We had a day to kill before competitions began, so we decided to visit Old Sacramento. With its cobblestone streets, river boat, horse-drawn carriages, school house and endless historic buildings turned delightful shops, we knew we'd have no problem spending the day there.
I did a terrible job as photographer, only having my cell phone to use for pictures--and I don't think my phone takes good pictures at all!--so I borrowed these photos of Old Sacramento from the internet:
The girls had a blast shopping around and being silly.
But it was in the very first shop we entered that we found the item that would define the memories of this trip: the selfie stick. If you're looking for the perfect gift for a teenage girl, let me recommend this little gadget. Hours and hours of endless fun, I tell you.
Here they are trying it out for the first time:
And then...well, the selfies on a stick happened over and over again, all weekend long.
Alyssa was even willing to part with $10 of her own money to buy her selfie stick. If you know her and her tight-fisted ways, then you know this was a purchase she must have really wanted. She got her money's worth, that's for sure!
After being in that first shop for quite some time, we made our way to an enormous candy store. I noticed that we'd lost Jon along the way. When he met up with us later I asked where he'd been.
"Well, I set a new record for Pac Man," he replied.
He'd found an old time arcade with all the video games of our youth. He went back later to set a new high score for Pole Position, too.
The girls put the selfie stick down long enough to swing on the swings at the historic schoolhouse.
That evening I did meet hair, lots and lots of meet hair--my own two plus three others. While I was braiding, putting in curlers and coating the hotel lobby with a thick layer of hairspray, the girls were playing with teammates and taking more selfies.
Saturday was competition day. Natalie and Alyssa competed on different floors but in sessions that started at the exact same time. That made it stressful and tricky for their spectator-parents, but we managed just fine.
Both girls have some kinks to work out as the season goes on, but both did respectably. Alyssa placed fourth on beam with a fall on her new series and fifth on floor. Natalie earned a gold medal for her first place vault! (All of their routines can be viewed on my YouTube channel.)
These little teammates are just the cutest:
We attended a very nice sacrament meeting Sunday morning and then visited the Sacramento temple before flying home.
We had to try the selfie stick at the temple:
Caleb held down the fort all on his own for a couple of days and then Grandma and Grandpa came to help him cheer on the Seahawks and take him to church. We definitely miss him when he's not with us. I'm not so sure the sentiment is mutual.
Sacramento was sure a fun way to kick of this meet season.
And I see many more selfies in our future...
