Friday Night Lights and Saturday Morning Races

     Since the school year has started, the sports season has kicked into high gear.  Big Al's first football game of the season was last night.  The problem is that she is a Varsity cheerleader, and at Varsity games all of the students stand throughout it.... which leads to camera issues.

They had a great game and beat the other team quite easily.

At the end of the game the girls have to sing the school song.

Last year at a game, Big Al let this little girl hold her pom poms for a little bit.  Ever since then, the little girl (who comes to watch her brother play) has idolized Big Al.  At the end of the game she came running down to the front to talk to her, and was so excited that Big Al remembered her. It was a great reminder for my daughter that little girls are watching everything she does, and to be a good role model. I love that she took the time to speak to the little one and probably made her night!

After getting home fairly late we were up super early to take T-Rex and her friend to their Cross Country meet.  

The Varsity team was awesome, and placed very well.  This is a great group of girls who have really made sure to include the younger girls.  Their leadership skills are obvious. 

After the Varsity girls', and JV boys' race it was the JV girls turn.  T-Rex took her place in her first official race. 

There were TONS of teams there (this picture shows maybe half of them). They were spread out across the field and had to sprint across before being funneled through a chute.  The race wound through the woods, and over sand and roots, so the girls had a narrow route to follow. 

T-Rex at the beginning.

After she started we walked over to another viewing point before they all disappeared into the woods.  You could tell she was starting to hurt at that point.

Finally she finished and I know she was exhausted.  She didn't beat her personal best time, but it was a much harder course to run than the scrimmage.  I'm proud of her for finishing though because I know not everyone takes on this type of challenge. 

First Day of School - 2013-2014

 A hectic first day of school as all 4 are up at the same time (as well as Brian and I trying to get ready for work).  Big Al has an early class, so she and T-Rex have joined us in the morning rush.

Blondie was the first out the door for 6th grade.  Brian dropped her off at her middle school magnet, and she has come home saying she loves 6th grade (I hope that feeling lasts).

 Cheesie and I were next for the drive to fifth grade.  She is very excited, and LOVES her teacher.  She is already working on her first project, and thrilled with the ideas they discussed today.

T-Rex and Big Al left last, so I had to grab them as they were..... without shoes. T-Rex is headed to 9th grade and then went straight to cross country practice.  Big Al is in 111th and is still cheering, and has added a job to her list of places to be.  Both came home optimistic about this year.

I am still teaching 5th grade STEMs, am team leader, and mentoring an intern. I think my students are awesome, and I'm really looking forward to helping them find out how cool learning can be.

Cheesie turns 10

     Today is Cheesie's 10th birthday.  Yesterday she had a party with friends and today was the family gathering.

With her friends she decided on an art theme.  So we set up a long table in our library and the girls got started with the painting.  

 When they finished they came in and opened presents,

had an ice cream cake, 

and disappeared up into Cheesie's room. I don't know what they were doing up there but it involved a lot of thumping on the floor, shrieking and yelling excitedly at each other. 

Once the paintings were dry we managed to corral them all for a photo op before the parents came to pick them up. 

For the family party she chose to have her special dinner of Ham and Mac and cheese (homemade). Her grandma, Aunt Christy (with Cate and Super S), and Aunt Amy (with cousin CJ) came to help celebrate. 

It was nice to see everyone, and wish CJ the best with starting Kindergarten tomorrow.  

Cross Country Scrimmage

     T-Rex decided to try the Cross-Country team at her high school this year.  We thought it was important for her to be part of a group (she'll be in orchestra too) as well as participate in a sport besides fencing.  She has gotten up early all summer to run for 2 hours with the team and really enjoys the girls.  Today was their first scrimmage.  T-Rex hoped to beat 40 minutes because she didn't really have an idea as to how much time it would take her to run this 5K.

     When I got there it was POURING DOWN RAIN.  I tried to take pictures but was forced back to the car and missed the start.

But I did see her running this leg of the race...... 

    I stood at the finish line with a bunch of other parents yelling for all of our high school girls.  AND THEN FINALLY.......

T-Rex came over the hill. 

     She finished at 36 minutes and 42 seconds.... which is good for your first time out.  I am proud of the perseverance she has shown this summer, and glad that she has found something she enjoys.  Now, she has a time to beat at the next meet.  I'm looking forward to watching that time come down!

Botany Bay - the second trip

We couldn't resist heading back to Botany Bay with the rest of the family, and adding in my sister and her two kids..... so 11 of us descended on the island for a day of fun.

Brian drove with my mom, Blondie and Cheesie. They left super early because Brian wanted time to photograph everything, I was bringing teens, so we left about 3 hours later.

It was pretty deserted for awhile, and gave Blondie a chance to find shells

and Brian time to photograph.

They swam

and jumped the waves (yes, Blondie jumps)

and posed for Dad's endless photo requirements.

One thing I didn't write about last week was the amazing pelican patrols on the beach. Long lines of them fly up and down the beach. Brian got this great shot of a pelican diving for the fish. 

With a very hot day there is zero shade on this beach.  The minute you head for the trees that are thick enough for shade you get eaten by the mosquitoes so it is WAY BETTER to improvise and camp out..

because then the teens show up and the FUN begins!

I swear these four spent all day getting pounded in the waves.  They dove through them, rode over them, got bashed up, and went back for more. 

                           

 My nephew "Super S" came for his first trip to the ocean. His mom was smart and brought a giant umbrella.

He didn't need it for long though, he LOVED the ocean. No fear, no tears (until he got tired).  He spent a lot of time laughing and crawling in the water, looking at the mud and waving around shells.










And if he got bored there were lots of cousins, and his sister to play with.....

 when they weren't messing around in the ocean...

 OR the pluff mud! My niece is in college, but loves to have fun

and sometimes drags her cousins into it with her

And while the Pelicans flew overhead

some took a break before doing it all over again. 

 **I will finish this post tomorrow with some pics of the high tide, and HOW HIGH it really got. I also learned a lot about the erosion of this place from the volunteer. It really illustrates why we need our dunes.  Stay tuned.**