Keeping the balls in the air

Here's my weekend -
Friday night
4-8 Dance end of year picnic/carnival
6-7:30 Maggie goes to birthday party of a friend (on Maggie's birthday. I warned the mother)
6-10 Em has school Bible study end of year hoo-hah

Saturday
8 am - Maggie soccer game - bring snack
10 am - Emily soccer game - team picnic after at assistant coaches house

Sometime Saturday I have to bake and decorate two cakes for the Family Partnership fundraiser for the Girl Scout end of year bridging/celebration at 6:00. And not forget to bring 2 crock pots, 2 coolers, rolls of tickets and the 'bridge' that's stored in my attic, plus all the cakes.

Between now and then I have to order two cakes from Costco (do I need 2 for 100 people?), come up with a 'carb' side dish for the dance picnic. Buy a birthday gift for Lindsey. Make a dozen leader thank you gifts. And somehow make Maggie feel special on her birthday - Friday.
We'll probably drive up to the lake on Saturday night right after the GS thing so I can decompress all day Sunday.

Stay tuned to see if I actually pull all this off!

It's official

We met in the parking lot of the Bunker Hill Chillin’ Grill to complete the transaction. I felt like a junkie. We handed over the big check, signed a few papers (ok, that never happens in drug deals) and then were given the key to our summer place –hereafter named the “cottage” (quotes required!). It’s on the shores of Brooks Lake in Newaygo, a mere 47 miles from home.

We take possession this weekend.
Sometime between birthday parties, end of year picnics for dance and Girl Scouts, and final soccer games, you can bet we’ll be making the drive up to check the place out with the eyes of new owners. Picture us now, standing arm in arm, surveying our domain.

Oh yeah, life is good.

Get Out!

Here it is...our new home away from home!


Let me know when you can come visit!!

Dance Comp IV

This past weekend was Spotlight, our last competition of 2008. Adjudicated awards are Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby and Diamond
Maggie's dances were entered in the Novice category and did extremely well.
Small Groups
A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes-Diamond
Overall Ruby (second place novice small groups), Special Judge's Award - "Future Stars"
Crazy Little Thing Called Love-Diamond
Category Winner (novice tap small groups), Overall Diamond (first place novice small groups)
Large Groups/Lines
Who Let The Frogs Out?-Diamond
Overall Ruby (second place novice large/lines)
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo-Diamond
Overall Diamond (first place novice large/lines), Special Judge's Award -"Stars of Tomorrow"

Emily's groups did very well, also, especially her jazz small group, Hamster Dance

Small Groups
Dance to the Music-Ruby
Hamster Dance-Diamond
Overall Emerald (4th place Jr. small groups)
Large Groups
The Green Room-Ruby
Lines
Seasons of Love-Diamond
Wild Wild West-Diamond
I Saw Him Standing There-Diamond
Sister Act-Diamond

I'm very proud of both of them, plus the rest of our dance family. It was a fantastic season.

Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts is June 6-8 and will be the last time the girls will be performing these numbers.

GOOOOOOAAAALL!!!!!

Rick is coaching Emily's AYSO soccer team again this year and they've had a rough year. Saturday's game was finally a turning point. The girls all looked confidant and played really well. In the third quarter the game was tied 1-1.
Then came this awesome play by Emily.





She was playing stryker and was set up in front of the goal just as she should be. The ball came in from the side, right past a pink defender. Em positioned herself and then launched it right by the goalie.


Here are a couple of close-ups of the action.




Notice the ball going past the goalie's shoulder.

Then look at the happy face of our girl!

Our team got their first win of the season.

Way to go, team!!