Greetings From the Gilleys: Mommy/Daughter/Daddy/Daughter Date Nights!

Wow. We have been busy! Usually September isn't quite so busy, but this year has been nuts! Especially last weekend. Thursday night we had a Carnival Night at the kid's school, Friday night we had a concert, Saturday night we had a Daddy/Daughter Dance and Sunday night we had cheer pictures (which is an event all on it's own!). Plus, Saturday DAY Lucy had an away game as well!

So, our school this year is over-crowded like crazy. We are bursting at the seams! Next year when the new school opens it won't be so bad, but for now PTO had to switch things up a bit. They had to cut out Grandparent's Day, Mornings with Moms and Donuts with Dads because, due to school code, there were too many people inside the school on those days and it became a fire hazard or something like that. So they decided that THIS year they would do a huge carnival so all the Moms, Dads, and Grandparents can all come together to one big event that was held both inside AND outside (using the parking lot, field, gym and playground) and that way we wouldn't have too many people inside the building at one time. We had carnival games in the gym, food trucks and sno-cones throughout the parking lot and bounce houses and mazes in the field. It was HOT but pretty fun. But HOLY SMOKES IT WAS CROWDED! Thousands of people were there. Think about it- there is just over a thousand kids at the school (as I said, next year with the split, each school will only have about 550 kids which is going to be so nice!) and with both parents, lots of siblings and grandparents there (plus all the employees) there was thousands. It. was. crazy.

Friday night was my night out on the town with Lucy and Piper. Girls Night Out! I took them to JoJo! I was dreading the concert (because JoJo's music is just not my cup of tea, haha!) but it really wasn't bad. It turned out to be a fun night with them. JoJo is actually VERY kind. She is 16 and is super thankful for her life and gave a long speech to the kids telling them to work hard and be the "nice kid" at school, no matter what. I loved that. It made me like her just a little- she's a good role model for them so I can't complain! However, I've never seen so many bows in my LIFE! Thousands of little girls there and e-v-e-r-y single girl had a bow in (bows are JoJo's trademark). My girls were very underdressed! We know better for next time....lastly, when JoJo tells the girls to scream I was legit plugging my ears. Imagine a stadium full of 10 thousand little girls screaming at the top of their lungs! My ears were ringing! BUT it was super cute to see everyone soooooo happy and excited to see their idol while dancing the night away. So it was definitely worth it. I watched them 90% of the night :)

During this one, Lucy said to Piper "Ok Pi, now let's do a serious one. Act like you're cool." Hahahaaa!

Look at all the sequins and bows! All the girls are dressed like JoJo!

Saturday was an off-and-on rainy day of cheer but it was still warm out and Lucy was dressed like it was Winter. It cracked me up! They still cheer when it's a light rain- it's only if its a torrential downpour with lightning that they call it and don't play.

Saturday Night was Daddy's turn to take the girls out. They went to their Semi-Annual Daddy/Daughter Dance. The girls live for the Daddy/Daughter dances. Poor Sully felt pretty left out both nights- wanting to go out with me and the girls' on Friday and Daddy and the girls' on Saturday. His turn to hang out will be here before I know it!

Sunday night were the 3rd grade squads' Cheer Pictures and they turned out cute! I haven't gotten the proofs from the photographer yet, but the ones I took on my phone turned out so I think they're gonna look great! Cheer pictures are a BIG DEAL. All the Mom's come with their make-up bags and are touching the girls makeup up while we wait in line, re-brushing their hair, straightening their clothes, etc. It's very serious business, hahaha!

Then this last Friday night we went to our first High School football game since living here (it's a thing in the South to go to the High School football games even if you're not in HS!) and it was SO much fun! They had fighter pilot jets fly over us, a fireworks show and the best band performance I've ever witnessed in person! Our football team is ranked #1 in Oklahoma (and #56 in the whole nation!) and it shows! Those football players are AMAZING and soooo fast! The talent from everyone on that field was incredible- the dancers, the choir, the cheerleaders, the band (they even got invited to perform in London last year in their NYE parade because of their talent!), etc. It's always a great day to be a Spartan, but especially when the ENTIRE community gets together to cheer our boys on! The football traffic at the end though.... that was nuts. Also, if I'm being honest, I should let you know that I saw my future in my daughters- they already wanted NOTHING to do with us at the game. Especially Piper. Her attitude was annoying EXCEPT when she was with her friends! (insert eye roll here).

Yesterday was another day of cheer (and still so hot, dang it!), but what was different about THIS game versus all the other games leading up to this point is that they were able to do "preps" yesterday! "Preps" is when the "flyers" (light-weight girls) stand on the hands of the other girls (the bases), as opposed to just their thighs. The coach is behind Lucy just to make sure she doesn't fall, but she doesn't touch her. The girls lifted her all by themselves and held her up for awhile! It's taken 2 1/2 months to get them strong and steady enough to pull this off this season. At the beginning of the cheer season they were wobbly and Lucy wasn't confident up there. She'd fall cause they'd drop her or move too much to keep her steady. It took LOTS of hours of hard practice to get them to this point and I'm so proud of them! They looked great!

In the midst of the chaos I have officially started working at the preschool (only on Thursdays) so Sully goes to school on Thursdays :) I volunteer at the girls school on Tuesdays and will be doing that for the rest of the school year (which is so fun!). Shawn's car broke down approximately 5 times and $1,400 worth of parts.... (that one has caused so many sleepless nights, but at least Sullivan has had fun "working" on the car with him). AND I made sure that all 3 of my kids unsuccessfully received their flu shots. We are now ready for a long night of deep sleep before the craziness starts all over again tomorrow!