Great Wolf Lodge

 We had a bit of a staycation for Fall Break this year, but we did take the girls to Great Wolf Lodge one night. They had a great time, and I was able to enjoy some time reading books, which doesn't happen too often these days. 

Kiddie slides are fun no matter your age.

We purchased a wand for the MagiQuest game.  The girls enjoyed walking around looking for the hidden items and completing the challenges.  They were able to work together to beat the dragon at the end. 

On the way home we made a little detour to Truett's Luau. We enjoyed eating outside, even if it was a bit chilly.  It was a beautiful location.

Marc enjoyed the pineapple tacos and sweet potato fries. A couple of us enjoyed the luau nuggets, and Brooke tried the tea with strawberry boba balls. 

It was a fun little adventure.  We even ran into a few families from school at Great Wolf Lodge. It was a nice way to end our Fall Break this year.

 

USA Nationals

 USA Nationals is always a fun weekend.  It is held at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. 

The girls competed on two teams in two different divisions. 

The Starz team received first place on all 4 of their routines: Banjo Boy, We Go Together, Popular, and hoedown. Two of those routines were Grand Champion meaning they had the highest score of all age brackets, an they received the Traditional National Title.  That means their score was the highest score of all traditional style of dances.  This weekend was a major win for their team.

Brooke is now an alternate for the Juniors team.  She was able to compete with them in the hoedown, so this was the first time all 3 girls competed together in the same routine.

The Junior team competes at a level with some stiff competition.  They placed in all 4 of their routines: Still in Love with You, Best Day Ever, Levitating, and hoedown. They won Grand Champion for hoedown (highest hoedown score across all age brackets), and they competed in the dance off for the National Title, which is a huge accomplishment for their division. 

Kayla is also part of a smaller team that competes No Roots, and they placed as well.

It was a fun, long weekend of competition, and the girls did amazing. 

 

College Visit #1 - Truett McConnell University

 How are we here already? Kayla is dual-enrolling 2 classes with Truett McConnell University this semester, so we thought it would be a good idea to take her there for a visit.  Since she is planning on trying to max out the 30 hours of classes that the state of Georgia will pay for her, we thought it would be good to start thinking about where she wants to go so we can choose the classes wisely.   

The campus was small, but beautiful.  I think she liked it, but we'll see where the Lord ends up calling her to!

 

Soccer Season has Begun!

 Here we go again! Kayla is coaching her own team of 1st and 2nd graders this year.  She's absolutely loving it.

Brooke is the only one we still have playing on a team. 

Macy is an assistant coach on her team.

Kayla started her first job as a referee on Saturdays for all of the soccer games.  She's there from 7:30am to about 6:00 every Saturday.  She is always tired, hungry, dirty, and often sunburnt when she comes home, but she is loving it.

 

First Day of School 2021

 The 2021-2022 school year has begun.

 Brooke - 6th grade

Macy - 9th grade

Kayla - 11th grade (and dual-enrolling 2 college classes)

I'm starting my 8th year teaching 3rd grade, my 12th year homeschooling with our hybrid model, and my 18th year teaching overall. 

Having a driver this year is going to be great.  Since I don't teach until 10:30 she will be taking her sisters to school and I get to go in a little later.

Time sure does fly fast, especially once they hit high school, and I wouldn't change a thing about our choice of a hybrid education with The King's Academy. 

 

Summer Break Comes to an End

 School starts tomorrow - on my birthday- and we are squeezing in as much as we can these days. The pool is always a great option for Georgia summers. 

Lazy days of summer are extra lazy for us sometimes.

Our local deer family keeps growing larger. As long as they keep their distance from the plants around my house, I'm more than happy for them to pay us a little visit.

Bubble tea is always a favorite.

We introduced the girls to Jeni's Ice-Cream while celebrating my birthday a little early.

 Ready or not, summer break is over, and we are headed into another school year.