Bronze and Gold

Today Katie took part in her first ever Tae Kwon Do competition.  She competed in the One Steps and her Form.  One Steps are assorted defensive moves where you disable your opponent.  Form is used to describe a series of moves unique to that belt color.  The forms can go up to 20+ and is rather like a TKD dance.

In the Form competition, Katie was required to do her form with another little yellow belt girl.  She started off great, but lost her place when she saw the other girl doing the form incorrectly.  She did manage to get to move 11, but she actually knows up to move 18.  Katie has only done her form once before with another yellow belt, but normally she does her form alone and I knew she would lose her focus because of the other girl.  Anyway, she got a bronze medal in that competition and she was as happy as a clam.  She kissed her medal. The little girl that she competed with got the gold, which I am not sure what they judge on because that girl did not do the proper moves.

In the One Step competition, Katie was once again up against two other kids.  She did three One Steps, Mosquito, Boom and  Elbow.  She did outstanding.  She elbowed the black belt that was acting as the attacker so hard in the chest that he lost his balance and wobbled.  (Katie was standing up and the black belt was kneeling.)  When the places were announced, Katie got first place and won a gold!

Rick and I will work more with her on her Form, as well as do the Form with her.  She has to get used to someone else beside her and still stay focused.  She could have taken the gold in that competition because her stances are strong in her Form.  That being said, the competition was valuable as we know what may trip Katie up in the next competition.  Also, we tried to emphasize the competition as a fun thing to do.  Rick believes that the younger she is when she starts competing, the less stressful competitions will be for her once she is older.  I agree with him.

Of course we took photos and shot video of Katie at the competition, and of course I will share them with you.

 Katie with Rick before the competition started.

 Katie comparing belts with another student who is from the Sweetwater Team Chip Tae Kwon Do Center.

Katie waiting for her gold medal in One Steps

Doing a superman pose and showing off her two medals.

After the competition, we headed to our little slice of property on North Lake Anson.  We own a pump house on the lake that was built when the missile site was constructed.  Our missile site is unique in that it got water from a lake as opposed to a well.  Anyway, we needed to do some cleaning in and around the pump house, so Katie got to enjoy the afternoon at the lake.

 Katie and Rick discussing what they need to do next.

Like I said, "little slice of property".  You cannot see the lake because the pump house is actually on a little hill.

We have had a busy weekend thus far and it will continue tomorrow for Katie and I as we are going to the Sugar Plum Fairy Tea at the Abilene Women's Club.  The dancers from Abilene Ballet Theater--where Katie takes her ballet lessons--will be performing a few dances from The Nutcracker.  If Katie really enjoys it I will  take her to the full ballet next week.  I am rather looking forward to our tea because we get to get all gussied up.  Til I have another update for this blog, ciao.

Chef Kate

Yesterday Katie and I had some time to burn after my dentist appointment and before Tae Kwon Do, so we walked around Hobby Lobby.  I found a child's apron that you can decorate yourself, so I purchased Katie one.  I don't know how I want to embellish it and Katie seems content with it as it is, so she has been gleefully wearing it.  This morning she informed me that she was going to bake brownies while she slipped her apron around her head.

For dinner last night and for breakfast this morning, Katie wanted scrambled eggs and toast.  I decided to let her make her meals all by herself.  Of course, I turned the stove on and off and she knows that the pan and burner get hot.  She cracked her egg, added seasonings, poured it in the skillet and stirred away.  When the egg was almost done, she added a piece of cheese.  She loves how she makes eggs and eagerly gobbles them down.  Perhaps that is the trick to getting her eat, have her make her own meals.

Below are pictures from this morning's cooking session.  Try to ignore the picture quality.  I am having issues with the camera and my ability to pay attention to the red focus lights.

I had to sneak up on Katie to take the above picture.  Lately when she realizes that I am taking pictures she will break out the "America's Next Top Model" poses and start posing.

Katie, May Farm and Pansy-Butt Momma

Today was another windy day and Katie and I had a MOPS' play date at May Farm.  As we left for May Farm, the outside temperature was 58 degrees.  Couple that with a dry, sharp West Texas wind and you have one shivering Brenda, but I did tough it out.  However, I spent most of my time searching for a spot that was sheltered from the wind.  I did find such a spot, next to the cages that housed the bunnies.  Enough about my pansy-butt.  Katie had a great time and I had my camera with me to provide Rick with some new pictures.  So let the gallery begin.

Petting a chick

Petting Marshmallow the bunny

Waiting for the hay ride to begin.

Katie with her friend McKenzie.  They decided that they wanted to "ride" the horse together.  I use the quotes because the ride consists of a very old horse being lead around in a circle.

This guy just cracked me up.  I think it is the same guy I took a picture of  in June.  He is the most photogenic goat I have ever seen.  Not that I have seen a whole lot of goats.

I had brought a lunch for Katie and I to eat at May Farm; however, I just could not continue to stand in the wind.  I was so cold that I felt my joints stiffing up and I silently cussed at the 58 degrees.  (You would never know that I was born in Upper Michigan where they get 300" of snow in winter, which runs from September to June.)  Any hoodle, that brings me to the subject of West Texas winds.  They are incredibly sharp, as I noted earlier.  I think the arid climate produces dry winds that feel a lot colder than a wind in an area with humidity.  Or it could just be me, the Pansy-Butt.  Or it could be a combo of both, but does it matter?  I was frigging cold today!

Rick, I hope you enjoyed your Wednesday pictures all though you probably won't see them until Thursday.  Love and miss you.

Rick's Tuesday Pictures

Not too much happening on the home front.  On the way to Katie's ballet class, I stopped and voted.  I asked if they had any of the "I voted" stickers, but they did not and I was disappointed.  In years past I proudly wore my sticker.  The election worker must have thought that I asked for a sticker for Katie because she said she had a stamp and could stamp Katie's hand with "voted", which she did.  She didn't even offer to stamp my hand.  Oh well.

I didn't take any new pictures today, so the few below are from Halloween.  Two are action shots and one is of Katie being herself, which is precocious, hamming up for the camera and trying to look angelic or fairyelic.  (It's my blog and I can make up words if I want to.  I punctuated that sentence by sticking out my tongue.)  I wonder where Katie gets that from?!)  I hope you enjoy them, Hon.

 Action shot #1:  Trunk-or-treat in Stamford on the square

Action shot #2:  Trick-or-treating at the zoo

Katie being Katie

Hmmmmm

Here's something interesting that I just learned about Blogger.  If you use the "caption" function on pictures that you upload, you cannot then click on the picture when reading the post to enlarge it.  I wonder why that is....Hmmmm

Halloween II and III

This year Katie had three different Halloween functions and wore three different costumes.  The first function was Boo at the Zoo where she dressed as Tinkerbell and about which I have already posted.  The second was a Halloween party at the Team Chip Tae Kwon Do Center in Abilene on Saturday night.  For that party, Katie opted to dress up as Snow White. 

Rick and I also got to dress up Saturday night.  Not in costumes, but in fancy-going-on-a-date clothes.  Because of the Team Chip party, Rick and I had three hours of together time.  We ate at Copper Creek and I am not afraid to admit that we so, so, so enjoyed the time without the Doodlebug.

On Halloween, we took Katie to Trunk-or-Treat in Stamford around the town square.  For that gig she opted to be Cleopatra.  I put eye makeup, blush and lipstick on her little mug.  She was so excited to have makeup on just like Mommy.  As a side note, an interesting transformation took place once her face was dolled up and she had on her costume.  She started putting on airs, walking with her head slightly tilted back and had a regalness about her gestures.  She took the whole Queen of the Nile pretty seriously.  Also, Katie got to do something that she has never previously experienced.  She got to go Trick-or-Treating!  There were two houses across from the Trunk-or-Treat in Stamford that were handing out candy, so Rick explained what she needed to do i.e. knock, say, "Trick or treat" and then thank them.  As a child I loved Halloween and going door to door.  I definitely want Katie to experience that some more.  However, we will have to drive her into Abilene since our nearest neighbor is a mile away and we would probably only cover two houses.

Katie was none to happy that I made her stop for a Katie and Daddy picture.  She was pretty anxious to start Trunk-or-Treating.

When the Halloween season finally closed, Katie had three pounds of candy.  Unfortunately, I forgot to bring her candy to Tae Kwon Do today.  Team Chip collects the candy to ship to our service men and women.  For each pound you donate, you get one free week of Tae Kwon Do.  I know Katie will not eat all of the candy.  I still had candy from Valentine's Day that I just threw out.

Now we can focus on Thanksgiving.  After a fair amount of discussion, Rick and I have opted to stay home this year.  After we made that decision, I realized that I have never cooked a Thanksgiving dinner here at Corinth West, so I am excited.

Rick is out of town this week, so look for the daily Pictures for Rick postings.  Ciao.

My Deadly Car

Friday night when Katie and I were coming home from Abilene, we came upon a rattler in the driveway.  Obviously I didn't have the .410 with me, so I decided to use my car as a weapon and I ran over him.  He made a popping sound.  When I backed up, he had coiled and had his head up.  I proceeded to go back and forth over him until he was a mangled lump in the road.  When I checked him out later, it looked like I skinned 2/3 of his body.

Mr. In-The-Driveway was the first snake that I have seen in a long time--rap, rap, rap (knock on wood)--so it brings this year's count to 5.  That is a whole lot better than last year's 18 or the previous year's 25 +.