Instagrammin' in November

We packed November full of wrapping up sports seasons, family visits, and Jonathan's birthday.

my usta combo team went to states! | we made it to the semifinals. | great football season for jack | he has found a new found love with football. | ella's tennis team made it to the elite 8 in states competition! | congrats to ella on a great season and a varsity letter in tennis as a freshman! | aunt chrissy and uncle chris brought their crew to visit for a weekend and we took them to a hornets basketball game. | kemba walker scored 60 points in that game, but we still lost an exciting one in overtime. | crowder's mountain hike | they made it to the top! | happy 43rd birthday to jonathan! | so nice that his parents came to visit in time for his birthday. | we took jonathan's parents to black mountain for thanksgiving weekend. | started the weekend off at sierra nevada brewing | spent thanksgiving day touring the biltmore, all decked out for christmas | wrapped up our weekend in asheville exploring some downtown breweries

Homecoming

Ella decided at the last minute to go to the Homecoming dance at her high school so we found a pretty dress in her closet and cute heels in mine.  She went with a group of friends and fortunately they had a little photo shoot before the dance (after getting ready at a friend's house) so I got to see them all dressed up and ready for a fun night.  At the dance Ella says they don't play any slow songs, so it's a fun atmosphere for a night of dancing with your friends.  Ella had a great night, but definitely will be looking for a dress early next year so she's ready and feels more comfortable.  I think she looked beautiful and I couldn't be happier that she's partaking in all of the essential high school experiences. 

Instagrammin' in October

October is always one of my favorite months.  The weather's beautiful and I have an excuse to get outside quite a bit with my October 100 challenge, my own tennis team play, and watching lots of Ella's and Jack's sports games/matches.  Ella's month was filled with high school tennis matches and adjusting brilliantly to high school life.  Jack played middle school football (and his first tackle football experience) as well as club soccer.  Jonathan and Ella won their age groups in a 5k race.  Jonathan and I got in a few dates.  And Olive's favorite month is October with all of the walks she gets in.

fall wreath making workshop with my tennis ladies | jack's first middle school football game | maroon 5 | ella's team had a big rivalry match the night i was at the maroon 5 concert. | ladies night out at the concert! | logging some october 100 miles with olive | homecoming pre-dance pictures for ella and her friends | football game day--in his team hoodie | #84 | hit the brixx 5k winners |  day date of brunch and hamilton! | that's a wrap on october 100--thanks olive for helping me get there for the 6th straight year! 

Instagrammin' in September

Septembers are too busy for photos!  Luckily someone else took a few of my kid--Jack had a great time on his EYC retreat in the mountains at Awanita.  Ella was unfortunately sick and had to cancel going last minute.  The rest of the month was filled with lots of school, homework, tennis matches, soccer games, and football games.  Yes, football games--Jack made the middle school team!

Instagrammin' in August

It was an iPhone-in' month again.  I guess I took an Instagram sabbatical for all of Summer 2018.  But the photos, the capturing of some moments, are what matter.  And I do have those. 

ella made the tennis team! | happy 13th birthday party to jack! | ella at jack's birthday party | birthday party at urban air | birthday boy | spent his birthday money on a hoverboard #onehappyboy | cirque du soleil show | tournament champs! | first high school tennis match | go ella! | go ak women's tennis! | first day of freshman year of high school for ella | first day of 7th grade for jack | eyc 7th grade boys crew | eyc 9th grade girls crew

Instagrammin' in July

I probably shouldn't call this "Instagrammin'" as most of these pictures probably didn't make it to Instagram.  This is more of an iPhone-pictures-from-July collage.  Life is good in July--we spent most of it on the beach!

our first week in july is spent on hilton head. | spotted a gator on a bike ride. | nonni, papa, and kids at harbour town. | plaid lighthouse. | early morning view | run on the beach with my boy | bike ride to the ruins, the kids' favorite sight on hhi (not) | the beach | bridge in beaufort | harbour town playground | with ivy | beach time with the cousins | the raft | bocce ball | happy 4th! | fireworks on the beach | he does like ice cream! | south beach ice cream | thanks, papa! | back at harbour town | teenagers at gregg russell | gregg russell under the big oak | pretty view of the lighthouse | back in charlotte, erasure concert with carolyn | charlotte knights baseball game | it was 'the office' night--jack's dwight. | notes for ella's tennis tournament | she racked up some wins at the tournament! | fripp island | oh deer! | views from the fripp island beach | beach walk with jonathan | we threw a lot of stranded starfish back into the water. | love how quiet fripp is. | fun and games inside | cousins hanging out | more birds | more deer | beach time at the tip of fripp | one last picture by ella of the deer before we had to drive home for her high school tennis tryouts. | home with olive | while jack and jonathan enjoyed a few more days in fripp (mostly jack, while jonathan had to work a bunch). | crabbing | more crabbing | and an early birthday celebration for our boy 

Fripp Island

At the end of July, Jonathan's parents rented a house on Fripp Island, a small island on the South Carolina coast that is crawling with deer and golf carts.  Unfortunately, we didn't know until after the dates were booked that they overlapped with high school tennis tryouts for Ella, so Ella and I were only able to stay for the first two days of the trip.  We filled those two days with lots of beach time, card games, golf cart rides, crabbing, food, drinks, and laughs.  All of these pictures were from one day--we packed that much in!  Fripp was such a quaint and quiet place to spend focused time together.  Thanks, Nana and PopPop, for such a wonderful time on Fripp!