Wrestling, Wrestling, and More Wrestling

 
Here is Gracie's hair before
 
 
After! She loves it!
 
 
Saying hi to dad at the state wrestling tournament
 
 
Playing in the snow
 
 
Owen wanted to wear tights too.  He raided Gracie's dance bag.
 
 
Amazing! They both took a nap!
 
This month has been filled with lots of wrestling. Ballard had a pretty good showing, making it to state in team duals and qualifying four individual wrestlers, two placing in the top 8.  Gracie and Owen went with me to almost every meet, even two sessions of the state meet, and one round of the duals.  They did awesome!  They had their first experience with dip'n dots, which was kind of a mess, but they seemed to like it a lot. 
 
Gracie chopped her hair off, which is a good thing.  It's so much easier to get through, but it's too short to pull up in a pony tail now.  She loves it, and also enjoys going to the salon, I think.
 
There hasn't been a lot going on except for wrestling during the month of February.  Now that it's done, the kids might go through withdrawal from seeing the wrestling managers.  They have gotten used to going into the wrestling room at school and going to meets.  Owen has his own head gear at the school and at home that he has to wear all the time.  The high school wrestlers are so good with him, too.  Owen is a popular little man.  Gracie cheers in the car the whole way home from meets.She knows quite a few of them. 
 
We've had a couple more bouts with snow now, but hopefully spring is around the corner.  I can't wait for warm weather again, but the kids seem to love playing in the snow.  We've also been to a couple ISU gymnastics meets, wrestling meets, and Ballard basketball games.  Gracie and Owen are getting so much better going to stuff like that, although I still worry a lot about Owen running out onto the court/mat at basketball games or wrestling meets.  Gracie has almost learned the national anthem because we have been to so many sporting events.
 
I had to fill out Gracie's kindergarten enrollment paper work a couple weeks ago and she will have kindergarten round up in April.  She is still excited about getting to ride the bus next year.  She will have her preschool graduation in May.  Gracie also has ordered her ballet costume for her 1st dance recital in May.  She really likes doing the tumbling part of dance class.  She is constantly doing cartwheels in our living room.
 
Owen is our little wrestler/football player. One day he had his football pants, jersey, head gear, and wrestling shoes on. He loves going to the wrestling room with Nick and always wants to wrestle whoever is available. He has taken a liking to our 126 pounder "Spanky" or Nathan Macki, who was injured most of the season, but went into the state tourney 6-0. Spanky would wrestle with Owen while he was rehabilitating his broken elbow.  It's very fitting because Spanky is every bit as ornery as Owen, but an awesome kid. I think they are two peas in a pod.  I am so thankful that we have such a good group of high school kids.  So proud of them this year.  Our seniors will be missed next year. Here are a few pictures.
 
 
Owen with his wrestling partner, "Spanky"
 
 
Owen and Spanky
 
 
 Our team after winning regional duals to get to the state tournment.  This includes the whole wrestling team, coaches, managers, and cheerleaders.  Ballard upset Humboldt, who was ranked 6th or 7th (can't remember for sure).  It was a great night!
 
 
Owen and Spanky again
 
 
Our managers who were a huge help to me througout the season.  They let Gracie tag along wherever they went.



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