Abbie BB

This post makes me feel like the worst mother in the whole wide world.  I have no pictures to post of Abbie's entire 2nd grade BB season.  In my opinion, it was the best season she has ever had.  She had a great coach, Jeremy, and a great assistant coach, me!  I would like to say I was so busy coaching that that is why I didn't take pictures, but that isn't the case.  My contribution to coaching was keeping track of who played which quarter and so who should come out and rest and who should go in and play.  Occasionally during practice I would help play defense on a drill, but really the coaching was all Jeremy.  I am not sure he is ready to coach another group of 7 year-old girls anytime soon, but he sure did a great job.  He really worked a lot on fundamental drills and it was great to see the girls improve over the season.

There was a lot of other reasons why Abbie's season was so fun.  She played with a fun team of girls and a supportive group of parents.  In addition, Abbie started playing phenomenal defense.  She was running around the court guarding girls working her tail off.  It made it so fun to watch.  All of the girls improved so much over the season and even those that were already great players got better.  Jeremy didn't teach screens or run plays, but the girls still did great! 

I will do a much better job in the future capturing moments of Abbie's amazing defensive maneuvers!

Gymnastics Meet

The year of 2013 started off with Abbie participating in gymnastics at her first "competitive meet".  The gymnastics academy hosted the Root Beer Cup and showed some of the girls what competitive gymnastics looks like.  Abbie loved it!  She thought each event was so fun, although she liked bars the best.  It was really fun to watch her compete at each event and it was so packed with people with events going on all over that it seemed like a real competitive event.

A Big Finish on the Floor

Beautiful Scale

Everybody Gets a Medal at the Root Beer Cup

Isn't She a Cutie??

Wrangler Dance Camp

January brought an opportunity for Abbie to do what she loves to do....dance and twirl.  Jeremy was in charge of taking her to the Wrangler Dance Camp while I went to Dillon for a funeral.  I was so bummed that I missed her performance at the basketball game, but luckily she performed the dance for me again....and again...and again.

Where are you kicks Olivia and Abbie?

 

Wow, what a end pose! 

Sledding

To finish off the "Christmas To-Do List" and as a great way to end the Christmas break we took the girls sledding up at Hughesville.  I had many great days over Christmas, but this one makes the top of the list.  We had a leisure morning, then headed up to the mountains for warm weather and sledding.  We had lunch around a campfire, ate snacks and hot cocoa at the Cub's Den, and then dropped the girls off at Grandma Nate's for a sleepover.  I am not sure which part of the day was the favorite of the girls.

Hot Dogs, Cool Ranch Doritos, and Oreos.  Yummy!!

Abbie fell in love with this hill that is gradual and even includes a corner!

Here she comes around the corner, and look at how good she can steer!

With both girls on the sled I needed to give them a little push.

My little cuties!!

Even after a little wreck on the hill, both girls still had a smile on their face!

Christmas with the Virts

We celebrated Christmas with Jeremy's family on the 27th of December.  We had hoped to spend a long day out in Belt sledding, relaxing, and spending time together.  Mother Nature and I changed the plans a bit.  There wasn't enough snow for sledding and I ripped a hole in my cornea (turns out that is pretty painful and sensitive and I wouldn't recommend it).  I was able to get into the eye doctor in the morning and unfortunately, the injury dampened my festive spirit for the day.  We arrived in Belt in time for a delicious breakfast of sausage, eggs, and muffins.  Second, we opened gifts.  Then the girls played with their toys.  By then Jeremy, who had just worked a 27 hour shift in Cut Bank, was exhausted and my eye was really bothering me. So, we left the girls in Belt for a few more hours with Grandma Nita and their cousins.  The girls came home in great spirits and really enjoyed their time in Belt.

Auntie Rosie bought Abbie the Twister Dance Game she wanted.

Auntie Rosie bought Rylee a closet full of Barbie accessories!!

It looks like Rylee zoned out for a bit!

Silly Girls!!

All of the girls settled down around the table to paint their fingernails or Grandma Nita's fingernails.

Aren't the Virts girls super cute??

Christmas Day

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were extra special in our immediate family as well because Jeremy didn't have to work either day.  It was so nice to have him around for everything and be a part in the traditions of putting out the cookies and milk, feeding the reindeer, turning on the Christmas tree lights, and reading The Night Before Christmas before tucking the girls in tightly in their beds.  Before the girls woke up I snuck downstairs to see what Santa had left...

Santa brought Rylee a Doc McStuffins Doll.  Doc is a special vet that takes care of stuffed toys and animals.  She comes with a catchy tune too. "It's time for your check up, time for your check up.  Check your ears, check your eyes, find out how much you've grown..."

Santa brought Abbie a Doctor Mommy Doll.  The doll gets sick and Abbie, as her Mommy, has to make her feel better.

Abbie asked Mommy and Daddy for a Nook and an iPod to listen to music.  It wasn't the same as what Santa brought, but still nerdy.  Do you think Santa was trying to send a message to the girls by bringing both Doctor Dolls???  I missed taking a picture of Rylee's gifts but Jeremy and I bought Rylee a Princess Castle (much like a doll house) for all the Disney Princesses. 

The girls always open Grandma Nate's gifts on Christmas morning too.  Grandmas got each of them chairs for doing their doll's hair and jewelry boxes.  Rylee got a set of wedding Barbies and a Princess Carriage.  Abbie got lots of clothes from Justice and a gift certificate from Barnes and Noble.

We hosted Grandma and Grandpa Murphy for brunch on Christmas morning.  Rylee got a gymnastic Barbie, a cute set of pajamas, and an outfit.  Abbie got a pearl necklace, 2 gift cards, pajamas, and a cute outfit.

Even Sissy posed in the picture with Grandma and Grandpa.

Rylee likes to play gymnastics on Grandma's walker. Again, the daredevil!!

Rylee and Sissy are fast asleep by 7 pm on Christmas Day.  What a busy day!!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was a special time this year for our family as we haven't all been together for several years.  This year all of us were together on Christmas Eve.  It made for a full house, but it was lots of fun to have so many kids there with so much excitement.

Oma and her Great Grandchildren

Beth, Oma, and Will

Oma and her Grandchildren

Thank you Uncle Fredy!

Uncle Manfred bought Abbie a math game for Christmas...she is going to love that nerdy toy!!

Tante Lilli bought Dream Lites this year.  Rylee loves her unicorn...

and Abbie loves her zebra!!

Both girls got new doll clothes for their American Girl Dolls from Oma.

Uncle Manfred bought Rylee a Dora Cash Register.  That will be hours of fun!

Thank you Tante Lilli!!

And of course we love Grandma Nate!!