Twenty years in the making….that’s how I felt about finally going to visit Katie in Guadalajara, Mexico.  One of my biggest regrets is not visiting Katie in Argentina during the four years she lived there in our mid-twenties. When Katie told me three years ago that she and her family were going to live and work somewhere in Latin America for two years, I knew this was my second chance.  With just a few months remaining in her time in Mexico, a little nudge by Katie and my trip was scheduled. 

We had a wonderful girl’s weekend….we walked, we talked, we checked out markets, and caught up on life. Katie and I haven’t spent more than a few hours together each year in years past so having 2 ½ full days of mostly just us time was wonderfully good for the soul. 

Katie wrote up everything we did (as she knew I likely couldn’t remember it)…

-stayed in Colonia Country Club

-visited the American School Foundation of Guadalajara

-walked around Bosque Colomos park

-had tacos at Don Miguelón in Colonia Providencia

-had a glass of wine and a popsicle at Brick Steak House in Country Club

-visited Teuchitlan and Guachimontones including lunch at Monte Carlo on the Laguna de Teuchitlan 

-walked around, had brunch, and visited the Tianguis in the Santa Teresita (Santa Tere) neighborhood 

-explored the tianguis and walked around Colonia Americana including Avenida Chapultepec and dinner at La Matera Argentine restaurant

-had Ceviche and margaritas at La Mar restaurant on Avenida Terrenova in Providencia

-explored the San Juan de Dios/Mercado de la Libertad (largest indoor market in Latin America)

-walked around el Centro to see the Catedral Basílica de la Asunción de María Santísima (Guadalajara Cathedral), Rotunda, and plaza

-road the L3 train 

Competition season has begun.  Avery’s much anticipated first two back-to-back dance competitions yielded some amazing results:

• Platinum – Solo Friday night, convention Saturday morning and early afternoon, 3 group dances Saturday evening, and convention Sunday morning and early afternoon
•             “Hold On”, Avery’s solo adjudicated High Gold
•             All three group dances adjudicated Platinum
•             Cuppett received the “Studio of Excellence Award” award
•             Avery was recognized in convention for always having a positive attitude, smile, and always giving 110%, actively participating, being up front, etc. and was given a $300 scholarship to Brant Lake Dance Camp in NY.  To say she was elated is an understatement…she had been wanting to get some type of convention award for hard work.  I’m so proud of her, especially considering her head was bothering her and she pushed through
• Groove – Three group dances Saturday morning, followed by a long afternoon break and Avery’s solo performance in the evening.
•             “Hold On”, Avery’s solo adjudicated Diamond and received 1^st place
•             All three group dances adjudicated Diamond and “Mambo” received 1^st place, and Landslide received 3^rd place.   
•             Cuppett received the “Studio of Excellence Award”!

Meanwhile the same weekend of Platinum, Harper had:

• 3 basketball games (semi-final, final, and All-Star Game)
• 3 soccer games (a tournament)
•             Her team won the soccer tournament and her basketball team won the championship game. 
•             While her team lost the All-Star Game, Harper scored four points with two layups. 

Thankfully Emerson did not have a tournament the same weekend, but she did have:

• 1 hour lesson with Ian
• Victory practice

Emerson did have a softball tournament the following weekend, the first one of the season. She made nice contact with the ball Saturday.  Her team did not do that great, but they have many more tournaments coming up and she is eager to play.