the winner of the Egg Crack receive a revered and treasured plaque, they obtain glory and bragging rights for the whole year. It is one of the most sacred Speckhard traditions, so we create a bracket for the tournament and each family member fills it out. At the end of the tournament, my Uncle Jody figures out who had the most accurate bracket, and that person receives $15. I had my cousin James winning it all. I have learned to never pick myself winning, since I am notoriously unlucky when it comes to the Easter Egg Crack.
My first opponent was my brother Ben, who I defeated. This put me in the Elite Eight, along with my mom, my brother Jacob, my cousin James, my Uncle Jerry, my cousin Michael, my Uncle Dan, and my cousin Sarah.
My next opposition was my cousin James, who I also beat, much to my surprise. By this point I was extremely shocked and excited, because I had never come that far before.
My 3 year-old brother Jacob defeated my Uncle Jerry (who had Jacob winning the tournament in his bracket), so I had to face up against him. Much to my embarrassment, Jacob prevailed, much to the delight of Uncle Jerry (who, perhaps more than anybody, gets very worked up about the Egg Crack).
Jacob was in the championship round against. . . my - and his - mother! The whole room was cheering for Jacob, who would become the youngest person to ever win the Egg Crack. However, despite the raucous support for Jacob, my mom emerged the victor and took the plaque. This is her third time winning the Easter Egg Crack.
We said goodbye and drove back to Crown Point. After a good night's sleep and delicious pancakes in the morning, we hopped in the van yet again, picked up my cousin Gianna, and headed to Chicago to visit the Museum of Science and Industry!
On the way, we got caught in traffic numerous times, but finally my dad was able to navigate the confusing Chicago streets and find the museum. After parking in the $16 parking garage, we wandered through the maze of cars, trying to find the entrance. After about two minutes of walking, Luke asked, "How much longer do we have to walk?" We knew it would be a long day for him.
After finally getting in, we started our endeavor by exploring the new weather exhibits. We saw a 40 foot-tall demonstration of a tornado, a huge coil suspended from the ceiling that created lightning, and much more.
We then went to the anatomy and health section, which was somewhat interesting but also disgusting. My mom, of course, found it fascinating, since she is currently studying anatomy and physiology at school. I usually like learning about the human body, but not when it's portrayed on a real dead body! We soon moved to a different exhibit, much to the dismay of my mother.
My favorite part of the trip was an exhibit called "Yesterday's Main Street", which showed a typical street in the 1920's, complete with the cobblestone road. It included a shoe store (the women's shoes were horrifyingly small), a dentist's office (I can't imagine what a trip to the dentist would've been like without Novocain), an ice cream parlor, a tailor shop, and a working cinema which showed old silent movies.
Another fascinating exhibit is the "Toymaker 3000", in which you can watch a small toy be made on a huge, mechanical assembly line. My dad was particularly interested in this, since he regularly works with engineering and robots. He was even more enthralled with the real Boeing airplane, which you could walk into and learn how airplanes work.
After a great day, we headed back to Crown Point to drop Gianna off, pick up our things, say our goodbyes, and head back to Fort Wayne.
Hope you had a wonderful Easter!
We celebrated this Easter Sunday in Valparaiso and Crown Point. What better way to start Spring Break than by spending Easter Sunday with family?
On Friday, after my dad got home from work, we hopped in the van and headed to Valpo. At first, the beautiful, warm weather seemed like a good thing, but try spending 2 hours in a cramped van with no air conditioning! We were all thankful when we pulled into my grandparent's driveway.
After spending a few hours playing with our cousin Sarah (in this instance, "playing" means sitting upstairs talking), we went to Immanuel for the Good Friday church service.
As always, it was very sad and mournful. 8th graders from Immanuel read the entire passion story, and the beautiful choir sang the haunting Lenten melodies as the church lights slowly dimmed. By the end of the service, it was completely black inside the church. The congregation left in silence, reflecting on the great sacrifice Christ made for us.
We then went to Crown Point to stay with my Grandma and Grandpa Maravilla. My mom watched Passion of the Christ with Ben, but I refrained from watching the horrifying, disturbing tale of Jesus' death.
On Saturday we went to my Aunt Marge's house to decorate Easter eggs. I made three colorful, creative eggs, and designated one of them to be my fighter egg (read on to find out what I mean by "fighter egg").
Finally, Easter Sunday dawned! We attended St. Paul with Aunt Marge, and sang the joyful, glorious Easter songs, listened to the pastor's sermon titled, "The Sign of Jonah", and all-around rejoiced!
After church, we returned to our grandparent's house and found our Easter baskets waiting to be opened! My gifts included candy, bubbles that were at least a foot in diameter, candy, and candy.
After playing outside with our new toys, we went to my Aunt Sue's house for a delicious Easter dinner. We also had an Easter egg hunt in the backyard (David found the most eggs, with a lot of help from yours truly). Sadly, we had to go inside for the rest of the evening due to rain.
Making the most of our confinement inside, we meandered upstairs to play Star Wars Battlefront 2. Regrettably, we were interrupted during our intense battles by my parents calling us to leave.
I wasn't too disappointed, since our next visit would be to Valpo to visit my dad's side of the family! After the quick drive, we arrived once more at my Grandma and Grandpa Speckhard's house and were greeted joyously by my cousins (save the Green Bay Speckhards), grandparents, uncles, and aunts.
We played upstairs, watched some videos on Youtube, played a game of football, and then came the main event. . . the Easter Egg Crack.
The object of this game is simple: to crack your opponent's egg. When the two eggs are tapped (alright, smashed) together, only one of the eggs will crack. The other will remain unmarked, and the person whose egg breaks is the loser.
The stakes are very high. Not only does the winner of the Egg Crack receive a revered and treasured plaque, they obtain glory and bragging rights for the whole year. It is one of the most sacred Speckhard traditions, so we create a bracket for the tournament and each family member fills it out. At the end of the tournament, my Uncle Jody figures out who had the most accurate bracket, and that person receives $15. I had my cousin James winning it all. I have learned to never pick myself winning, since I am notoriously unlucky when it comes to the Easter Egg Crack.
My first opponent was my brother Ben, who I defeated. This put me in the Elite Eight, along with my mom, my brother Jacob, my cousin James, my Uncle Jerry, my cousin Michael, my Uncle Dan, and my cousin Sarah.
My next opposition was my cousin James, who I also beat, much to my surprise. By this point I was extremely shocked and excited, because I had never come that far before.
My 3 year-old brother Jacob defeated my Uncle Jerry (who had Jacob winning the tournament in his bracket), so I had to face up against him. Much to my embarrassment, Jacob prevailed, much to the delight of Uncle Jerry (who, perhaps more than anybody, gets very worked up about the Egg Crack).
Jacob was in the championship round against. . . my - and his - mother! The whole room was cheering for Jacob, who would become the youngest person to ever win the Egg Crack. However, despite the raucous support for Jacob, my mom emerged the victor and took the plaque. This is her third time winning the Easter Egg Crack.
We said goodbye and drove back to Crown Point. After a good night's sleep and delicious pancakes in the morning, we hopped in the van yet again, picked up my cousin Gianna, and headed to Chicago to visit the Museum of Science and Industry!
On the way, we got caught in traffic numerous times, but finally my dad was able to navigate the confusing Chicago streets and find the museum. After parking in the $16 parking garage, we wandered through the maze of cars, trying to find the entrance. After about two minutes of walking, Luke asked, "How much longer do we have to walk?" We knew it would be a long day for him.
After finally getting in, we started our endeavor by exploring the new weather exhibits. We saw a 40 foot-tall demonstration of a tornado, a huge coil suspended from the ceiling that created lightning, and much more.
We then went to the anatomy and health section, which was somewhat interesting but also disgusting. My mom, of course, found it fascinating, since she is currently studying anatomy and physiology at school. I usually like learning about the human body, but not when it's portrayed on a real dead body! We soon moved to a different exhibit, much to the dismay of my mother.
My favorite part of the trip was an exhibit called "Yesterday's Main Street", which showed a typical street in the 1920's, complete with the cobblestone road. It included a shoe store (the women's shoes were horrifyingly small), a dentist's office (I can't imagine what a trip to the dentist would've been like without Novocain), an ice cream parlor, a tailor shop, and a working cinema which showed old silent movies.
Another fascinating exhibit is the "Toymaker 3000", in which you can watch a small toy be made on a huge, mechanical assembly line. My dad was particularly interested in this, since he regularly works with engineering and robots. He was even more enthralled with the real Boeing airplane, which you could walk into and learn how airplanes work.
After a great day, we headed back to Crown Point to drop Gianna off, pick up our things, say our goodbyes, and head back to Fort Wayne.
Hope you had a wonderful Easter!
NCAA National Championship Game
Last week, against all odds, the #5 Butler Bulldogs beat Michigan State in an intense game to advance to the NCAA national championship game. The Duke Blue Devils smoked the West Virginia Mountaineers after West Virginia's star player, Da'Sean Butler, hurt his knee and was forced to sit out for the rest of the game.
Duke was the heavy favorite to win the national title, but Butler kept right with them for the entire game, and the lead changed 11 times. Butler was never down by more than 5 points, and they were down by 1 at the very end of the game.
A Blue Devil was fouled, and he drained his first free throw to give Duke a 2 point lead. On his next free throw he missed intentionally to give his 7 foot 1 center a chance for a rebound. However, Gordon Hayward, Butler's sharpshooter and leader of the team, leaped over his Duke opponents, grabbed the rebound, dribbled furiously past several Blue Devils until he got to about half court, and as the final second ticked off the clock, he launched up a prayer. . . that clanged off the backboard and over the rim.
The Duke Blue Devils rushed out onto the court, along with their famed coach Mike Krzyzewski (pronounced shah SHEF skee), while the players, coaches, and fans of Butler hung their heads. Their dream season was over. They had gone undefeated in their conference. They had won 25 games in a row. They had come so close to winning a national championship. . .
Perhaps if their best center, Matt Howard, hadn't gotten into foul trouble, Butler could've pulled off a win. It was a great game, but it would've been more enjoyable to watch if Butler won.
Duke was the heavy favorite to win the national title, but Butler kept right with them for the entire game, and the lead changed 11 times. Butler was never down by more than 5 points, and they were down by 1 at the very end of the game.
A Blue Devil was fouled, and he drained his first free throw to give Duke a 2 point lead. On his next free throw he missed intentionally to give his 7 foot 1 center a chance for a rebound. However, Gordon Hayward, Butler's sharpshooter and leader of the team, leaped over his Duke opponents, grabbed the rebound, dribbled furiously past several Blue Devils until he got to about half court, and as the final second ticked off the clock, he launched up a prayer. . . that clanged off the backboard and over the rim.
The Duke Blue Devils rushed out onto the court, along with their famed coach Mike Krzyzewski (pronounced shah SHEF skee), while the players, coaches, and fans of Butler hung their heads. Their dream season was over. They had gone undefeated in their conference. They had won 25 games in a row. They had come so close to winning a national championship. . .
Perhaps if their best center, Matt Howard, hadn't gotten into foul trouble, Butler could've pulled off a win. It was a great game, but it would've been more enjoyable to watch if Butler won.
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