Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm always stressed about hosting but I will say this year I was more relaxed than ever, or at least I was on the actual day! I started the day off with a run and by the time I got home Pat had already got the potatoes in the slow cooker and started prepping the turkey! Everyone arrived around 2 and I didn't check the time but I do think we ended up eating around our projected time of 3...Usually we have one bad dish and this year it was the bagged salad we bought-it was terrible and the dressing was too sweet! After dinner there was lots of cleanup and chatting and then dessert. Such a great day!!

Pictures in no particular order-

"Photobombed" by mom

Wearing our crowns during dessert time

Pat is still taller!

Goofballs

Dessert and Football

Everyone!

Party crackers

Thumbs up for dessert

Picture of Nanny's plate because she did a good job 

Zsaz falling asleep

Pat's spot for dessert

Before the celebration!

First to arrive and watching some soccer!

Family selfie to start the day

 

ODM!

Paige had one free weekend between Revel and ODM so it was a quick turnaround! Plus Revel was only convention classes and she got to perform her solo and compete in scholarship classes at ODM. Not many people from the studio went so we were on our own for driving around and had a hotel room to ourselves. Paige was nervous but had a good attitude throughout the weekend, especially knowing she was competing as a teen for the first time! Friday night she competed in five hours of scholarship classes-tap, jazz, ballet, modern and acro. Acro was the last class and she ended up injuring her heel during a backtuck which wasn't great knowing she had to do her solo in the morning! She powered through and was able to perform and received a High Gold for her efforts! She was also given 1st place in the modern scholarship class!! Because of her injury she skipped Masters classes on Sunday and we left a little earlier than planned. We still managed to have lots of fun and loved getting to hang out with some people we don't see too often!

Driving down

The hotel was decorated for Christmas and it looked beautiful!

Ready for scholarships

Paige, Haydyn and Paige!

Sneak peek at the ballet scholarship class. Find Paige!

Paige and Miss Erika, her solo choreographer

The teens from ATB at awards

1st place Modern

Paige got to swim and then ran around with this group Saturday night!

 

Soccer Banquet!

Soccer awards were a little different this year. All of the Fall high school sports met in the gym where some general awards were handed out and then each sport dispersed to a different room to give out team specific awards. Soccer got the band room! This was Owen's second year on Varsity so he was given a pin to go with the letter he received last year! I can't wait to see what's in store for his junior season!!

Owen, Jalen, Omar

The kids who used to play tri-city! 

Owen receiving handshakes and his pin

The team- or what was left of it by the time we took this picture:)

 

Revel!

Paige and I traveled to Pittsburgh last weekend so she could attend Revel dance convention! We drove down on Friday and roomed with friends which always makes the experience more fun. They got started early Saturday and had classes in ballet, broadway, jazz, tap and jazz funk. We got lucky and the weather was fantastic so while the kids danced the moms explored Pittsburgh and tracked down some lunch to bring back during the break. I don't know how they had the energy but after dancing the girls went swimming and then we found some dinner and walked to get milkshakes at The Milkshake Factory. It was delicious but so filling after just having dinner! 

We got to sleep in a little bit the next morning (the time change helped) and Paige had classes in contemporary, jazz funk, broadway, jazz and hip hop! Then it was time for the showcase where we watched some dances and they gave out awards. Paige received a nationals scholarship for being noticed and called out in her classes! I was so happy for her!! 

Ready for classes day one!

5 of the 6 juniors from Paige's studio with the tap teacher

In class! I didn't go in the room but another mom took some pictures and videos for us

Evidence of moms being there too:)

Christmas decorations were out!!

Swimming!

Juniors ready for a fun walk through Pittsburgh

Stopped for a hug

Traipsing through downtown

I pose upon request

Milkshakes!!

Awards!

Top picture was on the way to the convention and bottom was on the way home:)

 

Halloween!

 Halloween-We started the day off with donuts and cider for breakfast! Kind of sad that we all eat breakfast at different times so we never have donuts together but good that we're keeping the tradition alive! The kids both had school and both opted not to dress up in costume. Owen spent the night hanging out at a friend's house and Paige went trick or treating with friends. Pat was quarantined and I kept an eye on the candy after an errant teen dumped our whole bowl in his bag! Luckily I had backup!

Breakfast!

Place settings

Morning dropoff at school!

Griffin wore his costume briefly...very briefly

Ashlyn, Gianna, Lexi, Miley and Paige

All the candy!!!

Pumpkins

I didn't realize how far behind I was on posting! We're going back to the day before Halloween for this one when we carved our pumpkins. Pat tested positive for Covid a few days before Halloween so he was quarantined when we did this activity but we got him involved through Facetime! We tried a new trick this year of using a hand mixer in the pumpkin to make the guts easier to scoop out. It did help a bit but we couldn't get the mixer far enough in to make a huge difference. The kids still don't like scooping out the guts so I did a lot of that but they both carved on their own! 

Griffin helped

Owen was stalling but Paige got right to work

Owen's pumpkin was rotten on the bottom so we cut off the bad part

The whole family. Hi Pat!

Selfie

More Paige

Pat and I collaborated

Owen's pumpkin is upper left. Paige's is lower right.