Thanksgiving Week Visit with Anais

With such a busy fall, the week of Thanksgiving was a much anticipated and necessary break for our entire family. Having a full week off from school meant that the kids were ready for some relaxation and downtime. For Kaitlynn, her week was kicked off with a long overdue visit with Anais. She had a long list of activities planned to keep them busy during their time together: tumbling, basketball, trampoline, water balloons, Altitude, shopping trips, and of course, nonstop treats and eats. We always love hosting Anais and making such fun memories for their near-lifetime of friendship!

Phantom Showcase

As the competition season approached, it was finally time for our Phantom girls and all the other Woodlands Elite teams to show off their hard work for family and friends. In the November showcase event, the Houston-area teams all gathered in The Woodlands and held their first official performance of the season. It was a beautiful fall day, and we couldn't wait to see the girls in action.

The showcase event was conducted like an actual competition to prepare the girls for their season ahead. While our Phantom squad still had weeks of practice before the first event, it was great to see their full routine to find various spots needing additional work and polish. The girls did a wonderful job with their first live performance, and most importantly, they had so much fun together as a team. I was so proud to see Kaitlynn do her thing, and we were all excited about the approaching season of competition that was right around the corner!

Lady TWolves 7th Grade Basketball

While I was away on my work trip in Mexico, I received a phone call from a very happy Kaitlynn with some exciting news: she had officially made the roster for her 7th grade basketball team! All of her hard work with Coach Dad had paid off, and she was beyond ecstatic about making the cut! 

Of course, we all knew that the hard work was just beginning. She began attending practices before school as early as 5:30 am to prepare for her season ahead. Not long after practices began, they split the girls into 3 teams: A, B, and C. Kaitlynn was thrilled to be placed on the A team alongside her great friend, Libby, and she was enjoying every moment of the Lady TWolves basketball experience. 

Phantom Friendsgiving

As the Thanksgiving holiday approached, it was time for Kaitlynn's Phantom cheer squad to come together for a fun Friendsgiving event. Hosted at one of her teammate's homes, the girls enjoyed tons of food and snacks and then participated in a series of games and competitions for the ultimate team bonding experience. The smiles and laughs were plentiful, and the moms sure enjoyed watching their creativity and antics. With an intense competition season right around the corner, it was the perfect opportunity for these Phangirls to let loose and have fun!

Trash to Treasure

When I returned home from my trip to Mexico, I noticed some interesting items in the curbside trash pile at one of the homes on our street. I didn't know the story behind it, but there were two large blue grocery carts sitting next to the trash bins evidently waiting for the garbage company to take them away the following morning during trash pickup. I wondered how the family would've come into possession of these grocery carts and why they might be tossing them out, but then I forgot about them amidst trying to unpack and settle in from my trip away.

The next thing I knew, Jeff came inside telling me that Kaitlynn and the neighborhood girls had found some grocery carts and were embarking on a project to decorate and race them in the street. Ha! It was the ultimate Trash to Treasure competition, and what a perfect way to occupy these girls for countless hours on a Sunday afternoon/evening leading into the following week. We were impressed with their creativity and dedication to their projects, and it was fun to see successful teamwork with the cart transformation.

A few days later, the carts were again curbside awaiting trash pickup, but not before some super fun and lasting memories were made. It felt like something straight out of my own childhood! :)

Blankenship Trip to Mexico

Back in 2019, I joined my current firm, Blankenship Change Consulting as a project and change management consultant. Our company is based out of Dallas and made up of seasoned female professionals looking for meaningful work with flexible scheduling so that we can juggle all of our other responsibilities outside of work. One of the first things I learned about our firm was the standing incentive each year for a trip to Mexico, available to any consultant who works over a certain number of hours. Once hitting that threshold, we become eligible for an annual reward trip with our owner and colleagues to Puerta Vallarta for a long weekend of fun and bonding with our team. 

Due to Covid, our 2020 reward trip was postponed time and time again. But in November 2021, it was finally time to cash in our reward. I joined about 30-40 of my colleagues, many of whom have become great friends, for my very first Blankenship incentive trip. It was also my first time to Puerta Vallarta, and the weather and views did not disappoint! Although I ended up working from my room for a portion of the trip, I was also able to get out and enjoy some beach/pool fun and some nice relaxation and catching up with some of the ladies I hadn't seen since before Covid hit. Each night we enjoyed lovely dinners with our full team, and I was able to meet some new work friends and make good connections for many of our projects ahead. It was a great trip and I felt so thankful for the ability to get a few days away while Jeff kept everything running smoothly at home!