Karate Tournament

Last Friday and Saturday Maddie, Max, and Seth did a Karate tournament. It was a lot of fun, we didn't really know what to expect because we had never done one. You either get a trophy (1st, 2nd, or 3rd place) or a medal so the kids all left happy. Seth is doing his kata which is a routine he has memorized with various blocks and kicks. There are three judges that give him a score between 7 and 8. He got 2nd place for this.
Maddie and Max also did their katas which were more difficult. Maddie practiced tons and Max didn't practice at all. Max ended up getting 1st and Maddie 3rd, which made Seth very happy.
The next evening we got to go back and do chanbara. They do like a sword fight with noodle like swords. You can hit anywhere but the face and whoever gets 5 points first wins. Seth's level they stood very still and were very gentle. Max and Maddie's level was a bit more aggressive. Once Maddie got hit so hard the judges said they would disqualify if he swung like a bat again. You're suppose to show skill by being quick, not hurt each other. Maddie waited until it was over and then burst into tears which is so Maddie. She has to finish it and then let it all out.
Maddie still beat all 5 of these boys and got 1st place. You go girl! Max and Seth also got 1st place in their division. I guess my kids have had a lot of experience fighting.

This is Maddie sitting very properly for karate with her arms tucked in and her feet crossed behing her. We had to get a picture of it. Serious girl.

Chocolate

I LOVE Cadbury mini eggs, I'd even go as far as saying I'm addicted to them. Easter better hurry and get here so I can stop buying them.

Hazel the hamster

On Tuesday we went and got Maddie a hamster for an early birthday present. She was in heaven. On Saturday she came upstairs sobbing that she left the top of the cage opened and her hamster was gone! The first thing I said was, "I thought your hamster was dead or something, it's okay if she's just missing, we'll find her." So all her brothers started the search. Nothing. I finally decided to move her dresser out that the cage was on and it was back there dead. Maddie was inconsolable. I felt so sorry for her. She felt so guilty too since she was the one that left the cage opened. I tried to reassure her by saying, "It was an accident that you left it open, it wasn't your fault she died, it was a freak accident." I took her later that day to get a new hamster thinking it would help her forget and she would be okay but she wasn't. She said every time she looked at her new hamster it reminder her of her old hamster which made her stomach hurt. She didn't even want to play with her. The next evening Jon got her out and we all played with her and Maddie said it felt pretty good to play with her. She checks the cage too often to make sure everything is closed and moved it to a lower place in case she does get out again. Poor Maddie. I know she'll get over it eventually. The adventures of having a pet...

Oreo races

So, my friend Lydia had this oreo race on her blog and it looked fun so we tried it too while we were in Idaho with Jon's whole family. You open an oreo and stick it to your forehead. You can only use gravity and the muscles in your face to get it from your forhead to your mouth.

Jon was the first to do it successfully. It's actually pretty hard.

Maddie tried three times and finally got it in.
Go, Seth!
Here's Tanner on one of his attempts. He could almost taste it. (Actually, it won't let me upload a video right now so I'll try later.)

Trip to Idaho Falls

This weekend we went to visit Jon's family in Idaho. Jon has a brother and sister that also live there with their families so it's fun to get all of the cousins together. Plus his other brother, Joseph came up from Provo with his family, so there were a lot of us! His brother Michael shot off some rockets in the park. The kids all took turns pushing the button to blast off the rockets. Then they loved trying to find it in the sky and running to catch it.

Skate Park

Last fall, my grandma asked if she could build a garage on our property to store her old cars and antiques she left in New Mexico. I thought she could build it in our weed garden...two problems solved. Right after it was finished winter hit hard. Last week, the snow finally melted and the kids have discovered their "skate park." I think it's great, they will skate out there (and Seth scooter) for hours.
The dogs are quite happy too. I saw Mimzy sprawled out half on the bark and half on the cement sleeping away. I had to make sure she was breathing. The kids had just worn her out, guess they're not used to being played with that much. Tanner and his friends told me today that this summer they're going to make it way cool and charge people to skate in it and sell treats. We'll see.