Thanksgiving Day

Dinner...yum!!!!

Arianna "rescuing" Paul and Joy

Aliyah  sleeping through the craziness.

At Uncle Lee's.  Joy loves jello salad!

Playing Pictionary with Uncle Lee

Playing football outside

Tyler wanted me to get  a picture of a fingertip grab.

2015 Turkey Trot

It was a lovely and exciting day at the Turkey Trot.  My mom won first place in her division and my dad placed 2nd in his.  

I had trouble training for the Turkey Trot this year.  Every time I tried to do speed work, my knees ended up hurting badly.  The only real training I did was just running 3-4 miles.  I didn't get to do much speed work at all.  So, I was really worried if I'd even make it under 30 minutes.  I was so surprised when I came in sight of the finish and it was at 24 minutes.  It was 25:10 when I crossed the finish line.  I was 4th in my division.  I was extremely pleased with my time.  

Girls Pie Making Afternoon

I also made rolls that evening.

Grandma and Joy played Play Doh while I cleaned up.

Pie success!

Bells in Church

The kids played bells in church on Sunday.

Joy and Tyson

Kind Amy watched Joy while I went to my doctor's appointment in Pgh last week.  They had fun.

Getting the Big Tree Cut Down

After the large piece came down out of our tree during the bad storm in August, we knew we had to get the big tree down.  I was very, very sad about it, because I loved the shade it provided.  But, it had to be done.  The pictures of the tree will have to come another day, they are still on my phone.

After the tree was out, Shawn took out the unused light pole.

We also got the last stump on the other side of the house removed.

The tree went down, but this was the surprise blessing - a gorgeous view on a gorgeous day!

Charlotte's 5th Birthday Party

Charlotte's 5th birthday party was at the Rec Center in Upper St. Clair.  It was the first time we were there.  The kids had tons of fun swimming.  The indoor pool was very nice.  

Joy must have gotten worn out swimming.  She asked where she could take a rest.

Battle on the Mountain: Take Two

 Well, after last year's crying for 5 hours fiasco, I was quite nervous about Battle on the Mountain this year.  They advertised it so heavily at the September tournament that Paul couldn't wait to go.

The line up.  Which was supposed to start at 11:00 and probably started at 12:45.  Then, they had the demo and light show and all that.  It was cool again, but Paul was extremely disappointed that they did not play the song "Light Em Up" this year.  I suppose I should have prepared him beforehand they they probably would not use the same songs.  

Paul had a rough day.  Breaking is usually his thing, but those boards just wouldn't break that day.  

He remembered his fighting stance!  But it took him twice on the turning sudo and he did not get that board to break on the flying side kick.  

But he tried so hard!!  And I was so proud of him for not giving up and giving it all he had.

His sparring match was a good round that could have gone either way.  He got yelled at right off the bat by the judge for hitting in the face, which he did not do; he clearly hit him in the chest.  That kind of threw him off.  But he kept a good attitude the whole time.  Fortunately, he wasn't too upset at that point because he was excited to go off with Nini.  Later that night he cried himself to sleep while Shawn and I  held him.

Paul's two good friends, Tim and Elijah, sitting on the corner of the ring with me watching Paul.

Paul's division line up.  There were 1 or 2 more off to the side I didn't get.  The green belt 7 year old division was huge.  They had 3 divisions, one for each stripe.

Shawn and Scott were called upon to hold a bunch of times that day.  It's just one more way in which the people from our school are skilled.

So, Paul didn't get done until about 3:00.  Then, Shawn and I didn't even go until 5:30 or so!  The latest we've ever gotten out of a tournament before was 5:30.  This was the longest tournament!!!

It turned out that Missy, our best woman fighter from our school, Elizabeth, the 17 year old I face all the time at sparring class, and I all ended up in the Red Belt 18-37 division even though Elizabeth was too young, Missy was too old, and I was the wrong color belt.  There was no one else in Elizabeth's division.  There were no other green belt women at all! And, there was only one other girl in Missy's division and she was only doing forms.  

I did my form well, I think.  I don't think I messed up.  However, all the other ladies did their red belt forms well too, so I didn't stand a chance to place in forms.  

For my break, I did not break the first board until the second try.  Then the break went as planned.  I heard the holder go over to the judge and say that he thought it was his holding that was a fault for my first board, so maybe I did not get the mandatory deduction.  All the other red belts had crazy complicated, holders standing on chairs or multiple boards kind of breaks.  None of them had clean breaks either.  When third and second place were announced and I didn't get it, I figured I hadn't placed.  Then I was called for first place!  I couldn't believe it!  Shawn saw my face when I was called.  I was shocked.  

Then to the sparring.  Missy went first against the girl that was smaller than me.  She should have won 5 nothing in about 1 minute.  They were not calling any of her points.  It was crazy!  Finally one time I called out STOP when she got a point.  The center judge said, "Did an actual judge call for a point?"  Yikes!  But after that they started calling some of her points and she won, thank goodness.  Then, two other girls fought.  Then, I had to face Elizabeth.  Ugh.  And I couldn't use my best technique with her, the backfist, because it was illegal.  I tried my best to get around those long legs of hers, but she scored several points on me.  I don't even know what the score was.  If I had to guess, maybe 4-2.  I know I at least got a point or two.  I was really, really bummed out.  Not that Elizabeth won, just that I had waited 7 hours for something I could have done any Friday night.

I ended up getting to fight for 3rd against the tall blond next to me in the line up.

We went back and forth a little (I can't remember specifics).  Suddenly, I don't even know what happened,  I went in to punch, she caught me with a hard kick and I ended up going down, my whole body flat on my front on the concrete.  I couldn't move.  It was crazy. The time keeper and Master Ward ran over and tried to help me.  I was trying to say, "I can't breathe!"  They had me put my hands above my head and finally I could breathe.  After several breaths, I wanted to get up and finish the fight.  We went back and forth again (I wish I remembered the points!) and were tied (3-3 maybe) when time was up.  On to sudden death.  I got a point on her, but only 1 judge saw and it was not enough.  Then she got a point on me, and again, not enough. Finally, I got her with a kick and won!!!  I couldn't believe it.  I was so happy!

Then Elizabeth and Missy had to duke it out for first place.  It was a tough fight that ended up in sudden death again.  Missy won.

I was super excited that even though none of us belonged in the division, we took 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in sparring.  And I finally won my first tournament match!

I felt like I came a long way from last year.  I was terrified of that big girl, but not so much that I was afraid to fight her.  After LOTS of time at sparring class fighting mostly people bigger than me, and all girls that were higher rank than me, I was able to go out there and do it.  And I am so thankful that I didn't get seriously hurt.  And I am so thankful that it did not end with losing to Elizabeth.  God has kept me going with all this for the last year and I was thrilled to finally do something with it.

 

Our division.  There was another girl next to Missy, the one in her division that only did forms.

Missy, Elizabeth and me.

With Alexa and Tim.  He is such a sweet kid, he came back to cheer us adults on.

Boy were we exhausted by this time!!!  Shawn won his first fight against the other green belt Shawn, then battled it out with Brian again for first.  Brian came out on top this time.  I was so excited that Shawn added a medal for forms to his sparring medal this time!

Master Ward, Scott, me, Missy, Mr. Stanger, Shawn, Alexa, Ben and Steele. 

The next morning, I was at the hotel buffet getting a waffle, and a girl from our division came up to me and said, "You did a really great job yesterday!  The girl sitting next to me and I really wanted you to win.  We really liked your technique."  I looked around like, was she talking to someone else?  I couldn't believe it.  I told her, "Thanks."  To myself, I thought I didn't realize sheer terror was an admirable sparring technique.  But, it made me feel really good.