I've been a volunteer on the Mercer Island Emergency Preparedness Team for two years now and I get asked a lot about how to be prepared in case of an emergency.  I would like to share with you how to be safe,  get supplies and have a plan.  I mean think about it for a second. Where do you spend most of your time? At home, at the office and in your car. Who are you responsible for? Yourself, your kids and your animals. So, where do you go from here? The best way to be safe during and emergency is to have prepared your home, family, vehicles and business before anything happens. As our fearless leader has said a hundred times " if the only thing you do is get an emergency kit" you're ahead of the game. So, that being said. GET a KIT for your house, car and work. Make a plan for your family and business. Kits - should contain 7 days worth of food/water for your family/pets. There is a wide variety of kits out there. Personally I like my kit to be travel friendly. (in a backpack) *Note: if you take medication, place 7 days worth in you kits. Put a reminder in your phone or calendar to change it out when needed.  Stay tuned there is more to come.....

If you ever want to be inspired, sit with a group people who want to make a difference in the lives of others.

If you listen well, you will hear hope, vision, strength, empowerment, needs, drive, creativity, compassion, kindness and most of all love.

Thank you... you know who you are.

Okay everyone,

The adult workout has started... Tuesdays at noon. Come join us we had a blast!

Today Amy and I worked on sparring techniques, Chong te and Nook te.... Getting ready for the next belt test in October... And what a great workout!

I'm really excited about about the NEW Mommy and Me classes starting this week.

A great opportunity to have fun with your young one.  

Come check it out.  

In life there are always things that will challenge you to reach your goals. They come in may ways. I will let you know a few of mine.

As a few of you know Eric (CKN Sams) and I started TKD with Master Wells 6 1/2 yrs ago. Our goal together was to achieve our black belts. Well, 3 yrs ago I hurt myself during a belt test. I was going for my Brown belt. I did pass my test but it left me injured. I had to have surgery on my knee in the following 3 months. Needless to say, it was hard for me to watch Eric go a head of me in the training we started together.

I didn't know it then but, it was the start of a very hard, challenging road ahead. During my time of recovery from my knee I found out I had cancer.. That's right, the big C word. I was very scared and so was Eric. This was a big setback!

I started to think of things a little differently. But one thing that was consistent in my mind, how long was it going to be before I get my Black belt?

I knew I had to take time off of martial arts. I knew it would be difficult for me to watch Eric (CGN Sams) continue on in his pursuit for his black belt without me. I knew I had to set new goals for getting my Black belt. And I had to be flexible on how long that would be.

Well here it is, 3 years later and I am moving forward once again.... yeah Red belt here I come!!!

It's been a long time coming. I am very excited about being able to test again after a long time off.

I have never forgotten what my goal has been in Martial Arts. Since the day I put it up there, my eye has never been off that Black Belt on the wall.

Setting goals is a very important part of getting anywhere in life. Some goals might be for later today, next week or even years down the road. The thing to remember is to set them today!

Over the years I have set many goals. Some goals change, and I've had to re-set them from time to time.  But one thing is for certain... I won't give up, I will simply keep moving forward.  

 Lately I've been doing a lot of extra reading on communication. What you feel and why or how you communicate  it to others. There is a ton written on best way to go about this.... Practice with me, if you will- motivation to be truthful, patient, understanding, respectful and kind........ the list goes on and on.   

I am learning to choose my words thoughtfully and carefully.... they are words that will last forever with another person.  

Smiling is free, and it makes you feel good when you do it.

I love to smile! I love to smile at other people because I think it makes them feel good too.

Smiling is contagious... give it a shot. It can make you, and someone else feel good.

 I want to get my black belt this year.  

I am working on it, giving 100 percent in each class, and moment.

I have to tell you, I am really enjoying my black belt journey!

It is my honor to talk about another living hero. She is part of the reason I am here today. My Godmother(Ninang), Friend and Auntie - Rosa Foster.

She was the first on my Filipino side of the family to come to America. A 21 day journey by boat. She dreamed that American dream and then made it happen.

She tells me stories of war time. How she was seperated from her mother, sister and brothers for years hiding in the jungle. Not knowing when or if she was ever going to see them again. But how she kept hope that one day they would be back together again as a family. She had to take care of my father who was younger than her. Keep him and her other brother safe in a jungle while others where trying to find and kill them. She tells me about hiding in fox holes while the enemy was walking inches away from them. You have to ask yourself how brave were you at 13 years old? My auntie Rose was and is braver than I will ever be.

It took years but the family was able to get back together. She married a military man and came here. Then brought my father over for school at the UW where he met and married my mom.

Because of my auntie Rose my family is what it is today.

She has never missed a soccer game, school play, weekend visit, a chance to come give me a ride, broken arm, she stayed with me when I went through my cancer... and I was 39yrs old. She has always been there for me... She is my Hero, She is my Hero, SHE IS MY HERO!!!

Dedication, Bravery and all around good egg. I love you Ninang Rose

This is a cool party for the kids.. we feed them, no hassle of finding a babysitter and they get to keep the Glow In The Dark Nun-Chucks.

We only have 25 spots and they are filling up.

Friday Night Nov 5th from 6:15pm - 9pm

Give us a call 206-230-9050 or info@mercerislandmartialarts.com

The Halloween Party was super fun.. Everyone had a great time. We collected tons of food for the Youth and Family Services.

Thank you to all the helpers that came to support us.

I am a volunteer for the Mercer Island Emergency Preparedness Dept. And yesterday September 22nd was the cities yearly test...in case of a real emergency. We simulated an earthquake with a total shutdown of both bridges, power outages, fires, and even deaths.

It was a real eye opener for me. If an emergency hits, I will be involved at the call center at City Hall. We take the calls, map out where everyone should go to help, open the emergency well, and shelter sites. We will dispatch where police, fire and volunteers are needed, and map all this out on a huge 10' map. Really interesting process. Yesterday I was the one with the colored markers placing the actions on the map.

I have been on this team of volunteers for almost a year now. And I can tell you Mercer Island is prepared. But, we can always use more people on out teams. These are the teams- Communications, Damage assessment, Animal shelter, Search and Rescue, Child Care, Resources, Transportation and there are more... I think they need Damage Asssesement people all over the island.

If you want to get involved let me know..:)