What, I wasn't going to notice?

S had to get rid of a tangle in her hair and she certainly managed to do that:

(not a great image-I had to use my phone)

And here she is with her new 'do':

Belt Testing

When S had her gymnastics showcase, J was scheduled to have her orange belt testing at the same time about 20 minutes away. It couldn't happen. Today was the makeup test.

When I first got there I thought this makeup test was great...not near as many people, easier to see...

Then he said testing would last about 2 1/2 hours. I know it hasn't lasted that long in the past...he would say that the kids had already passed the testing and that 'gathering' was to show their parents what they could do. Not so today.

The short version of the story is about 2 hours of karate style calisthenics, repetitive kicks and punches - 50 reps on each for orange belts - and then forms and board busting. We were also there for the grueling sparring that the brown belt candidates went through. Watching people who have been working out for 2 hours get pummeled was not that fun...

Here's my gold belt girl doing her testing and my new orange belt with her karate master - he told me he was so proud of her.

You decide...

She's over 17...she either deserves the crown or she deserves not to have to wear it...

Yardwork

After a couple of years of drought and very low lake levels most are enjoying the rainy spring we are having. Lakes are returning to their full pool and lawns are green again.

But really...enough is enough...it has rained A LOT lately and often weekends...getting dry time when one is off work so that yards can get mowed has just not happened. Add to that a backyard that is 'au natural' and there are areas that are very much resembling the South American rain forest.

Monday afternoon I declared we were going to do 30 minutes of yardwork...I called for long sleeves and long pants and here we have the results...In S's defense, I did not say anything about hairpieces.

Motor Mouth

Let’s see…in a period of 6 days S lost a toenail, graduated from PreK, had a gymnastics showcase and lost her first tooth.

Today we’ll talk about J. One of the things I have been doing with the kids is whenever I send an email about an accomplishment or a ‘kids say the darnedest things’ incident I save it in a file for them to see when they get older. Such was not the case from the beginning, though, so this particular story can’t be cut and pasted I have to retype it…

When J was quite young (9-10 months?) and we were grocery shopping, she was sitting in the toddler seat part of the cart and wanted to hold the groceries. I gave her the havarti dill cheese to hold (cheese type I know, child’s age-not so much). She held that cheese and babbled at it non-stop for the rest of the shopping trip. She was so animated in her chatter that at one point a man walking by said, “I don’t know what it did, but it is never going to do it again.” I told people then, that I had a feeling I was going to have a very verbal child.

She is very articulate, social, inquisitive and there is never any reticence in discussing any topic at pretty much any opportunity. One of her teachers has nicknamed her motor mouth…so, no surprise she has gotten talked to more than once about talking. She has come home a few times lately complaining that no matter how many people are talking, it is always J that gets in trouble. WELL…in addition to the standard parent line of “If you are quiet when you are supposed to be…” I have pointed out to her that she has a very loud, strong voice and perhaps that is why people hear her talking easiest – she insists that she IS whispering very quietly.

Last night she came bounding out after school saying, “oh and mom, bad news. I can’t have field day…I got in trouble for talking…but C and H and G and T were talking and I was the only one that got in trouble…” More discussion about how come only she got in trouble, when it happened, why she shouldn’t have been talking (and I’m thinking – “well, I am NOT volunteering for that field day if you aren’t going to be there!!!!” )

We left school and were on to S’s last gymnastics class. J and one other big sister were allowed to participate…dive rolls, tumble track, through the raised hula hoop rolls, vaults….all around fun for all involved. Well, almost all fun…there was that issue of standing in line waiting your turn and there was J chattering away with the other big sister. From the other end of the room I couldn’t hear a thing but what I saw explained it all…other big sister was standing still looking at J and talking. J was chattering away smiles ear to ear, hands gesturing, bouncing from one foot to the other, head bobbing…I have more than solved the mystery of why she is always the one caught…

Today's lesson to J - it is just as important for your body to whisper as your voice.

Note: J's teacher was out for the 'barred from field day' incident and she intervened...J got field day and below we see her after a hard workout...

It’s a Milestone…

...or rather a ‘smilestone’. Adding to the big week of graduation and gymnastics showcase, S has lost her first tooth. Yesterday was the big day on the ride home and she excitedly told J as soon as we picked her up from school. In a good big sister moment, J babbled on all about what to expect next, how to eat as new teeth come in…and how the tooth fairy brings a gift AND a dollar for the first tooth…good thing J was there to give her the lowdown because I would only have thought to tell her about the gift…I hadn’t remembered J got a dollar along with the gift.

S woke this morning and excitedly found a gift (and a dollar)…a kit to make her own flavored lip balms…and she loves her lipsticks and glosses! I wonder how many people got to hear about that today…and I wonder how many recent PreK grads will be telling their parents all about the tooth fairy bringing a gift for a first tooth. Not unlike when we first learned of that grand tradition when J’s BFF F told her about it in first grade and then my lucky kids got blessed with the Puerto Rican (?) Tooth Fairy visit for their first tooth…

Present Yourself!

It has been a very busy week for S. After graduation on Thursday night she then had a Saturday morning gymnastics showcase. She is the youngest in her Level 1 gymnastics class and has struggled with a few things...basically whatever requires momentum. She is best at the beam as that is where s-l-o-w works to her benefit. She also enjoyed the 'present yourself' step that comes before and after everything.

The competitive groups are very small to keep positive reinforcement at a maximum. Everyone got a medal and S managed to get first on beam. She was 2nd on vault and 3rd on floor. J says she was second on uneven parallel bars and S said she was third. (I think 2nd but then, I was busy taking pictures...) I'll have to get that clarified.

Photo rules were you could take what you wanted but couldn't leave your seat...a very good rule and an interesting vantage point.

Beam....

Floor is S's weakest...J's advice to me: Take the photo right before she does her backward straddle roll and it will look like she is going to (be able to) do it.

We went with a 'present yourself'.