8 Years, 8 Months...Practices and play dates!

I have been really busy this month with soccer, Girls on the Run, choir, and book club.  I haven't been able to start piano lessons because the piano at school is stored in a closet that we can't easily get to.
I have had several soccer games this month!  I even scored a goal in two of them!  Papa Ron and Nana Carol have come to two games, and Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Tom came to one.  Nana Arden and Papa Rodney have come to most of them.  I am one loved girl!
I was able to go to my new friend Lila's birthday party, a swim party at her grandma's house.  I only knew one other girl, but I had a blast meeting new girls.  Some of them will be going to my school next year when we go to our new school!  I also had a play date at Bella's, and went to Catherine's birthday party.
There was an Open House at EEE this month and I went with Mom.  We did a scavenger hunt to find trees throughout the building.  It was nice to show off my other school.
I have been to three MU volleyball games so far.  During the first game, Ali told me to wait before going back to my seat.  She gave me her throw away shirt!  We sat next to Carrie during the first two and Lila during the last one.  I have such a blast watching them play.  I don't know what I'm going to do when Ali isn't on the team anymore.  By the way, I'm going to be Ali Kreklow for Halloween this year!  I'm so excited!
I was able to spend the night at Nana Arden's one night when we didn't have school the next day since Mommy had to still work.  Of course, it was full of McDonald's, TV, and library books!  After that, we went to Emily's preschool's potluck dinner.  Another day, we went to the South Farm Showcase and saw cows, pigs, and horses and took a mule ride and went through a corn maze.  Nana Arden and Papa Rodney brought Camille and I got to stay longer since Emily needed to go home and take a nap.  Later that night, I had Madelyn over for a sleepover.
I have run a lot of errands with Mom lately.  I also got to go with her and Emily to the library one night for the My Little Pony party when my soccer practice was cancelled due to rain.  I think I enjoyed it as much as Emily did!  Our family went apple picking yesterday after my soccer game, and then went to a winery to meet up with Auntie Heather, Uncle Sean, Ashley, and Ian.  I know Ashley and Ian weren't getting along, but I got along with both of them just fine.  Today, I got to have Lila over for a play date.
Lila and me after a game

 Coloring with Papa Ron

 High-fiving Truman

 My idol, hero, role model Ali!

 This is gross

 Well, maybe not!

Our soccer team!

 Being silly with Maddie and Lila!

 Ellie and Lila, 9 and 10-dynamic duo!

 On our mule ride

Petting the baby calf

Walking at South Farm with Camille, Nana Arden, and Emily

 Playing soccer with Emily

 Playing volleyball with mom

 Fun and games at the My Little Pony party!

 Impromptu donut run!

 Ironic-I won the popcorn at the game and can't eat it!  No worries-I gave it to Carrie!

With Super Syd! (Sydney Deeken)

 And of course Ali

 I introduced her to Carrie

 Me and Carrie

 Chatting it up with Truman after the game!

 I also introduced Lila to Ali

We had a blast at the pink out game!

 Love it!

 Sharing a moment with my sister

 We went apple picking, but the highlight was the dogs there!

The apples weren't too bad though!

Focused on cutting for our longest chain competition in Maker Space

I'm improving in my volleyball skills!

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