Manhattan Classic!

We traveled by train to Manhattan this weekend for Ally to compete in a gymnastics meet! 

We left Friday right after work and school. Arrived in NYC around 745 and walked to our hotel. Well, we did stop at Lush for some Ally shopping fun. Checked in and headed out for some pizza for dinner. We stayed in Times Square.

After a good night sleep we headed out for some clothes shopping in the morning and a day of sight seeing.

The NY Public Library

The Empire State Building! 

Ally got a couple shirts at Zara and then we headed to Lu.Lu.Lemon for their girls Iviva section that Ally loves. When we left there was a woman doing yoga in the window! 

We had some lunch and then met up with a couple of teammates  for a double decker bus tour.

Posing on the height chart at Foot Locker Times Square to see she is still smaller than Gabby Douglas.

We found a great burger place in Times Square, turkey burger plain for Ally with a chocolate shake. She was a happy girl. 

On the bus with Katherine.


At the M-n-M Store with MacKenzie and Katherine.

We hopped off the bus in Union Square and happened to see the famous Strand Bookstore. Ally scored 2 new books and Becky got some math socks! It was the largest young adult section I’ve ever seen. 

We met up with some other team mates and had dinner at P.lanet H.ollywood. Ally got pretty tired on the walk back to our hotel and went right to sleep. Which was good because her meet started at 8am this morning! 

Dahlia, Ally, Noelle, Katherine and MacKenzie.

Then up super early this morning:

Ally was pretty excited once it was time to head to the meet.

On the elevator.

With her team after the meet before awards:

Receiving her awards:

And she did really well so focused and poised as usual!  But really tired after the meet. I think it’s the mental energy that makes her so tired. But we have been relaxing and eating a second breakfast and lunch in our hotel room. 

Ally did amazing today! Her best meet of the season so far:

Manhattan Classic 1/28/18

Beam 9.150. 4th place

Floor 9.2  3rd place 

Vault 9.00. 2nd place

Bars 9.250. 2nd place

36.6 AA 2nd place 

And relaxing right now as I wrap up this blog. Well deserved after a meet. And post shower where she washed her hair 3 times to get all the gel and hairspray out.

10 Years then and now!

The last time we were in Tucson was November 2007.

Ally was a good sport and recreated some pictures from then.

Posing in front of the fireplace! Hard to believe how little Ally was and how big she is now!







Aunt Suzie and Ally looked at all the pictures from back then.

 Gruncle loves to do the bumble bee! And as a baby Ally loved it but now she is scared he’ll poke her belly! 

And the 3 of them today. We went to see the UCLA vs University of Arizona gymnastics meet.

Week in Pictures

Just a few cute pictures from the week.

On Sunday Becky was the liturgist at Church. She looked really pretty, and her scarf from Guatemala was the perfect finishing touch.

Ally had a fun morning cuddling Cloey.

And her final Christmas present arrived! Grandma Debbie and Poppy gave her a gift card to Athleta and Ally picked out a navy blue shirt and a coordinating bra.

Ally loves the color (amazing since it's not black) and the cut out on the back, which honestly isn't visible with her down.

And of course it has thumb holes in the cuffs. 

Ally also had her hair cut this week, its about 3" shorter, with new layers all cut in. She admitted afterwards how much better her hair feels, lighter and not so "poofy". But the idea of cutting her long hair makes her not want to get her hair cut. 

Always when she is ready

Ever since she was a baby Ally has met all development milestones on her own schedule. In her own time, when she was ready and not a day or minute before she was ready. Crawling, eating, talking, walking, new skills at gymnastics, sleep overs, riding a bike. Everything. Well walking home from school without a parent was no different.

We have been talking about it all Fall and I finally asked her if she’d like to do it and she said yes and we agreed to do it the first Monday after winter break. Mondays are the only day Ally comes homes after school. Every other day it’s practice or an appointment. 

We invited her friend Cata to walk home with her and I met them at home. But it was a success.

And some silly selfies she took with my phone later that night:

Snow Day!

Blizzard conditions Thursday. Schools closed, snow emergency declared and we closed my company too.

After some morning time watching tv and playing Minecraft with mama. We invited Ally’s friend Cata over to play. They’ve had a blast.

They asked to go outside. So they bundled up and headed out. After a few minutes in our yard they asked to go to the park a block away. I bit my lip and said yes. Away they went. By themselves to play in the snow at the park. 

Becky and I gave them 45 minutes alone and then she bundled up to go check on them. They were totally fine and having a blast.

Jumping off the structure!

But ready to come in after an hour of play.

Becky made them hot cocoa and I baked some easy cookies.


Warm and dry again! 

Now they are watching a movie. It’s so fun to have friends so close by. 

And for sure Ally is growing up and getting more and more independent. I’m so proud of her. It’s on her terms and her timeline. Just like everything else in her life. 

They just announced another snow day for Friday. They are so excited: