Egg Drop

Imagine I am in the middle of Spirit Week. I have just subbed two days at the library. The house is not clean. I got my hair done two days ago, but no one noticed. (That's another post) I'm trying to get everyone packed for Idaho. Don't forget making Jolly Rancher Suckers and 4 dozen cake bites. I don't get really stressed, but my stress level is working its way up to a higher altitude. Robyn almost forgot her big science project on Thursday morning (because she was dressed as Hermione) but I gave it to her at the last minute. Then Thursday evening, I see a piece of paper on the table saying Robyn has an egg drop assignment due on Friday.

That can't be Friday, as in TOMORROW Friday, can it?? She hasn't even mentioned this project!!

I may have lost my cool just a bit.

I remember doing the egg drop in Jr. High. My egg did not survive. Clearly I wasn't the person to help Robyn throw this together at the last minute.

Then she used words which were glorious and unbelievable at the same time: "Mom, the assignment is OPTIONAL."

My temper began to recede to normal levels. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, calm down." (I'm calm. Sheesh, you haven't even seen the crazy mom yet.)

At this point, I don't have the energy to question further. I'm just going to trust that the assignment is optional. I am headed out the door anyway to take Ivory to gymnastics. June suddenly comes up with an idea to wrap an egg in a big ball of Saran Wrap like the candy ball that Kathryn made over Christmas. (Too bad I don't have any pictures of that.) There is a desire to use any and all plastic wrap we have in the house. Okay I say while I walk out the door.

I came back to two children finishing up a very large ball of Saran Wrap. I can only assume there is an egg inside. It looks good. I didn't have to help...that is the best part. Just little brains at work. Then I decide that since they went to all that trouble, I should go take pictures. (Plus, I have to drop off suckers anyway.)

Fast forward a few hours:

The egg drop was an event for the sixth grade. Apparently if homework was completed, you could work on designing a contraption for your egg. As you know, Robyn didn't bother with it...until the night before. I found a good seat in the shade to watch two teachers throw eggs off the roof. (You don't see that every day.)

You will notice that many of the kids are in red. (It was 'dress in red from head to toe' day for spirit week.) Please note that Robyn is wearing purple. I'm not sure you can see her in the this picture, so note it in upcoming photos.

I was impressed with how many kids did decide to do the project. The eggs just kept raining down. Then I spotted what looked like a large ball of plastic wrap.

This guy didn't just drop it...he threw it up. Good luck little egg.

Down, down, down. And then it bounced. That was pretty cool. Not many projects bounced.

Robyn scooped up her project and brought it over to the large trash bin where many unlucky eggs were being deposited. We had no clue whether her egg made it. Mr. Harward grabbed one end of the plastic and started to pull. He let the ball drop into the garbage and just kept rolling and pulling yard after yard of plastic away from it.

There was a sizable pile growing at his feet.

He eventually turned the ball over to Robyn. While other eggs came and went, he gave a running report on Robyn's egg, which basically consisted of:

Still going.

Still working on this one.

Not finished yet.

I think I need to shave again.

It did take a good long time. She wasn't kidding when she used all the Saran Wrap we had in the house. Progress was slow but steady.

Finally you could tell that there might be an egg inside. During the last stage it was important to be careful. You wouldn't want to get this far only to drop the egg.

What do you know. STILL ALIVE!

I was very proud of her. Wish I had thought of plastic wrap back in the day. Glad to see my kids are smarter than I am.