The Countdown's On!

WORD UP: This morning first thing on the docket was the First Annual "Word Girl Definition Competition." ("Word Girl" is a PBS show with an emphasis on vocabulary.) We've been building up to this competition for a couple of weeks now, studying special Word Girl worksheets and looking up the meanings of words. As we waited at the computer for the clock to strike 10 a.m., the kids were both excited and nervous.

Presented by Scholastic, the competition's format was a live Web cast out of New York. There were four contestants (about 9 years old, I'd guess) and an emcee. Interpersed were animated clips of Word Girl and her sidekick, Captain Huggyface (a chimpanzee).

There were three rounds of questions relating to word definitions, and then a bonus round (antonyms). The kids took it very seriously. The event had their full attention and they answered every question right. I think they are pretty certain they'll be receiving some sort of trophy from the competition HQ.

At the end of the event they did a celebratory dance to the "Word Girl" theme.

ROBOT MASTERS: After the competition, the kids were still in Word Girl mode, so I let them play around on the "Word Girl" Web site. They chose to play "Tobey's Robot Workshop."

CJ's robot had a bit of Wild West influence. All three heads were wearing cowboy hats and its body had on a brown vest.

I asked each of them to write three sentences about their robots. CJ wrote, 'My robot power is descueing (destroying). My robot has six arms. My robot has four lags."

Annabelle's three-headed robot had an angry Carmen Miranda look going. "My robot has a funny power. Its funny power is huging. My robot is goldin My robot is relly big."

VITAMIN D: Our outside time today was spent in the yard. I really wanted to get it a close crop mow before we leave. So while I was mowing and weed eating, the kids ran about the property for a good hour.

DOWN SOUTH: Tuesday means yoga. After the kids' session we went across the street with a friend from class and the kids had a cookie to celebrate our upcoming trip. Speaking of which ...

ON THE CLOCK: Today at 4 p.m. our time, the official countdown clock for shuttle misison STS-132 got underway. Yeehaw!

According to a NASA press release today, "Teams at the Kennedy Space Center and at other centers around the country have been working very hard to get this vehicle ready to fly, and I am happy to report everything is going quite well at [Launch Pad 39A]," NASA Test Director Steve Payne said Tuesday morning. "Atlantis, crew and launch team are ready to go and looking forward to a beautiful launch Friday afternoon."
Image above: Members of the STS-132 launch team take their stations in Firing Room 4 for the start of the STS-132 launch countdown. From left are United Space Alliance Orbiter Test Conductors Lauren Sally and Scott Kraftchick and NASA Test Directors William Heidtman and Jeffrey Skaja. Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett.