Finally Friday!

I expect to be doing a lot more of this, because at 4:30 pm today, mom and PlusOne are on VACATION. For a whole week!


Yup, this is going to be a lot of fun.

Lots and lots and lots of fun!

Thursday Thirteen - Art In The Family

PlusOne was in preschool when he did this. Memere confiscated it as soon as she saw it.

Mom's brother is a photographer. You can go here to see more of his work.

Auntie's coffee table.

Auntie's bureau for Mr. Karate, by Auntie.

Mr. Karate as a young boy, by Auntie.

Auntie's painting, which mom owns.

PlusOne's bureau for his blocks and mom's sewing stuff, by mom.

Front view.

Memere's earlier work. Colored pencil and water color.

Memere's oil painting. Mom loves this one.

Memere, oil sticks, mom thinks.

Memere, oil sticks, colored pencils, mom's not sure.

Memere, painting.

I think it runs in the family, what do you think?

Wordless Wednesday

Leftovers! (From Auntie's spaghetti and meatballs, with the veal and pork and hamburg!)

(That was good. Notice the cleaned out tupperware to my right.)

Goals

Mom has set some goals for herself, no that she isn't worrying about PlusOne and his black belt exams. The first was to clean out the top shelf of the cabinets to the left of the sink, and make more space for glasses and mugs, which seem to be multiplying.

The second is to start working on her Intermediate Level Instructor's Certification. She started that one today. There are twenty four techniques, two forms and one set she has to write out in kenpo language as if she was teaching it, naming directions faced, moves, power principles and timing. It may take a while, but she's got a good start.

The third is to finish this Asian quilt she started a while ago and put aside when things got a little too busy (her black belt exams, life, etc, etc.)



She also has some smaller goals. Balance the checkbook, clean off the computer desk, finish the living room drapes (with Auntie's help) and a few other things like that. You can ask her how she is doing on any of them, she won't mind.

In the mean time, we are heading over to the party at The Cat Realm, for their One Year Blogoversary. Stop by and say "Hi"! The food looks delish! I just hope they have broccoli.

Sorrow and Thanks

We are very sorry that our friend Ruis's sister, Miral, went to the Bridge over the week-end. Miral fought valiantly but in the end, she could not fight any more.

She was very much loved, and will be very much missed.

On the thankful side, we have learned that Lilly Lu, Mu Shue and Iris are FINALLY safe with their mom Laura after a fire destroyed part of their apartment building. After a very nerve wracking time of not knowing what had happened to her beloved kitties, all three were found safe and are now reunited and recovering. You can read the entire story here, at The Cat Blogosphere.

The Secret

Mom has been keeping a secret from all of you. A really, really BIG secret. It's not that she hasn't wanted to tell you, it's just that mom was afraid if she told, she would jinx it. So she did not tell. Now, she can.

Once upon a time, there was a cute little boy who wanted to take after his cousin. So his mom and dad enrolled him in Kenpo Karate. Isn't he cute?

He rose in rank from white, to yellow to orange belt. He was very happy when he got his orange belt, let me tell you.




And a little bit excited. Well, maybe more than a little bit.

Then he went up to purple, blue and green belt. Here, he is getting promoted to the Black Belt Prep class, with an apprentice black belt.

Here he is with Jimmy Pedro, the Olympic Bronze and Silver medalist in Judo. If you look in the upper left of the photo, you can see Mr. Karate's reaction to this photo.

Well, over the past three months, PlusOne has been taking his Black Belt Exams. There were 3 physical exams, (running, sit-ups and push-ups) 3 technique and form exams, (8 techniques each time, Short Form #1 and Long Form #1, Short Form #2 and Long Form #2, and Short Form #3 and Long form #3) and a written etiquette exam.

After the second exam, there were only FIVE left out of the eleven that started. The others just weren't ready yet. PlusOne was one of the five. (One's 17, one's 16, one's 14 and one's 10) Two weeks ago PlusOne passed the last physical exam, running for twenty minutes, FORTY push-ups, touching your partner's chin, which was resting on the ground, and SIXTY sit-ups. The push-ups were the hardest, but PlusOne did them all, in under TWO minutes. Mom was a WRECK watching from behind one of the other students.

Last week was the last technique and form exam and the written exam. Mom was really worried about the written exam. PlusOne had to get an 80 or better. Mom was worried because, hey, he's eleven! Writing answers to complex questions. If they had asked him verbally, mom wouldn't have worried, but they didn't. And mom worried. All WEEK. Every DAY! She was going NUTS!

Today, while PlusOne was taking the class, and the Studio Director was talking to the parents of the students who did not pass, and avoiding mom, mom starting to think that maybe, just maybe, he had passed. Then, the Studio Director shook hands with dad took a step away, came back, put his hand on mom's knee and whispered "He passed!"

Mom went through the roof with joy. Mr. Karate kept telling her "I told you so!" One of the students who got his black belt with mom (he is 14 and really cool) kept telling mom the same thing. Mom, dad, PlusOne, Mr. Karate and Auntie all went out to dinner to celebrate. Boy, did they have a blast. PlusOne told the restaurant manager, "This is the best day of my life. I got my black belt and I am here at X restaurant with my family." You can't beat that with a stick, can you?

PlusOne's promotion will be in a couple of weeks, when he officially receives his black belt with the other THREE students that passed all the exams. The 17, 16 and 14 year old. Don't worry, mom will post PLENTY of pictures.

As for me, I don't know if I can stand all this excitement, so I am going to go sit on mom and force her to relax, now that it's all over.

Spring

Mom is tired of waiting for spring to show up. So she thought she would give everyone a preview of what it should look like.

These are memere's lilies. Memere did a painting of a lily like this.

Isn't it colorful and pretty. Mr. Karate has this painting, but right now it is at Auntie's house.

These are more of memere's lilies. Mom hopes to get some like this from her co-worker.

These are the deep purple bearded iris. Aren't they great? Hurry up spring, and get here for real!