Another Star in the Family!!

Okay, I guess I'm a little braggy this week about the grands! But I can't help it. They are superstars!!
How about this girl?

 We just got her senior pictures. But that's not what this post is about.

While I was in Charlotte, I got the lowdown. Getting it from her is like pulling teeth. She's quiet and not one to toot her own horn. I'm so glad her mom prompted her to share her news with me. In turn, I'm sharing it here as I am so proud of this one too!

I think I have these details correct. Victoria is taking a budget class sponsored by H&R Block. She was #1 in her class and #136 in 22,000 students across the country!! I can't even comprehend those numbers! She scored in the 99.6 percentile of all students taking the test! Wow! That's all I can say. Wow! And it's all about numbers! Not exactly my strong point. So happy to have a math whiz in the fam!

Congratulations to you, dear girl!! Love, Grammy!

This Girl!

Yep, it's happenin'!

This girl has graduated!

When she first sent me this picture, I said to Butch, "Oh my gosh! I didn't know nurses still wore those hats!" He replied---in that "I can't believe you just said that" sort of way he has---"Barb! Have you ever seen nurses wearing one? Obviously, it's for the picture!" Duh, he's right! Still, I'm happy to have this photo to remind me of our little nurse!!

She has graduated "Magna Cum Laude." Can you spell P*R*O*U*D?

She presented her grandpa with a rose to let him know how important he is to her and her education. We were all touched by that! She let her mom know ahead of time so she wouldn't be "jealous or hurt!" She wasn't. They all love him!

Things are falling in to place quite nicely for her. She'll be moving back to Nashville in January. Then she starts her adult life with her job at Skyline Medical Center Hospital on February 23rd. She'll be on the Neurology/Oncology floor and is so very excited. She'll be doing real nursing!

We are so very overjoyed for her. She's a big girl now!!!

Best of all?? She'll be off the family payroll! 2 down, 3 to go!

Victoria's Turn

Graduation celebration #2---Victoria.
Sandy made her celebration dinner before the Baccalaureate Mass on Monday.

Sandy ordered Chick-fi-la nuggets and made all of Victoria's favorite side dishes: buttered carrots, corn pudding, pasta salad and honey glazed Sister Shubert rolls. She made the little diplomas by attaching white card stock to a roll of Mentos. They made cute party favors.

Sandy did a good job of making both graduations special---and completely different.

When I was shopping for Victoria's graduation gift, a young---20-something girl was helping me. She said that "Alex and Ani" was all the rage with young people. In fact, she was wearing about 6 of them. Even though I consider myself to be "up" on the current trends, I had never heard of this designer. The bracelets are meant to be worn with as many as you want all stacked together. Each one is different and comes with a card explaining it's meaning. I was a little nervous about them, but as soon as she opened the package, she shouted excitedly---"Alex and Ani!" What a relief! During her Baccalaureate Mass, I saw one of her friends that appeared to be wearing some, so I was really glad that Victoria knew what they were. Now that makes gift giving easy---at least for a little while.

 She got a Kate Spade purse from her parents. She's one happy girl.

 Gosh, even Victoria is nearly a head taller than me. I swear, I'm shrinking.

Victoria's last day of school was Field Day. The day before, when she got in the car after school, she started the typical kid complaining---"I don't want to go to school tomorrow. None of my friends are going." Kids always say stuff like that. I was proud of Sandy when she resisted my response (and that of my parents before me) "If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you follow?" Instead, she calmly told Victoria that she was going to school and that was that. All evening, Victoria complained. She was none too happy the following morning, but since we were there, she put on a brave face. When we picked her up after the day, she admitted that 3 of her friends were there after all! Kids still think parents are going to fall for the "ALL my friends are..." line. She even sort of admitted that she had fun---just a little! Victoria can be a hard nut to crack! You can't help but love her spirit!

Sandy told us that the same year Mitchell graduates from college, Victoria will be graduating from high school and Elizabeth will be graduating from 8th grade. That will be a marathon year!

They are growing up way too fast. I want it to stop! I'm not done with them yet!

All Grown up or Not?

We were in Charlotte for nearly a week for Mitchell's high school graduation and Victoria's eighth grade graduation. Today, we'll focus on Mitchell.

This was his eighth grade graduation a mere 4 years ago. In that time, he's become a MAN---and a gentleman at that! Well, maybe not quite. Read on.

When the celebration was over, Mitchell tossed his mortarboard---like all the kids do. Except, he just walked away. Sandy made him go back to find it. I can pretty much guarantee you that all of these abandoned hats belonged to boys!

With a little help from his sisters, he found one that fit.

 Hanging with his buddies. Mitchell left his cigar in the car. Cigars---just because they can.

We met his girlfriend, Alyssa for the first time. What a sweetheart she is! She was very personable and didn't have any trouble holding a conversation with people she had never met before.

 While we were waiting for dinner, the family got a few pictures.

With his mama! This makes me tear up---my baby with her baby! When did they become so grown up?

Sandy ordered the cake from Dessert Designs---the premier bakers here in Nashville. There is no one that can make cakes like these---and the cost reflects that---$100 for this one! You can't tell from the picture, but it's about 12" by 6"---a big cake. The recipes must be closely guarded secrets.

I took this picture after it was nearly gone. The bottom is like a thick chocolate fudge, with a cream cheese pound cake on top---all held together with a "melt in your mouth" caramel frosting. So rich that you can only eat a small piece at a time---and we did---about 8 times! Truly, the most delicious cake you'll ever have! Worth the splurge.

Here's the finished blanket I made for Mitchell. He was so happy that it was big enough for him. Even though I intended it for college, he used it the entire time we were there. Luckily, it will last forever! We have several in the family that mom made that are 40 years old! They wear like iron and wash up really nice. I figured Mitchell would like something to wrap up in when he's partied a little too late!

Elizabeth gave him a pair of Clemson swim trunks. Purple and orange---the orange is not quite obnoxious as UT orange.

Sandy made a delicious, celebratory crab leg dinner accompanied by garlic, parmesan potatoes, green bean casserole, Italian salad and dinner rolls.

Sandy and Elizabeth made the cute party favors. The little grad caps are squares of cardstock and tiny ribbon attached with a mini brad stuck to an upside down peanut butter cup.

And then there's this---just when you think he's all grown up! We were staying in Mitchell's room. I found this in the closet.

The shirt is not even unbuttoned nor is the tie removed. It had to be much harder to take it off like this than to just unbutton it!

Apparently, this is his strategy for all dress shirts and ties. At least it's hung up. I guess deep down, he's still a boy at heart! I'm good with that.

Prior to going to Victoria's graduation, Mitchell told Sandy that he was "graduationed out!" She reminded him that he had only been to two "events" and they were both HIS!! I love that boy!

Cruisin' with Paula AND Mitchell

Okay, so I'm misleading you a bit with this title. I AM cruisin' with Paula. We had our first "event" last night---a little cocktail reception. All of the pictures I took are bad. I'll get better ones today at our first cooking demonstration.

In the meantime, Sandy shared these pictures and commentary about Mitchell and "his" car that used to be his grandpa's.

Here's the exposed speaker (the covers don't fit over the new speakers) and apparently the light cover has fallen off.  It's probably in the glove compartment!

Dad, I just want you to know how much we have appreciated (and still do) having this car!  It has turned out to be the perfect thing for Mitchell, and he really does love it!  

This stick is kept in the car and used to hold up the hood and the trunk because the hinges have worn out.  And notice his blanket...kept in at all times in case of an emergency.  He usually has clothes and deodorant in his car because he works out at the Y with friends after school.

This is his emergency kit that he keeps in the trunk complete with a bag of potato chips in case he needs food too!

The car may be old and falling apart (cosmetically speaking) but Mitchell really likes it and we are glad for him to have his own "wheels"!  He got pulled over last Saturday night coming home from debate because his tag light is burned out.  Thank goodness no ticket!  Greg bought him a new light but the screws are rusted so bad that he can't get them off to change the bulb. Greg's going to have to solve that problem!  Oh, and the driver's side window doesn't roll down (nor does the back passenger one either) so Mitchell had to roll down the driver's side back window when talking to the cop.  He just told us this so we'll have to get those fixed.  

I don't remember how old this car is---I think it's a 2000---but it still looks pretty good---considering it's weathered at least 6 Michigan winters and all that salt. I would have thought it would have started to rust out. Butch is proud of Mitchell---a boy after his own heart---as he cleans out his car regularly. He gets so frustrated with the girls and their cavalier attitude about their cars. I told him that I think it must be a "guy" thing. Way to go Mitchell.

Hopefully tomorrow, I'll have a little more to report from the "boat."

The Things We Do!

The kids wanted to learn how to "bridge" cards. Stephanie and Mindy wanted to learn how to make bows. Sooo, we scheduled "card shuffling" and "bow making classes" at the same time. Greg and Nicky decided that they needed the shuffling lessons too. We all gathered around the dining room table at 9:45 a.m. exactly!

 Jordan and Morgan got the hang of it pretty quick.

 Mitchell gets frustrated pretty easily. He has such long fingers, maybe that makes it hard to shuffle.

While the kids were shuffling on one end of the table, we did the bow making on the other. Sandy has been making her own bows for a long time now.

They may not look like much here, but when you put them on a package, they look really nice.

And that's just one of the ways we roll around here!

Me and My Shadow...

When the Lapps family comes to visit, the whole family moves in. It's fun to have everyone in the house---12 of us, but it's pretty crazy and messy. I usually get up around 5 a.m. to have a little quiet time to myself. Usually, by 5:30 (which is really 6:30 their time), Elizabeth finds me. We snuggle on the couch in front of the fire and talk. She tells me all about what's happening in her life. We talk about school, friends, teachers, her sister and brother and whatever has been going on in her life lately. I always talk about books. I ask her what she's reading. She says she does not like the "DEAR" program at her school. It stands for "Drop Everything And Read." That sounds pretty clever to me.

Sandy told me that since she knows I enjoy this quiet time, she tried to get Elizabeth to crawl in to bed with her. She said, "heck no, I'm going down to find grammy." I love that. She's growing up so fast---8 already. It won't be long before she's sleeping "in" like the big kids.

She loves crafts of all kinds. Remember that I taught her to knit at Thanksgiving. By the time she got here for Christmas, she was almost out of yarn and finished with her scarf. But, it was not going to be long enough. It was full of holes and pretty lopsided. I could tell that by about the last 6 inches, she had really gotten the hang of it. I asked her if she wanted to take it apart and I would help her start over. She agreed. We were watching Mary Poppins. I got her started again and did about 6 inches. I asked her if she wanted to knit and she said, "Come on, grammy, you have to do more than that!" I guess she thought I was dumping it back on her after I had undone all her hard work!!

It was a crafty Christmas for Elizabeth.

We had finished opening gifts and it was about 10:10 p.m. when half the family wanted to play poker. Elizabeth asked me if I'd teach her how to needlepoint---her favorite gift because it was "real"---meaning not a kid's plastic canvas type. I did it up really nice for her---floss bags on a project ring, tiny scissors, needle magnet and her canvas mounted on a frame---ready to start. She said, "Grammy, will you teach me to needlepoint now?" Okay, it's after 10 p.m. and I've been up since 5 a.m. I must have had a "look" because she quickly added----"or anybody else that knows how!"

How can I resist that. I said, "Okay, bring it here." I just cannot turn her down! She's really good at picking up things quickly. It's a good thing too as the teens were trying to print a picture for a last minute Christmas gift. All of this at 10:30 at night! I'm a morning person. But for my grandkids, I'll do just about anything. So, I helped get the photo printed and framed. I do have ALL of the proper tools.

Back to Elizabeth. She picked up the continental stitch in about 1 minute---really. She's doing a fine job. She has even mastered threading her needle.

I did suggest that she pull her hair back and move in to the light. But her young eyes served her well.
She worked diligently and did a great job.

 We'll make this in to a pillow for her room when she finishes. It's hard to tell, but she's finished the far right turquoise strip and a little of the light blue.

She has actually done a very nice job. There is a skipped stitch, but we'll pick it up when she finishes. Traditionally, needlepoint is supposed to look as good on the back as it does on the front. That's not a serious consideration these days as most things are made in to a picture or pillow and you never see the back. I don't intend to ever make a rug.

E does not quite have the hang of the "back". It won't show, but she has wasted quite a bit of her fibers.

Speaking of needlepoint, I picked up my finished snow family pillow. It turned out so cute. I was very happy with the fabric and trim I picked.

The woman that does my pillows did a beautiful job. She really understands what I want.

I did the Christmas tree pillow a couple of years ago. I don't usually have these together, but I moved the tree pillow off the couch so it wouldn't get sat upon. I have plenty of other pillows to be used, just not my needlepoint ones---they are to be family heirlooms. 

I had this one finished for Morgan and gave it to her for Christmas.

I forgot to take a picture, so Morgan sent me this. I cropped as much of the pink background as I could, still, it's distracting. The yellow is a sheer nubby fabric that was lined with yellow satin. It's really pretty. This was from a class Karolyn and I took back in October. 

Jordan has requested something. I thought it was because she knew I had done one for Morgan. Turns out, when Steph got out the Christmas pillow I made her, Jordan texted me then with her request. I had just started another Christmas piece. I'll be finishing it this holiday season, so it will definitely be ready for Christmas 2014.

I love to stitch while watching a movie. That reminds me---Downton Abbey starts on January 5th! I can't wait. I've already pre-ordered the season. I still have "Call the Midwife" that I haven't watched yet. I like to wait until I have a chunk of time to have a little marathon. 

More to come about our family antics.