The Best Kept Secret in the Universe - Part II

Last weekend was the girls' national competition in Orlando.  We stay at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal and the competition is at Hard Rock Live.  It is such a fun weekend with these kids and it was great to have Maddie along.  I chaperoned Maddie's room.  Maddie had never gone to see Rozzie at this competition and so it was all new to her and she LOVED it!!  The freshmen girls all hung out together on Saturday which is exactly what Maddie needed with these girls.

Their first performance was Saturday night at 11:02 pm which was ridiculous.  There are a lot of really great teams in their division and it was fun to watch our favorite team, West Springfield.  This team always does a very robotic, precise dance.  This year's theme surprised us all - old men!!  The dance was just hilarious and very good.  So, the team made finals that night. We got to sleep in a bit before we had to check out of the hotel.  The girls didn't dance until 8:12 pm so we had some time.  It is a lot of fun to watch the other routines in different divisions.  Our team ended up placing 6th out of 15 really great teams so we are proud of them and their efforts.  The 4th/5th/6th teams were all VERY close.  We didn't get home until 2 am that night.  I let the girls sleep in and come in late to school, but I got up and went on time.  It was a struggle all week!!

Rozzie and Maddie all ready to dance

Rozzie and Nora are best buddies and we recreate this picture each year!

Ready for the world

The end of a great weekend and season!!

Rozzie is on the far right

The girls and their coach

This last picture is from the very end of the night.  All our group was dispersing and it was just our family, Nora, and Ali left.  Then these two kids came running up yelling for Rozzie and Nora.  Over the past three years, Rozzie and Nora have developed an online (stalking) relationship with the West Springfield team.  These two West Springfield dancers left their big, exclusive party to find Rozzie and Nora.  It was really fun.  West Springfield has been on "America's Got Talent", the "Today" show and all sorts of other things.  The parent that was with them told me that their team really respects our team and loves to come and watch them each year.  It was a really great ending to the evening.  Rozzie and Nora were so thrilled and our coach was speechless.

Last night was the cheer banquet which officially brings the season to a close.  I didn't want another sheet cake.  Lani had someone make New York themed cookies for a party and they were amazing, so I got the name and number of her friend and ordered cookies with a summer/beach theme.  I picked them up and was THRILLED with what I got.  LOOK AT THIS!!!

Now I want to quit my job and make cute cookies!!  The kids loved them.  They took pictures with the sunglasses.  We did our awards and gave each of the cheerleaders a mini megaphone (oxymoron) with their name and year on it.  They were a hit!

After awards and the videos it was picture time.  I was posing for a picture with the boys when they all did this:

See, I didn't need to have sons, I have these guys!!