Where Has This Year Gone?

I can hardly believe how fast this year has gone. Here is a recap of what has been keeping us hopping for the past 11 months.

Homeschool - well so far we have survived 2 and a half years with no end in sight. This year has by far been the easiest with so many break throughs for Sydney both socially and academically. She is making enormous strides in reading, handwriting, math and dare I say spelling?  Some experts say that many children just aren't ready for school when they are 6 or 7. I totally believe this to be the case with Sydney. When she hit 9 last year I really began to see changes especially in reading. This year she is blasting through math and doing much better with spelling.

Dance - Dance is one of those things that may or may not always be in our lives.  As long as Sydney is reaching for the stars physically and mentally I will encourage her to stay. If she decides next year she wants to try gymnastics or karate that's okay too. I have to say she was quite a trooper with a broken foot. She went to class every week and worked on the moves and placements that she could.

Swim Team - this year was Sydney's 2nd year of swim team and she had a blast eventhough there was a little drama. I saw Sydney and her swim team buddies acheive trememdous growth in their ablilities and efforts. It was fun and it was very, very hot at some of those swim meets. All the pics I took at swim meets this year were with my phone and they are still in my phone

Friendships - Sydney has learned the hard way that some friendships are only for a season others seem to never end no matter how much time you spend apart. This is true for her and Taryn...they have a very strong bond.  She has also learned that it's okay to have more than one best friend...just like her mama. We have both learned sometime it's just best to say goodbye. Not always easy and not fun but sometimes needed. Dance had a surprise new friend this year. She has a new "best" dance friend named Marina. Marina is the daughter of one of my sister's best friends and the neice of one  of my mom's good friends.  I am looking forward to see what the 3rd generation of this friendship brings for my little girl.  Also, we discovered that you don't have to look hard to find true friends. Here are a few of her favorites

Sydney and Taryn they really are BFFs

Brooke - also a longtime BFF

Romeo, her newest friend

Griffin, her oldest friend (even before Taryn)

Catching a nap with daddy after a sleep over at Brooke's

Swimming in Lake Granbury

Ready for Halloween as a woodland princess

Singing at church

Feeding her chipmunk friends in Creede, CO.

I am officially the mother of a pre-teen now, a girl in double digits and it's so hard to believe. I am looking forward to being the mother of a teenage girl.  How's that for optimism?