'Twas a cold and cloudy day, but we decided to do an impromptu picnic at O'Brien Park anyway.
Surprisingly, the chicken spots we wanted to grab lunch from (Cane's and The Chicken Shack) were CLOSED. Weird. I don't recall food places closing for Memorial Day, but Chick-fil-a WAS open, so that's where we grabbed lunch.
There was a whole lot o' squirrel action going on at the park. Evie loved it.
After lunch we took the creepy tunnel under Parker Rd (my first time, btw) and walked to the Parker cemetery. It was interesting to read headstones and to reflect on mortality. We found a couple sites of people we knew. V was fascinated by the many ornaments and decorations.
Then we strolled back to the park, again via the creepy tunnel. Mar was the only one who had actually taken the tunnel before. It was creepy because of the strange music that is piped into the tunnel 24/7/365. We wondered who makes sure the music is playing, and the purpose for it... to muffle the screams of someone getting mugged or murdered? Maybe it's solely to up the creep factor so people want to walk through it more. Regardless of it's purpose, we survived the stroll.
We played at the park for a bit...
...then it started to sprinkle a little.
We made an Evie sandwich, then said our good-byes to Tay and V (Nae wasn't feeling great, so she had stayed home).
Afterwards, Bill, Mar and I went to see Aladdin at the theater.
It was definitely a low-key celebration, but good.
Saturday, June 8
Dog Wrangling
Mar and I groomed and washed the dogs. Ugh. Not our favorite chore.
We did it after Mar got home from work, so she decided to hop in the tub with the pups, since she was still in her swimsuit and was going to shower afterwards anyway.
You go, girl.
I had to chuckle about the tank she was wearing...
It was good to git 'er done.
Sunday, June 9
Taylor's Birthday
This was a BIG one... 30!
We had JDawg copycats and lemon cake, per Tay's request.
We invited the Haynies over for dinner - they are good friends of Tay and Nae's from their time in our ward. It was fun to have extra peeps to help celebrate.
I can't believe my baby boy is 30.
Weird.
Love you, Tay!
Tuesday, June 11
Fiddler on the Roof
Through a work connection, Bill was able to get tickets to see Fiddler on the Roof. We really wanted Mar to be able to come see it with us, but she couldn't get out of work. The joys of being responsible.
There was a pre-show cocktail hour at the Hotel Teatro (we stayed there clear back here), which I was dreading a little. It turned out to be not so bad (even when we're the only peeps not sipping wine or drinking cocktails... we'll take a diet coke, thanks). We visited with another couple from Castle Rock, and although they were a bit younger than us (two kids, ages 9 and 12), we had some things in common (including the town where we live), so it was somewhat easy to keep a meaningful conversation going. We walked to the Buell Theater afterwards to see the show.
We had amazing seats and the show was fantastic. I was sitting next to a young woman who I chatted with for a good 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the show. About 15 minutes into the show, I noticed that she laughed dramatically and loudly at everything she found funny. I was a wee bit annoyed for a few minutes, but decided to focus on the show, not on her {obnoxious} laughter. After the show, we stopped to snap a quick picture by the marquee, and there she was, offering to take our picture if we would take hers in return. I realized that she was there by herself, and I felt empathy for her. From the conversation we had at the beginning of the evening I wondered if she had many friends. I know very little about her, but I felt bad at being annoyed in the first place at the fact that she was openly enjoying the show.
It was a great time with my favorite date.
Sunday, June 16
Father's Day
Seriously... the weather so far this spring/summer in CO has been cold and wet, and Father's Day was no exception.
(That, luckily, is just a Bill-made snowball of small hail, NOT an individual hail stone.)
I am not a big card person because I AM CHEAP, and cards cost an arm and a leg these days.
As I was contemplating what to do in place of a card, I saw some giant Hershey's bars, and decided to make a cover for them for Bill and Tay. That's a great card replacement, don't you think? It's edible... and CHEAPER. I thought they turned out cute. (There was some fun stuff on the back, too :)
The weather cleared up just in time to grill, although it was still chilly and wet.
Bill tried his hand at smoking T-bones, potatoes, and corn.
Yum.
It was fun to celebrate these wonderful men and all the other wonderful fathers in our lives.
We've experienced 15 long years of getting kids up and seeing them off for early morning Seminary. In the beginning, Bill would get up most days with Tay and Britt, make them breakfast, pray with them, and send them on their way. We started switching off weeks with Lex and Shi, and I think, for the most part, both of us would get up with Mar. (Let it be known that the first 3 kids would need several attempts of parental shaking and waking to get them up each day, the last 2 were much better at waking up to an alarm.) I've taught early morning Seminary the past 2 years (Bill for the past 1), so not only have I been up with Mar, I've been out the door before her. I anticipate another 2 years of teaching (possibly 3 for Bill), so it's not exactly over for us, but it feels good to know we are done with our own kids.
All 5 Seminary grads -- makes me so happy!
We snapped a few pics of Mar with the other grads in our ward.
Monday, May 20
Snow
AAAAUUURRRGGGGHHH!
It had been cold and rainy most of the day, but the rain turned to snow in the evening. Bill brought our front planters into the garage, and before hitting the hay, we spent some time shaking snow from our plants and trees. This little cold snap (the week prior had been in the 70s and 80s) could not have had worse timing. NOT what I was hoping for for graduation week.
Tuesday, May 21
Senior Awards Night
Grandma and Grandpa Syddall had flown in that day, and attended the awards night with us.
(Jason had also flown in that day, but we knew from experience -- reminder here -- that this could be long and uncomfortable, so he, Lex, and M elected to spend the evening together at home.)
Mar received a stole for highest honor - a weighted GPA above a 4.0 - and she received two cords.
She also received one of the two awards for her VPA - Visual and Performing Arts - Academy. (Each academy recognized one girl and one guy.)
Nice work, Mar!
Wednesday, May 22
Graduation Day
Mar's awesome YW leader came and put a 2019 and some balloons by our front step. Sister Nielson lives a few house down from us, and we have been so blessed to have her be a dear friend and church leader for Mauri. As Mar transitions into Relief Society, I think she will miss those wonderful women who have served her so diligently in Young Womens.
The rest of the gang drove into town in the early afternoon, then we pretty immediately met up for lunch at Red Robin. We had a fairly tight schedule, since Mar needed to be at the school by 3:15.
It was adorable to see how excited V was to see Scarlett.
I was so happy that all of Mar's sibs came to support her (and spend time with us!).
Lex and I took Mar to snap a few pics at the school before she had to load up on the bus with the band and orchestra peeps (**more about WHY at the end of this post).
We had to get a jumping pic in front of the school, and since Mar was graduating at night, we knew we needed to get it before since it would be dark (and rainy...) by the time it was over.
(Other Syddall high school grad jumping pics here and here.)
Mar took a sweater and a coat, and wore long warm tights with rain boots.
We were anticipating cold, possibly rain.
We are no strangers to rain on a graduation day, since it rained on both Britt's and Shi's, but at least they were WARM days, and we were blessed to have the rain stop during the actual ceremony both times.
This day was already cold, and we knew it would only get colder as the sun went down. I was hoping and praying for the rain to stay away, though.
Grandma and Grandpa G showed up just in time to unload, get dressed, and go with Bill and me to Red Rocks to save seats for the graduation. We, too, prepared for the cold and possible rain. Since we were told umbrellas were not permitted, Bill had run around looking for rain ponchos that day, luckily securing a few. We debated about whether to leave the littles home with a babysitter or to take them. After much discussion, we decided just to take them, but advised the parents to wait to arrive until about an hour into the ceremony, since all of Mar's events were at the end. It was a good plan.
My parents and we got there just in time to hear Mar and her friends warm up for the song they would be performing that night. Seriously so cool.
Bill was able to get a little closer to snap a few pics.
Shi and Kody, along with Grandma and Grandpa S, arrived just as things were about to begin. The light rain we had experienced earlier had subsided... perfect timing, once again.
Tay, Nae, Britt, Lex, and Jase showed up with the littles about halfway through. Again, perfect timing. It was cold.
Definitely low 40s to high 30s.
Finallyit was time for Mar to walk.
(The graduates would walk by academy, and we knew hers would be the last to go.)
Immediately after her academy received their diplomas, Mar would sing, then the graduates would turn their tassles, and it would be over. Just as they were finishing up announcing the grads in her academy, it began to rain. Not quite a light sprinkle, as it had been earlier in the evening, but not quite a downpour either (trying to focus on the positive haha). I was a wee bit disheartened, as her performance started as people were chatting, moving, putting on rain gear, and some getting up to leave. The ceremony had started 15 to 20 minutes late due to parking issues, and I had wished they had been able to start on time. I thought it was a spoiler for sure.
My phone was out of storage space, so I am so grateful that Shi managed to record from the big screen Mauri's performance.
We really were sitting among a group of rude people... the row in front of us AND in back of us talked in regular voices non-stop throughout the entire ceremony.
Mar was amazing.
Afterwards, the graduates turned their tassles, threw their caps (which you can't see at night haha), and it was over.
I snapped a quick pic of the crowd behind us just as things were finishing up.
These peeps headed out pretty quickly. M, L, V, and Wonderful Sweet Scarlett did great.
We waited for Mar to come to us, then I realized she had texted me to come down to the stage area. Those of us still there (grandmas and grandpas, Shi and Kody, Bill and I), went down to congratulate her.
When I told her I was bummed that it started raining just as she was about to sing, she responded,
"I thought it was magical! It looked so cool from the stage!"
There you go.
Perspective is everything.
It was a lovely ceremony.
Definitely the coldest, wettest graduation I have ever attended, but also very memorable.
Thursday, May 23
Grad Party
We combined with three other grads from our ward for the party.
Lex had taken some pics of them a few weeks prior, and we made a couple into posters. That girl has skills.
I also relied heavily on the help from these awesome peeps. Love them.
Each mom made our grad's favorite dessert... Mar's was cheesecake.
Shi, Britt, and Lex were also huge helps in the decor. Shi did the outside sign, Lex and Britt put together the balloon garland for behind the card baskets, Britt helped with Cricut tips and made a darling Congratulations banner (not pictured... so sad), Lex took pics. I am so grateful that my girls are so willing to help and share their amazing talents.
The party was at the Cauble's house. We were hoping for good weather, since they have a huge backyard, but it was too cold to be outside.
Another mom, Carol, did this adorable soda station sign.
The soda station was a big hit, and we had a line for a good portion of the evening. Lynnea was a huge help, then Shi, Kody, and Nae worked the second half of the night. I am sooooo grateful for them!
We also did a nacho bar, but I think this is the only picture we have:
It was a super fun party.
The biggest thank you to all those who helped, and all those who came to support these awesome grads!
**The backstory to the unfortunate timing of the grad party... a mom fail for me, for sure.
I'll try to give the Reader's Digest version {wink}.
Since October, Mar's choir/musical teacher had sent emails to parents telling them to save the date for the possibility that their musical Mamma Mia! would receive some nominations for Bobby G Awards. The Bobby G's of Colorado high school musicals are equivalent to The Oscars or Tonys for professional actors/theater. CV's musical Les Mis had been nominated for 5 awards the year prior, and the cast was invited to attend, but tickets were expensive and Mar didn't really have an interest in going. One actress from CV who was up for a Best Actress award from Les Mis performed at the event last year. Because this was my only experience with the Bobby G's, and since Mar didn't have a LEAD lead in Mamma Mia!, it wasn't even on my radar.
I didn't "save the date."
After I had met with the other moms about the party and we had decided on a date, we had all printed the info on our invites. Once my invites/announcements had arrived, I quickly addressed and sent out around 65 of them. Literally the day after I had put them in the mail, the Bobby G nominations were announced. CV was nominated for 7 awards, and had been invited to perform a whole-cast number at the awards ceremony since one of their nominations was for Outstanding Production of a Musical. The Bobby G Award Ceremony was on the same date our party was planned. I gave Mar a choice -- to skip the group party (possibly having a little party just for her later), or to skip the Bobby G's. I may have also reminded her that her siblings and grandparents were all coming to celebrate her, and practicing for and attending the Bobby G's would mean she would be gone for much of the time they were here.
She chose to miss the Bobby G's, much to the disappointment of her choir/musical teacher. None of her good friends who were in the cast could come to her party, since they would all be performing at the awards ceremony.
**Mar had to ride the bus to graduation with the orchestra and band members because the rest of those performing at graduation with her were in Denver at the dress rehearsal for the awards ceremony the next night. She would meet up with them at Red Rocks to do the sound check.
CV won Outstanding Production of a Musical.
I am so sad that Mar missed it. It was a fail on my part. BUT, Mar, with her supporting role in the musical, deserves just as much praise for her part in the production as everyone else. The award was for the actual run of the musical, not the performance at the award ceremony, right?
