From the Archives at Homeschoolblogger.com at Chronicles of a Family at Home - Dec. 10, 2007: Worse than public speaking

The only thing worse than public speaking for getting my stomach in distress is having my son participate in the annual Spelling Bee.  I was running to and fro to the bathroom all morning in anticipation.  So, it is with mixed emotion that I report that Oldest Son will be advancing to the next level of intestinal torture on January 7th.  He missed the word "futon" after about a million back and forths between the two of them at the end and so came in second place to the same 8th grade boy who won last year -- same situation with an extended spell-off, so I was very proud of him (it actually crossed my mind that he might have missed "futon" from sheer extended stress, if not just impatience for it to end, since he already knew he was advancing.  He denies this).  They will meet again at the Smoky Mountain HEA Bee where last year the two boys placed 1st and 2nd place also.  Oldest Son is motivated purely by the possibility of a trip to Washington D.C. if he can win two more contests.  I'm just glad he's motivated by SOMETHING.  Hmmm.  Perhaps I should promise him a trip to somewhere fun if he completes his Math and Grammar early this year??