Philadelphia Eagles Blog

Arielle: Eagles Week, Dog-sitting, and Remembering a Loved One

Hey Eagles fans!

The summer days are finally coming to an end and the cool weather is upon us. Fall being my favorite season, I absolutely loved getting my sweater and jeans out of my closet this morning and dressing appropriately for the cool weather. Even though it’s still summer, I like pretending that fall has already begun! I love fall and everything that comes along with it- the colorful leaves falling from the trees, pumpkin picking, apple picking, cozy sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes, and best of all, the beginning of football season! We’re back to football and I can’t WAIT for our home opener on September 25th against the New York Giants! You better believe the cheerleaders are hard at work to prepare for the big day! I am most excited to see all of our dedicated fans out there cheering on the best team in the NFL!

To celebrate “Eagles Week”, I recently made an appearance at Chickie and Pete’s to participate in an “Eagles Week Pep Rally.” I had such a great time spending the night with our amazing fans and spreading our Eagles Pride! And since the appearance was open to the public, my family came to celebrate right along with me (and to eat some excellent chickies crab fries!) I shared some photos with you posted below! Also in celebration of Eagles Week, I made an appearance on Comcast Sportsnet Television Show Live with three other cheerleaders. Everyone at the studio was extremely friendly and we had a great time conversing with all of the employees. We even received some “star treatment” when we got our make-up touched up by the backstage makeup artist. Even Swoop got to sit at her station and get his feathers brushed out! Needless to say, all 4 of us Cheerleaders had a great time!

Cat and I with my very own grandpop, also known as "Pops-D"

My agenda for this weekend includes teaching my usual dance classes, studying for upcoming exams, and best of all- dog-sitting for my cousin Ayva! She has an absolutely adorable “Bichon-poo” puppy! So when Ayva asked if I could watch her for the weekend while she went away, I was more than willing to help her out. If you didn’t already know, I’m an absolute dog lover! As a matter of fact, she is laying on my lap as I write this blog- how cute! And speaking of dogs, I don’t think I have ever introduced my own pup to all of you! I have an adorable, friendly and cuddly 1-year old golden retriever named Bella Mae. I’ll share with you photos of both Ayva’s puppy and Bella Mae!

Bella Mae laying in the snow this past winter!

Chloe getting ready for bed!

Before I leave this blog, I wanted to take a moment to remember an amazing woman who passed away this past Sunday. Barbara McKissick was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and friend who touched many lives. Her smile was contagious and her love for her family was truly inspiring. Mrs. McKissick- you will be greatly missed!

A beautiful woman both inside and out

Well Eagles fans, that’s all for now!

GO EAGLES!

Xo,

Arielle

Arielle: First time on the Field!

Hey Eagles Fans!

First and foremost I apologize for not blogging in the last couple of weeks. I’ve been extremely busy practicing routines, working, catching up with old friends and getting ready for the fall semester! But I had to take a break today and take the time to update you on my life- both on and off the field!

My very first time on the Lincoln Financial Field!

To begin, last Thursday I stepped onto the Lincoln Financial Field as a Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader for the very first time! I find it nearly impossible to explain the feeling of being in front of the best fans in the world and cheering on the greatest team in the NFL! I was definitely nervous, but as soon as I stepped onto the field, I was overwhelmed by the energy of the fans! I instantly began having a blast! It was so exciting being on the field and cheering on our team! At halftime, all I could think about was how fast time was flying! Before I knew it, the game was over and I had survived my first game as an Eagles Cheerleader! The next day, I was already looking forward to our next preseason game. But just because one game is complete doesn’t mean the practicing ends. The whole squad continues to work harder than ever to prepare ourselves for each and every game! That means attending rehearsals, practicing on our own time, and finding time for the gym! However, I must say, all of the hard work is definitely worth it!

My two best friends from New York, Susie and Brett, attended my first game and I’m so glad they did! They both had a blast visiting the Lincoln Financial Field for the very first time. After the game, we took a trip up to my family’s mountain house and enjoyed the weekend relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. While we were there, our friend T.J. met us at the house and the four of us had a blast laughing and catching up on each other’s lives. It’s always so refreshing being with my best friends again!

When we arrived at the mountains, we spent our first night sitting by the campfire, sharing stories, signing campfire songs, and roasting marshmallows. When we woke up, we made our way to the lake to enjoy some relaxation time. Although- I’ve never been good at “relaxing,” so instead of laying on the beach, I made a picture on the sand out of rocks and pebbles. I took a picture of my masterpiece to share with you all!

After the beach, we made our way to the “5-mile-road” which is a hiking trail near our house where you can collect firewood, look at beautiful flowers, and best of all, pick blueberries! It took some time to find the blueberry bushes, but eventually, we found them! We spent all day picking blueberries and collecting firewood! As Brett and T.J. became bored by the blueberry bushes, my friend Susie and I were determined to get every single blueberry off of the one tree. I must say- we were pretty close to succeeding! By the end of the day, we (Susie and I) had picked a ton of blueberries and made delicious blueberry pancakes in the morning! Of course we had plenty left over, so we kept them as a healthy snack! Unfortunately, it rained that night, so all of our collected firewood became useless! But no worries, we made fun out of the night by cooking a healthy dinner together and playing fun board games! Before I leave this blog, I wanted to share a few more pictures from my weekend!

Brett, T.J., Susie and I at the lake! (Notice Brett rockin' the Eagles shirt!)

Picking blueberries!

Well Eagles Fans, that’s all for this week! I hope everyone is super excited for this season- I sure am! Tonight’s game starts soon and I can’t miss it, so I’m out of here! I can’t wait! E-A-G-L-E-S…EAGLES!!!

Xo,

Arielle

Beach days!

Hey Eagles Fans!

I hope everyone had a great week! Today at 2 o’clock, my family and I made a spontaneous decision to take a trip to Belmar to catch the last few hours of the sun. An ordinary Saturday quickly turned into a fun beach day involving relaxing on the beach, swimming in the ocean, reading my book and watching the sunset. We arrived on the beach at 3pm and didn’t leave until 9pm! In my opinion, it’s never too late to be on the beach-I love it when the sun goes down and the cool breeze comes in. When the sun was still out, my little sister and I went out in the ocean to jump the waves! The water was absolutely beautiful and we had so much fun! As the sun went down, I sat on my beach chair reading my latest summer book, “Firefly Lane” by Kristen Hannah. As I have mentioned before, reading a book on the beach is one of my favorite things to do! The sound of the ocean makes everything so relaxing! I decided to sport my new Eagles bathing suit to the beach today and took some pictures to share with you guys…

Showing off my Eagles bathing suit!

Reading my book on the beach during the sunset!

Well Eagles fans, I’m going to cut it short this week and head to bed! Have a great week everyone!

GO EAGLES!

Xo,

Arielle

Arielle: Our Mountain Adventure!

Hey Eagles Fans!

This past weekend I was reminded of why I love summer so much. My boyfriend Andrew and I took a trip to the pocono mountains to take part in a “couples retreat” with a few of Andrew’s friends from college. Ironically, the cabin they rented out happened to be only 15 minutes from my family’s mountain cabin. I’ve grown up taking trips to the mountains every summer with my family and I have to admit- I’m definitely a mountain girl. I love going up to the peaceful and relaxing setting, sitting by the fire, swimming in the lake, adventuring through the woods and sitting by the waterfalls. Andrew and I enjoyed Friday and Saturday in the rented cabin with Andrews friends, and on Sunday morning, we made our way over to my family’s cabin where we joined my parents and sister for breakfast and lunch.

Standing in front of the beautiful waterfall!

On Saturday, we all left the cabin and went exploring through the woods. We made our way down the mountain where we found a creek and followed it upstream which led us to a beautiful waterfall. There we spent some time relaxing near the water and listening to the beautiful sound of the falls. Since the water was shallow, we walked through the water and stood right underneath of the waterfall! It was definitely adventurous and lots of fun! However, soon after we left the waterfall, my flipflop got caught on a rock and completely broke! I started walking with just one flipflop on, but it was tough considering there was barely a path we were following. We were walking over rocks, plants, slippery moss and fallen trees- in other words, it was no place to be walking barefoot. So Andrew came to the rescue and put his mountain survival skills to work- he found a string on the ground and managed to tie it around my flipflop in such a way that I could wear it again. And luckily, the fixed flipflop got me back up the mountain. My lesson learned- wear sneakers when you go out hiking! When we reached the cabin, we were all exhausted! Andrew made a great dinner and we ended the night by sitting around the campfire!

Andrew and I after our hiking adventure!

The next morning, after everyone packed up and checked out of the rented cottage, Andrew and I made our way over to my family’s cabin. It just so happened my parents and sister had spent the weekend there! My dad made us a great breakfast and after that, we took part in a bunch of mountain activities. We took the bb guns out of the shed and took turns trying the hit the cans we had setup in the woods. And honestly- my little 9-year-old sister hit more cans than Andrew and I combined! We couldn’t believe it! After that, Andrew and I took my little sister Mayah out for some frog catching! Although we spotted about 5 frogs, we only managed to catch 1 and Mayah named him Thomas. Soon after we caught him, we threw him back into the creek and headed back to the cabin. Once we were back, Andrew helped my dad cut up some firewood from a fallen tree while Mayah and I laid on the hammock. After some board games on the deck, and a walk to the lake, my parents cooked a delicious lunch and then Andrew and I were on the road headed for home.

My sister holding Thomas the frog!

During the three-hour car ride, we stopped at the one and only Johnny’s Hot Dog in Buttsville, NJ. It’s always been a tradition in the family to make a stop at Johnny’s on the way to or from the mountains. However, since Andrew and I had just ate dinner, we decided to stick with getting milkshakes this time- instead of hotdogs. We made it home around 8pm and I was already looking forward to our next trip up!

This week we have another rehearsal with Suzy and I can’t wait! I’m trying my best to stay in shape for rehearsals by making my way to dance classes during the week at my family’s dance studio.

That’s all for this week! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer as much as I am! Until next time- GO EAGLES!

Xo,

Arielle

Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back!

Hi Eagles Fans!

I’m so excited to update you all this week, because this weekend was a very special weekend for my family and I. Each year, my family raises money all year long to raise money for the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life.” For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Relay for Life is a 24-hour relay where teams raise money year long, and come together during the last weekend in June to celebrate those who’ve survived cancer and remember those who’ve lost their battle. The idea is to have at least one person from your team on the track at all times for the entire 24 hours, symbolizing the constant attempt to fight back cancer and “walking together until we find a cure”. It’s an emotional, exciting and rewarding experience that I look forward to each year.

My Aunt Norene! A proud cancer survivor!

Every year, I relay in memory of my grandmom, Judy Dekoyer. She was an amazing, high-spirited woman who taught me so much during the short time I knew her. She lost her battle to cancer when I was 10 years old, but her memory and presence will always be with my family. I also relay in honor of my Aunt Norene, who survived cancer 4 years ago, and now proudly walks the track each year cancer free! I also walk in honor of my good friend, Jeff Gorti, who had cancer as a child and overcame his battle. Today, he walks the track as a 16-year old survivor! Although we are still working to find a cure, I’m so thankful for the scientific advancements that occur each year that lead us closer to the cure. Thanks to these scientific advancements- such as chemotherapy and early detection, some of our loved ones remain with us today as proud cancer survivors.

At relay, all of the cancer survivors wear purple shirts that are given to them prior to relay. On the back, the t-shirts read “I’m living proof!” During relay, we do a “survivor lap,” where all of the survivors and their caregivers take a lap together on the track. It’s amazing to see how many people were able to overcome this horrible disease. This lap is definitely one of my favorite parts of the relay!

Luminary bag for my grandmom- Judy Dekoyer

At night, all of the participants come together for the luminary ceremony which is the time dedicated to honoring and remembering all of those affected by cancer. A slideshow presentation is projected onto a big screen listing the names of everyone’s loved ones who either lost their battle to cancer, or survived it. The track is lined in paper bags filled with sand and one tea light- each bag has a different name. It’s certainly an emotional hour of relay- realizing just how many families have been affected by cancer in more ways than just one is really unbelievable.

Walking the track with my little brother and sister!

Although I only got about 3 hours of sleep in this year, relay turned out to be a wonderful success! At the end of the 24-hours, all of the exhausted participants turned in their final fundraising money to the committee to be totaled and handed to the American Cancer Society. Our family was able to turn in $4,500 this year! In my next blog, I will get back to you with this year’s grand total. Our family’s team will begin fundraising for next year very shortly and I’m already looking forward to Relay 2012!

I can’t leave this blog without giving you a short update on my mini-vacation I had earlier this week. My Aunt Maria owns and place in Wildwood, NJ, and my family got together to spend time down the shore. It was so much fun spending the nights with my cousins on the boardwalk and spending the gorgeous days on the beach! I can’t wait for our next visit! I also have to give a quick shout-out to my friends on Morey’s Pier, we had a blast playing the games and riding the rides!

Well Eagles fans, that’s all for this week! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! Talk to you all next week!

Xo,

Arielle

Hey Eagles Fans!

My dad and I on Father's Day!

I hope all of you father’s out there had a wonderful father’s day! This year for father’s day, my family got together at my house for a nice cookout. For the special occasion, we cooked blue shelled crabs- our family’s favorite summer meal! All of my aunts, uncles and cousins came over to celebrate all of the wonderful father’s in our family. I got my dad a nice Eagles T-shirt this year that reads “Eagles Greatest Dad”- he absolutely loved it! We had a great day relaxing in the nice weather and spending time with family- we ended up spending all afternoon and night together enjoying each others company! As a matter of fact, as I write this at 11:00pm , I’m sitting outside on the picnic table watching my Uncle Jeff and neighbor Joe arm wrestle- it ended in a tie but gave us all a good laugh!  I took a lot of pictures today to share with all of you- enjoy!

Cooking the crabs!

My cousin Ayva- former Eagles Cheerleader!

Some of us enjoying the delicious crabs! Definitely one of my favorite foods!

Before father’s day, the dance studio I work at held our annual dance recital! All of my students performed beautifully and did a wonderful job! I was so proud of each and every one of them! All year long, we work hard putting together a routine for their final performance. I teach mainly tap- and I always look forward to my weekly classes! All of my students improved tremendously this year and I am beyond proud! I’m already looking forward to teaching them again next season!

My little sister getting ready to perform onstage! She's also one of my tap students in my Tap II class!

Me with my advanced tap class showing off our tap shoes during our last rehearsal!

Well Eagles fans- that’s all for this week! I hope you enjoyed reading! I have a busy week coming up that I can’t wait to share with all of you! Every year, my family and I take part in a 24-hour relay called “Relay for Life.” Our team works together year long to raise money for cancer, and the 2011 relay is already here! We will be walking to fight cancer next Saturday at 11:00am until 11:00am Sunday. It’s a great event that I’m really looking forward to- I’ll make sure to tell you guys all about it! Once again- Happy Father’s Day to all of the Dad’s and have a great week!

Xo,

Arielle

Time for Celebration!

Hey Eagles Fans!

I hope everyone had a great week! Although I did not enjoy the thunderstorms, I had an awesome week full of amazing appearances, some of which including the “Eagles Fly for Leukemia 27^th Annual Golf Classic” and an event called “Camp Out for Kids Cancer” which took place right at the Lincoln Financial Field! The opportunities that come along with being an Eagles Cheerleader are absolutely amazing! Already, I’ve met so many amazing people while enjoying my time appearing out in the community. The “Camp Out for Kids Cancer” event worked in conjunction with Alex’s Lemonade Stand and I got the opportunity to talk with Alex’s mom! This year happened to be the very first “camp out” and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to be a part of it!

Brendan, Andrew and I overlooking the Delaware River!

This past week, when I wasn’t found in uniform, I was celebrating my boyfriend’s brother’s graduation from Arizona State University! Brendan graduated with a degree in political science and has plans to attend law school this coming fall. He got accepted into several amazing law schools including Syracuse, Michigan State, West Virginia University, Gonzaga, Villanova, Marquette and Miami. He recently made his final decision to attend the prestigious University of Miami- and to be honest, I can’t wait to pay him some visits next year! His graduation was held at a beautiful, historic mansion right on the Delaware River. The party was wonderful and all of his friends and family had a great time celebrating! Everyone is very proud of him for all of his hard work over the past years!

My two summer readings so far!

In my last blog, I had mentioned I was on a search for some new summer books! Well, I happened to finish the book “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini and I’m on to my next, which is “Night Road” by Kristin Hannah. I had been wanting to read “The Kite Runner” for a long time now, and finally had the time to read it. It was an amazing story and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading! My aunt recommended the second book, “Night Road,” and let me borrow her copy; I’m already halfway through it and so far it’s great!

For any HBO fans out there, and are familiar with the series “True Blood,” I’ve become a huge fan! My boyfriend and I are catching up on episodes so we can be ready for the Season 4 which begins June 26th! I’ve never been a huge fan of T.V, and I’ve actually never followed a series before, so this is new for me. For some reason, this show has me hooked!

Also, for those of you who don’t know, I work part time as a dance instructor and this coming week is my dance studio’s annual recital! Right now, I’m busy preparing for the recital and making sure my students are ready for their performance! I can’t wait to tell you about how the recital turns out and share some photos with you!

Well Eagles fans, I’m out of here! I can’t wait to update you again next week! Have a great week!

Xo,

Arielle

Fun in the Sun!

Hey Eagles Fans!

I hope you all had a nice and relaxing Memorial Day weekend! I know I did! The sun was out all weekend and it was perfect weather for some cookouts and relaxing by the pool! Now that my spring semester is over, I finally have time to relax and enjoy the warm weather. Last Sunday, my family and neighbors got together for a fun Memorial Day cookout. There was plenty of delicious food including hamburgers, hotdogs, sausage and peppers, grilled chicken and plenty of salads.

My little sister and I shucking the corn! She's always making me laugh!

My neighbor actually managed to burn the chicken- but it turned out alright after he peeled all the burnt parts off! My little sister and I helped out by shucking the corn and preparing the homemade iced tea! The cookout turned out great and everyone had a great time enjoying each others company. Half-way through our meal, the kids had a water balloon fight and managed to get the parents involved. Needless to say- things got messy!

My boyfriend's dad, my boyfriend Andrew, my neighbor Joe and I enjoying a delicious meal!

On Memorial Day, my parent’s dance studio received the opportunity to dance in our local Memorial Day Parade! Besides the weather being brutally hot, the dancer’s had a great time performing down the parade route!  I teach part-time at the dance studio, so some of the dancer’s were my own students, and I was very proud of their performance! After the parade, we invited all of the exhausted dancer’s back to our house for breakfast and some cooling off!

Some of our dancer's and I after the parade!

But anyway, at the end of the day, my boyfriend and I attended our friends graduation party- which was a lot of fun! Once again, I got to enjoy time with friends and family and of course- great food! Overall.. I would definitely say I had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

After a relaxing break, I have a busy week coming up filled with appearances and rehearsal’s- but I can’t wait to get back in action!

Also, I have a newfound interest- ZUMBA! I took my first Zumba class last week at my dance studio and I absolutely fell in love! I know for sure that Zumba classes will be a part of my summer workouts, along with trips to Bally’s Total Fitness of course!

I’m also on a search for a good summer reading! I’ll let you know what I choose, and better yet, how the book turns out! I love summer because I finally get enough downtime for recreational reading!  Reading on the beach is one of my favorite things to do- I can’t wait!

Well Eagles Fans- that’s all for now! I can’t wait to check in again next time! Try to stay cool!

GO EAGLES!

Xo,

Arielle

The Start of a Great Year!

Hey Eagles Fans!

My name is Arielle and this is my first year on the squad! I am beyond excited to begin blogging with you and giving you all an inside scoop on my everyday life! We have a lot of catching up to do, being that this is my first blog! To begin, I cannot express how excited and honored I am to be a part of the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders. I have only been a part of the squad for one month now, and I already know it is going to be an amazing year full of amazing experiences and great friendships. With only one month down, I have already had so many new experiences including the Trading Card Photo shoot, the Draft Party appearance, meetings and rehearsals. But before we get to that, I’d love to fill you in on my audition experience.

I made the decision to audition when I moved home from NYC last year. When I was little, my dance instructor’s sister was an Eagles Cheerleader and I just thought that was the coolest thing ever! I have always kept the idea in the back of my mind, and when I moved home last year, I thought I’d go for it! (and I’m so glad it did!). With 2 pre-audition workshops, the open-call, semi-finals, and finals, the audition process wasn’t an easy one- to say the least. I went to the open-call with around 400 other

My brother and I after the Final Audition Show. He is certainly my #1 fan!

girls, and honestly, it was very intimidating. But once I made it through to semi-finals, I knew this was a reachable goal and I had to give it my all if I really wanted to make the squad. Once I made it through semi-finals, I couldn’t wait to perform in the 2011 Final Audition Show at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre. I spent the whole month preparing, which included endless hours in different malls searching for the right swimwear, workout wear and evening wear outfits. When the show finally rolled around, I was so eager to get up on that stage and compete. I had a lot of support in the audience including my mom, dad, brother, my cousin and her boyfriend, and a surprise visit from my boyfriend! (I didn’t know he was there until after the show!) They came with a big sign and cheered me on every time I was up on stage. I couldn’t thank them enough for all of the support! When I woke up the next morning and found out I made the squad, I was beyond excited. To be honest, I can’t really explain the emotions that were rushing through my head. I just knew that I had an amazing year ahead of me!

At the 2011 Draft Party, the rookies performed a cheer for the first time together!

However, there wasn’t too much time to celebrate because we jumped right into meetings, rehearsals, and our first appearance to start off the 2011 season! The Draft Party appearance was a blast and it was an amazing feeling to perform as a part the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleading Squad. For the rookies, it was our very first time in uniform, and I think I can speak for all of us when I say, we were VERY excited putting on the Vera Wang summer uniform. After performing with the 2011 squad, we spent the night greeting guests, taking pictures and signing autographs. To sum it up, my first appearance as an Eagles Cheerleader was amazing and most certainly unforgettable.

Up next on the agenda was a trip to the Joseph Anthony Retreat Spa and Salon for the 2011 Trading Card Shoot! When I arrived, I jumped right into hair and makeup. It was so fun getting my hair and makeup professionally done by the salon’s amazing staff! When it came time for my photo shoot, I was definitely a little nervous, but more so, very excited! Being up there with the fan blowing and directions coming in left and right from the photographer and Barbara, I felt like a superstar! It was my first photo shoot ever, and thanks to all of the  incredible staff involved, it was definitely a memorable one! Later that week I picked my photo and I can’t wait for it to be posted on the Eagles website for all of you to see!

Finally, last Wednesday we had our first dance rehearsal with our choreographer, Suzy Zucker. I couldn’t wait to rehearse with the squad, but I knew I had give 110% throughout the entire 3 hour rehearsal. She worked mainly on technique and ended the rehearsal working on dance routines. The class wasn’t easy, but I love a challenge and I can’t wait for our next rehearsal!

Well Eagles fans, I think I covered everything as far as my journey to becoming an Eagles Cheerleader! I can’t wait to continue my blogging so that you can all get to know me even better! Next time, I’ll stray away from Eagles experiences and let you know what’s going on in my personal life. Hopefully the weather will clear up soon so I can fit in some beach trips! I’ll talk to you guys soon!!

GO EAGLES!

Xo,

Arielle