Sparring is Back!!!

Last night the class went back to one of the kids's faves:sparring! Not sure why throwing punches and kicks at your friends is fun, but they really enjoy it! The one caveat is that A&A are not allowed to spar one another due to the fact that they do not take defeat to each other very well.

I have seen them spar dozens of time, so I have become accustomed to watching it and rarely ever flinch. Last night, I was actually yelling at Alex to keep his hands up and move (he was standing still, sparring Lizzie) - something I never do, but due to the noise of the nearby squash courts, I had no choice.

Yep, sparring in the squash courts. What else can we do?

Sheryl and Geoff REALLY need to leave Lifetime.

Every Other Monday

Martial Arts is not just a sport, it is an integral part of our lives. Ariana and Alex are both upset because we have quit Monday nights and have let us know their displeasure. Last night they went because they needed to practice what they had learned from Mr. McGilvery on Saturday. They were 2/3 of last night's class - and had an absolute blast. Nothing like private classes!

Well, as long as Mr. McGilvery continues to teach every other Saturday, then they will attend the following Monday class to review what they have learned.

Not exactly what they want (they rather enjoy going 3 times/week), but it seems to have pacified them - for now.

Bad, Bad Tae Kwon Dos Mom!!!

I have been bad. We are no longer attending Monday classes due to the Lifetime idiocy of placing us in the Squash Courts. Wednesday I babysat Sheryl's foster daughter (oh, so cute, so little!)while Geoff took the kids and today, Saturday, I went to the Stamping Convention in Grapevine instead. (David took the kids and came home with the stress.)

Bad, Bad Tae Kwon Dos Mom!!!

I have not been there, but I am feeling SOOOO calm. It is a great feeling.

Does the Chinese Longevity Stencil make up for skipping the classes?

Not Such a Happy 5th Anniversary

Next week Alex celebrates his 5th anniversary studying Tae Kwon Do with Sheryl. FIVE YEARS!!! Over 250 Weeks! He is the only remaining original student from that first session left. He has been through everything with Sheryl at Lifetime and has come out a Jr. 1st Dan. He does not remember NOT studying TKD, and only grudgingly accepts that Sheryl has not always been in his life.

We believe a 5th year is a milestone to celebrate, but unfortunately the powers-that-be at Lifetime Fitness in Plano don't see it the same way. They think the best thing is to grow other programs, sending ours to the Squash Courts so we no longer upset the precious Yoga program. Yeah, that's the way to congratulate a long-standing program: piss off the very members who made it grow.

Real Smart, Lifetime.

So, here we are, do we celebrate the 5th anniversary, or do we look outward? We don't want to leave Sheryl, but how much can the kids learn in the Squash Courts with the noise level and the Squash Mafia attempting to intimidate the parents and students?

Some anniversary.

Katana Jealousy Reigns

Okay, Alex LOVES swords. I mean he REALLY LOVES SWORDS. Heck, the kid has a couple dozen lightsabers, several foam swords and a wooden one. His favorite, though, is his bokken that I got him for Xmas two years ago. He loves that, often taking it out to 'create a new form'. The only thing he would like more than a bigger bokken (he has the child size, Ariana and David have bigger ones) is a katana.

Katana, the famous Japanese sword that was designed to behead someone with one stroke. It makes hari-kiri quick.

In other words:SHARP. David has one. It is kept in our room. Alex loves to try to get it down. He can almost reach it. Darn growth spurts!

We (David, Sheryl, Geoff & myself) all agreed that Alex could have a katana when he is twelve, for his third degree. He grudgingly accepted that - until last night.

Last night Zach, the Black Belt candidate got his katana.
Alex was present.
Alex was mesmerized.
Alex was jealous.
Alex wants to know why Zach gets a katana for 1st Dan whereas he has to wait until 3rd Dan.

Explaining that Zach will be 12 next month and is doing the katana because he really wanted to do the sais (think mini tridents) but waited too long, sort of mollified my little sword fanatic.

Of course, the belt test is Sunday. Who knows how Alex will feel on Sunday when Zach actually gets to use his katana.....

An Easy Black Belt Test!!!

OOPS!!!

So much for my good intentions: two posts and that was it. BAD ME!

Well, let's see if I can do better. David is now a Black Belt as of July, 2010 and there is a new BB test this coming December.

I am loving this BB test!!! All I have had to do is hem the candidate's pants and put patches on them. That's it, nothing else because no one is testing in our house. No weapons to buy, no extra practices, no having to help write a paper and oral presentation. Nothing. Zip. Nada!!!

And we did not have to pay anything!!!!!! Well, the embroidering on Alex's new dobock, but that was $15.

I will take photos, maybe video and thank you cards for the Black Belt Board, but I can breathe easily. Very easily.

Funny, though, the lack of stress over this belt test almost worries me....

Belt Test for February 2010 (David Pre-Black)

Saturday was the first Belt Test of 2010 and it was surreal! First off, David was testing for his Pre-Black and he will be celebrating 2 years of MA next month. Man, he moved up quickly! I managed to get his Bo-Staff patch on, but then things went downhill.....

I was striping the uniforms and putting on patches. Other than David's patch, I only had three uniforms (A&A were going to be my last ones to do since theirs weren't necessary since they were not testing) and I managed to break FOUR needles on Ariana's Singer Sewing Machine. FOUR!!! Sunny's uniform was done, but Lizzy's has one hemmed pant-leg and one held in place with fusible webbing. Chris's patches were held in place by the same fusible webbing. I tried changing the tension and changing the bobbins (they threaded funny), but it wasn't until noon that the solution dawned on me: it was the needles. I needed stronger needles, probably ones made for denim. Since the belt test was at 1pm, and I hadn't showered, those needles were just going to have to wait.

Sheryl and Chris took the news well - thank goodness! I took lots of photos and videotaped most of the test (it's hard to do both at once) and there were no major melt-downs and no major injuries. There were also no Lifetime Idiots interrupting the test (who me, hold a grudge? NEVER!) Ariana & Alex were there to help and that's what they did. Of course, Quinlin was more interested in sitting the Board, but Sheryl says the Jr. BlackBelts aren't ready yet. Geoff and Keith are obviously a totally different matter.....

Afterwards, several of us went to Genghis Grill. Love that place! In Target it dawned on me that maybe, just maybe the bobbins could be part of the problem since I have been using the ones from my Husquavarna that probably also needs bigger needles. Then it was onto Jo-Ann's where I purchased the biggest denim needles they had. Went home, switched out the stuff and it worked!!!!!! No broken needles, no nasty words. Chris got her ghee today and the patches are on but good!

So today I put the kids' Bo-Staff patches on their uniform pants. I put both of them on the wrong leg......