Political and Birthday Parties

DEBATABLE: Today's social studies lesson came via the third and final (hooray!) debate of this presidential election cycle.

To make it more interesting, we printed out debate 'bingo' cards we found on the Seattle Times' site. 

The cards kept the kids' attention, and they each got multiple bingos, but not quite a blackout.

12: Usually, in Seattle, when we're talking about 12, it has to do with the Seahawks and the 12th Man. Yesterday the big 12 was Annabelle, as in 12 years old now, as it was her birthday.

She had classes in the morning, a Dungeons and Dragons session at noon, and the rest of the afternoon was basically what she wanted to do. We headed to Gameworks, a two-story arcade downtown.  There, the bartender made her a Shirley Temple and gave her a couple of comp game cards - nice!

She and CJ had fun playing many of their favorites, including Dance, Dance Revolution and Tank, Tank, Tank.

For dinner, we hit Lunchbox Laboratory, which we all love. 

Bee and CeeJ each entered a coloring contest there, and got a coupon for a free kids' meal for their 'trouble.'

Dessert was a great ice cream cake from Ben & Jerry's. Annabelle picked out its ingredients: One layer was Phish food, another was chocolate chip cookie dough. She had tie dyed frosting and cookie crumbs somewhere in the mix.

It was a good day!

WIN SOME, LOSE SOME: On Sunday, we watched Ortbital ATK launch an Antares rocket with a Cygnus capsule atop it, the capsule loaded with cargo to resupply the ISS. 

It was a beautiful night launch. 
https://youtu.be/NX31vCePp1o

It was an important flight for them, as it was their first since their launch pad disaster back in October of 2014, when their rocket exploded shortly after lift off, destroying the capsule, cargo and seriously damaging the launch pad.  
(Video of that disaster below - a few 'words' from the press pool as they watch it unfold.)
https://youtu.be/MZ0SgAU9LXI


Today, we followed news of the European Space Agency's Mars lander, which separated from its Mars-orbiting spacecraft, with some unexpected results. The lander was set to touch down on the Red Planet today after a seven month journey. 

From the ESA, this artist's rendition shows the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and its entry, descent and landing demonstrator module, Schiaparelli, approaching Mars. 

Sadly, shortly before landing time, the ESA lost contact with Schiaparelli, their landing craft. 

There's concern that it has been lost permanently, but of course the ESA continues to monitor and try to make contact. 

We'll continue to watch from afar, and hope for good news.