Spring Break in Ohio

For Spring Break, we decided to make a quick getaway to Ohio to visit Uncle Mike and Uncle Jeff. It was nice to take a break from the South...I still haven't totally acclimated to things here so it was nice to be back in a place that feels a bit more comfortable. When we left Charlotte, the weather was warm and sunny and that is what we arrived to in Columbus. But when we woke up on Tuesday morning, we had a bit of a white surprise on the ground...

It wasn't much, but it sure was cold and damp!  And I Arabella was excited to see it.

Arabella went for one of many walks with Uncle Mike and Rocco and brought back these pretty daffodils.

Arabella and Uncle Mike put together ALOT of Legos.

We watched a Sesame Street episode all about Passover...so we could get Jay up to speed on "one of his holidays"!

It was also Uncle Jeff's birthday one day while we were there. We had a very yummy lunch at California Pizza Kitchen! Look at the three of them watching the world go by.

Arabella and Uncle Mike made an ice cream cake for Uncle Jeff. They decided it would be fun to do instead of buying a Carvel cake. We were even able to find a recipe for the frosting online and it tasted just like Carvel's. It was so delicious!

We had so much fun during our 4 day visit. There was a visit to the Easter Bunny, egg coloring, playing in the yard and planting, cleaning by Max, a trip to the playground and more. We enjoyed our trip and are already looking forward to the next one!

Wilmington Nationals Cheer Competition

The Wilmington National Cheer Competition was the big, grand finale, cheer competition of the season. Arabella and her teammates practiced so hard and were so excited to do their routine...parts of it so new that they only had 2 weeks to get it down. They did a super job and cheered their hearts out. They learned a few mew stunts and pyramids and knocked the routine out of the gym! We were so nervous while we watched the other teams go and then we had to wait for the judging. When it was time for the awards, I couldn't believe how my stomach was churning. I wanted (and I know the other mom's did too) them to be at the top of their level...and they did it! Our little Diamonds, came in 1st Place in the Tiny Level 1 Prep Division!! We couldn't believe it and the girls were so excited. All their hard work paid off and they knew it. And the trophy that they were awarded was bigger than them! They are already getting ready to practice for next season, and Arabella and Eva will be moving up to the next level because they will be too old to be on the Tinys next year. You girls are amazing little athletes - keep it up!

And, Arabella, you make me so proud. Your drive and determination are so strong. You love nothing more than to tumble and cheer. Every time I turn around, you are practicing your cartwheels, one handed round offs, back walk-overs and front handsprings. I love watching you grow and seeing your love for this sport (and it is a sport, so don't ever let anyone tell you differently). You are one spunky little cheerleader. I can only imagine how much you will be doing next year. You will be a "flyer" (one of the girls that goes up in the air) - just keep working hard and everything will how it is meant to be. I love you my Little Bean...keep it up!

Arabella and Rian. They go to the same school but Rian is in 1st grade. Next year they will be on the same team!

Arabella isn't angry...she is just practicing her "facials"!  I think this photo is hysterical!

Seriously, can they get any cuter???

See what I mean about the huge trophy!!

A selfie with my favorite girl!

Beach Baby

Arabella loves the beach as much as I do. Nothing makes me happier knowing that she can spend hours in the water and sand. She loves looking for shells and chasing the sea gulls around on the beach. I love this picture that I took of her at Wrightsville Beach - it is full of pure joy and happiness.

Girls Only Roadtrip To Wilmington & Wrightsville Beach

A couple weekends back, Arabella had a her final cheer competition in Wilmington, North Carolina. Wilmington is on the coast and is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from Charlotte...I actually forgot how big North Carolina is until we started to plan the road trip! We carpooled with Deanna and Cadence which was fun. Arabella and Cadence had a blast hanging out in the back! I did the driving and it wasn't a bad drive, but I am not used to 2 lane highways where the speed limit is constantly changing, especially when you drive through little towns! And let's not forget about when the highway has stop lights on it...and I thought the roads in Montreal were interesting!

We checked into our hotel which was is downtown historic Wilmington. I wish we had a bit more time to explore the area - beautiful old homes and gardens - the azalea festival was going on during our stay so I am sure the gardens were beautiful. Our hotel was located right on the Cape Fear River...remember the movie Cape Fear?!?! I believe some of it was filmed in the area where we stayed! Arabella and Cadence loved going crazy in the room before we checked out the river and then made our way to the beach.

We arrived at Wrightsville Beach late in the day. The beach is my favorite place and the late afternoon is my favorite time to be there. I love when it has cleared out and the beach is quiet. I remember during the Summers in Westbrook, when I would work during the days, as soon as I would get home, I would change and head out to the beach, even it was 4 in the afternoon...it was so relaxing. Arabella was so excited to be back at the beach and I was totally in my happy place!

Despite the wind, setting sun and the cold water, we had a great time at the beach. I loved having my toes in the sand and salt air in my hair. The beach is in my blood and I can't stay away too long. Arabella has already asked to go back...she is totally my daughter.

Before long, we made our way back to the hotel after grabbing a bite to eat. Arabella and Cadence needed to be up bright and early to get ready for their competition. Once the girls were settled into bed, Deanna and I grabbed a bottle of wine and went to the hallway (we couldn't drink in the room as it would have kept the girls awake and it was bad enough it took many times of us going back into the room to get them to finally settle down) - despite some awkward looks and random questions from other hotel guests, we chatted and enjoyed our wine while the girls slept!