FLL World's Competition

(I realize that this post is extremely late, and I apologize for that.)

Knut ready for the day (note all the buttons!)

The first thing to do on Wednesday was set up the pit area... each team had a designated "booth" for display boards, lists of sponsors, pictures, banners, and just as a hangout for the team when they weren't in judging. 

Scott explaining his idea of how to put up the streamers 

The team in front of the newly set up pit area 

Having fun with Cameron's accordion

Picture with members of another team

Robo Raiders in their "competition attire" 

Ready for the practice robot run

Joe and Scott during the run

Justine going over the score with the ref

 

The team talking to Scott Evans, the designer of the robot game. He was very impressed by their robot's design, and he asked them to notify him whenever they had a run so that he could watch every one of them. Quite a big compliment to the team... ;)

About to practice the research presentation...

Cameron played the Chicken Dance on his accordion and got some of the volunteers to dance along.

Robo Raiders with members of Da Ex Bots, another team from the SCCCHE group. 

A Japanese team, the Falcons, that performed during the opening ceremonies 

The "official photos"...

3rd Place Champions Award

Mentor Award

Guess who won third place at the international First Lego League competition?

Congratulations Robo Raiders!!!!!

And guess who won the adult mentor award?

Congratulations Grandpa Davis!!!!!

News

What have we been up to in 2013 thus far?

Bright Lights...

His Lighthouse...

FLL...

Lyceum...

Church...

(In choir rehearsal, as Mom is accompanying... Papa is directing; the choir is waiting for his signal to come in. He's telling a stupid joke.)
Mom: (playing last measure over and over) How long are you going to beat??
Papa: I don't know; I'm telling something stupid!

Leify sleeping through the Wednesday night Lenten service

Time with friends...

Jael: You are such a literalist! You've been around Sylvia too long.
Sophi: ...we love you, Sylvia!
Kira: Jael loves you, too!
Abi: Can you tell? 

Fun at home...

Sewing...

Reading...

Music...

Interesting dinner conversations...

Mom: You HAD a brain.
Papa: What, you mean I don't anymore?
Mom: No; now you have two brains: your internal brain and your external brain.
Cecily: What, his moustache?
Mom: No, his iPhone.

School...

Sylvia: Thor, please use your brains. I know you have them and they're very good.
Thor: Actually, I only have one, and I left it up in my room. And it's very small.
Knut: I left mine at the last FLL competition.
(I found out several days later that they were talking about little toy rubber brains.)

Gloria: Where's my pencil?
Mom: We need to weld it to a chain around your neck so you don't lose it.
Sylvia: Good idea... except that if you try to weld a pencil, it will die.

Mom: Knut, do you want to participate in the 8th grade graduation?
Knut: ...I thought I was in 7th grade.

Knut: Haven't you ever heard the story of how the Penguins launched Penguin Books? 

Mom: When YOU have to write your essay about how life experience is helpful, you can write about...
Knut: TOAST!!!
Mom: ...whatever. *sighs*

Mom: Okay; as long as what you're doing is brainless.

Mom: Wow... um... I'm glad I asked this question!
Knut: I'm brilliant.
Mom: No, that was totally wrong!
Knut: Glad you liked my joke! Now do you wanna hear the real answer?

Knut: The first full-length American movie was Birth of a Toaster. (It was "Birth of a Nation")

Mom: Don't leave yet! You still need to listen to this book.
Knut: Mom, since I can multitask... *picks up comic book*
Mom: NOT Calvin and Hobbes. 

Knut: Nooo!!! Think, think, think, think, think, Vern!
Sylvia: *starts laughing*
Knut: WHAT!?
Sylvia: Other than the fact that you're telling VERN to think when YOU'RE taking a French test?
Knut: But he can tell me the answer!
Sylvia: That would be cheating.
Mom: At least when homeschoolers cheat it's only because their imaginary friend helps them!
Knut: But Vern's not imaginary.
Sylvia: That's for sure!

Sylvia: Stop sitting around doing nothing! Or... I'll start asking you random questions.
Cecily: *jumps up and runs away* 

Planning...

Knut: We'll head out from here...
Sylvia: Well, where else would we head out from?
Knut: Mars. Anyway, then we'll...

Disc golf...

Randomness...

Cecily: There's a loose baby lying around! 

Thor: C'mon, Knut; what are you doing?
Knut: I'm taking over the world; just give me a second!
Thor: Hurry up!

Cecily: I'm broke. No, wait, I'm not broke! I found 75 cents!
Mom: Where'd you find it? In my purse?

VX3's Regional Competition

VX3 did extremely well in their Regional competition this weekend. They did not get an award, but they had a robot run of 265 - one of their best - and had great answers in Core Values and Research Project judging. 

Annnnd... they carried out one of their team's Core Values by having lots of fun! :)

Showing the glorpes to the Flaming Ninja Bunnies team

Playing Mafia with team Heat

Thor showing enthusiasm :)

Zoe and Cecily handing out gum to other teams 

Thor making balloon animals for the Curious Pandas 

Zoe giving gum to a team that was handing out cookies

Jared explaining VX3's research project to a girl on another team 

In the gym, just before the opening ceremonies

These cute little "Lego men" were walking around for most of the day. I'm not sure which team they were from, but their costumes were pretty cool! 

Thor and Zoe representing VX3 in the "Spirit Parade" 

The ref showing the score to Cecily after VX3's first robot run

Zoe and Jared getting ready for the run 

In Technical judging

Shaking hands with the judges after Research Presentation judging

In Core Values Judging

Zoe's glorpe "shaking hands" with the judges after Core Values judging 

The team and coaches, with participation medals

VX3 plus glorpes and hats

I uploaded most of the videos I took during the two days to YouTube. You can view them here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjcO03e4DXsE5OrRfp-Bul6J1_b-esDWs