Cheerleading

This year we have something new happening! We have NEVER had a cheerleader, nor has anyone been a cheerleader before. So, let me back up. . . 

Tacey had been an avid Basketball Player, and enjoyed the sport. Her Freshman year she played and was Captain of her team. However, last year as the competition had been stiff, she didn't make the team. She was disappointed: very disappointed at first. But I think the hardest part was that the coaches told her she was good enough for the team, but that she would spend a lot of time on the bench and didn't want to waste her time that way. They told her what she needed to work on, encouraged her to do that work and try out the next year. She had a rough night that night. We were worried about her. 

Disappointment is difficult, but I think it is more difficult to watch your children then go through it yourself.

I give her credit though. She came upstairs the next morning with a new list of goals that included a re-dedication to her academics, a change in social groups and the decision to try something new. She realized that while she likes Basketball, it wasn't something she wanted to work for the way the other girls did. 

The new thing is Cheerleading. 

Funny how things go. I had always wondered if Tacey could work for anything. She has pretty much been good at everything she has tried the first time she tried it. She has never really come across anything HARD. I didn't figure Cheerleading would be all that hard, since she has been dancing since she was two, but she has never done any tumbling or gymnastics, so that could be a problem. 

Among the things she did was re-add the dance classes she had dropped in anticipation of Basketball, and then she added a gymnastics class to prepare for Cheerleading tryouts. 

Then this spring, we had the fateful week. She learned cheers and dances for a full week before spring break, then had tryouts on Friday. 
Honestly, I have never seen her work so hard in my life. 
In addition, she did it with no support from her friends. Not only was she the only one in her circle of friends that tried out, she was the only one in her entire GRADE that tried out. Pretty amazing that she can stand on her own like that when she wants to do something. 
I went and sat  with her for the results.

At least she knows her mom always has her back.

Oh, was I ever so glad to see her name. Truth be told, I wasn't overly worried. But still, it had been a long year of lots of disappointment. She had started in Show Choir but had to quit because of the environment in there. Basketball had been disappointing. She had briefly dated a nice young man that was too nice to tell her he was dating someone else. This resulted in a heart break on Valentines Day. Her classes had been hard. She did get a part in the school musical, which was more than 43 other girls could say. 

But this, this she did on her own. She worked for it and earned it.

With Cheerleading comes a whole bunch of new stuff: 

Cheer Camp

Summer Practices - 3 times a week

Money, lots and lots of money

6 Uniforms

matching shoes

2 sets of spandex

one middriff shirt with her name embroidered on it

Pom poms

Special Varsity Cheer Sweatshirt

Sweat Suit - with her name Embroidered on it

Cheer Duffle Bag - with her name printed on it

Pay-to-play fee since it is a SPORT

Activity card so she can get INTO the games to cheer

Schedule change to make sure she doesn't miss heavy academics when she has to leave early for games

Big hair bows

Freaked out Grandmas when they find out she is a flyer.

(That means she is the one the hold up or toss up in the sir)

Bruises

Sore Muscles

Scratches from when she is a base instead of a flyer and the girl freaks out in the air

and much more that I am sure we haven't even discovered yet.

Cheer Camp was the end of July.

They performed for us the last day. They were tired and sore, but she loved every minute of it.

**Warning to Grandparents with weak stomachs**

Tacey gets thrown around at the beginning of the video.

She lives, so you can relax.

Okay, we had a hard time with that last pyramid. Lets try it again a little slower.

The two professionals that came in to run the cheer camp were those cute ones in black. Tacey said they came in and told them they had been cheerleading since they were 7, they cheered for Dixie State College and now had 7 competition teams as well as classes for people who wanted to be on their teams. I think the girls were skeptical until one of them showed her 'skills' which included doing a jump where she basically kicked herself in the face. 

I guess that is one way to get street cred. 

You have to admit, they are cute girls/women/athletes!

And the cheer squads - both JV and Varsity.

And they ended with a bit of fun.

Here is to a new adventure!

-danielle

Back to School. . . Dang it!

Okay, so we all know my blogging has not been the best as of late. I am attempting to rectify that. So, as I seemed to take an unintentional year off, from now on the goal is to do current as well as past event simultaneously. In other words, I will compare now to last year and we shall see how much has changed in that little period of approximately 365 days.

We started school this week. Geez, I ALWAYS hate that. I like to hang out with my kids, do fun things with my kids, get my house clean in a shorter period of time because I have help. . . .But alas, that is not possible. I have even thought about home school, but I am lacking in discipline and I KNOW that a trip to the movies would be more important to me than Algebra, or English or any other academic necessity.

I have been trying to learn my camera better, basically get it off the point and shoot settings. I also want to be more creative with how I pose people and learn how to find the right light, things like that. This year I decided to take Back-to-School pictures since the ones from the school are nice, but have ALL had bad color the past few years. Besides, if I can take just as good a picture, why would I spend $25.00 for 3 so-so pictures of my kids when I can it myself for less than a dollar.

Look at how handsome Dallin has gotten!

He is a big 8th grader now. It really shows in how tall he has gotten. I think now he is officially taller than me. Shane says that is no great feat, as I am not that tall.

He has a quiet stillness about him. At times I can see the amazing man he is going to be.

But he still has a unique sense of humor. I am glad he still embraces his silly side occasionally.

McCade has also grown up a lot this summer. I have truly seen him working on responsibility; trying hard and struggling through the growing pains that we face during our pre-teen years.

Don't think that he has abandoned his silly side though!

He is always the light and energy in any group.

And now he is a big 7th grader.

Tacey is a Junior this year. Geez, who gave her permission to grow up?

Last year was a year of change for her. She turned 16 and started dating.

She had some big disappointments, but pulled herself up and set new goals.

She worked for those goals, and succeeded.

 And became a Varisty Cheerleader.

So, here we go!

Lets take a bite of this school year!

But before we do, lets look at how we have grown.

This is McCade at the beginning of 6th Grade. Shorter, younger, and still just as happy.

And still just as excited about school. (Not really the academics, mostly the social aspect).

WOW, has Dallin ever changed! What a difference a year makes!

Even Tacey, who didn't actually grow outside, but grew by leaps and bounds inside.

I took the opportunity to recreate a picture last year that I took on Tacey's first day of Kindergarten. 

This is Tacey and our two neighbors, Matt & TJ. They have made their way home from school together since that day. Tacey was in Kindergarten, Matt was in 1st Grade & TJ was in 2nd Grade. They are all neighbors.

Can you believe this? They still look the same, their height ratio is the same, and they still have the same smiles.

Although they look more like this now!

(Special thank you to the boys for being nice enough to let me take their picture. It was pretty painful for them, I am sure!)

Here we go for another year of school!

-danielle