Just thought I would share a few highlights from
Homecoming Week.
The parade was Wednesday. The middle school girls and I decided to sit in our regular spot because USUALLY we've had a great view and USUALLY it's been less crowded all due to the curve of the road and being on a corner and all. It's also kind of in the
middle of the parade route, and we figured that at the beginning, candy-throwers are stingy because they don't want to run out, and at the end... they run out, so the middle was the perfect place to be.
Lauren, Taylor, Mar, Cassidey
See how roomy it is? That's because we were there nice and early.
I think this beautiful horse is my favorite part of the parade. Marlena has started the parade for the past few years and is a senior and the SB President. Hopefully they can find another horse/rider for future parades! Every parade needs a horse, don't you think?
My second favorite is the marching band.
Of course. Always makes me think of Tay... and Austin, now, too.
Can you see our neighbor Chase? His sister Michaela is the yearbook editor - she elected to stay inside the truck - and let Chase add the cute factor... I think he was having a blast.
Remember how I said our little corner was USUALLY a great spot? This year we had hosts of men, women, and children take over the street, making it difficult to see what was coming until it was right in front of us. But ya gotta love the cute expression on that girl's face as she runs with her bag of candy...
It was a
super windy day, and I didn't even know this was Shi and Chey's float until they were
right in front of me.
Throw us some candy, girls!
Bill ran ahead and caught some better shots of them on his phone, but... they're still on his phone.
Student Government does a fundraiser for a worthy cause in conjunction with Homecoming each year, and this year they were raising money for an LHS alumni who has been battling leukemia on and off the past few years. They sold orange wristbands, stickers, and shirts that said "Team Natalie."
After the parade we headed to the BBQ/Powder Puff game. We've never gone before because I've always thought it was just for the students. With Shi's involvement in Student Government
I have learned some new things. The BBQ is part of the fundraiser, and they wanted to get as many people there as possible. Nice.
We got there right after the parade, so we had no lines, and our plates were loaded up with piles of pulled pork bbq. Yum.
After dinner, we found a prime spot to observe the Powder Puff game. A cute girl from our ward (Anna - see the last pic of this post) was on the favored-to-win team. They lost.
Bummer.
Marlena, Shi, and Chey showed up a little late because they were cleaning up after the parade. By the time they got there, the food was
gone, baby, gone. There are two ways to look at that: (1) AWESOME. They had a bigger crowd than they've ever had, and they made lots of money for Natalie. (2) BUMMER. If they would have ordered more BBQ, they probably could have made a lot more. Regardless, it was a successful event.
I had to head to the salon for an appointment, but Bill and Mar stuck around for the bonfire.
McKenna, Peyton, Shi (not sure why Shi is wearing a sweatshirt with two more draped over her shoulders...)
I was glad they went ahead with the bonfire - like I mentioned, it was a
super windy day. Can you see the firetruck at-the-ready in the background?
I have told the story to my kids about how, at the bonfire
my senior year in high school, a friend of mine wanted to impress...
somebody (Zoeanne)... and decided to
jump over the fire. Funniest. Thing. Ever. He ended up singeing his eyelashes and eyebrows
off. All that was left was little tiny ball-like nubs of bad-smelling burnt hair. I can't remember his name (I would have to track down my yearbook to look it up), but it has sure made me smile more than a few times.
Last night was the game.
Legend won handily (nice), but we were there for Shilo.
They called the Homecoming Court and parents down to the track during the 2nd quarter. We were there for a long, long time. Plenty of time to snap lots of pics.
(I just have to point out that cute boy, Scott, on the right in the background. He was also on the court - a freshman - and lives across-the-street-on-the-side-and-down-a-few-houses from us. He was in a car accident a couple weeks prior with his dad and brother on their way to a cross country meet. His dad, an airline pilot, had both of his heels crushed in the accident, and has been in and out of the hospital ever since. It has been a traumatic and difficult experience for their family and will continue to be hard for a long time to come. His dad was brought to the game by another neighbor - seriously, we have the best neighbors - so he could see and support his son. Scott won Homecoming Lord and it was neat to see and hear the students rally around him and his family.)
Here are the senior ladies nominated for Homecoming Queen.
Shilo was up against some stiff competition, so I tried to alleviate possible tears and devastation by preparing her for the possibility that she wouldn't win. (I've been trying to decide if that is good or bad...)
Natasha (left) has won every year. EVERY year. She had won Lady, Duchess, and Princess the three previous years, and since only your class can vote for you, there was a better-than-good possibility that she was still as loved as ever.
Who doesn't love a perky, bubbly cheerleader? (it was funny to think that Lex had been on the cheer team with Sarah a few years back - that seems like an eternity ago!)
Another girl on the court had been campaigning all week... bringing cupcakes or cookies every day... telling everyone to vote for her.
They are all beautiful girls. I think it's awesome that Shi had even been nominated. I loved to hear the occasional, "Good luck, Shilo! I voted for you!" that was expressed as the band passed by and as the other Homecoming Court members mingled on the track. Regardless of the outcome, that has to make you feel good.
I couldn't resist snapping a few pics from the opposite side of the field and thinking of the song by Taylor Swift... "I said remember this moment...." I know. Corny.
This was my favorite picture of the night... these two girls wishing each other luck.
In the end, the reigning champion was crowned Queen.
Shilo didn't tear up (her biggest worry), and was a gracious loser.
On Instagram that evening she posted this:
"Four years. Four Homecoming Court losers."
Anna - middle right (the one with my bad red-eye correction) - is a year younger, so never in
direct competition with Natasha. Marlena was on the court last year, and
Cheyenne in 2011.
Tonight is the dance. Shilo and Cheyenne, both dateless, have opted not to go. They are at the school, however, even as I type, decorating for the big event.
Love those girls!
Today is chilly, and I turned on my heater for the first time. I may be weird, but I love the smell of the heater the first time it ignites and starts to blow after a long summer reprieve. My sweet visiting teacher just dropped off some warm zucchini bread. Fall is in the air.
My favorite season - makes me feel happy.
