With Thanks

In which Grace is working to get her thank-you notes written and sent. xo 

Yesterday at Church

 

Yesterday, Grace and August were invited to share their senior speeches from Pilgrim Lodge at church. Grace voluneteered to go first and spoke about what PL had meant to hear and how she learned the value of making friends and reconnecting with them each year. It was wonderful to hear these two young adults speak so beautifully about what Pilgrim Lodge has meant to them and how much they will miss it now that they have graduated. xo 

Campers (One Final Time Together)

 

In which these three attend PL as campers together one final time! Wishing them the most fabulous week, but especially so for Grace and August as it is their last one as campers. Have an amazing time, y'all! xo 

One Final Graduation Picture

 

We wanted to do this grad picture trend with the girls' My Little Ponies but we couldn't find where I put them (or sadly I gave them away😭). If truth be known the Froggies were just as meaningful, if not more so, given that they have been with her her entire life.

Now, I have one year to find those ponies so we can use them for Emma's picture... xo

One Last Time

In which Grace sews her final pair of pointe shoes as a CSDS dancer. xo 

Competition Day #1 (Grace's Last First Comp of the Season)

 

7:20am on competition day. 

Emma's ready for large group hip hop. 

Elite team contemp. 

Elite team jazz. 

When you get wacked in the head during one of your dances those frozen water bottles that your mama packed come in very handy!

Grace accepts the 1st overall placement for the lyrical line team dance. 

After the team portion of the comp (for the older girls) it was time to move into high school solos. 

Emma was the first number of this portion of the comp. She was entry number 291 and we had to get all the way to entry 384 before the comp was over.
She totally ate and left no crumbs on that stage! 
In other words, she was amazing up there!

Emma and her choreogrpaher the incomprable Miss Deanna! 

Grace's lyrical solo this season is stunning (as is her costume)! 

Emma recived 1st place overall for her hip hop solo (Trendsetter).
So proud!

One last picture before we head home! 

It was a long day, but an amazing day and a fabulous start to the season! 

The girls will be back on the competative stage the first weekend of April. Can't wait to see them both (as well as all their teammates) shine on that stage again! xo 

Scenes From Grace’s Psychology Block

 

One of Grace's final blocks of her senior year was a psychology block. It was a fun one to put together and we both really enjoyed it! It was fun to remember when I took psychology my senior year in high school and to think back on that class, as well as all the psychology classes I took in college. 

One night Grace comes to me and shares that she had just learned that in some AP Psych classes the students make rice babies (similar to the flour sack babies or the even older school egg babies) to learn what it's like to be responsible for a child but also to put all they had learned about the likes of Kholberg, Piaget, and Erikson (among others) into "practice: So we decided to add that into her block as well. 

Honestly, the five pound bag of rice was brilliant and actually felt alot like a real baby, especially if you held it on your hip like you would a little one. Grace used a pair of no longer needed dance tights to create her body, went to Savers and purchased the jammies you see in these pictures and I dug out the baby hat that she came home in from the hospital when she was born and she chose to name her Juliet Carolina (Carolina for the brand of rice she is)! 

Juliet went to dance every time Grace went to dance, and sometimes we took turns haning out with her. It was a really fun addition to her block and I am so glad she discovered this and wanted to incorporate it into what we were doing! xo 

One Down....

 

First college app submitted, three to go! Wellesley was due today and the other three (Mount Holyoke, Smith and Emerson) are all do next Wednesday. The confetti to "celebrate" what a nice touch (thanks, CommonApp)! xo 

Last First Day

A few pictures from Grace last first day of dance. Gosh, these years have flown by....xo 

Goal: Achieved!

Well done, Grace! We are so proud of you and are thrilled that your dream (and our wish for you) came true! You worked hard and grew so much as a dancer from those early days to now! It has been an absolute joy to watch you on that stage and we cannot wait to see what awaits you this year! What an absolutely fabulous goal to have achieved for your final year as a Center Stage Dancer! xo  

Another Last

 

In which these six audition for the last time for the dance team. xo 

And That's A Wrap!

 

And just like that their first year at Parker has come to a close! They had such an incredible first year there and are already looking forward to next year! Crazy to think that both my babies will be high schoolers next year! For as much as we missed homeschooling, we are so grateful to be part of the community that is Parker. Not only are there many former homeschoolers there but everyone is so welcoming and supportive and encouraging. We have seen our girls apply all that we have taught them and grow and flourish, too! Bring on summer! xo