More Tournament pictures

Here is Nik in line to get his trophy. Here is Nik proudly displaying his trophies.

More Tournament pictures

These are pictures of Nik doing his form and weapons. He did great!!!

World of Champions Karate Tournament

Nik had his first karate tournament today. We spent the night yesterday in a hotel. This was a first for Nik too. Nik was so excited yesterday that the kids were a little bad yesterday. But I think it was because they were overly excited. We had a hot tub in our room which was another first for Nik and he loved it. As you can see in the pictures. By the end of the evening Jason and I were exhausted from these kids. I don't think the kids went to bed after 10. We ate at Red Robin for dinner and it was awful. Tournament was great it was cool to watch the older people do their forms and weapons. Since this was our first time it was a little crazy because we did not know what to do. They divided the Tiny Tigers up into groups and they did the white through orange belt first and placed they by their colored belts in these lines. The parents has to step aside so a lot of the kids got nervous because they could not see their parents. Then they divided them up into groups of 7 and that is where they did their form and some did their weapons. Nik was one of the ones to do his weapons which was the numchucks. I think only 3 out of his group did. Nik was a little nervous when he did his form he was the first to go in his group. But he did really good. Then he did his numchucks and this is where he shined, he did great. It amazes me that he remembers how to do this. We do have a video that you can see, but our camera is not digital so I can't post it. Nik was so proud and excited when he got his first 2 trophies ever and I am sure there will be more to come. If seems to want to do this for a long time and is excited to do other tournaments. I am finally starting to feel better. Jason is too but his is a day or so behind me. This is the longest that Jason and I have felt like crap in a long time. This cold probably lasted a week. It just wore us out. We both have not worked out in over a week we just did not have the energy. So hopefully back to normal this week. Have a nice week. Short week for school the start of Easter break is coming.

Bike Riding

We had some great weather the last 2 days in the mid 70's. Here is some pictures of Nik riding his bike. Now its in the 50's. Rachel found out that she is having another brother her step mom is pregnant and due in August. We should have some nice pictures of Nik's karate tournament. We leave Friday afternoon and come back Saturday afternoon. He is so excited. I am still fighting this cold it has moved in my chest and now I have this nice deep voice. Hopefully I will be all better by this weekend. Well we have decided to sell Jason's motorcycle. He is very sad about it. But this will free up some money for Nik's school.

This weekend I was sick with a cold I am feeling better but still stuffy and I have a cough. Now Jason has my cold. Today is my brother Jimmy's 26th Birthday!!! Yesterday we saw the Last Mimzy. It was a great movie the kids loved it. This weekend is Nik's karate tournament. He is very excited. Today the weather is great it is in the 70's and sunny!! I dug up the rose bush that was half dead today. That was a lot of work.

Weekly udpate

Rachel had her social studies test and got a 96%. She only got one wrong. Nik had his conferences for pre-k and his teacher said he is doing excellent. She said it was amazing to watch Nik form last year to this year. He has just grown by leaps and bounds and is doing very well. He is the only one in his class that knows all his numbers and letters. It has been a good week. Jason is feeling better finally. Spring is finally here. It is in the 50's and rainy. Tulips are trying to come up. I can't wait for the nice weather. I am not a winter person at all. One day I would love to move out of the state of Ohio. But that will not be for many years to come. Have a nice weekend. We are going to try to see a movie this weekend with the kids The Last Mimzy.

Strep again!!

Friday Nik starting complaining of a sore throat. So I looked at his throat and noticed it looked red and swollen and white spots. Took him to the doctor and yes he has strep throat again. His is on a different antibiotic. His doctor said that about 15% of the people that get strep get it again shortly after stopping the medicine. Same thing happened to Rachel last year. He was so upset because he missed karate today. He has not been able to go all week because they were testing. You would never know he is sick. But now I know how to read Nik when he is sick. He does not show a lot of pain so its very hard to know if he is or not. Plus he is a healthy boy and never sick. Have a nice St. Patricks Day!! Its cold here again we received a couple of inches of snow.
Also great news Nik got accepted to Phillips-Osborne. We are so excited. We have to fill out the contract and return it by 3/30 to reserve his spot for next year. He is so excited that he is going. He really enjoyed the school when he visited.

Orange belt with black stripe!

Nik passed his orange belt
with black stripe test with flying colors. They said he had the loudest yes sir. In the last picture Nik sure has a crazy look in his eyes. Probably from all the excitement. Yesterday was a beautiful day. It got to 70 degrees. Nik had a chance to go to the park and ride his bike. His goal this summer is to learn to ride with out training wheels. Today is still warm but rainy.

Bowling

Today Nik's class went bowling. Everyone seemed to have a nice time. Nik was not to happy at the end because he did not win. Another nice day up to 65 tomorrow. I have decided to stay off all blood pressure medicines and I am going to try to do it on my own naturally. I attribute my high blood pressure to my weight gain. So if I can loose the weight I am hoping the blood pressure will go down.

Spring is in the air!!

Its so nice out today in the low 50's and sunny, most of the snow has melted expect for a few tall piles. Its so nice to have spring on the way. We went for a 2 mile walk on the bike path this afternoon. Its is supposed to be in the 50's all week. SO far I have lost 6 lbs in the past 2 weeks and Jason has lost 4lbs. Not bad. It's great having the treadmill. I had to go off my blood pressure medicine, the Lisinopril was making me cough so much that it kept me up at night. This happened for 2 nights in a row. I was miserable. During the day I coughed so hard I made myself through up. Not fun. So I called the doctor on Friday and he said go off it for the weekend and call on Monday. It seems to be getting better everyday. This is the best day so far. I still cough but not as much. So they need to put me on something else. They did warn me it would give me a dry cough but I did not think anything like this. Its an uncontrollable tickle in your throat that just makes you cough and cough. I had to carry water with me everywhere I went because that was the only thing that made it go away.
Kids are doing great. Nik is all better and takes his test this week for his orange belt with the black stripe. Rachel is doing good too. Well have a nice week.

How Cute!!!!

I was looking through my pictures and came across these pics of the kids when they were little. My do they grow up fast. Rachel looks so cute with her baby face and chubby cheeks. Now she is so tall and big she is going to pass me up soon. Nik is feeling much better he went to school yesterday. Though you never would of know he was as sick as he was because he was as hyper as ever. Next Monday for Nik's class we are going bowling. Its such a small class so his teacher said we could do this. Normally they don't. It should be lots of fun. Have a nice week.

Poor Nik!!

Nik has not been feeling good the last day or two. Last night he woke up with his eye sealed shut and crusty so I thought pink eye. I took him to the doctor this morning. I thought Nik was just suffering from a cold because he did not act that sick and had no temp. Well not only does he have pink eye, he also has strep throat and a nasty ear infection. Poor kid. He says his ear doesn't even hurt. So he needs to be on eye drops and penicillin. Yesterday he went to Phillips-Osborne and he did really well. I guess the next step is will find out if he was accepted or not. Neighbors are siding there house and of all the colors they pick the color of our house. I am not to pleased with that but what are you going to do. Stay healthy and have a nice weekend.

Just wanted to post a few updates. Nik is doing great in karate. He will be able to test for his orange belt with a stripe on March 13th. We signed him up for the tournament in Independence Ohio since he has been really good in karate. He wants me to sign him up for weapons, but I told him he needs to try harder for the tournament. Well this last week he really has been trying he has become very good at the numchucks. Last night he did his whole form for the numchucks all by himself for Jason and I and did wonderful. We are going to get a hotel for the tournament and spend the night since it starts early. Nik is very excited since he has never stayed in a hotel. Tomorrow Nik goes to Phillips-Osborne for his interview. I hope all goes well. I seem to be tolerating the blood pressure medicine well. I have not taken my blood pressure since. I also have started working out on the treadmill Danielle let us use. I try to do it 2 times a day. Its so nice having it here, since its impossible to go anywhere else to workout. Have a nice day!!!