is martial arts testing.
It didn't help that the weather was bad. We stood in the cold and wet for 3 hours. Our kids were involved..oh..let's say for a total of 10-12 minutes, but it wasn't consecutive minutes so we had to stay the whoooooole time.
And when I say stood, I mean we literally stood. The grass was too wet to sit on, and we're not familiar enough with these sorts of things to know to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Which most everyone else had.
The baby was a disaster because she wanted down to crawl around, but it was cold and wet. If I let her get wet from crawling around the grass she'd be even colder. After oh, I dunno, an hour and a half of wrestling her I decided to let her and Eloise watch a movie in the van just meters away from where I was standing. A couple minutes later someone walking by noticed them in there and got this crazed "Mommier-than-thou" attitude going. Gah. Pneumonia it is. Wouldn't want any "good" mommies out there to have a coronary because after an hour and a half I've let my miserable kids escape the chill to watch Garfield in the van. For shame.
Finally, Charlie and Max were tested on their pomse (poom-say). They learn a different routine for each belt, and they're called up 3-4 at a time to perform it in front of everyone. I think they did well.
After a lot more waiting we got to the board breaking. There's a different kick requirement for each belt. Last time it was a simple front snap kick. Max got it first try and Charlie second. This time it was an axe kick (I think) where you kick up high (I think) and break it on the down swing (I think) with your heel (I think). Charlie was soooo nervous, but got it on the first try.
Max did not get it on the first try...or the second, or third, or fourth, or fifth, or sixth.
Oh dear. He held it together until his group was dismissed and then he ran across the field and put his shirt over his head.
As it turned out, though, there were about a dozen kids who didn't break the board, and at the end they let them all try again. By that time I had Max all pumped up again, but I was sooo nervous for him.
First try unsuccessful. Second try unsuccessful. My stomach was in knots. Third try CEEERRAAACK!!!
So we left with a couple of happy yellow belters :-)
Yay Max and Char!! Great pics, I love the one of Charlie with her mouth open after the kick. Fierce.
Posted by: Mary | June 26, 2011 at 02:27 PM
So cool! Love the action shot of Charlie. Max is learning perseverance it seems. Good for him.
We got home last night. Dad heads north tomorrow.
Posted by: Pat | June 26, 2011 at 03:13 PM
And they've officially caught up to how far I advanced in Tae Kwon Do.
Posted by: Mike | June 26, 2011 at 05:21 PM
Oh, and the kid just behind and to the left of Charlie in the kicking picture looks like a real bad-ass.
Posted by: Mike | June 26, 2011 at 05:23 PM
Love these photos Sara! Precious expressions on their faces.
James was there testing too and complaining about the rain. I would like to have gone but they didn't think the weather was good enough to invite us! Andrea is also in the adult class but not testing that day. It has Ben wonderful for her.
Posted by: mickey | June 27, 2011 at 08:43 PM
I was looking for James and Andrea..I thought I could recognize them from your pictures, but guess not :-)
I'm toying with the idea of starting classes myself.
Posted by: Sara | June 27, 2011 at 08:57 PM