Memorial Day Weekend 2019

We celebrated our anniversary by going to Longhorn steakhouse Friday night.

 The kids were out of school Friday, and Tim was off.  So he took them to his gym and to lunch.  They showed up at work with these pretty things for my present.  He let the kids pick them out too.  So nice!

 Tim excited for his steak.

 I had the cheesy garlic Parmesan chicken.  It was SO good!!!

 Saturday morning I finished packing up the trailer.  I had to put back in all the essentials that we normally don't have to take out until the end of the season!

Tim took the kids back to the gym Saturday morning, then I swung by and picked them up to go see Aladdin!!  It was a great movie with a GREAT soundtrack!

 Saturday evening we had family dinner with the Ohana.  The oldest "niece" is going off to the air force so we all gathered for a send off.  I normally just give cash for these events, but I was DETERMINED to give her a lei like everyone else.  But decided to make a bracelet because I need to be a little different. :)  everyone loved it!

 Sunday Morning:

 We backed the truck up to the trailer and pulled out for Blue Springs State Park near Clio, AL.

 I'm not sure why he decides to wear his joggers or some form of sweat pants ANY day in the summer.

We packed the kids new bikes and the dog in the back of the truck and off we went!

 He didn't sleep well the night before.  He was a TAD grouchy on the short drive.

 I made him stop so I could use the bathroom - and I got him a snack because I needed his mood to perk up! 

 Crossing over to Alabama.  This is the Chattahoochee River.

 MADE IT!  745 Alabama time.

We found one of the only spots available at 8am and got everything set up.  Loaded the truck to go to the water!

 It was in the weirdest spot - we've never had to drive straight in on a circle.  There was four spots up where we were.  Two of the trailers were there permanently.

 A little Keto snack at the water!

 Kennedie already drawing!  Mason taking a snooze!

 Listening to my Audio-book!

 1045 and there weren't a lot of people there.

 Getting the grill ready!

 I forgot to bring a spoon down for the beans - so he army'ed one out of tin foil!!

 It was getting hot and Mason kept moving around to find more shade!

 You know when you just wanna punch out your spouse?  We laughed at this picture!  He even offered to cover my double chin with his fist!

 We cooled off in the trailer for a bit.  We had a slight problem, we somehow got hooked up to a 20 amp site, we have a 30 amp trailer.  We kept tripping the breaker until we realized.  If we wanted to keep the air going we had to put it on auto and at 74 degrees, and all the interior lights had to be out.  I was worried for when we wanted to pop popcorn and watch a movie later.  It ended up not being an issue and we just had to be very careful with what we turned on.  But once we realized the problem it didn't trip again!



He was cracking me up - even in a small 22ft trailer he can find a way to hide and be by himself!

 It started to cool off a bit outside as the sun was going down and we had some good shade in our neck of the woods.  So the kids got their new bikes out for a spin!

 We got the kids new bikes because they are old enough to ride the mile and a half to the library this summer to enjoy the summer reading program activities.  They haven't had bikes in 3 years since we live down a dirt road and they weren't old enough to bike anywhere alone yet.  But now that Kennedie is 15 and Cale will be 10 next weekend we are confident they will be OK by themselves in our small town.

Because they haven't had bikes in 3 years Cale was 6 when he had his last bike and it had training wheels.  So he had to learn how to ride!  He did great within an hour or so he was pretty good at it!

 Popped some popcorn and popped in a movie.

 Tim wanted to listen to music - so he had to borrow my ear buds.  I thought it was funny he was wearing gold and pink Lilly earbuds!

 Cale had a little wipe out while riding his bike.

 Enjoying the night.

 We also didn't get a fire ring with our spot - so we made s'mores in the griddle.

Kennedie said they tasted great!  She went back inside a little while later and made more all by herself and she was proud.

 Round two of popcorn. 

 Round two of s'mores.  He just likes the marshmallows and graham crackers.

 Tim fell asleep before the rest of us - sent Cale in while we were putting up the stuff from outside.  Joker stole my spot on the bed.

Monday Morning:

 This was our area - at noon the day before we saw that our favorite spot #20 was available.  We were SO close to moving - but we stayed - there was no traffic up here at the top of the campground and it was nice when Cale was learning how to ride his bike.

 Making breakfast. 

 Cleaning up the camper and getting everything ready to leave.  We decided to go dump the tanks first thing before there was a line like there was last holiday weekend.

 Because of the angle of our trailer we had to angle the truck to the hitch.  One try and we were good to go - I was pretty proud of myself for guiding him back at an angle.

 I think I have a sunscreen problem.  We take sun protection seriously!  Clearly these always go to the bottom of the bag and I don't check before I drop another one in.

We didn't get "our spot" Monday morning, so we were in another spot.  We headed out once it started to get filled up in the water.

I hope everyone's holiday weekend was fun and full of thankfulness of the lives that were lost for our freedom!

3rd Dance Competition of the SEASON!

We had our 3rd competition of the season this last weekend!  We traveled to Montgomery Alabama for it!  

Because we were going into the central timezone we didn't need to leave super early in the morning.  We actually left an hour earlier than I expected.  My body woke me up and I just decided to get stuff ready.  Kennedie must have heard me moving around in the house because she came out of her room at 6ish and started making her breakfast.  At 630 I said "I'm done...Are you ready to go?" and off we went!

My friend pre-ordered lunch for me earlier that week for saturdays competition, so I owed her a coffee from Dunkin.  Somewhere between getting my breakfast at Waffle House and the drive through of Dunkin I lost one of my rubber rings.  You can see how loose they already were.  Time to order a new set that won't fall off until I can send off my ACTUAL wedding ring to be resized.

I'm in a competitive dance mom facebook group.  One of the biggest "pet peeves" of alot of those women is people saving seats, and then on the flip side - people that do save their seats expect you to NOT move their things to fit your won agenda (which is the side of the camp I'm and most of my dance mom friends at our studio are on).  I get there EARLY in the morning and sit in the auditorium most of the day (only to leave to use the restroom, help Kennedie change a costume - or grab some food).  So I took this picture and sent it to my dance mom group with "feeling cute, saved some seats, might expect you not to touch it later...idk"

We were at the Montgomery Performing Arts Center.

I had Kennedie bring in my breakfast as my hands were fill with other stuff.  When she put it down it was upside down and everything mashed together.

Our Primo seating.  I always try and sit somewhere Kennedie can stretch out and not be in other peoples way.  She likes to draw and watch you tube videos and get comfortable for her LONG day.  This weekend she didn't dance until 7pm on both days.

We get their early so she can support her team.  Cheering on dances she isn't in and sitting on the stage for awards that she isn't receiving to show our presence as a team.

  She finally was able to get into costume.  She had Hip Hop and then one number later her production Miss America piece.  Awards was right after our Miss America dance.  Once that happened we got to leave for the day.  We were about 10 minutes from our hotel.

This small space we had to share with another studio.  I think they were a small studio and kinda stayed to themselves by the mirror behind me.  We have 50 girls on our team, this is our bags all set up.  I think some bags already vacated the area during awards when no one was in the area, which is smart.

Awards!!

 Boys went to the gym that morning, Cale had a baseball game (which is why they stayed home), treated themselves to their favorite "Five Guys" and came home.  They sent us their "Waffle Bro's" weekend picture and we sent one back!

 Since we were in the central timezone (we live RIGHT on the central/eastern timezone border) our bodies at 530 thought it was 630 in the morning.  We got stuff ready in the room and packed up.  I did my hair and makeup (which usually doesn't happen until later in the dance morning usually because we have to get there by 7!) and we decided to go to the Walmart I found on our way to the hotel.  Kennedie wanted a book-light for drawing.  We knew a good size storm was coming in and the thunder woke me up earlier that morning.

 On our way into Walmart.

 I made these SO CUTE earrings to wear Sunday.  I lost one in Walmart.  Had to put back in my normal everyday earrings.

 I found a restaurant near called "First Watch" we have one in Columbus but we have never ventured in.  We are TOTALLY going now.  It was delicious.

 My water came in a milk bottle. I think they tote they are a farm to table - so this was pretty cool.  I cracked up when they brought the glass though.

 While on the more expensive side at $10.50 for her breakfast.  They delivered delicious food.  On top of that we got FOUR pieces of bacon, artisan bread with the nuts, grains and seeds.  The potatoes were delicious as well!

 Nothing left to explore so we headed to the venue.  Got our same seats, set her bag up in the dressing room and got set up in the auditorium for the long haul.

 Picture in front of the prop trailer.

 I've been listening to audio-books lately.  During competitions I can't read very easily because the music is distracting.  I prefer audio-books and then browsing Facebook or Pinterest while I listen.  This book has 9 sections.  I was able to listen to 6 of them just Sunday alone.

Couple hours later the sun came out.  (while the storm we had that morning transitioned to our house)  While it was nice and warm for the earlier afternoon by 5 the sun went away and then temp dropped and the wind really picked up.

 Kennedie and her teammate playing the switch.

 Finally able to get ready for her last dance!

 During a judges break her team came out to work on turns and get used to the floor again.

 When there is a dance on the stage this is what I should see when I come back from anywhere.  People being courteous while there are dances on stage and while parents are watching in the audience.  I can't tell you how many times someone has moved into their seat WELL into the performance and BLOCKED my view of my kid.  I get 2-3 minutes to see her on stage and you BLOCKED ME.  Please if you are ever in the audience and it's NOT an emergency - please wait till the dancers exit the stage.

 Echo Company praying before they competed their last dance of the day!

This is how dance moms are Monday at work.  We didn't get to leave Montgomery until 930 Sunday and it's an hour and a half drive home AND back into the Eastern Time Zone.  Walked in the house at 1230!!!