Fall is Not Just About Soccer

 

Soccer always starts about a month before the first day of school and it comes in hot which means it can be easy to forget that there is a lot of other things going on. Reese might be playing on the high school JV team but she is finishing up her last year of middle school at Morton. And Callie is now an upperclassmen at Henry Clay and feeling pretty confident walking the halls. We remind ourselves how lucky we are that the girls stay on top of their studies and manage their homework in the midst of all the other activities that fill their days.

Despite all that was going on we did manage to fit in a birthday hike as a family to celebrate Sarah. It is always good to be reminded that beautiful hikes are just a short drive away at the Red River Gorge. You get in a good hike, see a pretty waterfall, eat some tasty pizza at Miguel's, and call it a day. That is our kind of celebration.

 

This year Homecoming for Henry Clay was earlier than normal but everyone was ready for a fun night. Callie was super excited to go with a group of friends that she had only recently started hanging out regularly. She had known these girls throughout high school and middle school, but it seemed like at the beginning of junior year something clicked and these girls really connected. Purely from our view as Callie's parents it seemed like these friendships brought the best out in her and made her really happy. It was great to see.

 

It just so happened that Nana Banana and Sport were in town to watch soccer and were able to catch the Homecoming festivities as well. Not pictured here is the moment Nana Banana saved the day for Molly Nall's date by tying the young man's bowtie since no one else around was able to figure it out. Nana Banana has a wealth of skills!

 

It seemed only fitting to capture at least one quick moment with Callie since she had been busy all day with her friends going through what has become the necessary dance preparation process. This includes, but is not limited to, brunch, bouquet making, hair and makeup preparations, and much more. Needless to say, John prepared a bit less for his part in this picture.

 

One of the things that has been wonderful as Callie has grown older is how comfortable she is being herself with us. It is nice to know that she wants us there, is ready to take pictures to satisfy our needs before she heads out for the evening, and all that good stuff. We will take anything we can get but we have to say that it is fun to watch her enjoy these high school milestones with her friends by her side.

 

Speaking of friends, we hosted a slew of them for Callie's 17th birthday party. When we asked her what she wanted to do she asked for us to make burrito bowl dinners for the crew. We always enjoy getting time to see Callie with her friends because it also allows us to get to know them a bit better. 

 

Callie also leaned into Sarah's request to get a picture with birthday hats and this crew was more than willing to get into the roles. It's always a good sign when your kid and her friends are willing to be goofy and if you have been around Sarah a lot that kind of cooperation typically leads to rewards. Dinner was a success, the pictures went well, and before we knew it they had all headed off to the Henry Clay home football game driving their own cars. Birthday parties for 17-year-olds are definitely different.

 

Callie wasn't the only one dancing through the fall. Reese had entered the wonderful world of Cotillion and enjoyed picking out the right dress. Reese wasn't going to settle for hand me downs and typically knew exactly what she wanted. The first theme was fall and she found a very suitable dress for the occasion. Her taste certainly is conservative with a dash of flair.

 

Parents other than us took charge of organizing dinner for the group of around 30 kids who were going together. Fortunately there is a good restaurant right next to the dance location so the move from dinner to dancing was relatively seamless. Reese had a fantastic time and by all accounts fluttered around to see friends from all the different middle schools. One of the great things about playing soccer is she knows folks from all over town.

 

And while Reese was dancing, Sarah and John took advantage of the Chrisman's football season tickets. It was a last minute offer and a beautiful evening. We invited Linda and Daniel to join us which worked out perfectly for a couple of reasons. First, we love hanging out with them. Second, because they both had to be up early Sunday morning for their work they did not mind that we had to leave at halftime to pick up Reese and her gang from Cotillion. Those are two wins, but the Cats unfortunately did not get the memo and lost.

 

And just like that, we look at the calendar and it is Halloween! Reese told us a couple of weeks before what she needed from Amazon. She and her friends had a plan and they executed it very well. Gru and his minions hit the streets for what is most likely their last trick or treating experience. Callie's days of dressing up to trick or treat are far in the past so no cute pictures on that front.

 

This fall also brought some visitors from across the pond. The Chrisman's Scottish grandchlidren, Dylan and Meryl, were in town for a relatively brief visit before Thanksgiving. We love seeing these two and their parents, although this time it was only Matthew since Jean couldn't make the trip. It was great to see how much they have grown up since their last visit and Meryl can't get enough time with Callie and Reese and vice versa. Dylan never ceases to impress with his overall curiosity, intelligence, and passion. He is an amazing kid and on this trip had a lot to say about political philosophy. We can't wait to see what he does with his life.