Update on the Update

Okay, since everyone is interested, I am going to post Sam's Science Fair Report:

Color or Words?

By: Sam Lofthouse

One day my brother gave me a test where you had to say the color of the word and not what the word said. That made my wonder if humans paid more attention to words or color. I decided to make a little poster and quiz people in my family. My hypothesis is they would get most of them wrong.

I found out that most people get them wrong. That is when there is a time limit. The time limit scares them and they rush. I think I should have used one.

I used a poster, a notebook, a pencil, and a person to a quiz. I made the poster thirty words long, and I almost made some words underlined, italic, or bold, and the words were a color but in a different color. For example: red in the color yellow. They had to say the color of the word to get it right. I then decided that they had to say the words in five seconds, but my brother changed my mind. I started with my little brother. He got nine wrong. Then I quizzed my older brother. He got three wrong. My little sister got one wrong. My mom, two wrong. My dad and other older brother got none wrong. I was going to try, but two lines in I realized I had no right, all wrong.

My hypothesis was wrong. The final score was 15 wrong, 165 right. I thought it would be the other way around. Even though they got them mostly right, they went really slowly. With a time limit, my hypothesis would be correct.

If any one did this project, I suggest that you do a time limit, and make some words underlined, italic, or bold.

So, there you have it. I also neglected to mention one other class that Ryan is taking next year: Japanese 2. Also, he was named a Student of the Month for February. We went to a little breakfast at the High School today to honor him. Good job, Ryan! And I have determined that Xander can say both "stupid" and "stop it." Great.

We took our Suburban in to the shop, because the brakes didn't feel or sound right. Good thing we did, since they were about to fail all together. It's all fixed now, though.

A Little Update

Okay, so my blog has gotten boring. Or maybe I'm just bored with it ... Tracy says it's because we're in the winter doldrums right now. Well, here's a little about what we're up to.

Xander gave up crawling about two weeks ago, and is officially a toddler, though I can't get him to wear shoes. He's also using a few words, mostly "this" and "that." He also says "yeah" a lot, and "drink" once in a while. And when he's mad he says something that sounds like "stupid," but may be "stop it." Not quite sure. He's such a cute baby!

Ryan is registering for his Junior classes next year. He's taking Concert Band, Jazz Band, AP Language, AP Physics, AP US History, AP Calculus, Social Dance, Seminary, and Marching Band. Plus Financial Literacy online. Yep. That's FOUR AP classes, and he'll only be a junior. Very cool. He'll start upper level college classes as soon as he graduates, I think.

Rusty moved up from Pre-Algebra to Algebra for the second semester. He is having fun in his CTE class. He sewed himself a bag, and he even sewed up his pajama pants when they ripped. He got to go to work with Tracy for job shadow day.

Sam just finished his fifth grade science fair. He did an experiment to see if our brains pay more attention to the color of the word or the word itself. For example, we had to say the color of the word instead of the color word (red, green, blue, etc.) He did a good job on it.

Finlay reads all the time, so it's hard to keep him in books. He's been enjoying Bone graphic novels lately. He went to the Cub Scout Belt Loop camp on Saturday and earned his science, geology, and math belt loops.

Camary is having fun with the paint program on the computer. She's moved into a big bed now, and we got her room a little more organized with a new toy bin.

Tracy went biking on the Antelope Island Causeway on Saturday. He had fun, but he's sore. He bought a nice big sun lamp to grow seeds in the basement. He just got released from the Sunday School calling that he's been doing for almost three years. More on his new calling later.

I submitted a query letter to Deseret Book, and I'm hoping they'll want to see the whole manuscript of my novel. I am in the planning stages of a new novel now. It's kind of scary since I've been writing short fiction for about 11 years. Sometimes I wonder if I can remember how to write a novel. Guess we'll see. Tracy and I had a good time on our anniversary date to the Gateway in Salt Lake. I guess that's about all for now.

Happy Anniversary (Saturday)

In honor of our 17 years together . . .

17 Great Memories of You!

1. That group date thing, when my hat blew out the car window and I made you stop and pull over to find it. Then you drove me all the way back to Provo for my ID with me bitching and moaning all the way. You really wanted to date me after that?

2. The time you invited me to your Family Home Evening Group cookout and even made me a tinfoil dinner, only we forgot silverware and Bryce had to use his machete to carve us chopsticks to eat our dinners.

3. We went on a picnic in Rock Canyon, and on the way down the canyon you slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting a snake in the road. I thought we were going to slide right off the cliff!

4. Our first kiss. (In case you don't remember it was September 3, 1991.)

5. The moment I first knew I was going to marry you.

6. When you asked me to marry you, you said, "I have a question," and I said, "I have an answer. You go first." (Hey, I wasn't expecting THAT question.)

7. Sitting in the Celestial Room together after we were sealed.

8. When we went shopping for a suit for our Utah reception and the salesman asked if it was for your mission.

9. The look on your face when you held each of your newborn babies.

10. When Rusty was born, and you and the midwife were busy cutting his (short) umbilical cord, and I asked if it was a boy or girl, since I hadn't seen him yet, and you said, "I don't know. I didn't look."

11. Our birthday trip to the Shakespearean Festival. Remember at the medieval dinner how we got to sit by an interracial lesbian couple? Something I don't see everyday.

12. Our anniversary trip to Cedar City/Brianhead. No wonder I love Cedar City.

13. The tippy-toe dance and subsequent hysterical giggling fit. (It's nice to be married to someone who occasionally causes hysterical giggling fits.)

14. Going on a drive and deciding we wanted to move out to the country.

15. Listening to you play the piano in church – every time.

16. Singing "The King of Love" with you.

17. When you sang "Fine as Fine Can Be" to me at the ward Valentines dance. I know all the other wives were so totally jealous.

Of course, I have many more memories of vacations, camping, hiking, nightly talks, etc. The past seventeen years have been anything but dull. Thanks for the memories, Tracy. Happy Anniversary. I love you!

Things I Love About Tiff

Okay, Tiff wanted a new blog post (about her), so here goes:

What I love about Tiffany:

Your funny giggle that makes me laugh
Your pretty eyes
Your pretty hair
Your smile
Your generosity and willingness to share
Your kindness
Your tender heart
How good you are with kids and the elderly
Your awesome photography skills. (Come visit me to see how good the windmill picture looks on my desk!)
Your great sense of humor
All the fun times we've had together

I love you and I am so happy that you found your true love and are getting married! I hope the two of you have many, many happy years together!