Party for CeCe

CeCe's "landmark" birthday is coming up in September, but I wanted to have a party for her before the kids all head off to college. I had so much fun shopping for the decorations at Hobby Lobby. 

Kim and Paula brought the birthday cake from Bread & Roses in Ogunquit...

It was a fun day!! 

Starting my new chapter

Standing at the edge of a new chapter can be scary.

The desire to run back into the pages you know so well, is more than tempting.

But you must keep moving.

Chapters end, even the good ones.

And if you linger in the past too long, your story cannot unfold the way it should.

And you might just miss the most beautiful moments of your life, whilst grieving the ones gone by.

It’s scary at the edge my friend, I know.

But just jump.

You have so much ahead.

And the good stuff behind, will always be there.

Donna Ashworth

Cape vacation

We took our annual Cape vacation to the Nauset Beach Inn in Orleans on Cape Cod. Such a simple little place but so beautiful...

We had great weather again! Three for three! 

After the beach, we would go back to our place to sit and look at the ocean and have cheese, crackers, wine and beer...

We discovered a great Italian restaurant...

We're looking forward to next year already...

Summer Concert

Julia went to the Luke Comb's concert last night at Gillette and got a "little" wet. That just about sums up how the weather has been this summer...so much rain!

Just one of the many outfits she was considering wearing the night before. She looked beautiful in everything she tried on...

Just before the concert with Ally and Carlie...

At the concert she ran into some of her Endicott dance team friends, Steve and Bree...

Then after only 6 or 7 songs it started to rain : ( 

and rain...

They were still smiling though!!

Lacrimosa

This is my favorite dance of every dance my girls ever did at NEDA...and that's saying a lot because there were 150 dances between the two of them!  This is it...Lacrimosa!!! 

Choose Joy

My Soul

A mom is one who

loves not just with her

heart, but with her

soul. Who always feels

what her children are

feeling, no matter

their age or proximity

to her arms.

Now I Follow You

Now, I follow you.

At first, I carried you. 

Then I walked beside you. 

Then I followed close behind. 

But now, I follow you from some distance. 

I’ve dropped back to where I belong at this particular mile marker of your journey.

Now, it’s time for you to take the lead and for me to trust I protected you well enough when I carried you and when we walked side-by-side for you to feel secure out in front.

But I’m still here, and that helps us both. 

I’m a few miles back, watching you do your thing. 

Watching you choose, navigate, figure out. 

You are capable, careful, and considerate. It is a privilege to see.

As an observer of your life, I am not displaced; I am in the right place. 

I’m a text or a phone call or a FaceTime chat or, sometimes, an overnight drive away. 

Letting you go gradually is what helps you do it well...and me to do it at all.

This is love that has loosened its grip. 

This is love that will always hold on, just more loosely. 

This is love that has an open palm outstretched, in case you need to grab onto it again.

Excerpt from: Guilty Chocoholic Mama - Elizabeth Spencer

Summer Jobs

Julia is so fortunate to have her job working for Royal Dance!  She's working at their nationals this week on Cape Cod as a master class assistant and studio concierge...

She also works at a few of their regionals during the school year. It's good money, tons of fun and it keeps her in the dance world that she loves so much!! She's also working as a barback for a local winery and as a babysitter this summer too. She's keeping busy and making money for college! 

Wisdom Teeth round two

Round Two for the Digiacomo wisdom teeth extraction. Why did God make wisdom teeth if they just have to be removed for most people?  It's expensive, stressful and painful. It was Nicholas' turn yesterday to have his removed. Gianna will have hers out in a few weeks too and Julia had hers out in high school. I feel so bad for them. I remember all too well having mine out and it wasn't fun. But once they're out, you can just forget about them and not have to deal with the discomfort of infections, etc. 

Before we left, I saw a car pull up and a man walk up to me with these...

They're from his girlfriend! I proceeded to walk into the house and burst into tears!  Just so incredibly thoughtful...but most of all it made me realize someone loves him as much as I do! I've officially turned into my mother...crying at the drop of a hat over everything!! Haha!! 

Feeling no pain right after...

and so gross...they are HUGE!! 

We went to the pharmacy to get his meds. While I was in there, I bought him a gallon of vanilla ice cream and a spoon so he could eat something in the car. Poor kid was starving. It was an adventurous day...let's just say that.  

Round Three with Gianna today as we head back to that same office for her consultation.  Ugh. 

P.S. Although I hate seeing them stressed and in pain, I do love taking care of my babies through it all. I thrive on being a nurturing Mom. It's what makes me the happiest. I truly hope my children remember that feeling and have it with them forever. 

Starpower Nationals - The End of an Era

It's the End of an Era for our family. This was our very last nationals. We've been with NEDA for 17 years. That's a very very very long time. Gianna and I were both feeling emotional yesterday and I know we both tried very hard to keep our composure saying our goodbyes. Gianna doesn't like to cry or show her emotions so I can only imagine how hard this week was for her. She's danced at NEDA for 14 years and made so many friends and memories. You don't do something for 14 years if you don't love it. 

Day One (Monday) was Senior Small Groups...Recovery and Lacrimosa day! 

Here are the Recovery girls doing a little pep talk before taking the stage...

and the group with Courtney...

This is not the best picture as I took it from Instagram. I wish I knew who has the original. Kara is the most talented and creative choreographer at NEDA. She is truly amazing!  Lacramosa was my favorite dance this year...and to be honest... I think it's my favorite dance out of every single dance both of my girls ever did at NEDA. Oh...I just thought of something that would be so fun! I should pick my top 20 all time favorite dances from the past 17 years! YES...I'm going to do that!!

Kara was so sweet and brought each of the girls flowers and these bracelets...

Unfortunately, Starpower was moved from Mohegan Sun, where it's been for years and years, to the CT Convention Center. That had to be the worst venue ever for a nationals. It's five days long so you need to be at a place that has a big variety of places withing walking distance to get food and drinks, free parking (not like this place where we paid up to $20 a day), and lots of areas with comfortable seating. And that is NOT the CT Convention Center. I highly doubt they'll go there again. Our hotel was awful too. We had a fire alarm at 2:45 a.m., a broken bed in our room, the sheets didn't look clean, they didn't clean our room and the hotel smelled so bad in the hallways. It was a Holiday Inn by the way which are usually pretty good. Not that one! 

Look what the younger girls made for the two graduating seniors...

They loved them!!! So thoughtful...

Lacrimosa placed 2nd and Recovery was 6th!  Tragedy didn't even place which was strange because I thought it was beautiful. Such a strong and talented group of high school dancers this year.  

Here's Gianna receiving the award for Recovery and Makayla for Lacrimosa. (There was a tie for 5th place that's why it looks like Gianna got 7th but it was 6th.) 

So incredibly happy for Lacrimosa placing 2nd in a very hard category!! 

We had Tuesday off and we watched all the solos and duos from home.  

Wednesday was Teen and Senior Large Groups. RiRi didn't place which isn't surprising for Hip Hop but The Ritz was 10th, One Last Breath was 8th and Bond Girls was 7th. Strangely, I didn't take any pictures at all that day. 

Moving on to Thursday...Line Day. Gianna had Production The Year of the Dragon, and senior acro, Who Can Stand. She's actually just a fill in for acro but still : )   Both won first place!! 

Then Friday was Battle of the Stars. Gianna had four dances; production, acro, Bond Girls and Lacrimosa. The judges always try to mix it up a bit to help "share the wealth" with all the studios. Our littles did awesome but per usual. Bond Girls was danced much better and placed 3rd. Lacrimosa stayed in 2nd place which was so awesome! Production got ripped off and placed 3rd after winning in the competition. Senior acro Who Can Stand won 1st which is probably why production was 3rd.  

Look at all the awards!!! 

Then it was time for the goodbyes...

These three have been friends for so many years...Savannah since day day one...

She's had so much fun with Maddie and Kiki...

She just loves Kiki...

She loves the younger girls so much...

I love her special friendship with Ava...

Gianna, I hope you know how proud I am of you. I honestly wasn't sure you would stick with the dancing this whole time but I'm so glad you did. You have so many talents. I know you aren't proud of all the theater you did when you were younger, but I hope someday you will realize how special that time was in your life. You made so many friends back in those days and would come home from rehearsals and summer camps with so many stories, laughs and smiles. There is no greater joy for me than to see you up on that stage whether it was playing one of the many supporting acting roles, the lead in Annie, the lead in High School Musical or the many many many dance routines you were in. I have been so proud of you since day one with all of your tremendous accomplishments. I hope you look back on your grade school years with pride and happiness. You are one incredibly talented young lady and I can't wait to see what life brings your way. And now it's on to your new adventures at SHU!!!