Christmas 2019

 There wasn't a letter to Santa this year, but he still dropped off a giraffe onesie for her.  Onesie pajamas are the current trend for school pajama days and gymnastics practices.  She was thrilled and wore it all day and night!

She received all the components to put together a raspberry pi computer from Mom and Dad, which kept her occupied all morning. A new Leo and a Razor RipStic from Grandpa and Grandma, which she spent two hours at the park that day learning how to ride. A mini trampoline from her aunt and uncle, that she used that night, in the house, to practice front tucks and split jumps for quite a while.  In her stocking she had games, money, gift cards, lotto tickets, and candy.  Specifically the Caramel taste tester from Trader Joes.

This has become another tradition.  For three years now we've tried to guess the flavors of the 12 caramels, Emily loves this, but we're still not great at getting them right!

Overall, Christmas was a total success and she was thrilled with everything!

 The first few days of Christmas vacation meant a day on the ski hill with her friend Tobie, riding Eleanor, and last minute preparations!

the 10th handprint on the tree skirt

Santa's cookies

 Emily's class wrote Christmas song parodies and performed them one afternoon.  The nice thing about having Emily at school with me is that I go watch, and even take my students with me.  Emily's group wrote about messy desks to the tune of Jingle Bells.

We celebrated Winter Solstice in Ketchum.  Cocoa, a band, photo booth, and even a high powered telescope with a good look at the dark sky.  We are all excited that the days will be getting longer!

Teddy Bear Meet

Friday the 13th we traveled to Boise for another meet, this one awards teddy bears instead of medals. She has been asking for a bun, there was finally enough hair to do it. 

She scored an 8.85 on floor and an 8.050 on vault, not placing in either event.  Her score was a 9 on bars and she placed third.  An 8.525 on beam earned her fourth place.  On the All Around she was fourth.  

third place on bars

fourth place on beam

All Around's 4th place, Emily is second from the right

Christmas Classic

Emma, Kyra, Emily, Ashley, Audrey

Last weekend was our home meet.  Emily placed 4th on vault, 3rd on bars, 2nd on beam, but didn't place on floor.  She was 2nd for all around, and she was pretty happy with that.

Maddie, Audrey, Coach Maddie, Emily, Ashley

Ski Season

With the two feet of snow that fell on Thanksgiving Day, Emily was happy to be skiing again.  She was really happy that her ski rental package for the season included twin-tip skis.  Time will only tell if she uses them to ski backwards or land backward off a jump.

Gymnastics Season is Here

Ashley, Maria, Kate, Cici, Shayne, Emily

Yesterday the girls competed in Burley at the Let the Games Begin Meet.  This "practice" meet is done at the beginning of the season to make sure everyone has the required skills, so it's more casual than any other meet.  In fact, they don't even post scores!  The girls do receive a score card at the end.
Emily scored a 9.1 on vault, 8.725 on bars, 8.25 on beam, and 8.5 on floor.  Her all around score of 34.575 has already qualified her for state, so it was a great start to the season.

 Today was Community Day at the YMCA, so Emily took her friend Tobie.  The girls spent about an hour rock climbing and a couple hours in the pool.

Halloween

Emily went as a hipster Panda this year, although she regretted that costume and decided that she really would have preferred an inflatable costume.  She was also wishing she had an animal pajama onesie (a giraffe, specifically) because that's what all the "big girls" wore to gym.  Out of the group of 7 she practices with, only two of them are still in elementary.  The rest of the team is middle school and high school, so they're always referred to as the "big girls" and Emily really looks up to them.  She was so bummed not to have a costume like them that she even refused to put on hers for the gymnastics Halloween party.

She wanted her pumpkin to resemble Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas.

Frightened Felons & Farmstead

On Friday we drove to Boise.  That night we attended the Frightened Felons at the Old Idaho Penitentiary, which is supposed to be the #1 haunted place in Idaho.  They had actors telling inmates' stories, a scavenger hunt, kids' games, and a haunted cell block #4.  It was so much fun!

The penitentiary opened its doors in 1872 and closed in 1973.  There were 129 recorded deaths during the 101 years the prison operated, including 10 executions.  This place was even featured on the Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures!  

Cell Block 2

Cell Block 3

Saturday morning we went to the pumpkin patch.  It was a windy, cold day.  We made it through the corn maze, picked out a couple pumpkins and then headed for home!

 Emily recently got a new bike, and was happy to try it out by taking Gerda for a run.

 Lots of snow came last Saturday.  Emily and the neighbor each built a snow structure in the backyard and threw snowballs at each other.

By Sunday most of the snow had melted and Emily enjoyed riding Eleanor.

Ashley, Tobie, Emily

Free skate at the ice rink with Ashley (gym friends) and Tobie (skiing buddy).

Trail ride on bud, Emily is in the front, followed by Neve on Smoky.

Trying tennis, which she liked, but not the coach.  Not sure she'll go back.

 Brooke's party was a camp out theme.  Complete with a teepee in the living room and s'mores around the fire.

 Team building exercise at gymnastics, the girls created posters for everyone by writing encouraging messages to each other.