Harper had coach Jason again for the 7^th grade basketball season though the team’s dynamics were much different than the year prior.  

Harper enjoyed the season and towards the end tried out for Thoreau’s Cross Town Hoops 7^th Grade Girls team, which she made. 

She took a break from basketball for a few months in the Spring and re-engaged this Summer at Madison Basketball Camp where the highlight was doing MJ’s I’m Bad dance routine. 

The Spring soccer season kicked off with two back-to-back tournaments, in which they played well, placing second in one, a great start to the season. 

After the first week of the official regular season, they had tryouts for the following year.  Harper had a borderline birthday and was ecstatic to find out she made the higher age group.

The season seemed to go by quicker than normal.  Twice she played Hannah Brophy!

Fall season of SMASH followed by JV Season at Madison. 

Emerson played against some of her former teammates.

This girl can crush the ball! 

Action in the field was minimal in comparison to travel ball. 

Games were two hours, so they didn’t feel rushed; Emerson often got 3 – 4 at bats each game.

The season went by quick, and she had a few months break before summer season, which was only a total of three tournaments due to some rainouts and logistics with the team’s availability.

Dance competition season started out with quite the recognition in True Talent.

• Big Time – Second place, Platinum, Judges Award for Precision
• Rain to Snow – First place and Platinum
• Bring It on Home – Fifth place and Platinum
• Teen A – Triple Threat Award
• Honest, Avery’s solo – Platinum, 2^nd place in category, 10^th overall (out of 25), an invitation to Dance Wars at Platinum Nationals, Stand Out Soloist Award

Unfortunately, shin splints plagued Avery starting in February and a conservative approach (a boot) left her out of dance for a while and missing her last competition of the season. 

She healed enough to be able to get back to dance in time for the Spring Ballet….Peter Pan this year!

She finished the season strong with nine performances in the recital.   With eight dances and ten costume changes, Avery decided to invest in a dance suitcase to transport all her costume easily!

The production piece was a compilation of songs and dances from The Greatest Showman and it was absolutely fantastic!

Did I ever share that we bought a second property???  A few years ago, I got it in my head that I wanted to invest in a property that we would rent out.  Of course, we would visit sometimes and enjoy it as well. 

Well for a year or so, it was more my dream (maybe even a fantasy would be a better word…I think that is how Justin would have categorized it).  Somewhere over the course of the year, the fantasy grew on him and before we knew it, we began doing the research and exploring markets. 

In order to enjoy our property, it had to be in driving distance.  We looked at Outer Banks, Charleston, West Virginia, Richmond, and Williamsburg.  While those were all decent places, the cost of the purchase combined with all the other factors (reasons for visiting, seasonability, etc.) didn’t make sense.  One day, I thought back to our Pittsburgh family trip from a few winters prior and every morning upon sleeping on it, Pittsburgh still was the one. 

Once we decided on Pittsburgh, even more research occurred…if you know Justin and me, we are extremely analytical and rationale people, so this decision was well thought out. 

The house hunting began; we passed up many because the numbers didn’t work.  We put offers into a few that we didn’t get…with it being a second property being the highest bidder and winning at all costs was not part of our plan.  We looked at a lot of properties virtually and made a few day and overnight trips to Pittsburgh to see some places in person.  One in person trip we found our way to 4815 Dearborn Street, and we knew pretty quickly that this place had potential. It had been remodeled already and while it still needed some work, nothing major.  We put a contract in for list price and through negotiations got the price down to what we wanted. And just like that we had a 4 bedroom, 3 bath rowhome in Pittsburgh.  

From the moment we submitted the offer, everything went into fast forward…finding general contractors, plumbers, roofers, landscapers to come out to give assessments. And contractors didn’t jump to give estimates for a house that wasn’t even ours!  Between the time the offer was accepted to the closing date, we were in discussions with management companies and then designers who designed and furnished the place in just over a month!

It’s been nine months since launch date and our place is doing well.  It’s too early to say for certain as there is seasonality factor to the demand, and we haven’t been through a full year yet.  We have had a few things broken, a few things stolen, we are still learning, but overall guests are very pleased (at least the one’s that write reviews).

We have been up there three times so far…once in the snow in the winter and twice in the summer during an extreme heat wave.  Each girl has their own room, which they love!  Pittsburgh has so much to do, see, and eat and we are just getting started in our adventures.

Pictures of 4815 Dearborn, aka Pitt Vibes!