IMG_4176Cécile Rey pauses and concentrates for a moment before performing her next move.

IMG_4177But then she notices the camera and her attention is turned…

Hey, girls! Happy April Fools Day! It’s me, your ever-lovely Cécile Rey. Are you going to play any pranks on anybody? Not me… *shudders* I actually came over here so I wouldn’t get pranked myself! There are not allowed to be any pranks near where we’re practicing gymnastics – that would be dangerous. So I’m in the safe zone. Phew! Plus, I wanted to perfect my beam moves. Care to watch?

IMG_4178Here I raise my leg to begin my back walkover.

IMG_4179Bend back, kick over, and…

IMG_4180Stick the landing!

IMG_4181What do you think of my splits? I’ve been working hard on them lately. All that hard work stretching and stretching really paid off! I can finally go all the way down. But not just on my side splits.

IMG_4182Look, I’ve perfected my right splits, too! Mama, though you may know her as Madison, knows how that is. She was so excited recently when she could go all the way down on her right splits! But then she forgot to keep practicing them… if you don’t do it, you lose it! So she’ll have to stretch more before she can go all the way down again.

IMG_4183Would you like to watch me perform a cartwheel? Mama (Madison) can almost do this on a low beam on the ground – she tried once at her friend’s house back in Texas. They have a low ground beam outside! Mama wants to do gymnastics again this summer, so she’s working on her skills at home.

IMG_4184Unlike Madison, I can do both left and right carthweels. Hehe. She might be good at right cartwheels, but she’s terrible at her left. You should see it. I mean, I almost died laughing…

Madison: HEY!

Me: Heh, heh, sorry. You’re right. Everyone has moves they still need to work on. Even me. But especially your left cartwheels…

Madison: Okay, missy, just get on with the post!

IMG_4185IMG_4186IMG_4187And I stuck the landing again!

IMG_4188Here’s a picture of me doing a front walkover. Actually, these are harder than back walkovers.

IMG_4190I’m still working on my aerial cartwheels. Okay, they’re horrible. I always fall off when I try to do it on the beam, so I have to keep practicing on the floor. I’ll get it one day, though – you’ll see!

IMG_4191But I’ll keep practicing and trying my best.

You know why?

IMG_4192Because, in life, there will always be somebody who is better than you.

IMG_4193But that doesn’t mean you stop trying your best every single time. Because, at one point, that person was where you are – trying and trying to get that thing down, and finally succeeding. And they’re still trying and succeeding on the next thing.

IMG_4193Okay, I’m done giving wise advice. LOL! Better take a break and get some water – if you don’t stay hydrated, how can you be your best?

IMG_4194Bye, girls! I hope you have a great April Fools Day. Don’t fall for anything! Don’t eat any suspicious oreos or walk under any doors without making sure there’s not a bucket of blue cheese AND don’t believe people when they tell you that you’ve got something on your face!

Yours truly,

Cécile Rey