to taylor

Taylor...

we...

miss...

you.

Congrats Grad!

On May 17th, my niece, Taylor, graduated from high school. (You may recall that I recently blogged about her graduation party here.)


Taylor graduated with 32 other seniors from Iowa Mennonite School. Yes, that's right for everyone reading this who is not from around here - 32 other people! My graduating class was 44 people. Kent's was at least 500, right Kent? As I sat there on the bleachers listening to the speakers during Baccalaureate and Commencement, I thought a lot about the community that I live in. And the fact that I was able to live in a small-town, sheltered community during my formative years. I won't get into that now, but despite the fact that yes, it is sheltered, and no, I didn't have as many opportunities at my high school, I am still so thankful and blessed to have grown up here.


Anyway, back to Taylor's graduation. As we were urged to do during the Baccalareate message, Taylor, we are so proud of you! You have a bright future ahead and we look forward to seeing where you go and what you do.


In my mom's blog posting about Taylor graduating (go here to read it), she reminded us that Taylor walked across the very same stage to get her diploma that both her parents, at least 2 of her grandparents (Beth, did Chuck & Lorena go to IMS?) and 7 of her aunts and uncles walked across to get their own diplomas. A lot of things may have changed through the years, but the school, the stage, and the ceremony are still the same.


As Taylor was walking across the stage, I tried my best to get Jesse to yell out "Go Bubble!" But he wouldn't...yes, when I actually wanted him to be loud he wouldn't! (Jesse calls Taylor "Bubble" because she taught him to say the word and because she is usually chewing gum so he asks her to blow a bubble for him.)

So congrats, Taylor! When should I plan my road trip to Harrisonburg next year?

Party on!

Last Friday I had the honor of helping my niece, Taylor, with her graduation party. My sister Beth had to teach school until 2:30 in the afternoon, and the party was that evening, so my other sister Kristen and I rallied at Taylor's house to help get things ready for the party.

Plan A was to use a tent in the backyard. People were supposed to walk to the tent via their side yard. Which meant that no one needed to go into the house except to use the restroom. So we planned for that. The tent was up, all the flower beds in the front and back were weeded and mulched. The pool was cleaned and ready for floating candles. We were set.

Then Friday came along.

And it rained. And poured. And was really, really windy. Se we had to change our plans.

Plan B was to still use the tent in the backyard. But to have people walk through the house to get to the tent.

But it still rained. And misted. And sprinkled. The grass under the tent was OK. It was just that to get to the tent, people would have to walk through muddy, spongy grass. And then they would have to walk back through the mud to leave. It just wouldn't work.

So on to plan C.

Plan C was our final, last-ditch effort. Keep in mind that it was now 1:30 or 2:00, and guests would be arriving by 7. The house was clean, but not ready at all to host a few hundred people. In short order, Kristen, Taylor and I had relieved the house of all vestiges of Christmas. We also figured out where everyone would be situated (Beth and Rod welcoming people on the porch and Taylor and her pictures in the living room.) Then we found out the tent guys could come back and put up a tent on the driveway to basically extend the garage. Thank goodness we knew someone who had large panels of fabric to hang in the garage to hide everything (like shelves, a grill, ladders, was there even a lawnmower back there?) And thank goodness that either 1) Beth and Rod always have a clean garage or 2) they had previously cleaned it out just in case.

And before long, we had many hands to help set everything up, finish getting things cleaned up, and in general, just getting ready for the party.

We set up the food and drinks in the kitchen for people to get while on their way to the garage and tent.


And before we knew it, it was time to get ready for the party. The house was transformed.


We were ready for the party to start!

There were 3 different kinds of pie and ice cream. The pie that is closest in the picture below is black raspberry. That was definitely a favorite. The problem we encountered with serving it was that it wasn't set up. So as soon as I put it on the plate it would just puddle everywhere. So even though it didn't look very nice, I was told that it still tasted wonderful!


After guests left, Taylor opened her presents. Times have changed because when I graduated people gave actual presents. Now the vast majority is a card with money. It was still fun to see the goodies that Taylor got!


Below she is opening the present from my family - a purse I made for her. The surprise was that I gave it to her a month or two ago and she didn't realize that I took it back and wrapped it up.

One of the sweetest presents was from her former babysitter. Her babysitter and her daughter made Taylor a denim comforter and they gave her the cup that Taylor used every day when she was at their house. Like, it's the actual cup with Taylor's name on it! It was such a sweet gift - and Taylor was thrilled with it.


So maybe the graduation party didn't go quite as expected. But it turned out really nice in spite of the poor weather. And we had so much fun getting ready for it and helping at the actual party. And I think Taylor had a blast too!

Banquet time

Saturday night was IMS' banquet. IMS is the local private school that also happens to be my alma mater, and the school where Kent coaches baseball. IMS doesn't have a junior-senior prom, but instead has a banquet. Last year we were in Ohio during banquet, so I didn't get to see my nieces Alyssa or Taylor in all their finery. Since Taylor is a senior this year, I was thrilled to be around to see her get ready.


I think I want someone to come and do my makeup every day!



Awwww...isn't she pretty?



Sisters...
Taylor and her date went to banquet in Taylor's dad, Rod's restored Camaro. Rod got the car started, and drove it around the block before relinquishing it to Taylor's date. At one point, I wasn't sure if he would let it go!


Taylor and her date, Jarron.


Kristen and I drove to IMS to see some of the people arrive in style. The funniest thing was that after most people had arrived, a bunch of junior guys walked around the parking lot checking out all of the cool cars. What do you think their dates were doing while these guys were outside?


Anyway, I had a great time, and felt privileged to be a part of this rite of passage for Taylor!

What I've been up to

For Christmas I got a bunch of fabric and gift certificates to fabric shops, and I've been having so much fun in my craft room just sewing away.

My first project was this purse.

I wanted to make some of these purses to sell, but I needed to make a trial one first. I happened to have enough of this fabric in my stash. I'm not overly excited about the fabric choice, but again, it was what I had to work with.

I love it because it's really roomy. And I hate it because it's really roomy - usually I have it so full that it's waaay too heavy for me, and then I can't find a thing! But I guess that's more of an organizational problem, and it's not the bag's fault!

My next project was this fun purse.

I'm totally in love with it. It makes me feel like spring is in the air - regardless of the temperature outside! I bought the fabric with the intention of making the purse and selling it. But...I loved it too much to sell it. So now it's mine. (Yes, Kent, I really can use yet another purse!) It's reversible, but I don't know that I'd ever reverse it. but since it's reversible that means that there are no inside pockets...bummer!

So then I figured I'd branch out into making aprons. And I made this one for me...

And this one for Meredith.

The best part was using fat quarters that I got for Christmas. (Meredith's is made from Tula Pink fabric - for all of you who know how excited I was about getting Tula Pink fabric this Christmas!) The 2 best things about hers is that it's totally reversible and way cute either way, and that I was able to make it in one evening. With no pattern. This, coming from the girl who uses a recipe for everything and who religiously sticks to patterns and instructions.

So what am I working on now? I can't show the whole project because 1) I'm still working on it and it's not yet close to being finished, and 2) it's a graduation gift for my awesome niece, Taylor.

She chose the fabric, so on the off-chance that she reads this blog, she can see the work-in-progress...but yet she won't know how far along I am and when she'll be able to get her present. The purse is the pattern of the first purse that I made, just in fabric that she chose. I think it will turn out really cute. And hopefully it will be great for all the fun things that she will do when she's away at college in Virginia!

Anyway, I better run because my sewing machine and Taylor's purse are calling my name...

I wonder how much further I can get on the purse before Meredith gets home from school and Jesse wakes up from his nap...