World Champ at 7?

While it feels incredibly awkward to ask for sponsorship, we have no other alternative if we are going to try to go to Italy with Sid.  This was a totally unexpected event and might be the only chance for her to represent her country.  I would hate to skip it and then look back in years to come and think what if she'd gone to compete?  So we are going for it, just one of us is going to go with her to help cut down the cost which makes it a bit more attainable.  If you can help or know someone who might like to help, please forward the link below.   Thank you!

ITALY!!

Taranto, Italy!

OK so we gave it some thought.  The original plan was no we are not going to Italy.  Too far, too expensive, too overwhelming.  A week has passed and this week we are NOW going to Italy.  Now that might change.  We have a plan in place though.  The three families who have qualified to go to Italy, myself included, have put together a generalized cost and a fundraising plan.  We spent the last week setting up our plan and we are giving ourselves until the third week in June to see if people will sponsor the kids.  We are hoping to try to raise 3300.00 per kid to cover their hotel for the week and their flight.  1100.00 for the flight and 2200.00 for accommodations.  The adults will still need to cover our own flights, food, tournament cost and incidentals.  This is going to be expensive but as a very good friend of mine asked me.  "If you go, will it change her life?"  and my answer is yes, it will.  It isn't about winning it is about her working so hard to make it to Team Canada and then traveling with the team, being at opening ceremonies, competing in team Canada colours.  So much to think about.

So I have created a trifold brochure with all the info for corporate sponsors.  It is printed on both sides of a standard 8.5 x 11 and in colour.

 This first sheet is front of brochure on right, back in the middle and inside flap on the left

This is the inside of the brochure, left would be the left flap, middle and right flap.  With it we have 4 x 6 printed pictures like this one:

We will hand  these out to business owners with the brochure.

I also had some extra made for Sigung because he really liked them!

  

This is the picture that will go on the plaques for businesses who donate $250.00 or more.  The plaques are being donated by the Martial Artist on Orleans Blvd.

 So lots of planning and preparation to see what we can do to help these kids reach for their dreams.  IF we see fundraising help and we commit to going by the end of June, we will set up online personal donation pages for individuals to sponsor a kid or all three.  One to five dollars from a lot of individual people can  really help get these kids there.

 I am needle felting like crazy too.  All proceeds from my works go directly to the Italy fund. 

This is my newest creation, a large size needle felted apple that can be personalized with a teachers name or school year to create a unique and fantastic end of the year teacher gift!

Time to go and plan some more, do some more felting and Sid is going to train some more.  See you soon!

O Canada

 She is on team Canada.  Really!  She did it!!  Competing against black and brown belts, these kids brought everything they could to this competition and all three of them made it onto the National team.  ITALY in October for the world Championships!  Here is a photo journal of the whirlwind weekend!

 We arrived to find out there would be synchro kata.  We didn't have a chance at placing since all the other teams were black belts and mostly older teens who did back flips and acrobatics but the kids got up and represented very well.  They did not come in last.  They got to do their synchro twice, once on Friday and once on Saturday and had a combined score that put them about 10 / 13.  Pretty awesome for three junior belts.  (honestly we were hoping for some cuteness points!)

 Waiting for their scores, they knew they wouldn't place but were having fun anyways.

 They make a great team and have a lot of fun together.  Sid sits between the two 14 year olds so they will stop beating on each other ;)

 Next was Sid doing individual forms.  It was the same in synchro, all black belts and mostly older girls.  Sid did really well with her form and again didn't come last!  That is huge.  8th out of nine.  The other girls were doing hand springs and flying kicks and their forms were 3 to 5 minutes long.  Sid did her thing and was earning her competitors respect along the way.

 Sibak Robert was still in town from Phoenix and came to the tourney on Friday.  He spent a great deal of time with Sid and loves her technique and her heart.  He kept saying that he wished all his students were like her.  He spent a good 20 minutes warming her up, he was AWESOME!

 Continuous Fighting she takes GOLD!!!!!!   National Champion in Continuous for girls 12 and under -25kg

 Proud Sibak and Sid.  He kept saying he was thrilled to know someone on the Canadian National Team!

 Sid and her two black belts!  Sigung, Sid and Sibak :)

 Megan took first in continuous and Dave took 3rd in continuous.  All the kids made it to team Canada on the first day!

 Sid with her gold and her WKC Canadian Champion shirt.  I will wear it by proxy when she feels like going out as a champion.   It is a touch big on her lol.

 Day two was a bit of a repeat from day one.  Synchro forms second round, Kata second round and first round of point fighting.  Looooong day but another successful one.

 Sunday morning brought us to the final event, the final round of point fighting.  This girl in red with Sid is one of the many friends Sid has made at the last few tourneys.  This is Lily.  She is from Sault Ste-Marie and is 12.  The day before Sid fought a girl, who we are calling kicky girl, who jumps on one foot and kicks with the other.  Sid got beaten quickly because she couldn't get around her.  Lily helps Sid warm up by kicking like kicky girl and then gave Sid some very good technical advice to improve Sid's side kick.

 Here they line up for point fighting.  Isn't it awesome that they are all the same height!?  Finally!

Sid practices her new found "extended" side kick thanks to Lily.  And that is all, 13 - 3.  Sid mercies her opponent by getting a 10 point spread before the two minutes are over.

Watch the Semi-Final Point Fight

 A victory lead to a rematch of yesterdays 10 - 0 loss.  Sid was determined not to let that happen today. 

Final Point Fight for Canadian Champion

She took a second place and made the other girl work a bit more today.  Her coach and mom came over and congratulated Sid on a well executed fight.  We then found out that this girl is 9 and a brown belt so Sid should be even prouder at how she did.  

Her new friend Lily congratulates her on a great fight!  Then it was off to collect uniforms and do some club pictures.  The final tally for the club was:

Continuous Fighting:Megan and Sidney 1st, David - 3rd

Forms: Dave 4th - Megan 1st Alternate (5th)

Point Fighting - Megan and Sidney - 2nd and David 4th

 AWESOME job kids!!!

 And even representing Team Canada, they are still kids.  Playing, playing, playing and smiling with pride.

 And then there was the trying out of the National Uniform.   Looks good but how does it preform?

 So far so good.

 A-Saaaaaaaaa!

Sid, we are so proud and blown away by you.  You decided you wanted to do Martial Arts and you took your new found passion by the horns and within less than two years you are on Team Canada while still an intermediate belt.  Never in a million years would we have believed it if someone had told us your passion and determination would guide you exactly where you wanted to be.  Live your dreams and don't ever let anyone stop you girl.  We LOVE you, admire you, and are so proud to be your mom and dad.    Thanks for bringing us along on your incredible adventure.  We are anxious to see where you will lead us next.
xoxoxox

Last Fight Before the Big Event

Last night it all seemed to come together.  Here Sid fights against an almost 10 year old orange belt and gets her points.  Watch for the beautiful spin kick at about 2:40.  She put that in there herself and it is the first time I have seen her throw it, land it and score with it on her own.  Awesome!

Sid and Naomi (Bella) Fight

Photo Challenge Continues

What a site on Wednesday night coming home from Kajukenbo.  We had to pull over and snap a picture of this gorgeous sunset.  I really love living in the country!  After I uploaded it I noticed how the newest felted balls I created for the shop carry all the beautiful sunset colours.  I think I am going to dye some wool "sunset" to see how it turns out.

The photography challenge is still going on.  A picture a day for a year!  Lately it has been fairly easy with all the shop photo shoots and karate tournaments.

While organizing her medals and trophies, Sid decided to try wearing all 17 medals at once.  That's a lot of hardware!

This was a shot taken for the shop of a lumberjack pillow sham. We drive past this HUGE stack of felled trees on our way into town every night and knew they would be the perfect backdrop. 

 Lilly, with help from Sid, hordes all the toys.  Each one gets a chew and shake before the favorite is selected!

This week at Kajukenbo, we had a special visitor all the way from Arizona.  Sifu Robert joined the class to see what our club is all about and to show our kids a few new things. 

 Sifu teaches Sid how to take Hailey down.  Here is the video.  Take Down with Arm Bar
Sid loved doing this drill. 

Tomorrow is THE big day.  Team Canada tryouts.  They will go for three days and the best of the best will succeed.  Wish us luck.  Sid has been training really hard this week and she is super excited to compete.  Even Sifu Robert will come and cheer her on on Friday.  Watch for posts.  It is going to be a busy, whirlwind three days of excitement.

Penultimate Tourney and Weekly Catch Up

This week was the final tournament for the 5 Ring circuit.  The Grand Championship Tourney.  All first second and third place finishers were invited back to compete against each other. Our club showed up with the biggest number of participants so we ended up competing against ourselves in a lot of events.

 As always, there is a lot of waiting around but the kids are getting used to amusing themselves for hours while sitting and representing the club.

 These are the times that the friendships really bloom.  Time to talk, hang out and just be friends!

 Synchro Kata was first and Sid and her boys tied for second so had to preform the kata a second time to take third place.  They were awesome!  We had 7 synchro teams out of a total of 12.  The divisions were split into two, our club took two 1st places and two 3rd places!

 Then there was the waiting, waiting, waiting....  It took almost two hours before the orange and green belt 7 - 9 year old kids could preform their forms and do their fighting.  But they hung on and waited to be called

 Forms Sid took 2nd place and lost by .1 to the girl that beat her in fighting.  Sid's kata was awesome. 

 Next was fighting.  The girl next to Sid, yup the tallest one on her right, was the card that Sid drew.  1st fight she was eliminated in 31 seconds.  Tough match up!  All the girls in this category are 9!  At least next weekend at the Team Canada tryouts, she fights only kids 25kg and under.  They will all be closer to her height.  Here is a video of her quick match.  She has heart and I am so proud of her for going up against these tall kids without hesitation.  I also appreciate the control these bigger and older kids show, she could really use force but just taps so the fight isn't a complete blow out.

Sid's Grand Championship Fight

Some of the happy kids at the end of the day!

The kids did so well this year.  Our dojo ranked 1st overall.  We brought home 33 trophies on Saturday with 25 participants from the grand championship.  And in the individual rankings, Sid was 28th overall out of 366 participants (all ages and belts)

 Next weekend is team Canada tryouts then we get a nice deserved break until August! 

Saturday night we had a long awaited visit from the tooth fairy!  That front tooth has been wiggly for almost two months.  Sid has been eating with the side of her mouth but finally.....

 Ewwwwww

Yup, eating just got easier! 

Sid pulled out her pocket knife this week.  I was not feeling good about it but didn't want to make a big deal about it.  I asked her to please be careful and remember how badly she cut herself last time.  It seems she learned her lesson well.  She was very cautious and attentive while carving.  I think the trick is no more carving with friends, there are just too many distractions!

 I made a new product for the shop!  Pure wool personalized 15" balls for little ones.  This was a creation for our little friend Noah's second birthday.  He really seemed to LOVE it!

 The shop is being featured this week on Etsy so I suspect I may get a few extra orders.  I am ready and can't wait to see what comes of it.

We found out this week that choir will run through the summer!  We are so happy to hear that because Sid loves to sing and loves her choir teacher and friends.  Here is their group pictures for the winter session.  Not everyone was there and it was a bit spontaneous but I am happy with how the shot turned out.

Oh and speaking of shots, I found out this weekend that I will have some of my foal pictures of Fancy published in Quarterhorse Monthly for the month of July.  Can't wait!

Monday today, off we go into another week of adventure.  Have a great week!