The reality of TKD...

Last night's class was a real eye opener. Yes, there have been injuries in our sparring classes since we've started taking TKD, including myself. One broken leg a broken foot, but I have to tell you nothing scared me like last night. First you have you understand Jesse has been taking TKD for over 3.5 years, so I've seen a lot of the kids grow up and I feel like are part of my family. I really do adore them.

We were breaking boards last night to practice for next week's graduation. Our 4th degree black belt, Matthew, was there visiting for spring break from the Citadel. He was setting up for a board break. Three different kicks, turning for each kick before putting his foot back on the floor. Matthew was facing me (to start), Master Mike had the first board, Alex the second and Brady the third board. First board was an awesome kick! He turned for the second board (I couldn't see the kick from my advantage point), it broke but then the board pieces went flying. The next thing I saw was Brady go down backward onto his back HARD. I thought for sure the third kick had been thrown right into his face. But what happened was the board flew out of Alex's hand and hit him on his forehead right between his eyes. One of our Dad's is an ER doctor and he jumped up and was right there. Brady got up but you could tell he was in a lot of pain. He did his board breaks next then class was over. Before we got out of the building, the swelling was already starting and you could see where the board plowed into his head. It was like seeing one of my own hit the floor. I'm really hoping he is okay today.

And just to add another note, I now know FOR SURE I do not like "Marine squats" and I hope Matthew doesn't lead class again this week, because I'm already finding it very difficult to walk today.

Homeschooling woes...

It's that time of year again, geez it comes so fast! It's time to plan out next year. I'm just glad I've saved everything from Jesse's schooling so far which makes Chloe's schedule fairly easy. I did tweak the first grade science because I learned about a science series at the end of Jesse's first grade so I threw them all in at the end. I went back and put the books with the other reading where it fit better. I have not purchased Jesse's science books for next year (that will be April), so I haven't started on that schedule yet, which makes me a little nervous. She will be doing chemistry next year and I have never had chemistry (not even in college), so I'm not sure what I'm up against. I know the books are written to her level; I'm just hoping I can keep up.

Scheduling reading, for Jesse, is getting more difficult. A lot of the books recommended in The Well-Trained Mind are getting too easy for her. She finished her reading list earlier than I thought this year, so I'm winging it until the the end of the year. I haven't even looked at her list for next year, but I'm hoping its a bit longer than this year's list. Chloe's books for next year will be Mary Pope Osborne's series about Odysseus. Jesse read them all in first grade and loved them. I have high hopes for Chloe too.

Chloe will be starting Story of the World I next year. She is very excited about it. I'm hoping she does as well as Jesse did and likes it just as much too. I did complete the book list for it last week. Jesse had skipped a couple of the extra readings so I had to do some research for those. And don't ask about Story of the World II for Jesse. I was suppose to be working on that while she's been doing some American History but I have not, so I'm really behind on that one. Nor have I done the extra reading list. Geez!

I'm hoping everything else will fall easily into place. Spelling still has to be ordered and math too, but there is little to prepare for them on my part. I also need to change up geography a bit but I'm not sure how yet. I will get there; I have until July 13th or 14th (whatever day Tuesday is), so hopefully that will be enough time.

Another pooch found...

We found the cutest little grey/black dog on our front porch this morning. I still couldn't tell you what kind (I was told, but have forgotten already). I took him next door since they are the only people fairly close. They informed me he had been at their house for a couple of days and I "could take him if I wanted to". Well, I course I took him back to house so I could find out where he belonged. He had recently been groomed (you could tell that clearly by his shaved back and fuzzy face). The girls, the pooch and myself went up the street but found no one home except for one place and it was not there's (we pretty much already knew that). So, we came back and I called the local vet to see if they had heard of anything. Of course they had. Yeah! So by early afternoon "Gizmo" was back home with the four children who had been missing him. An adventure my children will not soon forget.

Chloe's sparring...

Chloe was a little upset tonight because she fell while sparring. She poked her lower lip out a bit while she told me. Pitiful, but too cute. She wasn't physically hurt but I think her pride took a bit of a beating by it. I tried to comfort her and told her we all fall at some point not to worry about it but I don't think it helped at all. I would say by tomorrow she'll forget all about it, but I know her and a couple of years from now she'll still be bringing it up.

Jesse said she had a good night sparring, even though she accidentally "actually blocked" Aman (he wasn't wearing his sparring gear so it was "no contact" with him). He told her, "Good block." He's so sweet!

I've decided that physically I'm in the best shape I've ever been in (not including the weight), but my cardio is in serious need of upgrading. I'm going to try to focus on that more.

John has a PT test coming up, so he's really been focusing on the exercising too. Now, if we could all keep up with this pace we'll be doing very well.

Jesse and the removal of more teeth...

Yes, she had to have two more teeth removed today. Her bottom teeth were coming in but her baby teeth weren't going out fast enough. One of her permanent teeth made a 180 degree turn so two teeth had to come out to make room. I don't think I have seen baby teeth with their roots still on before. Wow! Those suckers are long. She did a great job though. The dentist kept commenting on how well she was doing and each time she said "thank you", no matter what instrument he had in her mouth at the time. I was very proud, as usual. That makes the third tooth she has lost this week. She came into the living room a couple of nights ago about 9:30 and showed us a tooth she pulled all by herself (she was suppose to be trying to go to sleep).

Chloe had a big day today also. She received her last stripe on her black belt recommended (blue). Now all she has to do is practice the three forms she'll have to do for graduation and her board breaks. She is still very excited! (Dad, I forgot to take the picture today but I will Thursday night.)

Not much going on here...

We have not had a lot of excitement here this week. We're still trying to adjust to the new TKD schedule, though I admit two days is SO much better than four. But trying to fit everything we do into two days is hard. I do think it will take time to make the adjustments, but it will work out. Chloe will be receiving her 1st Degree Black Belt on the 2nd of April. She is just so excited!

School has been going well. We have put in a lot more days this year (at this time) than last year, so we have been very relaxed compared to the last two years. The girls are doing very well. I have had several people, over the past couple of weeks (people who I know) ask me how school is going and if I am still going to try to go all the way through high school. I always smile very big at this question. I don't know why really, but it makes me smile. "School is going great and yeah, I believe we'll try to go all the way through." Then there are the people who homeschool who find out we are not religious. "Then why do you homeschool?" I still don't get this question. Really, what does religion have to do with wanting my children to have the best education they can have? Nothing! Really, nothing! The two, in our household, have absolutely nothing to do with the other. Do I teach my children about religion. Oh, yeah! About all religions. We discuss them anytime the topic comes up in a history, language and life, and believe me it comes up frequently.

Moving off the soap box...

John had a rough week at work. I won't go into details but just know his stress level has been pushed to the brink this week. I'm hoping next week will be better for him. He said last week he needed a vacation. I reminded him we just came back from one. Between his 5 1/2 weeks in school and the three weeks at work, I really do believe he needs a "quiet" vacation. He has had a lot dumped on his plate in three short weeks.

Jesse is finally learning to ride her bike without the training wheels, all by herself. I think she has just been lacking confidence. John and I both worked with her last weekend and I really think she's there; she just doesn't want to get in the road yet (I don't blame her considering we are in the middle of a hill). I found a park, on-line, that is near here with a walking track. I just need to drive out to find it. I'm hoping maybe in the mornings it won't be too busy so she can try her bike there. If not, the Rec Center, where we go for TKD, has a figure eight path just for bikes, scooters and skateboards. The only problem is its not flat. I worry because I learned how to ride on a hill and Donna (who was teaching me) forgot to tell me how to stop. I stopped alright! Face first in the grass after a couple of tumbles in the neighbors yard. So, I worry. Its my job.

Did you ever wonder?...

I've always loved books. My mom bought me books all the time when I was very little. But honestly by the time I was in 5th or 6th grade, I stopped reading for fun. You want to know a secret? I was scared to go into the "big kid" section of the library. I just wasn't sure where to go or what to do and I certainly was not about to ask because then "people would know". So, I went on for years with little in the way of "fun" reading. Then in college (I was sick and missing my morning classes, so I got to watch "Good Morning America"), I saw an interview with Jean M. Auel. The book she was talking about fascinated me. When my roommate, Katie, came in I told her about it and she said she had read the first book in the series and thought I would like it. It was two weeks before Christmas break so I decided to get it and read it over break. I read it in one day!! I had never read a book that thick, let alone in one day. I went back and bought the second and third books and finished them over the break too. I was hooked! Reading had become a passion again.

So, now it is not surprising when I tell you that when I found out I was pregnant I started buying books every paycheck. About $50 a paycheck, sometimes less, sometimes more. I think John thought I was crazy but there were so many good books that I had never read as a child and I wanted my children to know them. I dreamed of having a little library all their own in our house with cozy places to sit and read. I dreamed they would love to read (even before there was a "they"). I wanted them to embrace reading. Have they? Yes. They love to read. They love to pick out their own books, even Chloe (who loves the Magic Tree House series). I am so grateful for the books I bought at AJ's (even though I was picked on by most of my co-workers at the time) and sorry to see AJ's went out of business a while back. But they were instrumental in my girls reading and I'm grateful.

Now, you may ask what has suddenly brought all of this into my mind again. I'll tell you...my Dad. My wonderful, loves to read anything Dad. I remember in high school having to read "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck and for the love of pete I could not get into it. I woke up one morning for school to find my Dad had just read the book in an hour. He liked it. I remember this because the girls and I went to Charlotte this weekend for my cousin Elizabeth's wedding. I finished reading "Bud, not Buddy" (thanks Courtney it was a great book!) while I was there. I started to put it away then asked Dad if he wanted me to leave it out. He said yes. By the time we returned from the wedding he had read the entire book. We discussed it a bit (not much because if was 9pm and I had to get the girls ready for bed, or the bed ready for the girls) and again, he liked it. So, thanks Dad for loving to read and making me want to read, which in turn has led my girls to read. Your awesome!