I was taking Mariah to Taco Time Friday to turn in her application for work. When we got in the car, she asked if she could drive. She is still accumulating her hours with her learners' permit so she can get her license. For some reason, I told her she couldn't drive this time.
Taco Time is only about four to five blocks from our home, at the corner of Main Street and 300 East. There was nothing different about this jaunt. I was talking to Mariah and I began to signal and then pull a bit to the right before I made my right turn into the parking lot. But as I was moving over to the right, there was a sound of two cars colliding. One of them happened to be mine. The other happened to be a teenage boy trying to pass me on the right side of a one lane road. It totally freaked me out. I don't know where he came from or why he thought he could pass on the right. The strange thing was he was mad at me!
Mariah and I are both glad that she wasn't driving. I was so upset, my chin was having an involuntary twitch for the next several hours. Luckily, the twitch is now gone and the dent in the front passenger side of the van really is slight. Thank heaven it wasn't as bad as it could have been.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Receiving My Yellow Belt
Robyn, my instructor, presents me with my yellow belt.
Brandy, my Hap Kido mentor and friend, who encouraged me to learn the art,deserves much credit for helping me perservere and practice.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Peggy's Hapkido test
Saturday, March 14, I bravely set out to Mr. Lim's Hapkido studio in Layton to test for my yellow belt. I had been sick with the stomach flu on Thursday and missed my hapkido class. So, it was with quite a bit of hesitation that I went through with my test. I wondered if I was really ready and I still felt uncertain about what to expect, though many classmates had reassured me that I would know everything.
Julie, my friend Brandy's step-daughter, went along with Bryce, me, Mariah and Emma. Julie let me know I was only testing with white belts that day. With Julie's help, when we arrived I began to stretch out. I noticed about 3/4 of the class was very young, approximately 12 years and under. I noted how amazingly agile they were.
The instructors, under Mr. Lim's direction, placed all of us in what I suppose was age order from the front of the class to the back. I was the last person to be given a spot. I can only assume I was the oldest. A very tall, slender, teenage-looking guy was ordered to swap places with me, so that now Mr. Lim could see me. If only I could have remained hidden, I thought. But, then I had to swallow my nerves and buck up, readying for the test.
It seemed to go very fast. We went through the kicks quickly. The instructor who was calling it knows Korean, and so his pronunciation didn't sound the same as the teenage black belts who often call in my class. You had to be quick and decisive when you heard his commands or you missed the opportunity to carry out the command.
With the first part over, my courage grew, but then it was dashed as we were ordered to line up in reverse order and three successive commands were announced before I could even digest what they were. I had three people ahead of me from which to learn before I was up and needed to perform them. The three men were done and I was up and my mind was still reeling. I had performed each of these elements, but not quite in this small of a room--the scenario was somehow uncomfortably different.
I hit my offensive stance, rolled, hit offense again and then twice messed up my first jumping front kick. The instructor went through the series with me and the third time I got it. The next jump also took three tries, but the final jump I did in two tries. It was shaky, but now I believe the steps are permanantly written in my memory.
The final series of testing were the roundhouse kicks and the outside to inside/jumping outside to inside. These I performed well, except for the one roundhouse where I fell on my behind. The floor was very slick and offered pretty much no traction.
Julie says I shouldn't be ashamed of falling because it just means I was trying very hard. I didn't cry. That was a good sign. It felt good to have the test over and I was very pleased that I had followed through with it. I look forward to improving and having the opportunity to test again, and hopefully next time I can avoid falling and develop the confidence to trust what I have learned and perform it well the first time.
Julie, my friend Brandy's step-daughter, went along with Bryce, me, Mariah and Emma. Julie let me know I was only testing with white belts that day. With Julie's help, when we arrived I began to stretch out. I noticed about 3/4 of the class was very young, approximately 12 years and under. I noted how amazingly agile they were.
The instructors, under Mr. Lim's direction, placed all of us in what I suppose was age order from the front of the class to the back. I was the last person to be given a spot. I can only assume I was the oldest. A very tall, slender, teenage-looking guy was ordered to swap places with me, so that now Mr. Lim could see me. If only I could have remained hidden, I thought. But, then I had to swallow my nerves and buck up, readying for the test.
It seemed to go very fast. We went through the kicks quickly. The instructor who was calling it knows Korean, and so his pronunciation didn't sound the same as the teenage black belts who often call in my class. You had to be quick and decisive when you heard his commands or you missed the opportunity to carry out the command.
With the first part over, my courage grew, but then it was dashed as we were ordered to line up in reverse order and three successive commands were announced before I could even digest what they were. I had three people ahead of me from which to learn before I was up and needed to perform them. The three men were done and I was up and my mind was still reeling. I had performed each of these elements, but not quite in this small of a room--the scenario was somehow uncomfortably different.
I hit my offensive stance, rolled, hit offense again and then twice messed up my first jumping front kick. The instructor went through the series with me and the third time I got it. The next jump also took three tries, but the final jump I did in two tries. It was shaky, but now I believe the steps are permanantly written in my memory.
The final series of testing were the roundhouse kicks and the outside to inside/jumping outside to inside. These I performed well, except for the one roundhouse where I fell on my behind. The floor was very slick and offered pretty much no traction.
Julie says I shouldn't be ashamed of falling because it just means I was trying very hard. I didn't cry. That was a good sign. It felt good to have the test over and I was very pleased that I had followed through with it. I look forward to improving and having the opportunity to test again, and hopefully next time I can avoid falling and develop the confidence to trust what I have learned and perform it well the first time.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Becca's Desperate Date
Anyway, there were four couples in her group: Becca and Parker, Derek and Randy, Shay and Britten and Sarah and Dain. They went to Logan and scared the people in the Walmart with their shenanigans. For example, Randy picked a handful of black color tiles in the paint section and went to the associate and asked him "according to his soul" which shade of black she should choose for her relaxation room. He tried to talk her into a blue, but she held to her guns and finally told him that she needed to speak to her mentor.
They convened at our house and made pizza and headed out to the dance, where, as you can imagine they made quite a scene. After about an hour and a half of dancing, they returned here for cookie dough sundaes, which they ate out of a communal bowl.
Oh, the memories that were made. And oh, to be young again!! What fun!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Pictures from Grandpa's birthday.
Top pic: Kara with Grandpa's balloons.
Aftyn is a goofball.
Paige is growing by the minute.
Emma and Jameson jump rope with Dad and Grandpa.
Laura shows how big Grandma's jacket is.
Grandpa and John enjoy some laughing and joking around.
The grandkids and LaWrene and Don Wayne's granddaughter.Grandpa's birthday
On February 27, after the temple open house, we (sans Becca and Mariah who were still on the high school arts department trip to Disneyland) traveled to the E-Center to watch Bear River win their state semi finals game of basketball. Then, we continued around the Oquirrh Mountains to stay the weekend with Grandma and Grandpa Bradfield in Tooele.The next day was Grandpa's birthday.
If you look at the picture, he didn't just turn eight. The blue candles each stood for a decade. So, he was 71.
We had a great time getting to know Aunt Daryl again. (She's staying with them now.) We helped Daryl with her puzzles, enjoyed the crisp spring air and enjoyed seeing John and Christy's children: Kara, Aftyn and Paige. We even went bowling with Grandpa and Uncle John.
Later, Grandma cooked a wonderful spaghetti dinner, which Aunt LaWrene and Uncle Don Wayne came to enjoy with us and Grandpa blew out candles.
The kids had a blast swimming in the Tooele pool, which they love because of the lazy river and water slide.It was a wonderful weekend, but we sure were happy to see Becca and Mariah again when we came home from church on Sunday.
Emma and the bass
Emma began playing the bass this year. She had toyed with the viola last year, but the class just went too slow for her since she had already taken a few years of piano and she soon lost interest. The bass became a new challenge and she has really made great strides with it.
She fell in love with the bass when she saw a girl playing it in the orchestra and in the jazz band last year. Its versatility was a definite plus and now, with Mariah's friend Julie on violin, Becca on viola and Mariah on cello, we have a full ensemble. Imagine it!
This picture was from the Alice C. Harris Intermediate School's winter concert in February. They sounded quite good.
Draper Temple--Feb 27
Despite the fact that Becca and Mariah were on tour, the rest of us went to the Draper, Utah Temple open house. We arrived for the 5:30 tour and were very excited to see the temple with our kids.
There was a brief film in the primary room of the chapel where we met and then we loaded buses and rode up the mountainside on the overstuffed tour bus. When we stepped off the bus, there was a long hallway of tent that led to the lower level of the temple where the baptismal font was.
The beauty of the interior was immediate as you enter the facility. The finest woods and elegant colors with simply structured furnishings were all striking. The light green, blue and off white stained glass windows allowed vast amounts of natural light in.
What struck me most is how much different a temple feels after it is dedicated and used for furthering the work of Christ's Church. I longed for my children to feel that, too.
The ordinance room murals were striking. You felt as though you had been in these settings before. But, of course, the celestial room was the crown jewel of the temple. I have never seen such amazing height in a room. It was definitely symbolic. The chandelier was so bright, it would hurt one's eyes to look directly at it.
I also loved the oversized sealing room. I saw this when I took Becca to see the temple the next Wednesday when the kids were out of school between trimesters. This room could actually accomodate our large extended family (I think). And there were large panels of stained glass in this room, as well.
This was a memorable time for me. I only wish Mariah had wanted to attend.
There was a brief film in the primary room of the chapel where we met and then we loaded buses and rode up the mountainside on the overstuffed tour bus. When we stepped off the bus, there was a long hallway of tent that led to the lower level of the temple where the baptismal font was.
The beauty of the interior was immediate as you enter the facility. The finest woods and elegant colors with simply structured furnishings were all striking. The light green, blue and off white stained glass windows allowed vast amounts of natural light in.
What struck me most is how much different a temple feels after it is dedicated and used for furthering the work of Christ's Church. I longed for my children to feel that, too.
The ordinance room murals were striking. You felt as though you had been in these settings before. But, of course, the celestial room was the crown jewel of the temple. I have never seen such amazing height in a room. It was definitely symbolic. The chandelier was so bright, it would hurt one's eyes to look directly at it.
I also loved the oversized sealing room. I saw this when I took Becca to see the temple the next Wednesday when the kids were out of school between trimesters. This room could actually accomodate our large extended family (I think). And there were large panels of stained glass in this room, as well.
This was a memorable time for me. I only wish Mariah had wanted to attend.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
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