Spring Break Wrap Up in Charleston

 

This has been a most unusual week for Spring Break.  Of course, there were the normal activities of going to the bin store and Carowinds, but Preston also got braces and Savannah worked a LOT!  Preston also did a lot of dog walking (and earned $550!) and I've spent a lot of time gathering quotes for gutters, mulch, mowing, floors, pest control and more.  So it hasn't exactly been super fun, but we were thankful to end the week in Charleston for the Cooper River Bridge Race.

According to Savannah, it didn't matter how long the wait was, we were waiting for her favorite chicken and waffles!

Thankfully, by Friday Preston's braces were feeling a bit better so he was able to slowly enjoy chicken and waffles as well. :)

We waited WAY too long to book a hotel room (ok, so I forgot with everything else going on) and we ended up staying about 2 miles away from downtown so it made things tricky with getting Dave to the race start and also back to watch him.  BUT, Savannah's excellent navigation skills made it happen.  We were excited to see Dave run by in record time and then to enjoy the race freebies afterwards. 

Some of us enjoyed the free stuff a little too much . . . 

According to Preston, this year's giveaways were much better . . prime and boxes of Dave's killer bread bars!

My favorite tradition is the picture booth! We were sad that they no longer had the big red CPI chair, but the picture booth is always a hit!

We made it back to Charlotte without driving through any major accidents, just some minor hiccups with delays.  Charleston was a fun way to wrap up Spring break and a nice change of scenery.  So here's to finishing the last quarter of school strong.  There sure won't be any downtime with senior events, club and school soccer, and all the craziness of two graduations and parties galore.

Braces are BLAH!

 

The day Preston has been dreading finally arrived . . . the start of orthodontic care. :)  After two long hours at the orthodontist we made it home to start a diet of non chewy, soft foods.  Honestly, he was in quite a bit of pain Tuesday afternoon that even Motrin didn't touch.  This morning was rough too and he said it hurt to run so we let him skip soccer practice tonight.  He's had LOTS of milkshakes and frostys, applesauce, eggs, and oatmeal.  I knew he was in a lot of pain when he said it hurt too bad to even eat pizza!  I think the pain might be similar to jaw surgery, but without prescription pain meds . . . but thankfully this time he can actually use a straw and enjoy desserts.  Here's to hoping he's much improved tomorrow!

He Is Risen!

We celebrated Easter from Charlotte this year!  It was nice not to be rushed and to just enjoy time at church and being home all afternoon.  We all served in various roles after the early service and then came home to enjoy some mac & cheese and chicken nuggets. :)  The kids were able to find their baskets super quickly this year and loved their treats.

 So thankful to serve a risen Lord!!  He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

Special Treats!

While on a shipt shop this weekend I happened to notice that this UNC cookie cake was on sale, way cheaper than all the other ones, so I thought why not treat the kids?!?  Maybe it's a sign for our still undecided high school senior. LOL

 Then, finally today we were able to venture uptown to check out the brand new Cakeable Cafe.  Savannah has wanted to go for awhile and unfortunately, we missed the free drink trial days, but it was still super fun to enjoy hot chocolate and see the beautiful cafe where so many students will continue to develop their workforce skills.

8th Grade Survivor Retreat

This weekend was super special for both kids . . . they were able to attend our church's Survivor retreat!!  It's an event just for 8th graders, to prepare them for the transition into high school.  When Savannah was in 8th grade they didn't have the same experience due to Covid, so when she was asked to attend as one of the senior leaders she was thrilled!!

They competed as different tribes throughout the weekend in various challenges and also had small group sessions, along with worship and teaching.  Preston was thrilled that his tribe ended up winning by a lot!  Here is a photo dump from the weekend ;)

On Saturday night parents were invited to attend for a few challenges, worship, and a special torch ceremony.  It was awesome to be there with both kiddos.  

This may be the very spot where Savnnah was eaten (almost alive) by red ants.  UGH!  She had at least 20 bites on her stomach and legs when she got home, despite wearing tall rain boots. 

It was a fabulous weekend for both kids and us too.  They arrived home at lunch today, super tired and ready for a hot shower. So thankful for the opportunities provided by our church to intentionally invest in and train our children. :)

Loving School Soccer

 Preston is loving being on the JMR school soccer team.  He has been able to play in the striker position, which he is enjoying as well.  Today they won in penalty kicks after tying in regular game play.  It was a fantastic game!

Preston's First School Soccer Game

 

Preston has been so torn about which sport to try out for at school.  For months if I asked him what I could pray about for him he would faithfully say, which sport he should try out for. He ran track last year but at the last minute, decided to try out for soccer this year.  Even after making the soccer team he was second-guessing his decision to play, but I reminded him that 120 kids tried out for 18 spots so he should follow through with soccer.  The first game was today and the coaches decided to put him in the striker position; he did AMAZING!  He had some great saves and a beautiful assist too.

Not the best pictures, but I assure you there is no doubt this kid made the right decision and is thoroughly enjoying his new school team.  They ended up winning 4-2 so it's always nice to get a win.