The Year Was 2018

As I watch Dick Clark's New Years Rockin' Eve and reminisce about the past 365 days, I once again realize how fortunate I was to experience so many great moments throughout the past year.  After a hiatus from Bails 'n Me for a couple years, I've found journaling and blogging to be very therapeutic for me.  It's been fun to catch up and capture our memories leading up to December 31st.  Below are links to blogs about 2018.

Bailey Is Cast In Winnie The Pooh  

A Year Of Shows

Stars On Ice

Sophomore Year

Comic Con

Chicago  and Summertime Memories

Halloween and Christmas

Time will tell what 2019 has in store for Bails 'n Me.  Stay tuned.  

Happy New Year!

Christmas 2018

Another Christmas has come and gone.  While many people are stressed out and rushing around to check items off their to-do list, I decided to be in the moment this Christmas season and focus on the reason for the season: The birth of our Savior.  The presents, sweets and time together with family is just a bonus.  

My favorite part of the Christmas season is Christmas Eve.  When I was younger, it was the excitement of going to my Great Grandpa and Grandma Reinking's home to open a bag full of presents and then get home to see if Santa had come to the farm.  When Bailey was younger it was "playing Santa" and seeing the excitement on her face when she saw that sack of presents in front of the tree following the Christmas Eve church service.  But now my favorite part is the Christmas Eve service itself, with the traditional Christmas carols and singing Silent Night by candlelight.  This reminder of God's gift to us overwhelms me at times.  I still get those warm, fuzzy feelings I had when I was younger.

In continuing with being in the moment, Bailey and I spent Christmas Day together.  Bailey suggested opening our gifts on Christmas Day instead of Eve this year.  She created a beautiful canvas art Bailey Seegers original for me, along with a chalkboard for us to create our own original work of art.  My gifts to her were Ariana Grande perfume and a book about her favorite boy band, BTS.  Later that afternoon we went to see Mary Poppins Returns at Crossroads Theater.  The new Dreamloungers were an awesome way to relax and enjoy this great movie.  We capped off our day with facials and fresh faces.  It was a great day spent together.    

Our Seegers Family Christmas was held the weekend before Christmas.  Once again we met up at Maple Lanes Bowling Alley.  This time together is a special way to celebrate the holiday and have some friendly competition.  It may also be the Christmas Bailey will remember when she beat Grandpa Seegers in a game of bowling, and almost beat Uncle Heath, until the final frame.  Seeing how our family is growing up sparked some nostagia in me so I decided to create some Christmas collages of Christmases past.  We are one blessed family.

I Choose Me

This past November I attended The Way Up Conference which is designed for women who work in higher education.  Being a Type A personality, I always go through the breakout sessions before a conference, identify those I plan to attend and get excited about all the new information I can learn.  One of the sessions I had planned to attend was cancelled so 2 women stepped in with a presentation based around the book, 'Stretched Too Thin'.

I've always been a believer that God works in mysterious ways and this presentation was once again God's way of intervening in my life.  Over the past 4 months I had become stressed, depressed, angry and anxious.  Some of the suggestions during the presentation motivated me to read the book when I returned home.  I was able to find a free copy to download to my Kindle and it probably sounds cliche, but I believe this book has changed my life.  Over the next week I did all the exercises in the book.  It was a great time for self-reflection and I discovered a new concept called self-care.  Sure, I'd heard about self-care before, but I was definitely not practicing it.  Being a single mom for over 17 years and developing strong independence as an adult, I often feel like I have to be self-sufficient and not ask for help.  At first self-care felt like I was being selfish, but as I began to make it a daily practice, I discovered that I could be a better mother, daughter, sister, friend, co-worker, advisor and more importantly, a better person through this practice.  It's not selfish to take care of ourselves.  In fact we must take care of ourselves in order to take care of others.

I had also recently heard the expression, 'It's okay not to be okay'.  This resonated with me and I began to ask for help and say 'no' more.  When people asked me how I was, I would respond 'okay'.  Not good.  Not fine.  Just okay.  And I was okay with that response.  I also realized that most people do not even listen for your response (or maybe even care), but that's okay too.

Stretched Too Thin refers to seasons in our lives and I realize I am in another new season of my life as my daughter prepares to head for college in a couple years, my parents are aging and I am at the mid-point of my career.  Bails 'n Me has been a special way for me to capture all the special moments in my life over the past 9 years so I plan to put my self-care into practice and reflect on this season of my life more through blogging.

Finally I have to suggest if you are a woman who feels stretched too thin, take some time to read this book.  It's a quick read and applying even a couple suggestions from the book could change how you live your life. 

Halloween: The Year Of Vanellope Von Schweetz

As I mentioned in a previous post, Bailey loves cosplay.  Expressing her love for DC Comics in Halloween 2016 and 2017, she decided to go with a "sweeter" costume this year.  She dressed up as Vanellope Von Schweetz from the movie, Wreck It Ralph and it's soon-to-be released sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet.  She put her artistic creativity to work while pulling her costume together and once again created an individual masterpiece.  After passing out candy for an hour, we headed over to iHop for some pancakes and hot chocolate.  Although we don't trick-or-treat or attend the Pumpkin Patch Party anymore, we've found other fun ways to continue enjoying this holiday together.

Homecoming

Homecoming 2018 was a special time for Bailey.  A couple weeks before the dance she got up the courage to ask her friend Tex if he would like to go to the dance with her.  I won't embarrass her in this post with the details of how she asked Tex, but I will say it was done in true Bailey-style.  The same weekend as Homecoming I had scheduled a scrapbook retreat at Cedar Creek which I needed desperately.  Thanks to the modern technology of Facetime, I was able to talk to her and see her all dressed up before the dance.  You will have to ask her to share the details of this special night.  These pictures show my cutie growing into a beauty.     

Summer 2018

Summer 2018 was full of trips, college visits, surgeries, reunions, bubble tea and fun in the sun.

For the past 5 years we have kicked off our summer with Scratch cupcakes to celebrate the last day of school and look ahead to some fun.  A couple of our highlights this summer were Comic Con and our trip to Chicago, both captured in more detail at previous blog posts.

With only 2 years left of high school, Bailey began her college search process this summer, looking at theater for a major.  Knowing she liked visiting the Twin Cities, she wanted to check out the University of Minnesota.  I had done some searching of my own and discovered Riverland Community College in Austin, Minnesota which had a 2 year theater program.  Located halfway up to the Twin Cities, I encouraged Bailey to check it out.  We had a great visit at Riverland, meeting with one of the theater professors and getting all the behind-the-scene looks of their program.  The next day we checked out the University of Minnesota.  Our campus tour will always be remembered for the 90+ degree temps and high heat index, one of the hottest days of the summer.  Although we enjoyed both visits, Bailey commented on the drive home that she is open to considering other majors and colleges so we will keep shopping.

This summer was the 4th year Hope and I spent a day at Adventure Bay to celebrate my birthday.  Hope turned 40 in June so I wanted to add a new tradition to our weekend to mark this special birthday.  We got pedicures to pamper ourselves.  Spending all day at the swim-up bar and floating around the lazy river with drinks in hand is the perfect way to spend time with my sister.  I look forward to this every summer and can't wait for warmer temps and sunny skies to do it again next summer.

2018 marked my Silver Class Reunion: 25 years since I graduated from West Central.  Our class reunion was held back in Maynard with a tour of the new junior high and high school building and a picnic in Maynard Park.  18 of us reunited and reminisced about all the shenanigans from 25+ years ago.  Stories, a few drinks and some dancing around the bonfire that night reminded me that we are never to old to be young again.

Our summer was filled with lots of fun, but also a couple surgical procedures for Bailey.  Following a year of consultations with her ENT, Dr. Manoligold, it was decided that she have surgery on her left ear to patch a hole in her eardrum.  She had been losing hearing and dealing with lots of pain in this ear so surgery was scheduled on June 11th.  During the surgery the doctor also found a cholesteatoma, a collection of non-cancerous cells in her ear.  To prevent further complications, he removed this while patching the hole.  The entire surgery took 5 hours.  The Children's Hospital at the University of Iowa was a wonderful place to have the surgery.  The top floor is a serenity floor which provided exactly what I needed to keep my mind occupied.  The healing in the days to follow was long, but Bailey was a trooper.  Her ear has healed, but she still has some mild to moderate hearing loss.  We have another checkup and hearing test in January to see if her hearing has improved.  The pain the hole was causing is now gone so that is a blessing.

A dental checkup a month later led to Bailey having all 4 wisdom teeth extracted in August.  Again, she was brave and handled the procedure with courage.  People say that following this surgery, a person may be really happy or really sad.  Bailey was a combination of both, crying what she called "hap-hap-happy tears".

It was another jam-packed summer that is never long enough. 

Summer Vaca To Chicago

Flashback to Summer 2018

We love taking trips and trying new experiences.  Like Comic Con a couple months earlier, Bailey suggested going to the Supernatural Convention in Chicago.  Since we had talked about going to Chicago for a while now, I figured why not.  Over the past year Bailey had grown fond of Asian culture so she suggested also checking out Chinatown.  Both of these experiences exceeded our expectations.  (I love it when this happens).  The only downside to the trip was the tolls along the interstate (and man are there a lot) and the Chicago traffic.  Otherwise we had a blast. 

Chinatown was lined with so many shops and restaurants.  We came across a K-Pop store and Bailey was in heaven, finding so much merch for BTS and Black Pink, along with other K-Pop artists.  For a snack we came across a bubble tea shop which also had rolled ice cream.  We first discovered bubble tea at Chai Time, a shop in the Mall of America.  Rolled ice cream was a new, delicious treat for us, and it is AMAZING!  Watching the process of how this is created is really cool to see.  Bailey also enjoyed the "eye-candy" of the workers behind the counter. :-) 

On the second day of our trip we went to the Supernatural Convention.  Bailey had binge-watched this television series (all 11 seasons) the summer before.  Prior to going to the convention, I watched the pilot episode to have an understanding of what this show is about.  It's not quite the genre of television I watch, but the joy on Bailey's face throughout the day made this experience worth it.  Most of the day we spent at the panels of the cast.  They were very entertaining, similar to the laid back nature of the panels we attended at Comic Con, with a bit of colorful language.  We left with a surreal feeling of being in the same room as Hollywood actors and actresses.  It's a pretty cool feeling.

Our summer vacation to Chicago is one we will always remember and hope to go back someday.  I went into this vacation with no expectations, and was so glad I did.  Being in the moment can be so rewarding.   

Comic Con

Flashback to June 3, 2018

If there is one thing I have learned as Bailey has gotten older, it is to embrace something new and different.  The world of cosplay was just that for me.  I'm still not at the point of dressing up in cosplay, but Bailey is and that is so fun to see.  She's not afraid to express herself.

I had first heard about Comic Con from my friend Angela at a scrapbooking retreat.  She had attended a convention (Con) in Chicago.  It sounded like the kind of event that Bailey would enjoy.  We found out there was going to be a Con in Des Moines.  With it being so close to home, we decided to check it out.    The experience was a blast!  We walked into a room with vendors throughout the building, displaying really cool merch.  Another section featured artists with their own unique style of artistry.

One of the big draws to the Con is having the chance to sit and listen to panels of Hollywood actors and actresses.  We listened to a panel of Supernatural cast and Iowa's own Elijah Wood.  It's pretty surreal to be in the same room as people who have been on television and in movies.  The panels are really laid back and pretty comical.  You realize they are people, just like us.

One of the main stages of the convention features musicians, magicians and other acts.  Bailey was called to the stage to participate in a magician's act who had been on America's Got Talent.  We also caught Thomas Ian Nicholas (American Pie movies and Rookie of the Year) crank out some music on the entertainment stage.

We had so much fun throughout the entire day and cannot wait to go back.  Like so many experiences we have had together, this is one of the favs. 

Sophomore Year--Officially A High Schooler

Flashback to June 2018

Bailey's sophomore year was filled with new experiences.

One experience she enjoyed was driving herself to and from school.  Having received her driver's license in June, she now had the independence (and responsibility) to drive to and from school.  I have to admit that watching her drive off on the first day was hard, but I'm now enjoying my independence as well.  We will always remember those 10 years of car rides for drop-offs and pick-ups.

Prior to the start of school, she experienced marching band, band camp and playing in the Iowa State Fair.  Unfortunately it was not the best experience so she decided to pack up her clarinet for the last time.

Bailey also made many new friends over the year, growing closer to her friend, Halie.  She played wheelchair basketball for the first time and really enjoyed herself.  A valuable lesson was also learned for future playing...wear gloves to prevent blisters.

The fall play gave her the opportunity to meet new people and express her dramatic flair.  (Who's your Daddy?)  It was a great performance of serious drama and hilarious comedy.

Sophomore year was one of new experiences and lasting memories.   

Stars On Ice

Flashback to May 6, 2018

As Bailey has gotten older, I've enjoyed giving her experiences for her birthday presents.  This year her birthday experience was tickets to see Stars on Ice.  During the Winter Olympics, she watched the figure skating competitions and fell in love with some of the skaters who were going to be featured in the show.  There were also some former Olympian ice skaters, Meryl and Charlie, whom we adored while watching Dancing with the Stars a couple years ago.  This show exceeded our expectations.  It was more than just ice skating.  The show did a fantastic job combining skating with individual and group performances and some great music and entertainment.  We loved it and hope to catch another show in the future.  In the meantime we will have to relive this experience through the videos below.

Jason Brown

Shib Sibs

Charlie and Meryl

Karen Chen

Nathan Chen

Adam Rippon

It's Showtime--A Year At the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center

Flashback to Oct. 2017-May 2018

When I received the 2017-18 Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center Series brochure in the mail, I decided to take a closer look at the shows coming to Cedar Falls.  One of Bailey and my all-time favorite shows was going to be making a stop in March: RENT.  As I looked closer at some of the other shows, I got excited about the opportunity to catch more theatrical and musical performances so close to home.  Being an employee of UNI, I could get a discount on shows so I decided to treat Bailey and me to a year of 7 shows.  We were not disappointed.  Seeing live shows is something that we have enjoyed doing together so this was a great way to spend some quality time together.  This is a rundown of our 2017-18 GBPAC shows for the year.

Dirty Dancing--This 80's movie classic was always a favorite of mine.  Although it's hard to top the OG with Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, it was an enjoyable show.  We even got to carry watermelons at the pre-show entertainment.

Straight No Chaser--This acapella men's group from Indiana was one of my favorite shows of the year.  Their show is mostly cover songs with amazing harmony.  The first act was pop cover songs, followed by a second act of holiday favorites.  This group is definitely a must-see if they make it back to GBPAC.  Their Disney parody was one of the best sets of the show (see below).

The Lion King Parody

The Little Mermaid Parody

Shoulda Put A Ring On It

The Price Is Right--The organization it took to pull off this show was amazing!  Contestants Row, The Big Wheel and Showcase Showdown were all featured, along with Plinko, Cliffhanger and Punch-A-Bunch.  A UNI student even won a trip to Hawaii.  This would be another must-see if it comes back to Cedar Falls.  Bailey and I had a blast (and were glad we were not called up to the stage).

Gobsmacked--Reading through this show description, it sounded like the kind of performance that Bailey and I would like.  The show gave us Pentatonix-vibes and was a great evening of entertainment.  The beatboxer has won world-wide competitions.  He gave a solo performance which was jaw-dropping.

Rent--Still a family favorite that never disappoints, and always gets me in the end.  The music, the set, the plot, the actors....need I say more.

Riverdance--The acoustics of the clogging and the musicality of this show cannot be described in words.  It was an awesome show with extremely talented performers.  I cannot imagine the endurance it must take for the cloggers to put on this show.  Truly breath-taking!

Black Violin--This simple show was also amazing.   It incorporated cover songs, along with original pieces.  The music of a violin is so satisfying.

This year of GBPAC entertainment was something I will always treasure with Bailey.

Oh Bother--Black Hawk Children's Theatre Presents Winnie The Pooh

Flashback to April 2018

Drama runs in the Seegers family.  Not family drama, but rather a love for acting.  Bailey caught the bug in February and decided to try out for the Black Hawk Children's Theater production of Winnie the Pooh.  From the tryouts to the final performance and all the practices in between, she was in her acting element as Raccoon, one of Rabbit's cousins.  The commitment of the theater means evening and weekend rehearsals, along with long nights leading up to opening night.  Bailey had a blast and made some great new friends throughout the entire experience.  I loved watching her try out in February and caught every weekend performance of the show in April.  The director, Anita, saw lots of potential in Bailey as they worked together.  For one of the shows for the elementary school kids, she called on Bailey to step in for Owl since the actress for this role was sick.  She rose to the challenge.  Bailey has some mementos from cast mates to remind her of the friendships and joy this experience provided.  It is one we will always remember.

Mall of America Holiday Trip, Year 7

This annual trip up to the Mall of America is one of my favorite holiday traditions with Bailey.  We always begin our trip with Dunkin Donuts before heading up north.  It had been quite a few years since Bailey had created a Build-A-Bear, but decided this year she would at the kiosk outside of Rainforest Cafe.  The dancing and sillyness prior to placing her heart inside of her newest creation was the same as it has always been.  She was a good sport and played along.  Sam the Moose is now the newest member of her Build-A-Bear family.  As always we spent the day shopping and eating our way around the mega-mall.  Bailey was so thrilled to find some Dangerous Woman merch at Urban Outfitters.  Minneapolis was going to host the Super Bowl so there was a display of oversized NFL helmets.  It was pretty cool to see.  We had fun taking our pictures by our favorite teams, as well as not-so-favorite teams.

Following a full day of shopping, it was time to head to our hotel room, veg out and watch Dick Clark's New Years Eve special.  One of the performers this year was BTS, Bailey's favorite K-Pop group.  She was totally fangirling during their entire performance and dancing right along with their Mic Drop performance.  This kind of joy cannot be wrapped in a package.  It was so much fun to watch her so happy!

On the second day of our trip, we decided to check out Ikea.  We'd always wanted to go inside since people raved about Ikea and it's right next to the mall.  To put it simply, we were pretty disappointed.  After about 15 minutes of looking at household items, we were ready to leave the store.  Little did we know that you had to walk through the entire store.  After walking and walking, we thought we'd never see an exit.  By the time we left I felt like we should get tee shirts that said, 'We got stuck in Ikea and thought we'd never get out'.  For those folks who think Ikea is all that, I say 'To each their own'.  Like many trips Bailey and I take together, this will be be one of those memories where we can say 'Remember when we got stuck in Ikea....'.  Aside from this, our trip was once again pretty awesome.     

Christmas Memories

Flashback to December 2017

Christmas 2017 was filled with our holiday traditions--Getting a Christmas tree at Wapsie Pines, strolling downtown Cedar Falls during Holiday Hoopla and pictures in front of the tree on Christmas Eve followed by the church service.  I've always been a fan of traditions on this holiday since it brings back wonderful memories tracing back to when I was young.  The Christmas spirit lives on.

This was our 2nd year celebrating our Seegers Family Christmas at Maple Lanes in Waterloo.  This bowling alley has a fun feature where you can take your picture and have it displayed on cartoon characters which are shown on the monitors above your lanes.  The characters re-enact a silly cartoon scene, depending on how you bowl.  It's pretty hilarious.  The day was filled with laughter and love.  The end of our time together was spent exchanging and opening presents.  Hope captured Bailey opening her present from their family.  Her reaction below is priceless and brings me so much joy every time I watch it. 

Rest In Peace, Grandpa

Flashback to November 2017

On November 2, 2017, my Grandpa Seegers was called to his heavenly home.  Memories of our time together at Wings Park a couple months before came flooding back to me.  My aunt Holly had taken the initiative to organize a family picnic in the park.  Leaving the park that day, my heart was full of gratitude for the laughter throughout the day and love for my family.  Little did I know that this would be the first and last time that our family would gather together like this.  Although I didn't see grandpa often, when I did, his face would always light up which showed me how much he loved me.  The visitation and funeral was an overwhelming showing of family, friends and community and showed me how much our family is loved.  Again, my heart was full.  The Grandpa arrangement on the casket was a perfect display of my grandpa's love for the harvest and farming.   The picture of a farm displayed on top of his casket at the cemetery was also a beautiful way to show how much he loved the farm life.  Rest in Peace, Grandpa.

Why So Serious!?!

Flashback to October 31, 2017

Bailey's Halloween costume this year was a follow-up to last year's Harley Quinn-inspired costume.  Her creativity and cos play-inspired costumes are such a fun way to celebrate this holiday.  Our neighborhood had a fair number of children stop by for candy.  After passing out candy, we found our way to IHop again this year for yummy pancakes and delicious hot chocolate.  How we spend Halloween together has changed over the years, but the time together is just as special as it's always been.

Game On: UNI vs. Iowa State Tailgate

Flashback to August 2017

Tailgating before the UNI vs. Iowa State football game has been another great way to spend time with family.  For our first tailgate in 2013, I gave Dad a House Divided flag for his birthday.  It has become a great way to show our family support for both teams, while also creating fun photo opps.  Prior to heading off to the game, we snap a couple pictures to show that even though we will be routing for opposing teams, our house is united and we love this time together.  The Cyclones get bragging rights after this years game, but it was a fun time spent with family.

Summer 2017

Summer 2017 Highlights

Flashback to Summer 2017

The Summer of 2017 was a pretty relaxed one.  After having so much fun in Minneapolis a couple months earlier, we ventured back up to our favorite hot spot, the Mall of America.  We hit our favorite stores, but also experienced some new attractions including Fly Over America and taking our picture with Spongebob in Nickelodean Universe.  On our drive up to Minneapolis, we stopped by Cabin Coffee in Albert Lea, Minnesota to check out the coffee shop my cousin Sarah and her husband Josh had opened.  Unfortunately they were not there, but we enjoyed some tasty drinks and now make this a regular stop on our trips up north.

A big highlight for the summer was Bailey receiving her intermediate driver's license.  Driving with an employee of the DMV reminded me of when I had to drive for my school permit.  It's nerve-wracking, but she did it.  The Jeep Liberty is now her car and she's enjoying the independence of driving herself around Cedar Falls.  Her first venture out on her own was a trip to Starbucks while I was in Kansas City with friends.  It was an interesting short trip which may have involved turning onto the wrong lane on a side road.

Like summers past, we found time for a couple movies including the next installment of the Pirates of the Carribean franchise and Captain Underpants.  A new member of the family joined the Wood household, Hercules.  He is the sweetest dog and a great addition to the family.

Reflecting on these summer highlights is a great reminder to take time, slow down and enjoy life.

This Is 9th Grade

Great Peeps At Peet

We moved to Cedar Falls in June 2017.  The new move meant a new school beginning in Fall 2017.  Bailey would spend 1 year at Peet Junior High as a 9th grader.  Throughout the year she would make new friends and have some awesome teachers in the classroom.  This was evident when her science teacher, Mrs. Schultz, sent all the students in the classroom positive messages one day.  Bailey's note said, "Loves the 90's so she is 'All that and a bag of chips'.  I have seen lots of growth in you this year.  Keep up the great work and tackle the world with confidence'.  Mr. B was her awesome band teacher.  His passion for teaching came through loud and clear as Bailey would share so many stories throughout the year of what Mr. B did in band that day.  The caliber of the concerts was amazing for a middle school band.  Mr. Wolfe, her art teacher, also challenged Bailey to go deeper with her art.  She worked throughout the year on a machine head and personal collage (below) which showed the many facets of Bailey Seegers.  Peet Junior High and her 9th grade year were a breath of fresh air.  Like Mrs. Schultz, I also saw Bailey come into her own again and make lots of growth over the year.

Self Collage

Machine Head

9th Grade Formal

Flashback to May 6, 2017

An annual tradition for the 9th grade class is to hold a 9th Grade Formal in the spring.  This is a way for the 9th graders to say goodbye to their middle school years and celebrate moving onto the high school. 

When we went shopping for Bailey's dress in February, she knew she wanted a red dress.  After trying on about 15 dresses at Hope's Bridal, we struck out.  We headed back to Cedar Rapids for some lunch and I suggested we check out Von Mauer in Lindale Mall.  We hit the jackpot.  She found her red dress!  In true Bailey fashion, she matched her dress with some red Converse shoes.  Classy with a little fun.

The magic fingers of Julie Lensing styled Bailey's hair for the big day.  The weather was a little cool, but comfortable enough to get some pictures on the UNI campus and Hearst Center for the Arts flower garden.  We had so much fun!

Bailey danced the night away and when she arrived home, she was on a high from how much fun she had.  What a great way to cap off a pretty successful 9th grade year!

 

Ariana Grande Concert

A Night To Remember--Part II

Flashback to March 16, 2017
For my Sweet 16 gift to Bailey, I took her to see one of her favorite people in concert, Ariana Grande, or as she likes to call her...QUEEENNN!  When I found out Ariana was performing in Minneapolis and it was the same week we both were on Spring Break, I felt the stars were definitely aligning for us.  How lucky were we that just 2 days earlier we would be at the Panic at the Disco concert in Des Moines?!?  Following the P!ATD concert, I kept telling Bailey that Ariana's concert had a lot to live up to.  But she definitely delivered.  The energy from this concert definitely matched P!ATD's 2 nights earlier. 

Before the concert we stopped at our favorite place in Minneapolis to visit, Mall of America.  While at MOA, we got to see Little Mix perform a couple songs just hours before they would open for Ariana.  The energy from this short concert built us up to the big event just a couple hours later.  The entire day was pretty surreal.  Bailey has loved Ari since her Nickelodean days on Victorious.  To see how much joy she had the entire day made my heart so happy.

One of the highlights from the concert was during the performance of 'Greedy'.  At one point in the song, a confetti cannon shot out dollar bills.  One came floating down to Bailey and when she grabbed it, we saw that it had Ariana's face on it.  Bailey put her "stamp of approval" on the bill with a kiss and this bill is now framed and sits by her bed as a wonderful reminder of such a special concert.  Ariana's encore to 'Dangerous Woman' capped off the concert perfectly.  Bailey's Queen had delivered.

The Bicycle Song

 

Greedy

The Encore--Dangerous Woman

(Listen for Bailey's QUEENNN at the end)

Panic At The Disco Concert

A Night To Remember Forever

Flashback to March 14, 2017
For Bailey's 16th birthday, her Aunt Hope gave her tickets to see Panic at the Disco at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.  She surprised Bailey early with this gift while we were at Cedar Creek Retreat House in Winterset, IA.  Hope had told me about the tickets in advance.  I knew Bailey would love them, but I had no idea how overwhelmed she would be when she received the tickets.  We all cried (we're Seegers women, it's what we do).  Bailey and I had listened to P!ATD's CD, Death of a Bachelor, many times in the weeks leading up to the concert.  To put it simply, the concert was EPIC!  From the opening act of Saint Motel to the encore, it was the best concert I've ever been to.  The energy throughout P!ATD's concert was amazing!  One of my favorite songs on the CD is Halleluia and I loved the performance of that song, but the most moving parts of the concert for me were the sets for This is Gospel and Girls, Girls, Boys.  You got to see all sides of Brendan Urie throughout this concert and I have to admit that I am now a fan of P!ATD.  Bailey and I have shared so many special times together, but this was truly one I will always remember.  Fortunately Bailey captured a couple video clips from the concert on her phone so we can relive these moments.

Opening The Show

This Is Gospel

Bohemian Raphsody