Sara Sees Chicago

 A couple of weekends ago, I got the chance to bring Sara to see Chicago. My cousin's son was having his Bar Mitzvah, and it worked out for the two of us to go. We had the best time, and I was so thankful for this special time with my big girl. We played hooky on Friday and enjoyed an airport Bloody Mary (me) and frappuccino (her) together over girl talk.

 When we arrived at O'Hare, Sara was excited to see the "Home Alone" part of the airport!

 During our trip, Sara enjoyed her first cab and uber rides. From the airport to our hotel, we were in a van cab, and we each took our own bench.

 We didn't waste anytime before hitting the streets to see the city! Friday evening we had dinner with my cousin, his wife, and her family, so we just had a little bit of time to get some walking in before that.

 Northwestern School of Law ... it looks good on her!

 After our dinner with the extended family, we went to the top of the John Hancock building. 

 On top of the world!

Sara convinced Grandpa to ride the Tilt with her, which is a thrill ride that tilts you away from the building, over the city. They were glad they did it, but Sara said it was a little scary. Definitely not for me, so I'm glad Grandpa was willing!

 Asher's Bar Mitzvah, followed by a fun party, was Saturday morning. Adam and Todd tried to look the part.

Much of the service was in Hebrew, so we had to piece it together, but Sara was intrigued by the ritual.

Photo booth ready...

 Is this not the most photogenic family ever?

 Extended family from my mom's side. Grandma Lou sure would have LOVED this weekend, and it sure made me miss her.

It was fun listening to Asher's parents talk about how proud they are of him. By this time, he'd taken off his shirt and tie and changed into party clothes. The kids had a great time, and I was so proud of Sara for just jumping in with so many kids she didn't know. From slime making to virtual reality games to a fun photo booth, the party had everything a tween could want!

 Of course there were many glow sticks involved. It was so fun to watch Sara and Samara reconnect. They had the best time together! We're excited to go back and celebrate Samara in three years.

 After the Bar Mitzvah, we had Saturday late afternoon and evening to see more of the sights. It was cool and rainy, but we were determined. Chicago pizza was on Sara's to-do list!

 We had to see the bean!

 There we are, among the streaks of rain.

A picture for her dad: in front of the original White Castle.

 Strolling the city with my girl. I just loved this time with her, and she loved being alone with the grown-ups.

 Sara with G & G in the city!

 We saw Navy Pier, but unfortunately due to the weather, there wasn't much going on outside. We used the time to pick up a few souvenirs, and then headed to a nice dinner at Volare. Sara felt pretty special to be the only kid in the place, and she enjoyed the "best" meatball ever.

 We tried, but couldn't convince Sara to try to fried calamari.

We missed Steve and Emma, but they had plenty of fun at home. They hit Dave & Buster's, and Emma was sure her prize haul was way better than Chicago.

In a few years, when Samara has her Bat Mitzvah, Emma will be old enough to take on the city. Sara and I came home exhausted - between the late nights and lots of step and all the festivities, the weekend was a whirlwind. Worth every minute; lots of memories to last a lifetime!

more catch-up

I feel like this is what my blogging has become - weeks after the fact, I lump together an entire month and try to remember what happened. Oh, well. April was another busy month, so here's some documentation of it!

Emma lost her first top tooth with the help of her teacher. She was excited to come home with a tooth necklace. The second top tooth followed not long after!

 My girls never bathe together anymore; in fact it's usually just a quick shower. So I had to snap a picture of them enjoying a bubble bath together - kind of a throw back!

 For Children's Book Week, my staff convinced me to dress up as Cruella De Vil and they were all dalmatians. We had a fun day, and Emma enjoyed modeling my wig.

 Most Wednesdays are principal meeting days for me, which means my day starts a little later than usual. I enjoy these mornings because I have the opportunity to take the girls to school, and sometimes we stop for donuts first.

 My mom sent us colored pots for the back. Emma helped me pick out and plant flowers for them. With all the rain we've had, the flower are now overflowing from the pots and bring some nice color to our pool area.

 We enjoyed a long Easter weekend (Friday AND Monday off since we didn't have any snow days to make up this year. The girls started strong with the egg-dying...

 ...but soon lost interest and went to the park. I finished the eggs...

 They were up bright and early to find their baskets and hunt for eggs Easter morning. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed having the Brittains over for egg hunting, eating, and relaxing.

 Some of our college friends (just the guys this year) came for NFL Draft weekend. It happened to be a super busy weekend, complete with an evening event at school for me on Friday, two games for Emma, two birthday parties, cheer practice, and a competition for Sara. I think I went through an entire tank of gas that weekend! But I did get some quality one-on-one time in with both girls.

 And we enjoyed a girls night out at Plucker's. We all laughed about Emma's face in this photo.

 Sara's cheer team finished their competition season on a high note: highest score of the day among all teams at all levels. They even beat a team who was headed to Orlando by invite to compete the following weekend. We were so proud of them! Sara is on the right side of the pyramid in this pic.

 In this pic, she's in up a stunt to the left of, and just down from, the middle high stunt.

 In the past, the team has earned a team trophy for a division win. This time, though, as overall champions, each girl received a medal and they were fitted for jackets! It was such an exciting day for this team. The gym now has had enough girls come out to form two teams, which was the goal from the beginning when the new coach came on board last summer. Based on their ages and the cheer division guidelines, Sara won't be with most of these girls next season. They will have some over 15, which means they have to move up a division, but you also have to be 11 by August to move ... so Sara and another girl who will still be ten will be on a different team with some new younger girls. Other girls who are on the current team and who are between 11-14, but who aren't ready to move up, will also be on the second team. It's taken me a while to understand the cheer divisions/levels. Sara had an amazing experience this year, and next season will be a bit different since she'll be with many new girls and will also be a leader on the team. They'll keep practicing all summer; I"m excited to see Sara continue to improve!

This competition was at UNT in Denton, so we had to stop by Buc-ee's on the way home!

 Here's the toothless-top grin! This was on a two-game, two-goal weekend for Emma!

School ends this coming Friday, and the girls are ready for summer! We don't have a whole lot planned yet, but right now, the girls are looking forward to relaxing and I'm looking forward to not having to get them out of bed so early in the mornings. I'll have about 2.5 weeks off this summer. I have no idea what that time will look like because I'm struggling to think two days ahead right now, but if all I do is sit by the pool, I'll be happy. I definitely need to get my hands on a couple of good books!

Book Talk

I recently read three great book; all would be good summer reads if you're working on building your pool-side list!

 Maid is a memoir by Stephanie Land, detailing her struggle as a poor, sometimes homeless, single-mom. Although her childhood was troubled in many ways, she was educated and grew up with her sights on college; in many ways, she's not the picture many of us may have of the working poor. While she is determined to do whatever she needs to do to make a better life for her daughter, Land finds herself in a spiral that is difficult to break out of. Even in just reading about her struggles, I could feel just the tiniest bit of her frustration, and I kept picturing myself in her shoes. Many of us live so close to that edge - where one change in circumstances could result in a life of daily struggle. Obviously to have written her book, Stephanie made it out on the other side, but she sure worked hard for it. Definitely worth a read!

 Golden State is a book I likely would not have picked on my own, but my sister loaned it to me. I read the opening chapter, and then set the book aside for a while, feeling like it wasn't for me. However, when I went back to it, I couldn't put it down and read it in a couple of days. Golden State is an alternative society where the truth is valued above all else. Only the truth is allowed to be spoken, which means even novels, television shows, and other such entertainment have been removed from society. Laszlo is a veteran member of the Speculative Service, and because of his position, he's allowed to speculate on what may have happened when a crime or mystery surfaces. As he's working his latest case, the untruths begin to pile up and become very dangerous for him. A great mystery!

Educated is another memoir, this one by Tara Westover, who recalls her childhood in the 1990s - growing up off the grid. She never received any formal education until she found a way to see the world through a lens of her own, and not her parents', and was admitted into college. Tara's parents lived convinced that the world is preparing to end, so they saw no need for their kids to be formally educated, or even have birth certificates for that matter. Their priorities were in preparing their home and stockpiling their goods for the end of the world. I'm always so fascinated by learning about the way people live - especially when their mindset is so vastly different than mine. Then to read this book, and think about what I was doing in the 90s, it was difficult to picture a family so removed from mainstream. Another great read, hard to put down!

"A little reading is all the therapy a person needs sometimes."

-Unknown

Time Marches On

Well .. there went March. Ours was busy!

Early in the month, we had a few of the coldest days we'd had all winter. Morning carpool in 20 degrees is its own kind of fun ... but I really couldn't complain much since MN kept getting so much snow! Just before spring break, we had open house at school. Steve took the girls to theirs while I was at mine. I feel bad always missing these types of events, but it's good daddy/daughter time. This art display is up in the girls' school.

 That weekend, our Kansas cousins came to town! They were on their way to Waco for their spring break, but they stopped for a night of hot-tubbing, pizza eating, and fort-making.  It was fun for the girls to be together.

Then the girls and I headed to Florida for our spring break. It was hard to pick just a handful of pictures for this post ... it's easy to take tons of pictures when everyone is just relaxed and happy. This pic, one of my favorites, pretty much sums up our trip. It was just what we needed!

We arrived in the afternoon, but there was still plenty of sunlight so we headed to nearby Cape Coral Beach for some fun. We were all itching for some sun.

Beach Emma

 Beach Sara

We had the most beautiful day at Lover's Key. We all got too much sun, but it was so worth it! Clear blue sky, calm waters, a short walk to ice cream ...

When we got there, this snowman was already built. We felt like it was calling our names, and we set up camp for the day right behind it.

I loved having some quality time with my sister. We went old school and rode our boogie boards from 1996. Those things have stood the test of time!

 Beach babes!

We danced the night away at the Monkey Bar one night ...

... and at Scotty's, while the Tap Monkey's played, the next.

 

We got in plenty of pool time, too.

 Sun, surf, and quality time with these people are just what the doctor ordered!

 Once we got home, it was right back to busy. Even though we'd just been in Florida, G & G came to town the following weekend so they could watch a cheer competition and soccer games. I spent most of the day last Saturday at the competition, and Steve made trips back and forth so my parents could see all the events. It was a busy, but very successful day!

 We all collapsed early Saturday night, and we were glad to wake up to a beautiful day Sunday. We rode bikes, spent time at the park (which Sara enjoyed, despite this picture), played bags in the backyard, and watched plenty of NCAA basketball.

Of course their trip wouldn't have been complete without some margs and enchiladas at Ojeda's!

 Also since spring break, both girls have had field trips: Emma to the Outdoor Learning Center, and Sara to the symphony and to an old fashioned farm/school place. One of the moms on that trip sent me this picture!

 These pictures of the girls arrived. Just when I think we've got plenty of time, I get these reminders of how fast it's going.

 We're staring down another super busy month, but it's busy for all the right reasons and I sure wouldn't trade it. Time marches on!

February Fun

 It's been another whirlwind month! Steve is in week two of a new job. After nine years at his last job, this was a big, but necessary, change. There's a learning curve, of course, but so far it's going well. 

To start the month, I lucked out with a Saturday birthday, and we spent the day checking out Tupp's Brewery, which I'd wanted to try for a while. It's a family-friendly brewery with live music and food trucks on Saturdays, along with lots of indoor/outdoor space. They even had the Cyclones on TV and a variety of other vendors set up on the day we went, so everyone had a good time relaxing, playing bags, and checking out the various booths. It was a great birthday (even if one of my kids looks a little crazy in this picture)!

 We miraculously ended up with a free Saturday afternoon, so we joined the DFW Cyclones at a game watch. We hadn't been to one since football season. Always a good time. This Saturday, we are *skipping sports* and heading to Fort Worth to see our favorite team play at TCU. Can't wait!

Sara's cheer team took 1st place in their competition. She was so excited, and I was so proud of her! Many of the girls on the team are older and more experienced; she still has a lot of learning to do, but she's throwing herself into learning and improving. It was so fun to see her perform.

"Spring" soccer has started. Last weekend was freezing - 30 degrees, windy, and misty during this game. Didn't seem to bother Emma. She has been practicing four times a week the past few weeks, and is loving it!

I'm at soccer practice right now. The bad news is that our February weather, overall, has been crummy. The silver lining is that practice has primarily been inside as a result of the weather ... and inside has wifi ... so all the work (and blogging) I haven't had time to do can get done while I watch practice. Sometimes I think we are too busy and need to slow down. It's hard to know how I'll look back on this time years from now. Maybe I'll wish we had not been so overbooked, working so hard (or so long) - it's hard to say. Right now I'm just trying to enjoy what we are doing. I tell myself that I minimize other things (no netflix addictions for me, very few social events, etc.) so the time I have is spent on worthwhile endeavors. I'm having a harder time with a work/home balance this year, but I'm aware of it and trying to be present in both places. Always a work in progress ... and really looking forward to our spring break Florida get-away in just a couple of weeks!

Sports

I look back and think about when my kids were in diapers and using formula, and I remember thinking how much less money we'd spend when those things were finished. I had similar thoughts about daycare. The reality is that now the payments just go into different pots.

Emma just finished her final season with her beloved #sassy coach and friends, some of whom had been on her same team since they were three years old. They had a great run, and the team is going to continue playing together. However, Emma is moving on to an academy team. This spring, she'll play in an academy league with both the 2012 and 2011 girls. She has the potential to practice up to four times per week, with games on the weekends. It sounds crazy, but she is so excited. She's been practicing and playing with both teams for a few weeks (while also finishing with her rec team), and she has loved the higher caliber of play. When I pick her up from school and it's not a practice evening, she is so disappointed. This kid is so highly motivated by soccer, and even when she's not listening to anyone else, she'll listen to her coaches.

 Sara has fallen in love with her cheer team. It's been just over a year since she started tumbling at the gym, and about six months with the cheer team. Their first competition is tomorrow, and I know she's nervous. Many girls on the team are older than she is and have competed before, so this is new territory for her. She has been spending 6+ hours per week at the gym, and then comes home and practices some more. The mat she got for her birthday has taken up permanent residency in our living room, and she never stops tumbling on it. It's hard to know what this will turn into for her, but she loves it and she's connected, and she's getting better all the time. I love seeing Sara work hard at something she enjoys, and I appreciate that on this team, she has lots of older girls to look up to and learn from.

Right now, sports are taking up most of our time, lots of gas, and even more money. I can't predict where these sports will take my girls in the future, but for now, it's all worth it.  I was given the same foundation and opportunity growing up, and I feel like it was so critical in shaping the adult I became. During my skating years, I was never headed to the Olympics or anything like that, but I worked hard and learned lots of lessons ... and down the road I even turned it into a coaching opportunity for a number of years. I love this sentiment (below) that has floated around social media for a while. It so perfectly sums up my feelings about the stage of life we're in: 

One of my friends asked "Why do you pay so much money for your kids to do all their sports”? Well I have a confession to make; I don't pay for my kids to to do sports. Personally, I couldn't care less about what sport they do.

 So, if I am not paying for sports what am I paying for?

 - I pay for those moments when my kids become so tired they want to quit but don't.

 - I pay for those days when my kids come home from school and are "too tired" to go to their training but they go anyway.

 - I pay for my kids to learn to be disciplined, focused and dedicated.

 - I pay for my kids to learn to take care of their body and equipment.

 - I pay for my kids to learn to work with others and to be good team mates, gracious in defeat and humble in success.

 - I pay for my kids to learn to deal with disappointment, when they don't get that placing or title they'd hoped for, but still they go back week after week giving it their best shot.

 - I pay for my kids to learn to make and accomplish goals.

 - I pay for my kids to respect, not only themselves, but other athletes, officials and coaches.

 - I pay for my kids to learn that it takes hours and hours, years and years of hard work and practice to create a champion and that success does not happen overnight.

 - I pay for my kids to be proud of small achievements, and to work towards long term goals.

 - I pay for the opportunity my kids have and will have to make life-long friendships, create lifelong memories, to be as proud of their achievements as I am.

 - I pay so that my kids can be out on the field or in the gym instead of in front of a screen...

 ...I could go on but, to be short, I don't pay for sports; I pay for the opportunities that sports provides my kids with to develop attributes that will serve them well throughout their lives and give them the opportunity to bless the lives of others. From what I have seen so far I think it is a great investment!

 ~Unknown