We Remember, April 27, 2011

It is hard to believe that it has been a year since Alabama was hit hard with tornadoes. It is hard to believe after a year, we are still recovering. That day had affected each one of us in a different way, i.e., losing a love one and losing material things. Materials things can be replace (not the sentimental value), but life cannot. One thing we learned from this experience, we have to take every warning seriously, no matter how BOGUS its sounds. You never know what will happen.

While I write this post, I was thinking what I was doing that day and it is so clear from detail to detail. I remember being up at 3am hearing the first sirens and running to get the emergency kit, putting shoes on, and checking with my dad about a plan. Warning went over... took a brief nap and turned on the television and realized my brother's neighborhood was hit hard. I freaked out and called him and I was glad to his voice and knowing that Caiden and him was okay. Got ready for work, tired because the siren woke me up. Got to work, looked at AL.com and heard that bad weather was coming again. It hard to live in Jefferson County because majority of the bad storms come through there, my job is in Shelby County with rarely has warnings. People really do not understand how paranoid I am when it comes to weather reports because I am far from my family. Anyway back to the story, got the call from the school.. CLOSING DOWN EARLY.. Rushed got the little one.. went home to prepare.. went outside to get my cat.. then.. I saw it.. The funnel cloud that hit Tuscaloosa (F4).. GEEZ.. Totally freaked .. like an idiot tried to take a picture.. (NOT SMART TOSHA).. then calm before storm passed and hit the city about 5 minutes from me. WOW.. I remember..  the insecurity, the destruction, the fear, the unknown and the cloud. The surrounding communities around me Pleasant Grove and Pratt City were hit hard.

Let me share, the scene after the storm. Seeing the pictures brings back the memories of this day.

What do you remember from April 27, 2011?

Waldorf Pentathlon (Part 2)

Day 1 was beautiful of the Pentathlon watching the children being placed to their city-states. Day 2, was dedicated to practice and fun activities. I was not there the whole morning, I was trying to allow Kay to interact with her team. Believe me, it was hard to do it, but I made it through. We arrived at to the camp site around 2pm EST, just enough time to watch the them eat snack. After snack, the kids broke into their teams and continued with their activities. I was able to watch them play, Zombies ( kinda like freeze, but you turn into a Zombies, which was more fun then staying in place.) This game is also a game they play at her school. Then the most awesome activity and the first for Kay.  Wall Climbing totally rocked and watching her was so fun. The moment of motherhood kicked  in and to see how fast your little has grown up really makes you appreciate life.    They had a blast. Me and Ivan was able to relax at the lake while the kids played in the tree house.  

Let me share some of the pictures from Day 2....

We parents had fun too!! Meet Ivan's friend, Camp Buddha. Notice the faces, they are so cute!

Leslie, obviously found something to do ... (she is going to get me!)

Feel free to leave a moment or ask any questions!!

Until Next Time, 

Waldorf Pentathlon (Part 1)

What is that? Why are you writing about the Waldorf Pentathlon? I totally have no idea what you are talking about. Sighs... Let me provide some insight about it. For the people who are really close to me, they are aware that my daughter, Kay is a fifth grader at the Alabama Waldorf School in Birmingham. I have to say, it is a great school especially good for her and I have please with the level of academic work that has been given to her. In the fifth grade, the children participate in the Pentathlon (somewhat like the Olympic Games). So why in the fifth grade.... The Pentathlon, done in conjunction with Alabama Waldorf School, Linden Waldorf School (Nashville, Tennessee), Suncoast Waldorf School (Palm Harbor, Florida), Sunrise School of Miami (Miami, Florida), The Waldorf School of Atlanta (Decatur, Georgia), and The Waldorf School of Louisville (Louisville, Kentucky), is an important event. The children experience firsthand the wonderful harmony of body and soul that led the Greeks to feel themselves at home in the physical world. In the Waldorf curriculum, children are at a threshold between the imaginative cooperative games of childhood and the competitive oppositional sports of adolescence. This year they stand all alone. Individually they must meet these five events and the challenges of technique, discipline, competition and consequences. The children a are arranged into teams representing 5 Greek City-States, and each City-State is a mixture of students from all the schools. They wear tunics they made representing the Greek city states of Sparta, Athens, Corinth and Thebes. Every child participates in every event The City-State leaders are usually class teachers, and the Event Leaders are usually movement teachers. The children will throw the javelin and discus, do the long jump, run relays and wrestle, just as the Greek athletes did it in the 8th to 6th centuries B.C. The modern Olympic pentathlon looks much different with pistol shooting, epee fencing, show jumping, swimming and 3-k cross country run. The games had the trappings of an Olympics with the lighting of the flame, Olympic music and march of the athletes from the six participating schools. Let me share some of the pictures from Day One of the Pentathlon, believe me it is a beautiful event. Next blog post will describe the significance of the each event and the history behind each one.

If you are wondering, Kaylen is on SPARTA and mommy is very proud of her. It is so hard to watch her grow up. This event really is a rite of passage for each child. As a mother, it is hard to let go. Feel free to comment or ask questions. Until Next Time...

Lacrosse: The Fastest Game on Two Feet

It has been a busy weekend with Kay's lacrosse schedule. Three games in three days and one was out of town. Boy, I am beat, but I am loving watching her hit the field. She did give me a scare last Friday when she was hit in the head with the stick from a not so nice player (very poor sportsmanship). I have never seen Kay cry or reacted in a way I never seen before. Her team and the families are very compassionate toward her and checked on her on and off the field. We are blessed to have great team. If you are wondering, she is fine. She had a mild headache the next day, but she made it clear that she was playing the following day. I really have to say this, lacrosse has really build Kay's confidence through the roof and I am happy for that. She loves being with her friends and she loves hearing how good she is and how fast those little feet can go. Everyone loves to compliment her every game she plays. I cannot wait to see what she decides to do when she goes to high school and then college. This is a beginning of being a stick family. Let me share some pictures with you.

Attacking the goal...

Focused...

Kaylen and her friend, Hannah

She is fast...

Feel free to leave a comment below. Kay loves to read my blog as well.. Until Next Time,

Inner Peace

Live by this....

Source: a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net via Tosha on Pinterest

Love this quote, what do you think about?

Until next time,
Tosha

A Reminder for Myself

Have to tell myself this often.. How about you?

Source: longdistanceloving.net via Tosha on Pinterest

Until Next Time....

Support Others...Vendor Highlight Moment

Well.. We all know we need assistance at times, right?
It is a delight to be a second shooter for a good friend of mines, Ivan, who owns IDStudioFocus.com (videography and photography). Did I mention, that we do share a little thing that has two legs, named Kaylen *hehe*. I have to say, I did not know how much work it took to edit a video until I had to experience it for myself. Wow.. it is a job and definitely time consuming. . Definitely worth the price..

Let me share one of his videos that he did recently for a wedding

alicia + joshua wedding film // trailer from IDStudioFocus.com on Vimeo.

If you want to know more.. Let me know!!!

Motherhood

Source: lilaccitymomma.com via Tosha on Pinterest

Remember this..

I have to remember this myself at times. It took me 11 years to apply this.

Source: bitsofwisdom.org via Tosha on Pinterest

We are now a Stick Head Family and Lovin' It!

I just realized that I have not posted an entry regarding the newest chapter in my life (more so for my family). Last year was one of the hardest for Kay with all the testing and seeing a change with her confidence. We were able to find out more about what was going with her and now it seems things are getting better especially with her confidence. She mentioned an interest in football to me and Ivan. We both know ,she loves playing sports and thought it would alright, but in the back of my head, I was thinking...mmm NOT! So I talked to her movement teacher, Jennifer at her school. She provided me her insight and suggestions about what sports would be good for her to play especially the ones that would focus on her weaknesses. She suggested the following: lacrosse, basketball, and gymnastics. She also provided me some insight in regarding to Kay.

Let me share this (one of the many reasons why I love Kay's school, the teachers really are in tune with their students)....**in my squeaky voice: RARITY!**

"You are an OT.....remember. She is bright and intelligent and our society sadly does not value that enough to safely protect the brain. Too many injuries. Part of me says...go Kaylen....then the rest of me says.....OMG. Swimming? Tennis? Lacrosse? Flag football? Ultimate? Anything but football, martial arts and soccer. Also, what do those team sports teach....the underlying theme (ya know...what will she practice in this play?). To invade the space of others. Run over the weak. Steal and sneak. Do...don't think. Kay needs a game to challenge her weaknesses. Find a game where space is respected, the physical body is valued not trashed....not strengenthened to take a hit. Any time a child plays one of these sports they carry the mentality of the game with them.....they CANNOT separate the game from what they do.....which IS why I spend so much time carefully choosing games for our kids."

This really stuck to me.. So we decided on the game LACROSSE and guess what! She is loving it. This is her first year playing this sport and she is getting pretty darn good with it. As a mom, it is so good to her smile and seeing her confidence increase. (starting to tear up with this one). The joy of seeing her on the field is just speechless and makes me so proud to see her play. I also love her competitive side.. I wonder who she gotten that from... Anyway, seeing her score and running that field is just amazing to me. I want to share with you some pictures from recent game.

Check out those muscles on her!

She is pretty fast....

Also, if you do no not mind, please leave a comment on this post. She loves seeing what people are saying about her..