We took a side trip while visiting Salt Lake City to actually visit The Great Salt Lake. It didn't make sense to drive 7 1/2 hours from Las Vegas and not see the Lake. It looked like a Lake!!
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Salt Lake City Again
Salt Lake City
The weekend of June 9-11 I traveled to Salt Lake City with Ana and my mom (Julie) for a karate seminar and black belt test. I had hoped to test but the surgery on my foot in January has delayed my plans. Instead, I've included photos of our favorite vacation activities. Karen is drinking wine, and Ana is sleeping.
Sam's Final Soccer Appearance
On June 3, 2006 Sam competed in his final soccer tournament with his current team. They did well in the tournament and reached the semi-finals. They ended in Third Place. Sam played offense this time which is a switch since he usually plays defense. He was very proud of his performance as was I! This was a recreational team that was rather competetive so next fall we will return to the truly recreational league where he enjoyed playing a lot more.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Spring Break 2006
Spring Break 2006
We took a great family vacation to Walt Disney World and the Bahamas for Spring Break. Animal Kingdom has a new ride called Expedition Everest - it's a roller coaster that goes both forward and backward! Really fun!!
We also sailed aboard Carnival Cruise Lines FunShip Sensation from Port Canaveral to Naussau, The Bahamas. We arrived in the Bahamas on Good Friday which is a religious holiday so most of the shops were closed.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Regional Karate Competition
On February 4th, Ana competed in a karate tournament where she won 2nd place in kata (a choreographed fight) and 1st place in fighting. She lost kata to her friend Niki pictured here (in the red belt). The man kneeling in front of them is Mr. Gallacher, a 9th degree black belt and the Executive Vice President of United Fighting Arts Federation and Chunk Kuk Do, the style we train under. He is third in line in our organization behind Mr. Chuck Norris and Mr. Aaron Norris. It's good to know people in high places. This man is also my instructor's instructor. In karate lineage that makes Ana and me (Karen) the great granddaughters to Chuck Norris!!
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Ana's Writing Award
On January 10th, Ana was honored at an Awards Reception at the headquarters of Nevada Power for an essay contest on the Future of Las Vegas. The contest was open to all students in the Clark County School District (nearly 300,000 kids!!) and Ana was one of 10 winners in her age group (grades 6-8). For her efforts, she received an award and a $100 gift certificate to Target. Quite the accomplished writer, her poetry is also being published in the Anthology of Poetry for young people. She was the only student in her school (1800 students) to be published. Now if I could just get her to do her homework!!!
This is Ana with her English teacher, Mrs. Brewer and her school principal, Mr. Larnerd. Both accompanied her to the awards reception.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Why we homeschool
This is a great example of why we homeschool. Most public schools don't allow students to sit this way while reading. Sam and I like to sit in the master bedroom in the winter since it is the only room in the house that gets direct sunlight.
Sam was often in trouble in 1st grade at his public school because he liked to sit on the edge of his chair and he "took up too much space."
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Soccer Season
October brings us to soccer season. Both Ana and Sam played this fall. Ana was on a team called the Bluz Sisters. She played in a recreational league. Her 17 year-old coach spent much of the season looking pretty instead of coaching so it was rather a disappointing season. Ana spent much of her time as a defender and goalie. She did manage to score one goal this season. Unfortunately, it was against her own team!!! Poor Ana. Sam had a much better season. He had a great time just being out there with his teammates. Sam played defender all season since he is not the fastest runner. He did a great job of getting in the way of the other teams' offense!
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Disneyland
In September we met "the cousins" at Disneyland for what was supposed to be a fun-filled trip!! For the most part it was just that--full of fun. Now, being from Southern Nevada I love a good Monsoonal downpour as much as the next guy. However, when that downpour comes while visiting Disneyland it's not quite so enjoyable. For one thing it's about 30 degrees cooler in California than Nevada so being wet also means being COLD!!! In Nevada, we stay in the house until the storm passes. Not so at Disneyland. When in Disneyland one does the only sensible thing. You either pay $7 for a poncho that will be worn once (that day) or as Mike and Sam did, you pay $21 for a hat that will see more use. Here we are in all our "Disney Condom" (a term coined by my sister-in-law, Patty) glory!!!
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Petrified Forest National Park
In August I took the kids and my mom to Eastern Arizona to see the Petrified Forest National Park. It was fun and required lots of driving(not our favorite part.)
We also saw some bison - very muddy - not our best idea!!!
Monday, July 25, 2005
Xeriscape
Our new landscaping has been installed. Due to severe drought conditions in Southern Nevada we have converted the front lawn into xeriscape. Takes hardly any water and very little maintenance. I need a new picture because the plants are much bigger now and it doesn't look so much like a rock garden.
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Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Sam's Hard Head
Soon after (within hours) of my last post, Sam took a little sleep walking stroll. Normally this wouldn't be a problem except that Sam sleeps on a loft 7 feet above the ground. Sam went sailing off that loft with the biggest THUNK I've ever heard in my life. Sam and I spent several hours in the Emergency Room. If ever Sam pretends to be dumb, I'm not falling for it. He had to have a CT Scan so now I've seen photos of his brain so I know he has one! It is very wrinkly! All this for the low, low price of $3022!! Thank God Mike has a good job that provides good health insurance!
Monday, July 18, 2005
Karate Convention
The weekend of July 15-17, 2005 I attended the Chun Kuk Do International Conference and World Championships. I had several classes to help me improve my karate in preparation for my test for black belt. (I'm scheduled to test in June of 2006.) I also competed in kata (a pretend choreographed fight) and fighting. I got 4th place in both events. As you'll see in the pictures there were only 4 competitors in my division (old women over 35 who have managed to obtain the rank of red belt (me) or red/black belt (one test short of black belt - the other three.) Considering that I've had my red belt for less than three months I was pretty impressed with myself!
My mom, Julie, attended as a spectator. So did my daughter, Ana.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
My Travelling World
Okay, here I go again. Now I'm going to try to add a map to my blog of all the states I've visited. I'm not including states where I've only seen the airport or the list would be longer.
create your own personalized map of the USA
How about the world? Looks like I need to go SOUTH!!!
create your own visited country map
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