Graduation 2012

It rained yesterday so graduation was held inside the gym with a video stream into the worship and fine arts center.  It worked out fine because this is a smaller than usual class, twenty less kids and families makes a difference.  Max, Kassie and classmates were getting ready to line up as my folks arrived.

The guys with Mr. Thomas before graduation.  They were in deep conversation before I came to take a pic.

Max and Austin, church, football,and and dirt bike buddies .

Max and Kassie after graduation.

Curt, Drew congratulating Max and Collin..

Max and Chad.  Enough said!

 Max and Kassie with Jesse, who still hasn't forgiven me because I wouldn't let Max go to Bellingham one night when they were sophomores and who I never allowed to come to our house anytime in December because he always had to touch my eddie bauer snow globe collection and I just knew he was going to break one but we're still friends I think and he's family because Max and Jesse had the same great great grandparents.  Love Jesse and I'm going to miss him giving me grief!  Maybe.

Jesse's Dad jumped in for a photo too.

It was great to see the grads so happy and ready for the next step in their lives.  The graduates' plans  are announced as they receive their diplomas and I love to hear where they are going next.  Their families and the school have prepared them well and I'm sure they'll all make a difference in the world.

Congratulations Class of 2012!

Max's Graduation Party

It takes a village to bring up our children and last night the village came to our house to celebrate Max.

Max's high school graduation party was last night.

It was a successful party because...

it didn't rain,

family and friends who love Max were there,

we had enough food, whew,

ShellaFlora did the flowers and they were stunning,

Hubby took the week off from work, 

we have a successful grad,

there was tons of reminiscing and laughing,

Aunt Jodi came in the morning and wrapped 10 cans of water chestnuts with bacon which saved my bacon,

Max's Uncle John, Aunt Cherie and Aunt Laura drove for hours to be at his party,

Karen baked Max's most favorite almond cookies,

Elea offered to take my camera and get some shots, thank goodness or there wouldn't have been any pics,

Max's Mama didn't fall over,

Grandpa and Grandma from George came and spent the day,

there were tons of one biter brownies leftover which makes the Grad very happy, I assumed everyone ate a dozen because the Grad did while I was baking them,

there was a hen house and a dads' beer garden,

and mostly importantly...

the Grad was very, very happy!

Graduation Week

It's grad week.  It's here.  We have two graduations this week, Max from Lynden Christian High School and my niece, Katie from Lynden High School.  So many parties!  A lot of cake to eat, graduates to celebrate and good times to be had... It's a fun week and I plan to enjoy it to the MAX!

Many parties to go to and... one to give.  

I have lists and am actually starting to look at them.  :)

Hubby and I are doing the BIG shop today. I've been baking brownie bites, creating a bunting, and cleaning and cleaning and cleaning.

Hubby and Max have been doing yard work.  We need it to stop raining STAT so they can finish.

Hubby waxed the floors.  God bless him and his knees.

Nothing like a party at our house to get us in high gear.  Otherwise we  sluff  along with what I refer to as

"false clean".  You know, where things are put away but really everything is dusty, grimy and needs attention.  Oh, you don't have that at your house?  Well, aren't you something?

I better get busy, I can see dust from here...

Spinners for Our Grad

Last week I mentioned a small project that was ongoing in the laundry room.  It worked out well to quickly start a load, flip a load and work on the project.  

Max does not have a baby book and is scarred however; as of last night he does have two 7 gypsy spinners.  I got my spinner for my birthday several many years ago and then Jerrie gave me her spinner last Fall.  I had two spinners, photo sleeves and card holder tabs.  

I loved the spinners but never did anything with them.  I felt that if I did something with them it should be something fantastic because they were so cool and we got them at TOM(treasury of memories) before it closed and boy howdy, weren't those the scrapin' days?  Intimidating stuff.  I think Jerrie felt the same way.

The spinners had to be used to their full potential!

Now the spinners are centerpieces for Max's graduation party.  

Obviously, I couldn't very well start the baby book at this point.  Too late!

So, I put a new spin on the baby book.  Pun intended.

 I used wallet sized school pictures and cropped snapshots.  I used some things such as old ASB cards, Fair passes, tags from all the Vans he wore.  Max has been wearing the same shoe style, a grey and black slip-on Vans since seventh grade, it's his signature look or something.  
I added some embellishments.  

But not too many cuz guys don't embellish.  I did some embellishing for Becky... miss you miss becky.

 Nothing is in chronological order because nothing is in chronological order in the ginormous rubber maid storage that all photos get dumped in at our house.  I like to think of it as being  fun random scrapping.

Holly and Kathi came over last night to stitch and scrap.  I needed a block of time to get it finished.  They were very encouraging.  I just have to order a few more wallet photos and Max's "book" will be finished.

I just checked 7 gypsies site and if you want to make a spinner they are available online at 

7 gypsies website. And here I thought I had the last two in the whole world.  Sheesh.

Glad Grads

It was such a nice ceremony at LCHS last evening. An excellent speaker, good, good kids, proud families, beautiful music and just a sense of the glory being given to God. Some of the grads sang, 'When Peace Like a River', I would not have thought of that as a graduation song but it was so beautiful. Some light hearted moments and some serious. Their class gift was to Relay for Life in Curt De Haan's name, a teacher and classmate, Jason's Dad, Curt is fighting a battle with cancer now. One hundred and four kids ready to change the world!

8th Grade Graduation

Last night was Max's 8th grade graduation. First photo is of Max and Jaz, the class speakers.

Classmates looking handsome.

Max and Tess. Next year Tess will be a sophmore and she tells me she can keep an eye on Max in high school. Tess is a family friend and I'm sure she'll try but I think I'm a bit scared...I hope LCHS is ready for Max.