Gymnastics: A 2017 Disco Boogie!

Julia- the moment you've been preparing for all year is FINALLY here! The pageantry... the skills... the grace...the moves...the boogie! 

It's Little Gym Show Week, and you shone like the bright star you are!

You've been talking about this for so many months, and been putting in some hard practice at home too, trying to perfect your poses and cartwheels for weeks. 

I can't believe how far you've come this year alone...but when I look back on it, you've been doing gymnastics since before you could even walk! And look at how far you've come and how much you've grown!

From a toddler hanging on....

...to a big girl hanging tough!

From a tiny tight-rope walker to a big girl gracefully traversing the beam!

But enough of this preamble, let's get to the show!

First of all, one of the biggest requests you had about your show was for Aidan to be able to come watch you. Aidan asked to come too...and he was able to come (we took him out of school), and you were SO excited! He was such a supportive big brother, cheering for you and dancing along with you. And you would call to him and give him thumbs up and ask for his attention. You two are so sweet, and I'm so glad that you wanted your big brother to be there with me, Mommy, Mimi, and Pops. Yaya and Baba, Sham and Joe were there in spirit, but couldn't make it (Yaya had just had surgery). But we were ALL cheering for you loud and proud, because you are the AWESOMEST you you can be!

 You showed us your skills on floor routine...

 ..on sideline awesomeness...

...on beam and bar....

and dance...

and ...

...on grace in victory...

But don't take my word for it! Watch the show for yourself!

Boogie on down!

During the awards presentation, Mr. Jaime introduced you as "Little Julia." You were quick to say, loudly, "I'm not little." And that is the truth. You are BIG: you are strong, brave, fearless, talented and amazing. You are a leader among your friends, and a great gymnast already! 

Keep up the amazing work! You are such an inspiration with your dedication, skills, and success. We are all SO proud of you, our big gymnast!

Sweet 16 Halloween

So many costumes! So much candy! So much fun! Why celebrate for just one night, when you can do it for a whole week! I present to you...Halloween '16!

First up... after much fanfare and weeks of excitement...Princess Ana and Iron Man went to the Little Gym and Dallas Swim Kids Halloween Carnival! Many carnival games were played and won by you two heroic children.

Then we dressed up to go to the Grocery Store! Even though it wasn't Halloween there...but we did buy some...

Pumpkins! You guys were CHAMPION pumpkin gutters! You degutted those pumpkins like true pros...not wincing at the slimy grossness or avoiding the gross sliminess. So proud!

Then, after de-gutting the pumpkins, we went with our pals Asher and Sawyer (and Uncle BJ and Aunt Kari) to the Arboretum to see even MORE pumpkins! Iron Man was a big hit.

Then, we found a cool grasshopper and worked on your jack-o-Lanterns! Julia, you wanted to paint yours. Aidan, you wanted to carve. The results were AWESOME! You guys are so creative!

BOO! It's a ghost!

I got a lovely fall car wash out of the deal too.

Our house looks so spoooky!

Then, you two dressed up as Sleeping Beauty (Julia, you changed in the car), and Iron Man and went with Mimi and Pops to a very Halloweeny presentation of "Fantasia" Live at the Dallas Symphony!

The Next night (nope...still NOT quite Halloween itself) we ALL dressed up and went trick-or-treating at Mimi and Pops house AND at Yaya and Baba's house. Aidan, you went as a tushy-slapping skeleton (from David Pumpkins) and Julia, you went as a Fairy Godmother. Mommy and I were Bat-girl and R2D2!

Then...finally...it was Halloween night itself. The night you've been waiting for. The MAIN EVENT! Elsa and Iron Man were joined by their neighbors...

police woman, pink kitty, Harry Potter, purple kitty, and Captain America for an awesome neighborhood night of trick-or-treating!

There was adorable hand-holding, helpful friends helping to pick up spilled candy, some surprises like cans of sparking water, some 'not working' houses, and a lot of fun.

Julia, you were a super star, carrying a super heavy bucket! Even a princess dress full of sticker burrs and an animatronic monster couldn't hold you back (although the monster did make you not go to that house!)

Aidan, your bucket was significantly more empty than Julia's, despite you leading the charge. We found out that if a house didn't have the candy you wanted, you said "no thank you" and left! How polite and sweet!

Both of you scored and hand delivered candy you'd know we'd like to Mommy and Daddy. How sweet!

And both of you were super excited when we got to skip bath and go straight to bed. How sweet...but maybe a little bit sour!

What a  marathon, fun, amazing sweet 16 Halloween!