2013, What a Year!

It's been suggested over the years that I should update my blog. Bringing the blog up to date was something that I had always wanted to do but the task was rather overwhelming given its enormity. However, the thought never really left my mind and when it was suggested again recently I decided that the time was right. 

A lot has happened in the six years since my last post in September 2012 so it seemed the best way to get the blog up to date was to do some general yearly recapping. The goal, of course, is to update the blog regularly.  Enjoy the memories. I know that I have.  

January 2013: My Dad and I went to my school's biennial Daddy Daughter Dance. This was our second time going to the dance. We got dressed up (top photo) and headed off to the dance where we met up with many of my 2nd grade friends (bottom photo). As usual, the dads did a lot of standing around talking while the daughters did some dancing but mostly a lot of running around the church basement. Yep, Dad and I had a great time. 

This is my Dad and I on the night of our 1st Daddy Daughter Dance. Aren't we SOOO cute?!

March 2013: Easter Sunday. We spent Easter Sunday with our relatives at Babcia's house. After Easter dinner, we went outside for the Easter egg hunt. Dad always helps me hunt for my eggs. It's more fun doing things together!  

May 2013: This was the first year that I was eligible to participate in track at SMOS. I wanted to try track because it looked like a lot of fun and because a lot of my friends were trying it too. Track was fun but it was not as much fun as soccer so I never signed up again. In track, there is a lot of down time, waiting for your event, so my friends and I made the most of it by playing games, as you can see in this photo. 

 June 2013: This photo was taken backstage at my dance recital with some of my dance friends. Actually, Ava, to my left, is a dance and SMOS friend. She still is. We've known each other since we were 3 years old! I'm pretty sure that this was the last dance recital that I ever participated in. It got too challenging trying to do dance and soccer at the same time since the schedules often overlapped. Last I had heard, Miss Carol and Christy's dance school had closed. How sad. They were such wonderful, kind people (and sisters!). 

July/August 2013: For vacation that year, we spent the week at the beach in Cape San Blas, Florida. It was the best beach that I have ever been to: pet-friendly, non-touristy, laid-back. I hope that we get to go again sometime. 

 August 2013: My cousin, Haleigh, is a dancer and that summer her dance troupe came to St Louis and danced at Busch Stadium! My family and I bought tickets so that we watch see her. 

August 2013: I'm posing in front of my school on my first day of third grade. Mrs. Finnegan was my third grade teacher that year. I have had her as a teacher again because she has since moved to the middle school as a math and religion teacher. 

September 2013: On Labor Day weekend, the Missouri Botanical Garden holds their annual Japanese Festival. I'm showing off the octopus balloon animal that my parents bought me. So cute! The line for one of these is always enormous. But, you gotta get one, right? Yes, because it's what you do at the Japanese Festival. And watch Sumo wrestlers. And eat Japanese food. I like the noodles and the ginger ice cream cookie sandwiches. 

October 2013: For several years, I enrolled in the Fashion Camp at South Broadway Art Project. It was SO much fun! We'd design and sew clothes inspired by a central theme. Then, in late summer/early fall, Miss Sarah, the owner, would host a Fashion Camp Fashion Show at some cool spot in the St Louis arts community where we would model our creations on the runway. In the top photo, I'm wearing one of my designs from this year that was inspired by Little Red Riding Hood in the Woods.  The camps were so popular that they closed them down for awhile to remodel the studio. By the time they reopened, I had, unfortunately, lost interest in returning. Maybe because my friends did too? Sad, really, because it was so much fun.  

My parents used to always take me to the annual Halloween events around town too. Halloween nights at Grant's Farm, Haunted hayloft at Purina Farms, Boo at the Zoo, just to name a few. For Halloween this year, I dressed up as a Zombie Prom Queen. This is me at the annual Boo at the Zoo event at the St. Louis Zoo. 

November 2013: Every year we spend Thanksgiving at Babcia's house. And a visit to Babcia's isn't complete until Dad and I have played the piano together. Below is my dressed all wacky for "Tacky Day" at my school. I think that I could use another tie!

December 2013: My birthday month! Here I am, dressed as Alice in Wonderland, on my 9th birthday. And look at that gorgeous cake. We ordered it from Federhofer's Bakery and it was delicious!

December 2013: The Christmas season and Christmas. The last big holiday of the year. And, I sure do love Christmas! Whether it's trimming the tree (top photo) or spending time at Babcia's with my family while wearing silly Santa hats (bottom photo), I love it all!