Our first high school graduate!

I can't believe I just typed those words! It seems so unreal to say I have a child in college now. 

I do not feel old......

I do not feel old......

I do not feel old......

 I believe if I keep saying those words over and over, I will stay young FOREVER!

Graduation Day

May 18, 2014

When I graduated(just a few few years ago), it was on a Friday night. Since then, they have changed it to a Sunday. It made for one busy day. We went to church that morning, grabbed a bite to eat before heading to claim our seats. We arrived an hour and a half early and there was already a line forming. Once they opened the doors, it was like Black Friday. Everyone rushing to get the best deal! Of course, it was seats we were after and it didn't involve pushing, fighting or any gun fire! We had a large group with us since Griffin and my nephew were both graduating. We finally found several seats on the far left side of the auditorium which is where Griffin told us to sit.

The class of 2014

 

After all the pictures were taken and the seats were filled, the ceremony began. I thought we had chosen pretty good seats until the graduates started walking down the aisle. We had to stand on our seats just to see him walk in. My nephew walked in on the opposite side of the room. We completely missed a good photo opportunity of them walking into the room. With over 100 hundred graduates, were bound to miss a few.

After a few speakers, it was diploma time!

 Way to go Griffin!

I was doing really good holding it together until we got to the rose ceremony! I knew from my graduation and many others from ACA  that this part was something very emotional but also very special! As soon as the music hit and the lights dimmed, I could not hold back the tears any longer. For those of you who have never attended an ACA graduation, let me explain  the rose ceremony. They dim the lights and start playing  a song chosen by the senior class. The song seems like the saddest song ever during that moment! Once the song starts, a rush of memories from the time you hold your child for the first time to that moment begin to flood your mind. Your child brings you(the mother) a rose. As you hug your child, in that brief moment, the feeling of never wanting to let go overwhelms you! 

Here are pictures my sister captured during this brief moment.

Even though you can't see my face, I am bawling in the picture above!

 

My brother in law captured this photo of my nephew and his mom. It is a view from the other angle.

It is my favorite part of graduation!

The graduates gather to the stage for one last moment together before it ends.

Here is the bunch(minus a few) that came to support Griffin and Michael.

We took a few several more pictures before we rushed back to evening worship. It was so crowded inside and hot outside that I didn't get any individual pictures with my side of the family. Just the group picture above.

After evening worship, we had a celebration party for Michael and Griffin.

I will save that for another post!

Brains, beating and bowels......oh my!

We are almost done with our Science book. 

We have really enjoyed learning more about how our body works. I think the girls have enjoyed the experiments more than anything! I just realized there have been quite a few experiments that I have not shared. I decided I would just cram them all into 1. You can probably guess by the title what we have covered in the last few lessons.

I shared our poop making experiment a while back but realized I left out our model the girls made of the digestive system.

Here is the picture that was in our book.

This is what Laney's final product looked like.

Ella spent about an hour on hers. 

She was so proud of it!

We talked about our blood, how it works and the components of blood.

We took a jar and filled it 1/4 full of plasma( karo syrup).

We added white blood cells(white jelly beans), red blood cells(fire balls) and platelets(sprinkles).

After a few days, our blood was red.

Next up was the heart. We made an edible heart showing the atrium, ventricle, veins, arteries, aorta and vena cava.

After we built it.........we ate it!

Lastly, we made a thinking cap to help us remember the lobes of the brain.

Ella had hers a little twisted in this picture!

 

Hopefully, they won't loose their  thinking cap over the summer!

Seeds and Lites Banquet

At the church we attend, there is a program for 3rd - 6th graders called Seeds and Lites. They teach the kids many skills needed in the church. Here are a few of the things they did this year.

Stuff bags with goodies for a college student.

Learn to prepare the lord supper.

Prepare and present a speech during ladies bible class.

Plan, prepare and host a Ladies tea.

Bake cookies and deliver to the elderly.

My girls really enjoyed participating this year!

At the end of the year, there is a banquet held for those who participated and for the 6th graders moving up to the youth group. We ate, kids received gifts and shared a video. Since it was the night of Mother's Day, the kids showed some love to their mothers on the video. 

I did not get a lot of pictures during the banquet. Here are my girls and their crazy friends!

All of these girls but 1 are moving up to the youth group in just a couple of weeks. To say these girls are excited would be an understatement! On the video, they captured a few of these girls(including mine) talking about what they were looking forward to by being in the youth group. They mentioned trips, activities, devos.......... and I am pretty sure boys was mentioned more than once! These girls are hilarious when put together! I can't wait to chaperone and pretend I am asleep! I am so glad these girls(the twins are new as well this year) met and have formed such a close relationship.

Here is another group of sweet and funny girls. Most nights at church, Ella hides from me just so she can stay with her friends longer. 

I am so glad that my girls have these friends that belong to great Christian families. I prayed everyday that we would make the right decision as far as which congregation to attend(there are many great choices here). By looking at how quickly my girls have formed bonds with these girls and others, I know we made the right choice!

Spring Showcase

The girls participated in a co-op this year called Fun Friday. This past Saturday the co-op put on a performance called the Spring Showcase. It was a night where family and friends could see what their children had learned over the school year. 

Ella's class acted out the book The Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle. Ella was a candle, firework and a firefly. A lot of costume changing had to happen within a few minutes.

Laney's class recited poems, jokes and readings about plants. Do you remember Hee Haw? Their performance was presented a lot like the show.

Here are the girls from Ella's class.

Laney's friend from class.

Laney took a Keepers of the Home class. They made the table decorations for the meal. They are holding them in the picture.

We have our last meeting this Friday and then we are done until next school year. We have really enjoyed getting to know new families and hanging out with the old.

Mother's Day

Here is a quick breakdown of my Mother's Day.

church

Lunch where we waited for about 45 minutes and an ambulance was called for an older lady. 

pictures outside

my mom and I

Laney was taking our picture and decided to tell us how and where to pose. 

We decided to give her a taste of her own medicine(she has been known to not like pictures and ruin a few).

Being the good mother that I am.......I became difficult.

My mom took a few of us.

Ella wanted a few of just her. These were her idea.

We decided to quit once the sweat beads started rolling down.

Inside My mom and I opened gifts.

She wanted new pictures of our family at Christmas but since I knew we were going to have professional ones made, I opted to wait until Mother's Day.

The one she is holding is an 11x14 canvas of our family.

I received a tissue flower bouquet(which Laney's Co-op class made for the Spring Showcase the night before) from Ella. I just love her thoughtfulness!

Griffin started working at a local craft store about a month ago, he has already been promoted to the frame shop. I thought  I was excited about the extra 30% off discount, but it turns out there are even better advantages!

He took our family picture(without me realizing it was gone) and framed it himself. I love it! He may just have to keep this job for his mother's benefit!

He also gave his dad and I his Senior Memory book that he had been working on all year. I had to read it later due to the possibility of  tears.

Since I am returning to school this summer, I needed school supplies. I am not talking about pencils and paper. That is so old school!

I am talking about a new laptop!

I can't say I am excited about all the studying and projects that are in my future but I am ecstatic about my present!

Along with the laptop, my family got me a bookbag. I asked where my monogram initials were.......

My lovely husband said, "They're on there.....see the SOL on the side......that stands for Sorry Old Lady!"

It's a good thing I was still on a high from my other present!

We went back to church that evening.

Seeds and Lites Banquet followed after services(will share later).

I had a wonderful Mother's Day!
I am blessed to be the mother of these three wonderful kiddos!