Connor Turns 18

Connor celebrated his 18th birthday while Kaitlynn and I were in Orlando for Summit! We were bummed to miss his special milestone day, but I made sure to leave him some birthday treats in our absence: 18 gifts for his 18th year of life, though most of them were little trinkets and things he would need for his college life in the fall. I also managed to make his favorite homemade chocolate cake so that he requests every year. 

For his birthday, Jeff took Connor golfing which was quickly becoming one of his favorite pastimes. Later in the day, Connor invited several of his buddies over for some pizza, games, and swimming to celebrate. I was lucky enough to have Jeff take a couple photos for me since I wasn't there. He and the guys had a great time, though none of us could hardly believe he was considered an ADULT now!

The milestone was officially marked when we visited Connor's pediatrician (Texas Children's) for his VERY LAST appointment at that office. I always assumed that it was a recommendation to move to a different doctor when they turn 18, but no, it's an actual requirement now. They refused to speak to me when we checked him in, they denied letting me help with his office forms, and they made sure we knew he was no longer welcome in their office. Ha! Happy adulting, bud!!

Universal Studios Adventures

We didn't have too much time to be sad about Nighthawks' disappointing Summit placement, because Kaitlynn and I were off to enjoy a weekend together before heading back home. Most cheerleaders and their families at Summit spend their down time at the Disney parks, but this year we decided to experience Universal Studios instead. With the help of my amazing friend and Disney planner, Katherine, we booked a night at the Hard Rock Hotel and were able to enjoy the park and surrounding amenities for 2 days in between the Nighthawks performances. The area was so beautiful and made for a great backdrop for an impromptu photo shoot as we walked to the CityWalk area with shops and restaurants.

On the morning of our day at Universal, we got up bright and early and were one of the first people in line to get through the gates. We were able to get some beautiful sunrise photos at the iconic Universal sign, and we had our fast passes ready to go for a full day of fun ahead!

With Katherine's great travel advice, we were able to ride all the big attractions and minimize our wait time. Some of the roller coasters were CRAZY! Kaitlynn and I had so much fun going from ride to ride, and we went nonstop until sometime mid afternoon. At one point, we sat down and realized how exhausted we were from the fun and the heat. Even though we had a few more hours to spare, we decided to call it a day earlier than anticipated, simply because we were so tired and ready for a break! We rested for a bit and then set out again, this time for dinner at the beloved Toothsome Chocolate Emporium back in CityWalk, which we had seen earlier in the day. It was a lovely dinner out for the two of us and the perfect way to cap our time at Hard Rock and Universal Studios. These memories with my girl are some of my favorite times together, and I'm so blessed and thankful for these adventures together during our cheer outings!

Nighthawks at Summit

Fresh off from Senior Awards Night, I boarded a plane to rush to Orlando to join Kaitlynn and the Nighthawks for their end of season performance at the Summit competition at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports. Earlier in the week, our Nighthawks had put on an amazing performance at their Summit Showcase, and they were ready to hit the stage for the season's ultimate competition at Walt Disney World!

Side note: as we were now officially days away from Connor's high school graduation, I may or may not have been overly emotional during the Summit Showcase while the coaches announced and presented the graduating seniors. I have no idea why it hit me THEN, but I spent the last moments of Kaitlynn's showcase in tears at the thought of these seniors (and my own senior!) graduating and leaving cheer for good!

This was our second year at the Summit, and Kaitlynn and I were so excited for our weekend together. I had barely arrived in Orlando and it was time to pick up my girl (staying with a friend) and head to the ESPN campus at Disney World. The Nighthawks were set to perform against dozens of other teams, and the nerves and excitement were high! 

When it was time to take the stage, the Nighthawks put on a show! Their weird and kooky alien theme came to light on the stage, and while they didn't perform their best routine, they still hit a zero deduction routine and looked great against their competition. Later in the day - MUCH later - we found out that the Nighthawks had advanced to finals and would compete again the following day! Woohoo, let's go Nighthawks!!

After their Day 1 performance, Kaitlynn and I headed to the CityWalk area outside Universal Studios for some fun and food during our down time. We were looking forward to spending more time at Universal in the coming days!

Back at ESPN, the Nighthawks hit the stage for their Day 2 performance in the Finals round, and they hit another zero deduction routine! They had improved over their Day 1 routine, but in the end, they fell short of their expectations and landed in 8th place. Considering their competition from across the globe, 8th in the world was an amazing outcome! Kaitlynn was happy that they had moved up in the order from Day 1 and earned their Finals banner and pins. It had been a great season for the Nighthawks, and it was now officially over.