12 Years, 10 Months...Feeling Festive!

I had my last orthodontist appointment.  Just like when I got my braces off, I didn’t know this would be it until I got there!  I am going to really miss Dr. Francis.

Missouri Juniors volleyball practices have started!  I have missed REALLY playing volleyball so much!  School volleyball was fine, but I’m ready to compete!  The bad part is that practices were moved to Wednesday nights, so I am not able to make youth group anymore.  But we had our first tournament in Parkville!  I was disappointed that we didn’t play specific positions and only played all around.  We played Club CoMo and beat them in 2 sets (25-16, 25-17).  Then we played the MAVS (a very good team) and lost in two sets (25-17, 25-15).  This put us at 2^nd place in our pool, and we played the 1^st place team in the other pool.  We won in two sets (25-20, 25-22!)  This put us in the championship game, and we played the MAVS again.  We played hard and the first set was close.  The second set wasn’t as close, but we came back from 20-4.  We lost in two sets (25-23, 25-14) and took second place!  We were so excited!

Mom took Emily to Washington early for Thanksgiving so Dad and I could go to the last Mizzou volleyball game.  We took Lila and it was so much fun!  I really enjoyed being at Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Tom’s for Thanksgiving.  It was so nice to see them and just relax.  We went to Uncle Mark and Aunt Julie’s house the next day.  Emily had fun playing with Chase, and I just observed people and hung out with Alex and his girlfriend at dinner.  We all went to the Christmas parade at night like we had before.

Our family put up Christmas decorations the next day.  Our house looks so festive!  It was weird to not see Nana Arden and Papa Rodney and family.  I am hoping we can get together for Christmas.  Our family went to Bass Pro to see Santa.  He asked us a lot of questions and took a lot of time with us.  I guess we had two years to catch up on!  Saint Nicholas came too, and I was excited to have extra candy and make-up.

Mom and Dad have had some appointments on Saturdays, so I have been home with Emily.  We don’t fight too much.  I kind of like being in charge.  It makes me feel older.  We did a lot of holiday activities as a family.  Emily had her holiday concert.  I was excited to sit by Ella and see some kids I hadn’t seen in a while.  We had a family movie downstairs which was nice and relaxing.  We got to go through the Veteran’s United Christmas display again.  It is really impressive!  Mom took me Christmas shopping and we wrapped presents.  We are almost ready! 

Christmas parade

Crashed after Thanksgiving

Talking to Santa

(Almost) annual Santa picture

Heading to the North Pole

Now listen to me...

Give me a kiss!

Let's watch some MU volleyball!

Walking to the Magic Tree

With Dad

With Mom

Seriously?

St. Nicholas Day

Snuggling with Athena

Rest time!

Ready to see the VU Christmas lights!

Let's play some volleyball!

Getting our 2nd place medals

Woo hoo!

Me, Taylor, and Carrie

Our team (minus Lila)

12 Years, 9 Months...A little bit of everything!

When I am able to, I really enjoy going to Church.  I feel loved and accepted there and I really love the people.  Lillian's in-laws hosted a haunted Halloween hayride and I had a blast!  I hate that I don't get to go to youth group as much as I would like.  School volleyball was on Wednesday nights, and now club volleyball will be too.  I will miss everyone so much!

I met up with my friends Christian and Cohen at the mall one Sunday.  I felt so mature and enjoyed shopping and buying some of my own clothes.  I also went to a soccer game for Lila's brother Ethan's high school team.  I felt pretty mature about that too!  Ella and I spent the night at Isabel's house one night.  It was so nice to do some normal things again.  

I found out about the Grand Tetons trip this summer and really want to go.  I found out that I was accepted and I will leave for a week at the end of May.  I can't wait!

Shelby and I helped Mom with her first Student Council meeting.  It was a lot of fun being a role model for them.  Mom and I have also gone to several Mizzou volleyball games.  They aren't very good this year, but we still enjoy watching them play.  Shelby and I went to Lila's to go trick or treating this year. Lila and I went as characters from Heather's (the movie.)  I borrowed Grandma Kathy's red blazer and it worked perfectly!  We got lots of candy!  I also went with Lila and her mom to see Rent at Mizzou.  It was so much fun and I bought a t-shirt.

We had several days off school this month and I watched Emily.  It's not my favorite thing to do, but I don't complain about it.  Nana Arden usually comes to bring us McDonald's which is a nice treat.  Dad took me to get my flu shot at HyVee and I didn't even cry.  I may be growing up!  I got treats afterward though.  

Mom and Dad went to a conference and Grandma Kathy came and stayed with us.  It was so nice to have her here and I missed her so much when she left.  Aunt Lisa drove me to and from school, which was really nice of her.  Mom had parent teacher conferences for three nights after they got back and I really missed her.  I even told her "I hated conferences for taking her away from me."  I really enjoy math this year, but I do like having Mom help me with my homework.  (Sometimes she has to reteach herself before she helps me!)

I am super excited that Missouri Juniors volleyball has started.  I smiled for a week before it started.  It was so nice to get back on the court.  Our team seems to be really good this year.  All my teammates are pretty strong players.  I'm so excited about the season.

Supporting my friend Shelby at her AVID signing

Acting silly at the MU game

Helping Emily with her Halloween costume

Hello Enderman!

Ready for the Haunted Hayride

So much fun with friends

Joint effort on this puzzle

The pumpkins-Shelby and I did the bloody heart

Heather Chandler, Veronica Sawyer, and Jason

Heather Chandler

Heathers!

Grandma and me

MO Juniors bags are ready!

#5!!!

Spoiled dog!

But I don't care!

Balloon volleyball

12 Years, 8 Months...Settling in to 7th grade

I think I have gotten much better about being anxious this past month.  I don't feel the need to check my homework and grades all the time.  I still care a lot about doing my work and getting good grades, but it doesn't occupy my thoughts all the time.  However, my English teacher forgot to add one of our grades in the system and I ended up getting a B- on my mid-term grade.  She realized she made the mistake and refused to sign my report that I was taking to my parents, but she signed Lila's.  I was so mad that she wouldn't do that.  I deserve to have the A's that I earned!  Mom took me to Back to School night and was able to meet most of my teachers.

I went to the movies with my friends and had a really good time.  The movie wasn't great, but it was a lot of fun to be out with friends.  I felt pretty grown up.  My friend Christian paid for everyone's tickets!  I was supposed to go to Keri's birthday party in Wentzville, but I wasn't feeling very well and I'm glad I skipped it.  We did a home rapid Covid test and it came back negative.  I did get to go to my friend Haley's birthday party.  There were a lot of friends there and we stayed outside the whole time.  

I have a friend Shelby that we help out a lot with rides home.  She is really cool and fun and just has a hard home life.  I would love for her to live with us but that isn't in the cards right now.  Mom and I took her to her AVID signing and we were her support system!

I went to a lot of Emily's soccer games, even when I felt like sleeping.  On days off school, Emily and I hung out together at home.  I do this with very little to no complaining.  We have been going to Church as a family, and while I would love to sleep in, I really do love our new Church.  I will start going back to youth group next week since volleyball is over.  Our family went apple picking again this year as our usual tradition.  I'm enjoying eating all the apples and apple treats that mom is making.  We went to Catherine's birthday party also this month, and hosted Papa Rodney's birthday party.   

Mom took me to a few of the MU volleyball games.  It just doesn't have the same feel as before.  I enjoy watching them play, but they don't involve the fans like they used to.  That's what I loved about MU volleyball.  Our family also went to the MU homecoming parade.  Like most other things, I begged to stay home but enjoyed it once I got there.  I was really worried about being close to other people and Covid.  

Our volleyball season has come to an end.  It was a fun season, but also pretty frustrating.  A lot of the girls hadn't played before and just didn't care or try as hard as I did.  Everyone said how proud they were that I was such a great, supportive teammate.  It was really hard at times!  We lost most of our games, but won against Lange and West (in a tournament) and tied West in regular season.  (At one of our games, the A team started cheering like "eagles" for the B team, yelling "caw-caw, caw-caw!"  We showed a lot of improvement and I am hopeful for next year.  I had a few visitors to my games this month, including Papa Ron and Linda, Lillian, Coach Colleen, Mrs. Criblez and Cami, Mrs. Mantle, and Grandma Kathy!  Grandma Kathy spent the night that she came and it was so amazing.  I hated to see her go.  I can't wait until club volleyball!

Papa Ron supporting me at my volleyball tournament

All the apples!

It wasn't so bad

Madelyn (now at Smithton) and Isabel after the Smithton game

Ready to play (I really was happy, just "in the zone!"

Mrs. Mantle, still my favorite teacher of all time at the West game

Ready for the homecoming parade

We are a hot mess!

Oakland volleyball antics

Caw-caw, caw-caw!