The Science Project Story - Part Two...
Though this story can stand on it's own, there's a back story...
At the time football practice was three nights a week, and the boys had one more game - The Super Bowl. Keeping my priorities straight, I wanted to stress out about the game - not the science project.
The Science Project Part Two
When I read the science project timeline I said, "You have GOT to be kidding me!" This was going to throw a monkey wrench in my seasonal timeline.
The topic was due in a week. The research plan by Thanksgiving and the project itself was due the Monday after the kids returned from Christmas break. The Christmas break where we would be traveling.
I needed to get to work!
One of my cousins responded to my facebook post and messaged me with some ideas.
"Static electricity... electromagnetism.. he could demo how you can power a light bulb from a battery and explain how the current flows. He could talk about momentum...or build a pendulum (kinetic vs potential energy)"
Um "kinetic" was over my head. I understood light bulb and battery.
By the time Christopher came home from school, I had chosen the topic. I had him sit with me while WE looked for something he would be interested in.
I said, "Oooh look at this one. How would you like to make a battery out of coins and use it to power an LED!?" He thought that would be, "AWESOME!"
I ordered our supplies, we finished two days before traveling for Christmas and the rest is history. It's was over. Or so I thought.
Three days after the science project due date...
Christopher came home after school, running in from the bus stop. "Mom! Mooooom! I've got some good news! Guess what?" Naively, I guessed that his tooth came out at school and then that he met his "AR" goal.
"That's not iiiiiittttt", he sang.
Then I gasped and said, "You got an A on your science project?" He said, "Better than that!" I thought, OMG what?!
He said, "I won! I'm going to the county!" while producing his bronze medal.
He told me that he would be bringing his tri-fold board back home and we needed to do some more stuff.
Moooore stuff?
I gotta tell you, the first thought that ran through my mind was what kind of crap did the rest of the third grade turn in that WE won?
I said, "That's wonderful buddy! All of our hard work paid off", while thinking, there goes that monkey wrench in my timeline again. 
A sticky note came home that Friday from the science teacher with suggestions to label and cite all the pictures. I also had to complete a 250-word abstract for the judges to read.
Yeah like a third grader is going to write a 250-word abstract. Say it with me, "Whose science project IS THIS anyway?"
The revised board should be turned in by the following Wednesday.
"We are hosting this event, so please make sure that you are representing our school appropriately. Please consider this for how you dress and act that evening."
I took that to mean Christopher needed a new shirt, tie, pants and shoes. This was a BIG deal.
I believe this induced PMS. I could have cried not happy tears and gone on a snack attack. I wanted this to be over. It was supposed to be OVER.
Here's the thing... you are not going to believe what happened next. I even said, "I didn't see that coming".
Stay tuned for the third and final part.