WGI World Championships - Dayton, Ohio

On the road again...just 2 short weeks after returning from Mexico, we found ourselves traveling once again - this time by car, to Southeastern Ohio for the Winter Guard International Championships.  

The road trip gave us the chance to head through Nashville and connect with Kristin & Katie (Dad's cousins) and their beautiful (and older than I remember) families.

Girls rule - Caryn, Ava, Bella, Kristin & Jordan pose on the back patio of Katie & Joe's palatial estate   

More kids - Keylie & Jesse create a ruckus

Back inside & ready for dinner

Loud Kitchen...

Pardon the interruption - Cousins try & eventually pose

Foreshadowing for Jordan, the Elementary Major, as she quiets down the house and mesmerizes Thomas & Jesse with her phone 

Up early the next day so we headed into Downtown Nashville to check out Broadway Street (aka Honky Tonk Highway)

Jordan & Mom with the "King"

Amazing brunch at a local hot spot 

Pictures of Mom taking pictures of Jordan

More views of Nashville - local bars had live music and crowds gathering by 10am

After a few hours downtown, we hopped back in the car and traveled another 5 hours to Cincinnati.  We were excited to connect with Bill Sr and Joan for the next few days - let the Buffett tour begin as we grabbed dinner at Texas Roadhouse, 

Outback Steakhouse,

Decisions, decisions

Cinemark - the food was good but the movie (Project Hail Mary) was better...

Oh yeah - we traveled to Ohio to cheer on Taylor!  Great view at the Cintas Center on the Xavier campus!

Taylor doing her thing on the biggest stage of her 4-year varsity career

Major height on her "6"

A kind wave after the Prelim's

Day 2 - We found out late Thursday that Wakeland earned a spot in the Semi-Finals, so we made the short drive North to the Nutter Center to cheer on the team!

We were all overwhelmed with emotion as the team wrapped up their final competitive performance of the season!  Taylor had a clean sheet and tears in her eyes as she closed the emotional performance.  We are blessed to have been there to see it - Congrats to Wakeland Winter Guard!

Bonus - Taylor made the congratulations announcement (bottom with sabre)

At 11:30am EST we left the show - a little less than 15 hours later, we would arrive back in North Texas - we worked well as a team, taking turns driving and resting, as we powered our way home!