Summer

It's been a crazy summer so far. We started out the summer with Licorice getting hit by a car and breaking his leg, but he's much better -- the bank account was the hardest hit actually.


Alex is spending a lot of time at the stable volunteering her time to muck and feed and chase little campers around. She's also still competing in karate so going to the dojo 2-4 times per week for practice and traveling once a month to New England for tournaments. She recently earned her purple belt and became the Grand Champion in Weapons for New York State for children under 18 in the underbelt classes.

Alex (in blue) and Miller (the pony we lease)

Alex receiving her purple belt

Alex with her Grand Champion Cup

Alex in competition doing her Kata

Alex in competition with her weapon - the Bo

The boys started out the summer by graduating from preschool. Andrew from Mt. Airy Preschool and Philip from Mt. Airy Preschool as well as Walter Panas Preschool. The ceremonies were lovely and the boys were feeling very proud and happy. They also enjoyed a few weeks of day camp at the college where I was teaching and are now just hanging around the house.

Andrew getting his diploma from Mt. Airy Preschool

Philip getting his diploma from Mt. Airy Preschool

Philip getting his diploma from Walter Panas Preschool

As for me... I was teaching General Chemistry/Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry to nursing students in 10 weeks. Some really great times in that 10 weeks and some really hard times. It's over now and I have a bit of a break - classes start again in September. I hope to make a few scrapbook pages (the link to ScrapbookFlair is on the side) before the summer is over, tidy up the house as it has been truly neglected, and rest!

Blessings to all, Lisa

Alex's second tournament

I hope all who visit enjoy this 4 minute video from Alexandra's second karate tournament. Sadly, during her kata the next ring had a very loud participant so we have to listen to that throughout her routine, but that's the way things are in the competitions. When she spars Alex wears a black uniform with a white face shield. Also, against all competitors she is on the right side as you're looking at the screen so you should be able to recognize her. Of course the video quality is limited over the net so if anyone would like to see this from a DVD please feel free to ask and I'll happily send one :) Thanks again to all for your well wishes and support!

Another Great Weekend

We just got back from another karate tournament. Alexandra made us proud one again. She worked hard and fought even harder bringing home a third place trophy (out of 10 competitors) for sparring. Sadly, out of 29 competitors in the forms competition she didn't place in the top 8, but she looked great regardless. What a great weekend!

The Hawk

The update on the hawk that I rescued is that his wing was shattered and he would never have been able to fly again. Consequently, he was put to sleep by a veterinarian so that he no longer had to suffer. I'm glad that I found him and that he could just go to sleep instead of suffering and starving to death on the side of the road.

What a Week!!

Wow, it was quite an exciting weekend and start to the week.

For the weekend news: Alexandra competed in her first professional karate tournament on the JSK team. She does a style of karate that is a mix of traditional Japanese and Okinawan styles as seen in "The Karate Kid" called GoJu Te. She competed in 2 events, "Forms" which is the technical routine of the discipline and "Fighting." She did extremely well getting 4th place out of 17 competitors in Forms and 3rd place out of 5 competitors in Fighting. It was so exciting and she looked like she'd been doing this for years. Below are some of my favorite photos from the day.



The next exciting thing to happen was that on Monday I rescued an injured young Red Tailed Hawk. It had a broken leg and wing and I took him (or her) to a woman who rehabilitates hawks. I haven't had a chance to call and see if he (or she) made it -- I don't know if there was any internal injuries - but I'm hoping that the hawk lived and will soon be able to return to its life.

A New Semester

One of the things I love about teaching is that two times each year (three if you teach the summer session), you get a new start. Last semester is complete and a new one is beginning. Any mistakes are done and now we can practice what we've learned from them. New students are entering my classroom and joining those who stayed from last semester. Another nice thing is that even though the semester is a fresh start, not all of the students walking into my classroom are unfamiliar. I really like this job and way of life!

This semester I'll be teaching 5 laboratory sections- 3 for General Chemistry and 2 for Organic Chemistry. So far things have been pretty quiet and smooth -- hopefully a predictor of the semester to come!

Alexandra has started working out with the JSK professional competition karate team -- her first tournament will be March 8, 2008, in Rhode Island. I've posted a video on You Tube (to find it search for Alexandra Stephens) of some footage that's a little old, but still shows her seriousness and talent.

Anthony is back in law school for his second semester and the twins are off to another good semester in preschool. It's hard to believe that in two weeks I'll be registering them for kindergarten.

I also finished another Christmas scrapbook page of the kids making cookies. Enjoy.


Blessings to all who visit.

Some Christmas Scrapping

My first two scrapbook pages for Christmas 2007.




Enjoy. Happy New Year to any who pass this way.