Mother's Day Love

Just a little post to celebrate my wonderful mom!

Thank you for everything you do for me.

I love you, Mom!  

A Tiny Break and a Too-Short Visit

Friday night, Kira, Dad, and I stayed up way too late visiting, but I am so grateful for that visit.  It was really fun.  We just chatted about anything and everything.  Dad and I shared how we both have come to love Cedar after spending our college years there.  Dad told us about his love for Grandpa's house in Hatch, and Kira and I shared our feelings about it.  It's always been just a relaxing vacation escape for me, where you don't have to worry about anything, except perhaps when Mom will get back with the latest installment of Harry Potter!  It was also fun for me to talk computers with Dad and feel like I actually knew a little bit about what we were talking about.

Saturday after Peter's graduation, while my dad was still out here, he, Kira, and I met Grandpa up in Hatch.  We always enjoy Hatch, and we always enjoy visiting with Grandpa, so it was a lot of fun.  We were listening to Grandpa tell stories, and I found my Family History Consultant calling influencing me, so I pulled out my phone and set it to record him.  At some point either my sister or I will transcribe what he said so we can post it to FamilySearch. 

 Remembering our discussion from the night before, Kira and I also took pictures of the Hatch house so we would have a record of it as it looks right now, since it still looks pretty much as it did when Grandpa's mom lived there.  I'll let Kira and Dad share more of them if they like, but I wanted to share this one.  Grandpa made this little table when he was in high school!

On our way out of town, we stopped to take some pictures of Turek grave stones in the cemetery.  Again, we'll be uploading these to Family Search in connection with the people whose names are on them.

When we came down off the mountain, we had a little picnic with Peter's family.  We ate burgers and hot dogs, took pictures, and played a game. 

I think this picture of Kira and me is just too fun!  It's one of my classic self portraits (I was taking them before anybody even heard the word 'selfie'). 

Of course, I also found the swings.

We played a game with Peter's family where you throw a small ball, then each team tries to throw their four balls closer so they land closer to the small ball than the other team's.  (Dad's description is better; once he posts it, I'll link to it here)

Peter and I then had to do a little packing.  Later that evening, we met back up with Peter's family for some pizza and ice cream.  And my Dad's visit wouldn't be complete if we didn't belt songs from Frozen in the car, and since we had to drive over to Paul and Kylie's house anyway...

Sunday, Peter and I sang a duet, "Who Is This Man?", in church, with Sister Whittaker playing for us.  The Whittakers became Peter's other grandparents his first year of college, so I'm glad he got to give her another hug before leaving.

We were so glad Dad came to visit, and we were very sad that Mom couldn't come.  I was also very sad for Dad to leave the next day, and I wasn't quite sure I was ready for Peter's and my next adventure.  But Peter started his job and I started my internship that Monday, so Sunday afternoon, we packed up our car and drove up north to start that adventure, ready or not.  

Here goes nuthin'.

A Birthday Graduation

Last week was very big for Peter.  He had a birthday and graduated college!

 I know he loves strawberries, so I made this cake for him.  It's white cake with sweetened condensed milk poured over it, topped with strawberries followed by cool whip.  It had to sit in the fridge overnight, so I made it the day before.  Unfortunately, I was making it right before I had to go pick him up from work, and it was too hot still to put in the fridge before I went to get him.  I went straight from picking him up to going over to the school to work on an assignment, so he had to put it in the fridge.  There went my surprise...Oh, well.  It still tasted good.

For his birthday, he got an polo from SUU and an SUU bumper sticker.  I made him let me take pictures while he opened his present.

The next day was graduation!  His parents, my dad, my sister, and my grandpa came to see him graduate.  It was also Paul's graduation from the Master's of Accountancy program, so he and Kylie were there, too.  The first part of graduation is the processional.  The grads line up on the Eastern side of the clock tower and walk underneath it then into the Colosseum.  This is part of a new tradition started a couple years ago, where freshman process underneath the clock tower going the opposite direction, then avoid going underneath it during the rest of their time at school until they graduate.

Peter managed to sit on the same side of the Colosseum as us!  

Kira pointed out that this guy (Peter actually knows his name, but I don't) looks like he's going to whack any of the graduates that get out of line with this ceremonial mace he is holding.

This is a terrible picture taken on my phone, but this is Ann Romney.  She was the Commencement speaker this year, and she gave a great talk!

Between Commencement and Peter's Convocation, we had dinner at the All American Diner, which is a little Mom-and-Pop place Peter and I discovered this last semester.  We were excited to share our discovery with our family.  When we first came in, "Let it Go" started playing over the sound system, which caused several of us great delight.

Then we had Convocation with the School of Business, where the graduates walked across the stage and picked up their diploma holders.  Actual diplomas are supposed to be mailed sometime this summer.

Now that he has a college degree and is qualified to, he's contemplating the great philosophies of life.

Or maybe he's just bored.

 Picture with the School of Business Sign.

There was a little meet and greet with the professors in the Rotunda after Convocation.

 Then we decided to get a jumping picture with the Congratulations! sign.

Paul's landing was just so lovely!

Pictures with Family

Having some fun!

So proud of my graduate!!!