Cougar Nation

This year both of my bigs are spreading school spirit, and they're doing it together.💚💛💚

Daisy is on varsity cheer and Zekers is back with the band.

Abe and I were super stealth and snuck into the first pep rally. The cheerleaders danced their way down the aisles and onto the stage (literally).

Looky there. My girl and my boy are both leading the pep rally to watch them.

Zeke's head is poking out from behind the bass drum.

Each pep rally they have a contest to see which class cheers the loudest to be the recipient of the spirit stick. Daisy is the only sophomore on both the cheer and dance teams, so she rep'ed 10th grade on stage all by herself.

This is the view from the stage. That's Zekers in the bottom right corner looking up at the camera.

Before the band bus left the section leaders did a check to be sure everyone was ready. Zeke is keeping the drum line in order.

Fellow percussionists Braxton, Dom, and Maddi with Zeke.

Last year Abe and I had to split some of the games because volleyball and football sometimes overlapped. Daisy really wanted to try cheer this year, which meant she had to give up volleyball. It was a tough decision for her that was not completely solidified until right before school started. But it sure does make Abe and my life easier when they're both in the same place at the same time!

Daisy is down on the field, bringing on the football boys whilst Zeke is playing the music.

There was one member of DanFam5 that was not happy to be with both of his siblings in the same place at the same time. In his defense, it was still 103° at 9:00pm. 

The band was getting ready for their halftime performance. 

Zeke is excited to be 'in the pit' for the halftime show this year. The front ensemble (aka the pit) was chosen as section of the week!

He's playing the vibraphone.

Daisy came to visit her parents in the stands at halftime.

After the game, win or lose, the band plays the alma mater as the cheerleaders and football players sing along. Go Hills!

[August 27]

The First of The Last Of The Firsts - 12, 10, 7

My big boy had his last first day of school.😪

Over the weekend both Eli and Daisy came to me separately and were teary at the thought of this being Zeke's last year living with us. 

On the contrary, I was holding my s*!t together pretty well.

Back to school pics went as usual.

FYI, Eli adores his brother, and Zeke slays as a big brother.

But then Zeke and I dropped Daisy off at Zeke's first elementary. Daisy and the other cheerleaders were welcoming the students. As Zeke and I were walking up to Waverly Park, just as we did 13 years ago, I was taking in all of those precious little faces in their cute little school uni's as they were holding their mommas' loving hands. And an invisible cloud of allergens suddenly filled the air and brought tears to my eyes.

Lucky for me we had a little (unfortunate) comic relief. When Zeke and I walked up we couldn't find Daisy. One of the girls told us she got stung by a bee. We found her in the nurse's office, with the stinger still in her leg. All of Daisy's back to school emotions and anxieties tumbled out and slid down her cheek when she saw us. Zeke and I just laughed. Luckily she was able to laugh through the tears.

Then we drove to high school and Zekers got out of my car for his last first day of school. Then it was time for all of my back to school emotions to tumble out and slide down my cheek.

There he goes. Just like that. 😭 

[August 14]

EDIT:

7th day of 7th grade:

7th day of 7th grade:

10th day of 10th grade:

12th day of 12th grade: