Top of the medal stand?--no.... Top of the World?--YES!

Who doesn't feel on top of the world after competing well AND getting to ride out on your Daddy's shoulders.....like the princess you are?

Well, just to let you know, we had a very tiring and EXCITING weekend. Chocked full of events. Special events that the grandparnents came into town just to see!!

The eldest had his first experience as a "sideline" player for the high school football team...as a 7th grader, there was no threat that he was going to actually take the field, but he was allowed to dress out...and did a great job looking good in full pads and helmet on the sidelines!! :) Plus, we won! :)

However, Friday night football makes for late nights....and that doesn't coincide so well with extremely early mornings for gymnastics meets. But that's how life goes, and we try to roll (no pun intended) with it! So, after a few, and I do mean few, hours of sleep, we headed out for yet another sporting event.....TB's first competitive meet of the season!

You want to know how early it was....TB saw the sunrise while I fixed her hair this morning! Not our usual Saturday morning ritual by any stretch. We all stumbled out into the car and settled in for a nice little sunrise ride. I hate sunrise rides. I know the Lord has beauty all around, but believe me when I tell you that I completely favor Day 4 of creation, not for the bright ball of light he created for day, but for the blessed moon and stars and am not ashamed to admit it! :)

At any rate, I digress....and I'm sure you are not surprised. So, the gymnastics meet. It was great. TB did a fantastic job. She did not score high enough to make it to the top 3 on the medal stand in any event. However, we were very proud of her because she did actually "place" in every event, which meant she came out to the floor to receive her ribbon, and have her name announced with the winners. And the great news, she placed 6th in the all around, with a total of 18 gymnasts in her division.

She did have one little bobble during her bar routine....which was sad, because bars is her favorite event. But overall she was very consistent and we could see improvement....and with this her first meet of the season, we are hoping she continues to do well!


Now, let me just go ahead and get this out of the way, before the SEC begins this week. Some of you are already aware of it, some of you will see her in person at a meet possibly one day soon and stare at it, and all of you can see it right now in these photos.

I'm certain many of you will notice the ribbon in her hair. Normally, after paying a lot of money for shiny, sparkly, slick, leotards and new warm-ups and new backbacks, etc... we also receive a shiny scrunchie (jacked up ponytail holder) for our gymnasts hair. Well, we did receive a red one, as usual to match our new competition leo. However, earlier last week, while leaving gym, TB held up a ribbon and announced that I was to put it in her hair for competition.

It is a HOUNDSTOOTH ribbon. And while I actually like the houndstooth pattern, we never use it as we are an AUBURN family. But I love my sweet gymnast baby girl a lot more than any school...

It hurt me, but I did it. Lord, forgive me. :)

Like I said, it was a very full weekend. We had special family visitors on Saturday night....photos to come later....I'll give you a clue, she has the cutest little baby cheeks you have ever seen!!! A great meal from the grill too. A good sermon at Church followed by a big Sunday lunch with pork tenderloin ( I totally need to share that marinade recipe on the recipe blog because it is divine), general's rice, green beans and fruit salad.

Yep, it was one of those weekends that made T-5 and I take a 2 hour nap, during the drizzling rain, on Sunday afternoon. But it was also one of those weekends that after resting just a bit, you want to do it all over again....knowing exactly how tired you are going to be in the end. :) How was your weekend?