Saturday, August 28, 2010

Black Belt Clubbers

2010-08-19 20.23.09
I'm a little behind on posting because I have been sewing some stuff for my sister's surprise birthday shower which was last Saturday and I'll be showing those pictures soon.

Friday before we got on a plane the martial arts school had promotional rank testing and the boys were awarded their high yellow belts plus they got invited to the Back Belt Club (BBC)!!! This is a big deal for the boys and they wanted to join which is even more of a deal. I originally had to drag them to their first few classes they were not sure they liked it. Their self confidence has improved so much and so have their social skills. The instructors are great but strict at the same time. They have positive reinforcement that is great for the kids. In the picture they are holding their BBC blue uniforms, which they are getting their names and the name of the school embroidered on them. They were so excited and I was a little nervous for them. The testing was about 2 hours long but the last half hour was more for the board breakers. I usually never make it into the pictures because I'm the one taking them but you can see me in the reflection next to Rem's head...hehe! {I just noticed the whole picture didn't paste so you can't see me... : (  If you click on the picture it will take you to flickr and you can see me!!!} They worked so hard and they were sweating like crazy...I love it when they sweat!!!

Yesterday they had a board breaking seminar and of course I haven no pictures of that because they had us help, we were the coaches so when they practice at home we can help them. I really did not think they would let them break the boards it was happening so quick and there were quite a bit of kids in the class, but they did!!! They broke wood boards! I got a lecture on wood as well. A lighter piece of wood has less sap in it so it is not as wet. Wet wood tends to bend and is harder to break. If you have a board that is bent, break into the outside of the curve if you try and break into the curve it has bend and will be harder to break.

Here are the boards they broke!!! I am very proud of them. The had started them with a piece of paper for them to break to get their technique and balance. The instructor said it would be harder to break a piece of paper than wood because it bends. It looked pretty easy to me...haha! The boys did break the piece of paper in class. Sooo today I tried to break a piece of paper, I did the side kick they did and I did not break the piece of paper. It was really hard! I'm afraid to try wood because I think I would hurt myself...haha!

board breaking seminar

Thursday, August 12, 2010

back to school

first day of school

The boys are back in school! Can you believe that today was their first day. It's still so hot around here it feels like the middle of summer. Ram on the left starting second grade and Rem on the right starting fourth grade. The picture was taken on their way to class. They are so cute and little! Even though it looks like they are headed toward their executions...haha! The boys were okay with going to school Ram was more excited than Rem. I remember the first day of school was always exciting and I could not wait to go. I would get up early, have new clothes to wear, see my friends and new classes...maybe it's just a girl thing...hehe!

When I got home from work it was nice to hear they had a good day after all, they liked their teacher (yea! I like that!) and they like their class. Rog got them pizza for dinner!!! Yippee!

I also added pictures of the stuff I'm working on...

I got some fabric from this online store for a quilt I'm making using some Alexander Henry 2-D Zoo fabric. I'm in love with all the Alexander Henry fabrics they are so cute. I've got quite a bit of his stuff...poor Rog he doesn't say anything...hehe! Too much fabric and not enough time...sounds like a slogan for a t-shirt...hmmmm.

I also have a lot of pictures that Ram draws with birds, fish, boats and butterflies I'm trying to do something with them all so here is one of the projects with the cardinal Ram drew. I colored copied on canvas but I may try again just on white fabric...not sure, still trying to figure it out.

2-d zoo

drawings

Monday, August 9, 2010

calvin and hobbes

Hey check this out I just saw it here at the Letter Writers Alliance blog, it's Calvin and Hobbes! They came out in July. It's too bad we can't get all of just Calvin and Hobbes but you can get them at the post office. I'm smiling just thinking of the comic strip...hehe!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

celebrations

It has finally calmed down a bit around here and I'm able to gather together some of the pictures. These are just a few we have tons more...literally. I've got so much to talk about hopefully it doesn't turn into a book.

My sisters, Brenda and Karla were visiting me two, three...maybe four weeks ago...dang the time just flies! It was fun being around them again. I hope they enjoyed their vacation and got to relax, but I'm not sure if that happened since we stayed up too late some nights, you know how that goes it's tradition.

Karla came in Friday, the 9th and we got to talk and hang out. She said she would be getting her one on one time with me because she was coming in a week before everyone else...hehe!

belt week graduation

The boys had belt camp that week. They started Taekwondo in June and belt camp got them through their first belt...they are now yellow belts!  My little warriors!!

Brenda and Jessica, my niece, came in the following Thursday late -er actually it was Friday morning when they came in, they got stuck in Dallas and they eventually had to switch planes because of an a/c leak. It was pouring rain I could hardly see when we were coming home from the airport. We haven't gotten much since them. I think Brenda was a little nervous but I was trying to stay calm even though I couldn't see and I trying not to hydroplane. I hope I succeeded I never said anything to her...she's pregnant and I didn't want to stress her even more...

The next day (actually I think I'm still on the same day...Friday) we had the boys graduation at the martial arts school. It also happened to be Rem's 9th birthday (again where does the time go!!!). He got to be an honorary black belt for the day.

belt week graduation

You can see Ram's head in the foreground.

He was so excited and his brother was excited for him too! We brought in cupcakes to celebrate his birthday with the other students. At the end of the class they had graduation for everyone. Master Hammons made it fun for the kids during their graduated, he kept cracking us up. I kept looking at my sister Karla he had her rolling. Ram also graduated with his yellow belt and looked pretty good in it! They have come a long way from where they started and I am so proud of them. Next we are working towards their high yellow belts.

Ok it has been pretty hot around here and the girls...the older girls...the little one did not complain, thought it was way too hot and of course the mosquitoes did not help.

The celebrating was not over...

baptism

Saturday we had L's and Jessica's baptism they both looked so cute! Brenda and Luis are L's godparents and Roger and I are Jessica's godparents. So we had a lot to celebrate. I've got tons of pictures that both Kelli and Karla took and I'll add a link to the other ones later. The girls got a little tired and cranky during the service but they made it through and did actually really well during the pouring of the water.

baptism
 
baptism

baptism

baptism

baptism

baptism

baptism

We all came back home and had tres leches cake for the baptism, it's a Mexican cake that means milk cake but they use 3 different types and I'm not sure what 3 types evaporated, regular...not sure, it taste good though. Of all the pictures I think Karla may have taken a pictures of the cake...so no picture of that. Sorry it should be in that empty spot in the middle of the table. My camera had run out of battery. I'll have to get them from Karla there were some cute ones of the girls next to the cake. 

We had a chocolate cake for Rem, his theme was Troy Built power washer...haha! He came up with it.
I think he had a good birthday he got a lot of the camping stuff he had asked for tent, sleeping bag, lamps...hehe!  He got aluminum foil as a gift from his granny, and yes he loved it! He likes to make stuff and he likes the shiny characteristic of the foil. He got to shoot a .22 the week before so he got some shells and a hip pouch from the girls, loved that too!! He had a great day. (Again I think Karla has those pictures...hehe)

baptism

This is the only picture we had of Rem's cake...I think there maybe one where it is not in the box??? Karla??

I had ordered a Yudu and it came in early in the week. Its a silk screening machine and Karla helped me make a t-shirt (actually she did all the work...hehe!)  for Rem that he designed. Can't wait to use it again!

birthday t-shirt

His shirt looks great! he wore it for his birthday great work Karla and Rem!

These are the pictures of the keepsakes we made for the baptism and since we were up until 4am the night before they deserved to be seen...haha! We had more boxes than candle pillars made.

baptism

Sunday we went to the lake, so the girls could cool down. They got a boat ride although the water was higher than average it was hard to get a good beach spot, but Roger found a pretty good spot. The water felt perfect it cooled us down and it wasn't too cold. Brenda is pregnant so I think she enjoyed some of that baby weight being held up by the water. Covered everyone with sunscreen and dove in.
 
lake

lake

Karla in the background trying to sneak Jessica in the picture, I didn't notice until afterwards when she told me...haha!

Hope you guys had a good time while you were here!
 
baptism

This is Jessica with Fred by the end of the trip, she was pretty scared of him when she first got here. They look like buddies now!!

Garden update...I have to say the garden it struggling right now. I didn't do much with it while the girls where visiting and it's been so hot. I hear a lot of people of having trouble with tomatoes right now. I personally have not had much of a harvest...dang! The basil for some unknown reason is doing really great! Lost the pumpkins due to the heat...sniff sniff. I was really looking forward to them.
 
Finally I wanted to let you all know I'm getting ready to open my etsy shop. I just signed up and I'm getting ready to make a couple of things to list for sale. As soon as I get some stuff ready I'll go ahead and list my website. If you have not heard of etsy check it out I have bought some neat stuff from there.
 
Getting ready for school to start next week!!! ack!!!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

garden update

I added white pumpkin seeds last week "Casper" and this week I have sprouts! The package said I can harvest in 105 days...middle of October! Perfect timing for Halloween. The carrots don't seem to be coming through yet???? But I do have more seeds. You can see the grass it starting to go crazy in the background since I have not had a chance to pull it because of the holiday weekend (actually it has been since Wednesday...hmmm). I would like to tip my garden hat (-er soon to have garden hat, because I don't have one yet, but I will maybe it's more of salute until said hat can be purchased) to all those gardeners, this is hard work and I'm pretty much leaving my garden on it's own. After I worked in the garden I'm sore and achy. I'd also like to add that I consider myself pretty young, but my elderly retired neighbors do much more work than I do and they don't seem to get as tired as I do...haha! 
With everything going so well there has to be bad news...I lost my squash plant, something killed it not sure if bugs or just mold, it was definately not animals. I need to add a picture in case anyone recognized the cause and can give me advice. This happened last year too and it was in a different part of the garden. I did get one squash! 
The sunflowers are blooming like crazy and I noticed the birds are eatin up the seeds. I'll have to get out there and get some before they are all gone. Luckily are still more buds further down the stalks so I should get more.
I also wanted to add Ram's drawing of a blue jay...it looks great and the wing flaps...hehe! He used a picture from a bird book he borrowed from his granny to get the details.

garden update

garden update

garden update

Sunday, July 4, 2010

4th of July


4th of July
Originally uploaded by ravenramandmoon
Happy Independance Day!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

garden update

Wednesday's garden update...
Here are some shots of the backyard garden. It's starting to get full! I added some white pumpkins, carrots, radishes and some flower seeds around the borders.
Look at all those tomato plants if they all produce we will be eating tomatoes all day...hehe!

garden update


garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update

garden update