HIYAAA ... Congrats to Jet!

Congrats Jettie for achieving a new belt in Tae Kwon Do: High Red Belt. Jet is now into the deputy belts which are the higher level belts. Jet will now test on a different level in a different location under really tough scrutiny.

Jet has passed through 8 belt levels (colors) in two Tae Kwon Do schools (both Korean established). This is quite an accomplishment for a 5 1/2 year old and we are so proud. Jet was also awarded the Tiger patch (only two were awarded last evening) for hardest work. Grandmaster Jeon has been a wonderful instructor and Jet has really upped his game since joining his school. It is much tougher than our previous school. As you can see from the picture below, there were a lot of students with a lot of different belt levels that were tested. Let's just say it translated into a really late evening ... especially since Jet was the highest belt tested in this session thus the last man up. If he looks wiped in these pictures, that's because he is ... it was an hour past his bedtime when he was tested and also after day that included school, a birthday party and this testing.

The smartest move for the night was probably by mom & dad who were wise enough to hire a sitter for Charlie. Charlie did not receive his third stripe (he has two) so did not get tested for the next belt level. Our Charlie doesn't seem to mind too much. He just happy to run, kick and punch when he's at class. He'll be in the thick of testing in 6 weeks. He loves the sport too.

We'll finish the blog with one final picture of Jet right after he broke his board. He had to get two feet off the ground, kick back and bust the board from behind. Did I say he was 5 1/2!!!!! Can you tell we are so proud!!!!

Fall Festivals & Fun

Fall is definitely here. Chicago temps are hanging around the low 60's this weekend and we are going into peak color. In Chicago, a new season is another reason for fall festivals, garage sales, block parties and picnics ... we've done all of those in the last three weeks.

Last night we had our Chili Fest Block Party. Everyone prepared and presented their best pot of chili and we got to taste each other's concoctions. The kids had a blast just being able to ride their bikes, Razors and trikes freely in the street (without a spanking or lesson ensuing). We adults dragged out our lawn chairs and formed a pow-wow circle in the middle of the street. We are always amazed that their is no serious injuries with 26 kids (mostly boys) riding bikes/razors like crazed maniacs up and down the block, daredevil tree climbers going up 20ft plus, and play to the "death" tag games. We tried to calm the kids after dark with a movie in a neighbors garage ... unfortunately it was the "not appropriate for under 13 - Austin Powers". When a few parents remarked - As Austin Powers is picking up Elizabeth Hurley - that this might not be suitable for 4 & 5 year olds ... the neighbor slapped in the even more inappropriate - "Meet the Parents". It didn't matter. By the time the second movie started the kids were on to more outdoor activities. As dusk fell, one of our village squad cars showed up with lights flashing making it's way around our block barrier towards our Pow-wow circle. He showed up to hand out stickers to the kids and let them sit in the squad car. I looked over at a neighbor and said - "why did I feel the immediate need to toss my beer when he was pulling up?" Ofcourse by this time our men folk had a few beers in them and commenced upon telling their insightful tales of times where they were riding in squad cars. Like the one time a neighbor greased up pigs and let them loose on a nightclub dance floor in Iowa City. It was a fun prank until he had to ride in the back of the squad car after the pigs had been gathered up there. Anyways, our night ended with a citizen's arrest of our local police officer - god bless him - he had a front headlight out. Classic. The boys thought it was fun getting stickers and sitting in the police car. We only hope that they weren't listening too closely to the tales of the "squad car".







We had a garage sale on Friday and we really cleaned out our closets. No more pants that feel like they are cutting me in half. I sold 3 garbage sacks of clothes from my closet alone ... everything a buck. I'm always amazed at the crappy soiled clothes that sell and the Ralph Lauren/Tommy Hilfinger stuff that I'm left donating. Weird. Why am I giving so many clothes away. It's been a year of upsizing! I keep asking myself how did this happen????? Then I look over at Jet's full collection of Batman Lego McDonald Characters ... Thank god they ran out of those men and that promo's over. I don't care if I ever see another Nugget/Apple Dipper Happy Meal combo again. Ofcourse as the boys were racking up the batman toys ... I was racking up the cheeseburger hips. It's depressing as I'm logging up 8 -10 miles on the treadmill a week and gaining weight. My new fall goal is lose 10 by Xmas. It was also to grow my hair longer but that was cut short - sorry for the pun - on Saturday. I was not made to have hair past the neck.

We hope this finds all well and maybe encourages a few of you to come up for fall color.



Jan