Last Cheer Competition...

As soon as Anna Lauren's school program was over last Friday, we hit the road to Orange Beach!  We spent Friday through Monday in Orange Beach at the Wharf (thanks to Pop Pop and MeMe) for Anna Lauren's last cheer competition of the season.

Once we got to the beach, we had lunch at Lambert's because the kids LOVE catching the rolls and then we headed to the condo and quickly got on swimsuits and headed to the pool.

Anna Lauren immediately spotted Mary Addison and Brelee so they had a fun afternoon swimming and playing together.

The water was COLD but it didn't seem to stop the little ones...

However, they did spend a good bit of time in the hot tub too...

At the beach, outside, lots of water...doesn't get any better for this kid...all the things he loves most!

After a fun afternoon at the pool, we went back to the condo and waited on our friends to arrive.  We then had dinner, picked up a few things from the grocery store, and called it a night.

Sydney, Ava, and Anna Lauren ready for day #1 of competition...

On the way to warm-ups...Kara (Abbi's sister), Ava, Anna Lauren, Sydney, and Abbi

Coach Katie and Anna Lauren...Anna Lauren has LOVED her this year and fingers crossed she will be her coach again next year!

Coach Katie getting some last minute coaching in before they go onto the stage...

I just held the button down on my camera during her tumble pass...

Think it is safe to say she is FOCUSED...

LOVE catching these shots when you can just tell she is loving what she is doing...

Day #1 is done...not the best performance but thankfully it was only worth 20%...

Pop Pop and MeMe spent the day with us Saturday.  They watched the girls perform, hung out with us at the pool, and then treated us to dinner for Matt's birthday.  Yummy yummy steamed shrimp followed by cupcakes.  And yes, Matt can be just as crazy as what he calls his trio.

After Pop Pop and MeMe left, we headed out to do the ropes course and ride the ferris wheel.  Once we got downstairs we bumped into some of our Outlaw friends and enjoyed hanging out with them.  Anna Lauren loves her some Maggie (left) and Heather (right).  They are older girls who are always so sweet to her.

Cooper just wanted to play putt putt on the BLUE one...so...he did while the older girls were on the ropes course, which was too big for him.

So excited to finally be on the ropes course...she had been begging since she saw it Friday.

After Cooper finished a quick game of putt putt, he decided to do the little ropes course.  He loved it and it was just his size!

After they got done on the ropes course, they jumped on the ferris wheel.  And then we headed to bed...didn't take Anna Lauren even 10 minutes to go to sleep...she was exhausted!

All ready for competition day #2...and...her last competition as an Outlaw.  

And this is what happens when you travel with cheerleaders...they are either on their heads, tumbling, stunting, something...for sure not just walking like normal people.

Sweet little Cooper just gets right in the middle of them...he LOVES all the big girls!

We attempted...better than no picture at all I guess!

Coach Katie and Anna Lauren...and "goose"...that skull I don't like!

Cooper and his new girlfriend, Mary Addison...since we got home from the beach he has asked everyday if Mary Addison can come spend the night.

Goose, the skull, always sits on the front of the stage when an Outlaw squad competes.  The girls take turns bringing it onto the stage...Anna Lauren, Sydney, and Abbi had not had a turn so they brought it out Sunday.  It's a big deal to the girls...

I only took a couple pictures Sunday...I put my camera down and watched them perform.  Coming into Sunday's performance, they were behind...Sunday had to be perfect.  I knew they could do it and wanted to watch/enjoy every second of the routine.  And thankfully they nailed their routine...perfect end to the season!

One last picture of the squad...at least 8 of these girls are aging out.

Anna Lauren took Maggie's sunglasses...poor Maggie!

This is what Cooper thought of the awards...poor little man! But...he was such a trooper the entire weekend, and we are glad we took him because he really did have a good time!

Wow...they came from behind and pulled off 1st place!  Super exciting and no better way to end the season than 1st place!

Out with the Outlaws and in with Ace of Mississippi...wouldn't trade our two years as Outlaws for anything, but we are super excited about this new opportunity as Ace.  Good things in store for our gym and our little athletes!  And no matter what anyone else says...cheerleaders ARE athletes...if you don't believe me, go watch her practice one day!  As a 7 year old, some days she practices as hard as I did playing basketball as a senior in high school.

After awards, our friends went home, but we got to stay another night.  The kids rested for an hour or so and then we headed out to the beach and dinner.  Cooper wanted his picture taken with his new boat and his clothes that didn't match (he said they are both green and they DO match).

When we got to the beach, someone had dug a BIG hole...the kids had a great time playing in the hole.

Nothing better than ending your day with some down time on the beach...we all LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the beach!

When we woke up Monday, it was Matt's 36th birthday so we went and had some beignets for birthday breakfast.

Think it is safe to say that this little girl enjoyed her beignets!

By the time we made it home, the weather was pretty yucky so Matt went and picked up OEC (one of his favorites) for dinner and we ended the day with a little Happy Birthday singing, a left over cupcake from the beach, and some candles.

Poor Daddy...not sure he even got to blow out a candle...o'well, the kids had fun!  And all these smiles are the perfect ending to a long weekend at the beach!