Patrick

just now adam was really smart and tried to lock the door by unlocking it LOL!!!! Today we did our main challenge. Our structure was over weight be cause of the humidity. Next time we will bring a hair dryer to take out moisture!

More Practicing

Practicing in the belly of the beast

We are practicing our skit before competition.

Another Early Morning

Cecilia, Mary and Kelsea decided to watch the North Platte team. We are preparing for breakfast, a walk to the Knoxville Convention Center and then some enjoyable Improv.

Question, "How do you stop a mad improv team from attacking?"

Answer, "Throw a random element at them."

;-)

Mike

Thursday Wrap-Up

Here are the pictures for the costume ball.

Costume Ball

In this set of pictures are pictures taken by Mary (Who agreed to post to the blog in agreement for the use of the camera. I did not make her blog. I entered into a binding verbal agreement for the trading of services. Hmmm, I wonder if I should consult a lawyer on this ;-)

I took the pictures at the Costume Party including the pictures of the Flintstone's car. This was made by a team and brought to the costume ball. It was very well made.

Our team presents our solution for Central Challenge tomorrow.

- Mike

Im only blogging because mike made me.

ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... lots of trading stuff and yeah um im meating people all around the world its really cool and i saw a team from china that were competing against us it was VERY cool so im very exited.

-mary

<<((--__--))>>

today for breakfast we had french toast.then we went and did our instant challenge. after ur instant chalenge u do a tada which is a little skit thing for like the end of the year. after that we had lunch. after lunch we looked over our props for 2morow and saw a few high school challenges. then some of us went pin trading and I went with 2 others peoples to go swimming. the pool was filled up on monday so it was FREEZING!!!!! after swimming we went to trade more pins. then we had dinner. and then we went to the costume ball (more of a party) at the party they played some recordings and then they had a live band come on the stage and play. then i came back did homework for like 15min and the went and got a snack and now i am blogging about blogging


<<((--__--))>>
-Chao (aka, bye) =)

Patrick

Today at lunch the whole group sang happy b-day to me. Then at dinner the whole cafeteria sang happy b-day to me i also got all the muddy water pins done! We went to see some challenges and I thought that the mystery one was the best. We had our Costume Ball tonight at 7:30 to 9:30. I was the first one in our team to complete the muddy water set!! =)

Our team is somewhere in there

Preparing for the Costume Ball

Now the team prepares for the costume ball. The team is making final adjustments to their duct tape costumes.

Lea has agreed to braid hair.

The adults will chaperon the team tonight.

Patrick's Birthday Supper

To follow-up on Patrick's lunch, Kelsea, Mary, and Cecilia talked to everyone in our cafeteria. They asked the whole room to sing "Happy Birthday" to Patrick.

From Patrick's Birthday

Patrick's Birthday Lunch II

Patrick's Birthday Lunch

This picture and the story behind it embody the week we had.

Jim Brunner (aka Superman)decided around 11:00 PM on Wednesday night. Wednesday night after walking all over Knoxville and campus, that is after Opening Ceremonies, to walk to downtown Knoxville to find candles for Patrick's birthday.

At lunch, Jim placed a brownie with matches on it in front of Patrick. No candles were found last night but in true DI fashion, Jim crafted "candles" from matchsticks.

We all sang happy birthday to Patrick with a few other DI'ers from surrounding tables joining us.

Mike

Mary's favorite hat

Patient parenting

More adjustments

Back at the prop are

The team is making final adjustments to their props.

Scenes from the Instant Challenge

Tada

Pin Trading

So far, who is enjoying pin trading the most?

Mary's First Trade

From Luke and Anna

Hi Mom and Adam! We are going to be there at about 8 pm on Friday night! See you there!

Instant Challenge Morning

The team will leave at 7:30 AM with some of the parents. The parents were offered to have this morning to themselves. However, I already met a few them in the bathroom this morning (obviously Ted and Jim).

Mary and Kelsea are awake noticing the "hamster in our door". We (Cecilia and Mike) have a hamster in door.

Hamster in the door

Our paperwork is ready.

Instant Challenge Morning and Paperwork

We eat at Strong Hall this morning.

And we are wearing our Irving DI team t-shirts (good idea, Mary, Kelsea and Jim).

Mike

Last post of the night (before it becomes morning)

Mary and Lea arrived safely.

I have attached another set of pictures from earlier this morning.

Wednesday

The pictures start with the team meeting kids from South Dakota in search of the elusive Muddi Waters' pins.

Followed by Patrick and a Powerade concoction created by Patrick.

Next is a series of maps of Knoxville that mimic micro-chips. These are found in the Knoxville Convention Center.

Finally, a Patrick of Patrick before Opening Ceremonies.

Also, the new look and feel of the blog is courtesy of Mary.

Comments from Megan after Opening Ceremonies

I apologize. This video is very uneven. It was filmed as we walked.

Megan after Opening Ceremonies

Comments from Adam after Opening Ceremonies

Adam after Opening Ceremonies

Kelsea

hmmmmmmmmm what to write. I am enjoyng looking over my pins. I have some of the greatest ever. I traded one of my two California pins for two a Guatemala pin, (the kid I traded with was nice and gave me an extra pin) the Guatemala pins are cool because they are all home-made and there are dolls and beaded animals, and they are vary cool. And then after opening-ceremony I found another Californian and got another geetar pin. Opening ceremony was cool, it was fun to see everyone in one place. I have been meeting a ton of people from various areas like turkey and Guatemala and Colombia( the colombia kids gave me some yummy coffe flavored candy). I am oober excited abbout our competition because we went to go see the place where we will be competing and It is huge and amazing and we blew up balloons for our backround, and the greatest news of the day..... I MADE THE MOST AMAZING CAPE EVER!!!! I found a trashbag and was wearing that untill we went ack to the dorms and I wanted to decorate my cape so I trimmed the edges with purple and green duct-tape and then I put a big DI on the middle. It is super cool looking and I wore it around all day and to the ceremonies and dinner and the pep-rally. We also started shouting GO BIG REEDDDD when ever a nebraska team was near, it was more fun when we got a GO BIG RED in return. We have certainly had an exciting day. and good night.

<<((--__--))>> <<((--__--))>>








HURAY!

(Adam) <<((--__--))>>

first today we went pin ttrading and then we ate break of the fast andthen we went swimming and right after that pin trading and lunch.i have all of the muddy waters except iowa, illinois, and montana. i hope to get them all 2morow so then i dont have to keep on looking for them. they would probably become hard to get after 2morow. fyi muddy waters r little guitar pins from 9 diferent states: nebraska, iowa, illinois, minnesota(go vikings!) , montana, missouri, north dakota, south dakota, and wisconsin. then we went to dinner and then straight to opening ceremonies. there were movies, fireworks, people talking (duh) and they had a handful of people from each country/state come and walk around on the floor of the basketball court. THIS STADIUM IS THE BIGGEST I HAVE EVER BEEN IN! NO JOKERING AROUND, THIS PLACE MORE GINORMOUSLYHUMOUNGOLYHUGERLYSUPERLYBIGGERESTAWESWOMELYBIGGERESTGIGANTORLYHUMONGOLYAMAZ-
INGLYBIGGERLYHUGENORMOUS! (if you can read that i am amazed.) well good bye!
<<((--__--))>>

Patrick

Today I got one of 150 pins made. It is a dancing lion that is orange! We had our opening ceremony that was cool but also boring. I like the Pewter Pins which are really cool. People on my team and other people say that I have the most Pue3ter (i am to lazy to delete Pue3ter. I meant to say Pewter.) pins that they have seen. The fire works at the ceremony where really cool!

Confetti at the end

Minutes before

Before Opening Ceremonies

Opening Ceremonies

Have a super time at Opening Ceremonies! Tristan and I will be watching for you!

Megan and Ted arrive

I received a call from Ted and Megan. They are in Knoxville.

Nebraska Crew

Nebraska team managers at the Team Manager meeting.

Pep Rally

Well, this is not the pep rally. It is the team manager's meeting :-(.

The rest of the crew is attending the "fun" pep rally.

Mike

Pictures from Patrick's phone

These pictures are primarily from the bus trip so they are out of order with regards to date and time.

They are still fun.

Patrick

It would seem from the last few pictures that Patrick likes trees and making faces.

For Kent

Trading pins with the Korean team.

Muddi Waters' Jam in the Knoxville Convention Center

Team at the Prop area

This is the team at the prop area.

Adam eating at Smokey's

Adam likes Smokeys the best

Scenes from the pool

Here are some videos of the kids enjoying the pool.

Diving in Knoxville

Heading North to Go South

Megan and I are up, the coffee maker with automatic timer has performed its magic, and we're off to the Lincoln airport and ready for leg one of our route to DI (Lincoln Airport to Minneapolis-St Paul naturally). See everyone soon.