JH Spring Concert

Ridgeview 4th-8th graders had their Spring Concert tonight!

Caeden and some 8th grade friends took selfies in the hallway before warmups started.

Sylvia took some pictures during the concert since I was accompanying the choirs.

Caeden spotted her from within the junior high choir as they took their places on the risers.

Annah turned pages for me.

 She also played for the JH Choir on their final song, Demons, as it was one she learned when she sang it in choir in 7th grade.

The junior high band did a great job too. I like watching Caeden switch between the various percussion instruments he gets to play. Here he was in the back playing snare drum.

Mr. Marchese has been working quite a bit with him on drum set,
and he has been improving so much!

The band concluded the concert with the theme from The Incredibles, and Caeden surprised us all with how well he played!

VIDEO:

He's really having fun with it too!

Our drummer!

And proud sister!

It was a great concert, and really showed how much all these kids have learned and progressed this school year!

Wrestling Banquet

The guys and I attended the Ridgeview Wrestling banquet tonight.  

The girls had musical practice, and these little girls were missing them something awful! 

RHS wrestling coaches

 I really enjoyed seeing Jeremy speak about each of his wrestlers.

 Congratulations on a good season, guys!

Caeden delivered Coach Windle's card with a big hug.

 Coach Tay mentioned Caeden's crazy body bending...

Teammates and buddies

 It was a nice evening celebrating with our wrestling family!

Biscuits and gravy

Possibly the best part about wrestling season being over is getting to eat whatever you like again!  I made biscuits and gravy for supper tonight--this kid's favorite, and he was pretty happy about it.

For the last few weeks, Caeden has been telling me about his mentoring class' skit for the junior high talent show.  I asked him if I could come watch it, but he didn't want me to.  His teacher was very kind to send me this video.  

Regionals

 It's 5:45 a.m. and we are not amused. 

It's 8:30 a.m., and we are ready to wrestle!

 Brooke made awesome snack bags for all the wrestlers, 

and included a funny photo meme in each one!

Caeden and Cal in the warmup area with the coaches, waiting for their 112# matches

Well, he doesn't look nervous...

There were 3 mats running simultaneously in one gym, and no one knows ahead of time which one their match will end up on. I couldn't see Caeden's first match very well from where I was seated, but he won by pin!!!

Waiting for match #2

Somehow, even in my constant scanning to know where Caeden was, I missed seeing almost the first minute of his second match! I didn't get any pictures, but took video instead. He wrestled a boy (Kellen) from Gibson City that he had lost to 2 other times this season. Each match had been closer in score, and today was the closest...but Caeden lost 0-2. 

After losting that match, Caeden dropped out of the bracket for moving on to Sectionals. But because it was a follow-the-leader type bracket, his chance to wrestle back into the bracket was dependent upon Kellen's next match.  If Kellen won, Caeden would get another chance to wrestle back into the bracket.  As Kellen left the stands to go warm up for his next match, Caeden reminded him that he "better win."  Kellen said he would try.  However, he was quickly pinned by the wrestler that went on to be champion at 112 today.  The first thing Kellen did after losing his match was come back up in the stands and tell Caeden, "I'm real sorry man."  What an great example of sportsmanship!  

Caeden's 7th grade wrestling season is over, but it was such a good one.  I have been so proud of him each time he stepped on the mat. He has grown in knowledge, character, determination, work ethic, leadership, endurance, and so many other things this season! 

Panther Invitational

 Caeden's team competed in a tournament at LeRoy today.  I didn't go in the morning, so Tracie sent me some pictures of my wrestler.

Game face

He won his first match by pin!

Although Jeremy was there, he was pulled into coaching and missed seeing Caeden's first match.  Tracie and G'ma Sandi kept me updated. 
Sandi's text about Caeden's second match said it was, "...a rough rough match! It was 5-5, then 7-7 until the last 10 seconds when the other kid rolled him. He lost 10-7."  Bummer!

I took off from home as soon as my last lesson finished at 11:30, and made it just in time to see Caeden's third match of the day.

He won!

 

 Caed lost his 4th match, which meant he was done for the day and didn't place in the tournament.

Talking with coaches after match 4

When Caeden sang in the JH ILMEA Choir back in November, he made a friend named Quin who wrestles for Heyworth, and they've seen each other a few times this season.  

They seem to be 2 peas in a pod, and are always smiling no matter how their wrestling has been going...

 

 One of the wrestling moms posted this on her Facebook today, and I thought it was great. I hope all my kids are always The Nice Kid.

Chiddix

This evening, Caeden wrestled at Chiddix. Pastor Zac and Grandma Sandi came to watch him, but Chiddix wrestled Prairie Central first and both Sandi and Zac had to leave to get to church board meetings and didn't get to see Caeden wrestle.  We were sure to get a fan club picture though!

Caeden wrestled a guy a weight class up from his--119, and Caed was actually weighing in at 110. He wrestled really well, but lost 7-5.

After the meet, I took Caeden with me, and we stopped at Best Buy.  We found Thor's hammer for $75. It was fun to play with for 30 seconds.

We went to Monical's for supper. I tried out the new portrait mode on my new iPhone.  Pretty cool feature!