Build A Better Mousetrap. . .

. . .and engineers will just use it to fling Ping Pong balls.

In an effort to boost morale or to promote teamwork or perhaps just to get rid of an excess of Ping Pong balls and moustraps, the "higher ups" at the air force base announced a contest: Create a device that employs a mousetrap to catapult Ping Pong balls into a bucket 10 feet away.

After a trip to the hardware store and a few hours hunkered down in the garage, Jared emerged with a contraption. We spent the better part of last weekend launching Ping Pong balls across the living room, as Jared fine-tuned his Ping-Pong-a-pault and practiced for the big event. (Elizabeth and Anna LOVED this--Elizabeth would launch the balls and Anna would shriek with delight as they flew through the air and bounced and rolled around the room.)

Competition day dawned cold and grey. At the gymnasium on base, the geeks were out in full force. In the first round Jared tied with another engineer for first place, but the Mouse-a-pult had suffered some injuries. (We probably shouldn't have played with it *quite* so much over the weekend!) Jared had to resort to a quick-and-dirty repair job, heavy on duct tape, to be ready for the overtime round. But would it be enough? He took his place at the competition table, waited for the signal, and began firing. Another engineer happened to record the final round on her cell phone and shared it with Jared, so you have the select pleasure of actually watching the action:



That final shot--the one that hit the floor and then bounced into the bucket--put Jared one point ahead of his competitor, securing for him not only the gift certificate but also bragging rights. If only launching Ping Pong balls with a mousetrap were something one is apt to want to brag about. . .But truly, we ARE proud of our husband/dad and his many talents, including this one. Holly is particularly grateful for this skill--it's going to come in handy when our kids come home with one of those assignments that science teachers design to be engaging, authentic learning experiences but which inevitably ends up with a parent sitting with their frustrated, exhausted child at the kitchen table at 2 AM, surrounded by duct tape, cardboard, and muffin tin liners.

(Oh, and Jared has just informed me that I have left out much of the high drama regarding the duct tape repairs. . .you'll have to ask him for the details.)

The Grumpiest Little Pirate

A few weeks ago Anna was happily playing by herself when she poked herself in the eye. Several hours later she was still acting pretty miserable, so Mom took her in to the pediatrician, who confirmed a corneal scratch and sent us home with ointment and an eye patch for our poor little monkey. Thankfully eyes (particularly babies' eyes) heal VERY quickly; by the next day the scratch was gone and Anna was back to her happy self--just in time to cut tooth #4 and start crawling.

I can't understand why Mother Nature designed babies so that they gain mobility right after they learn to pick up tiny objects--but before they've gotten over that urge to put EVERYTHING in their mouths. These days Anna much prefers dust bunnies and tiny balls of lint to anything the Gerber company has to offer. Maybe I should just start scattering Cheerios across the floor. . .