Gymnastics "Mini Meet"

Chloe and Olivia have been taking gymnastics at USA Fitness Center for about 8 months now and recently had their first "Mini Meet." 

It is a meet to help prepare the girls for when they are competing in higher levels.  About 2 months ago both Chloe and Olivia moved up to level 3 which is where they will learn most of their skills. Chloe goes twice a week and Olivia goes once.  They are both quite good and have different strengths. Chloe is long and graceful, Olivia is short and strong but they both charm the judges and the coaches.  While the meet was going on I was having my own melt-down on the sidelines.  Before we left for Rustin's football game that morning the video camera fell from off a high shelf and busted the main controls. I was still able to get it to work and I always have our new little digital camera in my  purse so I knew I could take video clips with it if I needed a backup. I was able to video some of Rustin's football game but when Olivia got up on the beam for their first event it WOULD NOT WORK!!! No big deal, I had my backup plan. I checked my purse and after searching and searching...NO CAMERA!!! I was so mad! I had just got it for exactly this kind of thing and I always carry it in there but it was home on the counter.  I tried over and over to mess with the video camera and convince it to work but to no avail. My regular camera was having a hard time taking good action shots because the gym lights were not bright enough and they were turning out blurry. To make matters worse, when they started the floor rotation they completely flipped the order that the girls performed which meant Chloe went first and I didn't notice. So I not only didn't get any video, or photos, I barely even saw the ending myself. That's when I started crying. Yes, I cried. I had pictured this cute blog with little video clips of their beam, bar and floor routines and great action shots of them doing their best tricks but NO! I guess I need to get my blogging addiction under control! The girls had no idea any of this was going on and had a blast! They were all smiles! 

Here is Olivia saluting the judges after her awesome floor routine!

Chloe shows off her first gymnastics medal

Olivia's patriotic outfit matches her new medal!

After the mini meet we went to Denny's with Tess, Rustin and our mini-champions!

 

Olivia loves to make funny videos with the distorted setting on the computer camera. I thought you might like to check this one out even though she'll probably kill me when she finds this! Of all my kids, Olivia is the least shy and the most determined to win American Idol or somehow be famous! Enjoy!

Good Memories with Livvy

Sometimes on Wednesday nights Olivia and I get to have some snuggle time alone because Tess and Rustin are at mutual, Dad is at bishopric meetings and Chloe is at gymnastics.  Last week she was in the mood for coloring so she picked these funny gorillas for us to color and we both got really into it!

Livvy's is the Dad. She called him "Mr. Grouchy Pants." I LOVE his briefcase on the grass!

Mine is the Mom. She is a homemaker but apparently not a happy one.  You might be able to tell she's in our kitchen.

Olivia and her Frog Prince

Olivia's probably the only girl in the world who hopes this frog DOESN'T turn into a prince when she kisses it!  She wants a frog instead! Olivia will always be our animal lover!  She was raised around hundreds of reptiles so we have no one to blame but ourselves when she comes home from a birthday party with a wild frog the kids found in the backyard and fully expects to keep it.  I can't say "no" to those big brown eyes and so after a trip to the pet store and $140 later we have "Skipper" as our newest family member.  He is really cute and she gets him out and plays with him every day.  She lets him hop around on the tile or the grass, even lets him splash around in the sink or tub with a little water.  It's quite cute.  The funniest is how she touches a spot on his back and he hops forward just like the little plastic toy frogs you normally get as a party favor!