8 Years, 7 Months...Beginning of 3rd Grade!

I am in 3rd grade already!  I have Mrs. Mantle this year.  It is the second year in a row that my teacher has been from Washington!  How weird is that?  I want to be an actress.  It really doesn't matter that I say I have stage fright.  My major class in EEE is Dig It, which is a musical about ancient civilizations.  I am really fascinated with this topic.  Mommy and I are in the 5th of 7 in a series of books about Pandora.  She is a teenager and has to work with her friends to get the evils released in the world back into the box.  I am really getting into them!
I was able to go to the Black and Gold volleyball game and clinic at Mizzou.  I was so brave and asked Ali if she would play with me before it started and she did!  I was doing a really good job and she asked me if I had been practicing.  (I didn't get the most improved award for nothing!)
I want play dates every single weekend, and always with Ella and Gabe, but that doesn't always work out.  So, I've had one with Gabe and we had fun playing basketball and Battleship.  I had Ella here for a sleepover.  We had our regular play date here one Friday night.  I went with Madelyn and her parents to an outdoor concert and then spent the night.  I had Cami over.  I just can't get enough of my friends!
I started soccer too this month.  I am #9 on Team Jamaica!  We have practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and games on Saturdays.  The field is much bigger this year, and we play 7 on 7 with a goalie!  It is a lot different and my team is doing pretty well.  Lila is on my team!  I do Girls on the Run on Mondays and Wednesdays.  I am starting choir on Tuesday mornings and book club on Thursday mornings.  I'm pretty tired by the time Friday rolls around!
I had my next orthodontist appointment this month.  He said my mouth is changing, but not enough yet.  I need to keep turning my expander every other night for the next 6 weeks.  I got my wire though!  I picked black and gold for the bands to hold it on.
Our family went to the park for a pet expo one Saturday and it was so fun to see all the dogs!  Emily is really getting into My Little Pony and even though I'm a little too old for that, I often "give in" to watch an MLP movie for family night!  We went to Aunt Lisa's for a Labor Day celebration, complete with Shakespeare's Pizza.  Our school had Muffins with Moms and Nana Arden came and surprised me by coming!  We also had picture day and a school Sock Hop.  Such a fun and busy time!
Me with Sydney Deekins

 With Ali, before and after the Black and Gold clinic

The whole group at the Black and Gold clinic

 Just a few selfies before the game

 Cheese and couch snuggles

 Doing the angel with Emily

 Ready to go swimming at the ARC

 Playing basketball with Gabe

 Waiting for the eclipse

It was nice to share the experience with Mom at school

 And a few of my closest friends...

And maybe the whole class!

This doesn't do it justice

Fun science projects-my teacher is awesome!

At the dog expo

 This isn't Molly, or is it?

Watching a scary part in the My Little Pony movie

 Wrestling with Daddy

 We can never take a serious picture!

Playing with the dwarf hamster

 Our new soccer field

 In action

 Sock Hop fun

 Cha cha with my friends

 I may be getting a little too old for this tradition Charlie (but I still love you!)

Diving and rolling with Riley Sents (Black and Gold Clinic)

In heaven, playing volleyball with Ali

Spiking with Alyssa Munlyn

Dancing to the Descendants

Helping Emily transform into a wheelbarrow

Me and Lila in action

My shot on goal

Congo line with my class