Homeschool Homecoming 2021

Since late summer, the kids have formed a fun friend group that likes to get together, even when youth group is not happening, to do fun things together--like bonfires and homecoming dances :) Okay, just one dance. 

Because half the kids are public school and half the kids are home school the homeschool kids had to invite the public school kids to attend the homeschool dance. Two of the girls had band and cheer commitments at their schools' football games, but two others were able to attend. Brennen invited Mia and I think Caedmon ended up inviting Brock. Graysen invited Caelan! She is still young enough to attend a dance, and the kids really wanted to all be able to attend at least one dance together. Unfortunately, Graysen started feeling crummy about two hours into the festivities, so Buck came and picked him up early. G$ is running a fever today, so that's why I'm home posting about homecoming, instead of cheering on the boys and taking stats at their away tournament today. Brennen went with our pastor's fam, and scored two touchdowns and some extra points. We're bummed to miss it, but what can you do?

Back to the fun stuff . . . Caelan designed all the flowers for everyone attending the dance in our group. By purchasing the components herself, she cut the cost from $25 to $8 per pretty, that's impressive! And the flowers looked so nice! It was fun for them all to have that special extra with their fancy clothes.

Also in preparation, Caelan did Gabby's make-up, Gabby did Graysen's hair, and I tried to sew Brennen's coat two sizes smaller, I also reduced the size of Caelan's corsage strap (which had stretched out while she was designing), and fixed a loose sparkle on Gabby's dress (as we were walking out the door). The boys' friend Brock left his car at our house, and while the girls were finishing their preparations, I snapped a few pics of the boys outside :)

We all piled into the van, planning to meet Caedmon at Mia's house for photos. We met her dad and grandparents and discovered they have a beautiful home and perfect location for taking photos--with the leaves starting to turn colors over a stone wall. Nice! Oh, but first everyone took turns trying to pin boutonnieres and to put corsages on the correct hand. Caelan ended up leading the tutorial, and the other girls watched carefully. It's a tough skill, but a good one to have in your back pocket :)

Okay, now the outside pics! We moms tried to throw out some ideas for fun photos. Eventually they got the hang of things and got creative on their own--for instance, the "Men's Warehouse" ad by the water garden, followed by the girls trying to model. They said, "We don't know how!" I told them, "Just look really angry." Boom, modeling! :)

We drove to Qdoba, because it is fun to eat fast food in fancy clothes. Graysen didn't eat, and I didn't either, because Buck said he'd meet me at the dance location and take me out to dinner :) I normally sit in the ice cream shop with mom friends until the dance is done, but no mom friends sent their kids to the dance this year. But also they never brought me flowers, and Buck did!

Graysen told me today he wished he would have gotten sick tomorrow instead of yesterday. He was bummed to miss most of the dance and his football tournament today. Hopefully he'll be feeling spry for football pictures on Monday. Other than his bout of ill, I'd say it was a pretty fun and successful homecoming event. The DJ was "the best" they'd ever had, the unlimited sodas and donuts were a bonus, and the kids know soooo many people from their ever-expanding circles. It's so nice there are lots of opportunities like this for homeschoolers to enjoy!