2nd Degree and "Martial Arts Instructor"

I am a 2nd Degree Blackbelt as of Thursday night. Thrilling yes but the thing that I took even more satisfaction in was on the following Friday morning, when asked on a medical questionaire what my occupation was, I was able to write "Martial Arts Instructor".

In the past it has been "Homemaker" or "none"

After writing that fateful phrase "Martial Arts Instructor" a sat for a brief moment in a daze. I had to tell myself, "yes, it's real, it's true, you have the right to say that about yourself".
I felt a cheesy grin spread across my face and I think I sat up a little straighter at that moment.

I am a Martial Arts Instructor.

Christmas Cookies

I made Christmas cookies about a week ago.
I tried several new recipes and had to go with one old favorite. My German Grandfather's family recipe.
I've attempted this recipe several times in the past with various levels of success. Providence was with me this year and they came out perfect! I was able to share them with a new friend who enjoyed them so much that she asked for the recipe!
I had been thinking of posting it anyway, and I had to type it up for her so I'll just do a little cut and paste.

But before I do, I have to say that after a positively horrid year, things are looking up! I'm back where I belong, doing what my heart tells me I am meant to do!
When the spirit is healed, the body follows.
I gain strength and confidence every day and my children prosper!

Merry Christmas and Blessed Be!
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Grandpa Weirick’s German Christmas Cookies

A few notes on the subject.

• It is best to use real butter and fresh squeezed lemon juice. If you substitute, the cookies just don’t taste the same.

• This recipe makes a lot of cookies! Many family members have tried to scale down the recipe, but here again, they just don’t taste the same.

• You will get your hands dirty. At a certain point you have to knead the dough almost like bread dough. Don’t try to use a high-powered mixer like I did once, the cookies were tasteless.

• I have found that keeping the dough chilled helps with the rolling and cutting. Taping Freezer or Waxed paper onto a counter seems to be the best option for rolling and cutting, not to mention when you’re done, it’s an easy clean up!

• Most important, make these cookies with your kids! Extra hands help, it becomes an assembly line sort of process, and that’s how I learned to make them. One of my most cherished memories is of the annual Christmas event of making these cookies. My Grandpa would be pleased to know his family recipe is living on after him.

You will need:

4-6 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups 10X powered sugar
1lb (4 sticks) butter, softened
1 lemon
10 boiled egg yolks, grated
1 raw egg & yolk from another
1 separated egg white
candy sprinkles, nuts, cherries, etc for decorating

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wash the lemon and using a fine cheese grater, grate off all the skin creating lemon zest. Juice the lemon. Using an electric mixer beat the butter, raw egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and egg yolks. With the mixer on low, gradually add the first 4 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Now you have to get your hands dirty. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and add as much of the remaining 2 cups of flour as you need to make smooth dough. Separate into manageable portions and roll to ¼ inch thickness, cut using your favorite cookie cutters and place on greased cookie sheets. Brush each cookie with whipped egg white. This makes them shiny and makes the little candy sprinkles stick. Decorate and bake for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. They will turn a nice golden color and the smell of their baking is like nothing else! Let cool about 1 minute then get them off the baking sheets or they will stick. Let your kids eat any cookies which break in the process, (we call these defective, and we can’t have a defective product for our friends and family!). Share, share, share! Makes about 10-12 dozen depending on size.

ATA is Back!

There's a new Woodlands ATA School!
There's a new Woodlands ATA School!
There's a new Woodlands ATA School!

Hot Rods

If you are ever looking for an inexpensive family outing that boys will love, go to the Old Town Spring Texas Hot Rod Show.

Old Town Spring is pretty interesting on it's own, if you are me, but not to teenage boys. Lots of little Knick-knack shops, delis, etc. Add 400 antique cars parked along the streets and you have just entered boy heaven!

Here's the run down.

Parking = (drumroll) $3.00

Entry Fee = $0

Great lunch @ Wunsche Cafe = $45

3 Ice Cream cones & 1 piece of Fudge = $8.75

Yeah, it was kind of warm, but well worth the sweat. My boys loved it and me, I grew up with muscle cars. The skipping rhythm of a big block engine with a racing cam is music to my ears. The only thing that could have made the day better, would have been for someone to offer us a ride in a Rod.

All in all, a great day with a total cost 60 odd dollars. You can't easily beat that!

My friend Donelle

My friend Donelle is moving, to California no less! She's decided to move out of her "comfort zone" and take a chance. She's hammering out the details today, the when and how and how much questions. I'm so happy and proud of her! Not to mention, I have every intention of visiting her so we can take a tour of the California wine country.

I will miss her but I know that we will stay in touch. There was a time that I had forsaken our friendship. I'm not proud of that and she and I have discussed it. Somehow, we renewed our friendship and she was the best friend I could have had in a very dark time. How many nights I cried to her on the telephone. I'm sure that there were times that she would have rather done something else, but she always took my calls. She listened and offered me gentle advice while never standing in judgment upon me. When I was at my worst, she never avoided me, instead she would tell me the good things about myself and remind me to stay strong and stick to my guns.

I know that she will do well in her new job. I don't think she knows how to give less than 100% to a job. I understand this. If you're going to do something, do it right the first time, and be done and ready to move on to the next thing. We may have different focuses sometimes but our philosophy is the same.

She will be well.

Blessings be!

The Crocodile Hunter

I am saddened by the death of a man I never knew. As the world now knows, Steve Irwin is no longer with us on this Earth.

I watched a Q & A show about him which originally aired 2 years ago. The biggest thing that struck me was that his passion for wildlife conservation was only surpassed by one thing, the love for his family.

He spoke of his parents. As tears welled up in his eyes, he stated that they were his heroes.

He spoke of his children. Again, with tears, he stated that his biggest goal in life was to be for his children what his parents had been for him.

I looked at my own life.

Were my parents my heroes? Most definitely not!

Am I living my life so that someday my children will say that I am one of their heroes? Up to this point, I would have to say no.

I have been on a crash course to repeat the cycle.
Difference is, I want to be my kids' heroes, I don't think the thought ever occurred to my parents.

It's time to put selfish indulgence aside so that I can wake up some morning and honestly be able to answer that last question with a yes!

I have officially been "Godsmacked"!

My ears are still ringing!

Rock concerts are supposed to be loud, right, but I was 4ft. away from the stage! When Sully came over to the left, I was close enough to see the sweat dripping from his face and to note that his eyes are a pale green color! Also, he is tiny! He can't be any taller than me (5'6") but what a huge voice.

All in all, a great concert.

Found a new band to follow in one of the opening bands, ShineDown. I don't know the singer's name, but what a voice!

Rob Zombie was next. He's really skinny. I like some of his music but the lead guitarist needs to have a little more respect for the fans. In today's day and age, it is NOT appropriate to spit on people, even if you are a Rock Star!

Godsmack closed, and was definitely worth the wait. I wish they could have played longer but they are human and have human limitations just like the rest of us. An hour and a half just seems so short. There was so much material that they didn't have time to play. When they return to this area in years to come (or near wherever we may be), we will go again, and next time take the kids with us.

Steve was even impressed and he's very jaded when it comes to concerts if it's anyone other than Judas Priest.

Now if we could just get Priest and Godsmack to tour together. The perfect concert!


Update Nov. 28

I was right! I was killing time on the internet and decided to look at some biography info on Sully Erna. He is 5 feet, 6 inches tall! His nickname is "Shortstop" Hahahahahaha!