The karate kid

Rylee just entered her fourth month of Little Dragons and I think it's safe to say we finally found what it is she likes to do. In her six short years she's tried out gymnastics, dance (ballet and tap) and soccer but either lost interest quickly or never really had any interest at all. But I can tell that karate is different. She adores her karate friends and looks forward to class every Tuesday and Thursday. And she loves her instructors!

Rylee started off as all students do, with a white belt. As the weeks pass, she had the opportunity to add stripes to her white belt by mastering certain skills and combo sets. Once she accumulated the nine required stripes for a white belt, she would be able to test for the next level belt, orange. Today was that day!

I was so excited to photograph her testing since I hadn't taken any pictures of her during class since she started. I asked her if it would embarrass her to have me roll in with my big ole camera....she said it was fine, lol! Before class the kids always play tag until start time, running around like a bunch of wild animals. Not sure how they are able to expend that amount of energy when they know they will be doing jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches, relay races and practicing their skills for the next 30 minutes!

I asked Ry for her serious face, ha!

Rylee and her karate bff, Kylie (funny, no?)

Tag, you're it!

Hopefully the last we see of the white belt.

Collecting their thoughts, I suppose.

Warming up.

Lining up to practice combos.

Silly girls!

Choppin' with a smile.

Testing time, eeek!

She passed! Wooohoooo!

Good news for mama too, no more super crazy knot! A standard one will do. Woot!

Introducing Rylee as an orange belt to the class!

Time for a quick game of dino, dino, dragon! (think duck, duck, goose! lol!)

End of class....

High fives all around.

Ry and her pals...Logan just earned his orange belt too!