Our beautiful girls

Elite Performance Challenge Nationals

What a weekend!!  Since Julia's been doing Elite Performance Challenge for six years, I thought it would be fun to finish off her solo competition career by competing in their Nationals.  We were free those four days so hey...why not?  So I entered her two solos...The Chain for the regular senior competition and Find Me for the senior title competition.  They asked for a head shot and a short bio (I decided to skip the fact about her loving Chipotle this time 😉)...

This is me asking my girl to pose with her picture and her humble self feeling a little embarrassed.  I told her no one knows us so who cares!! Sometimes you just got to do things like this for the memories...

Friday was her dance portion of the competition.  She competed in the title round first with Find Me.  Then about two hours later she competed her self-choreographed solo The Chain.  This is her in the dressing room not long before she had to dance...cool as a cucumber...AND she decided to rechoreograph part of The Chain about a half hour before taking the stage! I guess it's many years of experience and the tremendous confidence she has with herself now...

It was by far her best performance for The Chain!!  She was fantastic!!  We had to wait until the next day, Saturday, to hear how she did and if she placed.  Turns out she won an Elite Platinum trophy AND she placed second!!  Out of 54 solos...Amazing...

1st Keegan Scesny - How I Wish I was Clay

2nd Julia!!

2nd tied with Amia Serio - Letter to God

3rd Amber Palmer - I was Only Falling in Love

4th Ashley Morris - Say You Won't Let Go

5th Nina Palmer - I Surrender

6th Briana Craig - Billy Jean

7th Julie Coughlin - Breathe

(and the rest don't know who they were)

Then we had to go back again on Sunday for the Championship Showcase to find out how she did with her title solo Find Me...

All the girls competing for title got to present special awards throughout the showcase.  Julia presented for Best Choreography.  

And then the moment we had been waiting for all weekend...

She won!!!  So well deserved!!! She was absolutely beautiful!! She dances with such beauty and ease and takes her time with every single movement.  She is a story teller.  

Julia peaked at the most perfect time...her senior year.  It's been slow and steady and so worth the wait...

Title Winner - Julia!! Find Me

1st Runner Up Samantha Marion - Marionette

2nd Runner Up Julie Coughlin - My Mind

Nina Palmer - Creep

Brooklyn O'Connor - Body Love

Kylie Walsh - Believe

I have loved doing these extra dance competitions with her all these years.  It was something very special that just she and I got to do together.  Of course it was fun when she won something but honestly...it won't just be the trophies and placements I will remember...it will be all the other things like...

the long car rides talking, playing loud music and singing to the Backstreet Boys...

the belly laughs at the competitions from pure exhaustion...

the overnights in the hotels...laughing and talking before falling asleep...

and then waking up at the crack of dawn to do her hair and makeup...

the times of consoling her when she felt she didn't perform her best or when she didn't place and her friends did...

and all the wonderful joyful moments of celebrating when she performed well and received a special award, high score or fantastic placement...

I will miss absolutely every part of it.   

We have just one more studio national competition to look forward to...and then it's on to her next chapter of her life...college...and a new competitive college dance team.  It will be a whole new awesome experience for her.  

I couldn't be more proud of the beautiful young woman she has become.  She will go on to do so many more amazing things with her life...and I can't wait to see..."WHAT NEXT"!!! 

Summer Hockey

The Boy is back at it...this time as #1...quite fitting I think : ) 

Half Bath Laundry Room Renovation

The room is very small which makes it hard to get pictures that show everything...so I put a video at the end. I'm so happy with the way it turned out!!  Two more bathrooms to go. 

Inspired by Nikki "Making the Everyday Beautiful"

I've just discovered this gem of a YouTuber.  Her name is Nikki and watching her channel is pure joy for me. It's like a form of art.  Her editing...her music...it's simply beautiful. I could watch and listen to her all day long.  She does videos about something as simple as wearing dresses, timeless and elegant homemaking, beautiful living, clean with me...and so much more. I find her videos to be incredibly relaxing and inspiring. Her channel is just everything.  

Julia's last dance recital

Julia had her very last dance recital...number 15!! And...our girl was on the cover of the program!!  

We were asked to write a short bio about our girls for Facebook and Instagram. So based off what the other mom's wrote about their seniors last year, this is what I wrote.  What I didn't realize was this year's moms wrote more sophisticated bios including praise for all the dance teachers.  And I wrote that Julia loves her cats, babysitting and eating at Chipotle!!  Haha!!  Oh did I get a good belly laugh over it!  I didn't realize it would be in the program too!! Oh well...

Sisters...

and Sisters...

Ready for a Miracle...

Girls of Cabaret...Julia & Savannah...

Carry Me Home...very proud of Gianna's dancing too...

Julia & Alyssa...15 years dancing together...

Miss Stephanie...

Miss Hope...

Brenna...

Her loyal friend Ally...

Sisters again...

Layla...

All the graduating seniors...

Julia's very first recital at 4 years old...

to her very last recital at 18 years old.

What a tremendous ride it's been.  So many lifelong friendships have been made.  We will be forever grateful to our NEDA family.  

Having fun before the curtains open...

My view from backstage...

Julia's 15 year award...

Narragansett Beach

I had another super fun girls getaway with my besties from high school.  This time we went to Narragansett and it was gorgeous!  We started our weekend at the Coast Guard House...

We had a great table right by the ocean...

It was also Michele's birthday so we celebrated with some cake when we got back to the rental house...

And look at that cake!!! It was so good!!

We went for a short walk over to the private beach and along the way we found this street!! In honor of my Dad...

I found my dream home.  If I lived there I would never leave those chairs...

We spent a rainy afternoon in Newport. We had a great lunch at a cozy restaurant.  The rain stopped just long enough for us to walk around and do a little shopping...

We played games back at the house each night. On our last night we had dinner here...

We were seated on the rooftop and it was the most gorgeous evening with the most spectacular views...

Look at us trying to be cool taking selfies...

Just look at that sunset...

It was such a great trip.  I love these lifelong friends of mine!!