Sept 2012

Katy was in a wedding this month and the grandkids stayed with Nana.....Laurel and Kate who is now 3 have such fun together. I have posted just some fun pics of the two of them being girls!!

Laurel's second gym meet sept 2012

Laurel participated in her second gymnastics meet last night. This was a much bigger meet,alot more kids and alot more kids who have been competing for a lot longer than our girls,like 2-4 yrs. Our girls again did VERY well although the eve meet opposed to a mid day meet sure showed its wear. The girls were not nearly as sharp and on their game. Laurel again though did place twice,once in the Vault and one in all around. Again,we are very proud of her.

Laurels frst Cmpetition Sept 2012

The day we have all looked forward to and trained for and paid for in money and time and energy,some blood swet and even a very few tears. Level 5 first competition gym meet.
Dad and I have a very different idea of competition,of course we all want our kids to do well,to train well and perform and even win, this is human nature,esp for a parent but Dad keeps track of all details and each team members scores and so on. I......just dont care that much. Did she have fun?do her best and perform her best?? then im happy. Dad on the other hand wants to know who got what and who did better than who,these are kids and who cares who is better than who? these girls are all team mates,friends for life and companions in fun and competition, we all want the very best for our girls,all our girls,their girls,my girls,we are all team family and we wish the best for all,not just for our own.  Over all........I am soooooooooooooooooooo proud to report that the team girls from our gym,North Bay Athletic Association in Vallejo,Calif. Level 4,5 and 6 did AMAZING today. Each and evey girls did their best and really did well.

Our laurel did extremely well,this being her first competition,real for score. She made all 4th and 5th places,and walked away with 5 medals!!including over all champion team. We all couldnt be prouder. I cant wait to see how they all improve each week that they compete. The first one has to be the biggest deal,alot going on around them while they are doing their routine.music from the floor,cheering for other girls and they are concentrating on their routine whichever it is at that time. I didnt get too many pics,some too much action and some too far but believe me, they are all our heros,alot of hard work has paid off and this is just their begining!! Three cheers for the NBAA girls!!   10 Cheers for Laurel Raymond!!

Another Stripe for Zakary August 2012

Zakary has balanced his schedule between TaeKwonDO and his AWANA church youth group and although he is a bit behind his friends in TaeKwonDo now,due to taking one of the four nights a week of TKD off for youth group,he is still loving and moving right along with his belts and stripes. Zak now wears a Green and Blue belt with one stripe. He is really doing well and it certainkly does help him in his every day life and at school. We ae very proud of him.

Laurels first gymnastics meet August 2012

So Laurel has now grown old enough to  legally compete in gymnastics(since we are in the US,and no longer in China,lol). Laurel had her first unofficial,what we called a "friendship meet". This coming weekend will the real thing and 2-3 weekends per month through November will now be eaten up by gymnastics competitions,all over California,and even in Reno,NV.
The Friendship meet was really a great chance for the kids,especially the newbies to get a real feel of cometition,with a less stressful atmosphere. The girsl were still all expected to dress,hair and all just as a true meet,family and friends to watch,the march in and a more of a learning degree of judging than a numbers and scores for medals. A day very well spent. Alot of fun and alot of learning,and hopefully a little less stress this next weekend when they march in for the first actual competition of their gymnastics career.

After the "friendship meet" all of her team and their familes were invited to a grandparents home for pool party and BBQ. A really fun day

August 2012 First day of school

How can this be?How can we be going off to 2nd and 3rd grade?it just doesnt seem possible.....but it is true.
First day of school was uneventful although both Laurel and Zakary were ready and excited. Laurel has the same teacher this year as she had last year,and this is a good thing. laurel LOVES her.
Zakary has a new teacher to the Charter school,not a new teacher to taching,she is prob close to 60 if not early into 60,grown kids and has been teaching 2nd grade in a different school here in Vallejo,on the other side of town with some very very rough kids and families. All i can say is she has got to be in absolut HEAVEN here at the Charter school where the kids are overall Very well behaved,come from very active families and there is a ton of volunteeer parents at the school and in the classroomm at all times. She seems to have good control from what little i have seen so far but has not yet had to involvew social services or buy lunch fior her students who came from home without,because perhaps there is none. Im not to say this schookl doesnt have its issues,its troubles,its kids less than perfect(like mine) lol lol lol HA HAHAHAHA.....but we are so lucky to have such family and parent involvement therefore better outcome with and from the kids. So far,all is going well,kids are happy and glad to be where they are in school. Heres to another great year for Zak and laurel!!!!