The Beginning of the End of an Era

 

And just like that the last homeschool letter that we will ever recive has arrived. 

Senior year for Emma is almost officially here. xo 

In Honor of Grace's Last Recital Weekend

 

(This is the page that will be in the recital program in honor of her last recital). 

And we have reached the "last of the lasts". One show tonight, two tomrorow and then her dance recital days will have come to a close. 

I remember when Grace was borh how all the veteran parents would tell us to "enjoy. It goes by so fast" and I would just agree and somewhat laught it off. I am here to say they weren't wrong It seems like just yesterday I was waddling my very pregnant self up the stairs at JFK Middle School (now Quinn Middle School) in Hudson and counting the minutes until the end of the school year and the days until she was born, and yet, here we are headed into the dance recital that brings her senior year to a close. Time, you are a thief. 

I cannot wait to see her senior solo (which she choreographed) though based on Emma's report after seeing it at recital rehearsal last night I am not ready and should bring twice as many tissues as I was already planning to bring. 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 Final Time

In which Grace rolls out of dance team dress rehersal one final time. 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 

Made With Love

In which Emma made a "senior year box" as a surprise for Grace and gifted to her today, on this, Grace's last first day of lessons! xo 

Here We Go!

The new lesson year has begun!

I am not quite sure how it happend that it's Grace's senior year and Emma's junior year already but here we are. It truly feels like they were just entering the grades yesterday and yet here we are in their final high school years. I am grateful that we returned to life as a homeschool family last year, and honestly, I wish we did not give up those two years they were at Parker but I do think it served a purpose too. 

They have chosen some fabulous classes for this year and I am as excited to experience them as they are! I have no doubt it's going to be another fun year and, quite possibly, their best year yet! 

Wishing everyone, regardless on the type of schooling you do, whether it be homeschooling, unschooling or traditional schooling, the most fabulous of lesson years! xo 

Sneak Peak

 

Yesterday we went to the Bradley Estate for Grace's senior session. I cannot beleive that we are here already and that her senior pictures are now completed! Liz, has been our family photographer for years so it was only fitting that she would be the one to shoot Grace's senior pictures. We won't have the rest of them for about two weeks but Liz shared a few of her favorites on social last night. Such a perfect representation of our sweet girl and the activity that has held such a prominant place on her growing up years. xo 

And Just Like that....

 

Grace's last homeschool approval letter has arrived. Can't believe we have arrived at her senior year already. Gracious, these years have gone by way too fast....xo