Kylan's House Party

 After graduation we all headed out to Jaime and Brad's place for lunch and the afternoon!!

Lunch was served and it was great!!  But the cake was even better!!  YUM!

And of course we took all the mandatory graduation pictures!

Enjoying the cake and punch!

It's always fun to get an updated cousin picture!

The cousins were all downstairs playing a game so I snuck down and snapped a couple of pictures!  This is Brad's daughter Shannon and her husband Robby from New York - we so enjoyed meeting him and catching up with Shannon!

A perfect graduation day!!  And the fun continues.......

Kylan's Graduation

 Kylan's graduation day dawned cool but sunny!!  For a while there, we all thought they may have to move it inside due to a rainy forescast (which meant each graduate only got 6 tickets so none of us would be going, just watching it online) but the school made the decision to have it outside and it was a GREAT decision!

We all brought our camp chairs and set up in the grass - we did wear coats most of the time as it was chilly but the sun was bright so it was a wonderful service!

The graduates marched in while the band played!

Kylan receiving his diploma!

The graduates are all ready to move their tassels on their caps!

One smiling graduate with beautiful Pikes Peak in the distance!

And a picture of a few of us as we were all heading to our cars!

Onward to Jaime and Brad's house for lunch and the afternoon!

Family Time Before Graduation

 The day before graduation, Jessi's and Jill's family arrived along with Gale and Kris from Iowa - they had booked the rental through VRBO which is right across our back property - we can see the house from ours through the trees!!

Jessi got here first with Gwyn and Kenzie - Gary and Evan were on a motorcycle trip and arrived that evening.  I had Gwyn's birthday present to give her so they stopped here for a while so she could open her present!

I think she was surprised!!

Gwyn is into the jellycat soft stuffed animals!!  And Jessi had told me she really wanted this elephant so that's what we got her and she was certainly happy with it!

We visited for awhile and then I went over with her to the house to help unload and check the house out - it is really suited well with 4 bedrooms and 2 living room areas!  And of course beautiful views of Pikes Peak so all were happy with the house!

Kylan was over working on Irene's car (with Papa's help) and he had the dirtiest hands I think I've seen!

Gwyn brought a friend with her (being the youngest she NEVER has anyone to hang out with) so Jessi told her she could bring a friend!!  But since there were only so many beds in the rental, they asked if they could stay here so I had Gwyn and Jasmine for the next 4 nights!

Kylan's Capping

 A tradition at Woodland Park High School is the "Capping and Tea Ceremony"  My girls all got capped when they graduated and they still do this tradition!

The capping was held in the gym - the students who participated brought it their graduation caps and could bring up to 3 people to stand on the riser behind them and officially "cap" them!  It's a fun ceremony and we were glad to be a part of it!

The madrigals sang a song and then a slide show was shown - a picture of each graduate with some having their baby pics on it too, along with what the graduate was planning for the future!  It was very well done!

The graduates came up in groups of 5 or more and it was fun to watch the people try to get the caps put on - a lot of laughs!

After the ceremony they served drinks and cake in the lunch room and there was a great spot to take pics!

It was a great evening!

Company For Dinner

 We wanted to give Kylan his graduation gifts early - graduation day and the weekend was going to be pretty busy so this worked out best!  We had the Smith family over for a fish dinner and some of Kylans' favorite sides!

And then it was on to the opening! Since Kylan's birthday was also coming up, (May 25) we had him open his birthday card!

Next up was graduation gifts - I did the same thing I did for Evan last year which is a little box called "The College Survivial Box" and there are preprinted cards inside with places for money or a gift card!  Think "When You're Hungry For A Snack" and I put a DQ gift card or "When you need gas money" and I put in cash.  It's a cute box and a great way to give the kids the money you want to give them, but in a different way!

And last but not least, the scrapbook of Kylan's professional pics all throughout his life!  He loved it!

The guys moved downstairs to play pool and the girls stayed up and I taught them to play Swoop, our new favorite card game!  Kylan picked strawberry/rhubarb crisp for dessert and it was delicious!

Mothers Day

 It was great to see the Savages!!  Aleah had a tournament that weekend and had already played 3 softball games before I even got there!  But after showering, she was excited to play cards!  I had bought 4 new decks of cards so we could play a new card game I had learned in Baja, Swoop!  It's a fairly easy game but a lot of fun and we even got Robby to join in during the time I was there!

Jill had asked me what kind of dessert I wanted and I told her chocolate covered strawberries!!!  We made them late afternoon so we could enjoy them that evening and the next day - they were delicious!!

Mothers Day was a beautiful, sunshine day!!  Robby fixed us yummy omlettes and then Aleah and I left to do coffee together (we had told Jill just the two of us wanted to go together - little did she know that Aleah was shopping for her AND bringing back Jill's favorite hot chocolate from Ziggy's)  We ran to Target and Aleah got what she needed and then it was back to Ziggys so I could get coffee, Aleah could get her favorite drink and pick up Jill's drink!

Jill was surprised when we got back home and Aleah handed her the drink and gift!  

Jill had gotten me a bag of Dove chocolates and this little guy below!!  A couple years ago, we were up in Ft. Collins and all went to one of Aleahs' softball games in another town - since we were so early, Jill and I drove to a coffee place and they had the cutest little guys holding coffee cups!!  I bought 2 - and gave one to Jessi!!  I later decided I wanted another one so told Jill if they ever went back to that town, to stop and get me another one!!  Sure enough, this year Aleah had a game there and Jill got me another one - they're so darn cute!!

It was fun to see Aleah play in her ballgame - she played well and we all had a laugh when she fell unexpectedly for no reason!!  (later on, a friend sent her the video as everything is taped and we laughed and laughed!!)  

Jaime, Brad, Kylan and Irene had been up to Laramie, WY - they had closed on a mobile home for the kids since Kylan will be attending college up there - so they went up to do some cleaning and a few repairs - anyway, they were coming through and her game was right off the interstate so they stopped by!

Jaime had brought my Mothers' Day gift from the 3 girls - my annual blog book!!!  I'm always so excited to get it and I love the new format they have!!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this annual gift!!

Then it was back to the house - we played many, many games of Swoop!!  I'm glad they all love this game!!

Robby cooked an excellent meal for dinner - they had bought thick pork chops and he put them in a brine and then they were seasoned - SO SO GOOD when they were grilled!

After some more card games, we relaxed that evening before I headed out the next morning!!  It was a long, long drive by myself as traffic was bad!!  But a great time with everyone!!

Pre-Mothers' Day

 Glenn decided he wanted to go fishing at Pueblo and spend a night on the boat - and then neighbor Alan decided to join him on Saturday to fish - and yes, they caught fish and had a great time!

I was meeting a friend in Co. Springs on that Friday so decided to head on up to Denver and then to Ft. Collins as I hadn't seen the Savages' since we got back from Baja!

Carrie and I met for lunch at Texas Roadhouse in Co. Springs - because I'm on their mailing list, I got an email that said it was teachers and nurses week and if you brought your badge or ID in, you could get a free appetizer!  Carrie works as a "grandparent" in the school system in Pueblo 3 days a week so she brought her badge in and we received a bloomin' onion for free - always good!!  We split a great meal and talked and talked before she headed home and I headed to Denver!

Gwyn had softball practice late afternoon so we grabbed an early dinner and went to her practice!  All dressed and looking like a softball player!!

They had practice at a beautiful park so we brought Kona and walked around while Gwyn was at practice!  And since Kenzie had started her new job at Dunkin' Donuts, we decided to drive there and surprise her at work - here she is with her best friend who also works there!

I was surprised to find 5 teenagers working there - 1/2 of the place is a Baskin Robbins so I guess you can get ice cream along with your coffee and donuts - HA!!  Yay for great workers who are able to even close and clean up at the end of their shift!

Jessi and I ate some donut holes while Gwyn got some exotic drink that she loved!

Jessi had to work Saturday morning so Gwyn and I walked up to Starbucks to have coffee and a cold drink for Gwyn!  We packed a lunch and I had Gary drive my car to her game which was in Westminster, north Denver!!  (a LONG ways for a game but it was nice for me since I was headed to Ft. Collins afterwards!)

This field wasn't near as nice as where they had practice - Jessi met us there just as the game started!  Gwyn played great and even had a few hits!

It was pretty warm sitting there but sure fun to see her play!!

Jessi had given me a bag of Dark Chocolate Bark which is SO GOOD and of course I left it in the car for the game!!  When I was ready to leave, I put it in the front seat so I could munch on it on the way north but when I opened it, it was a melted mess - DARN!!!  No choclate for me till I got to Jill's house and put it in the frig to firm up!!  

After our goodbyes, I headed to Ft. Collins - traffic wasn't too bad so I made good time!!