One Week From Today

 

It's hard to believe that one week from today we will gather for Grace's graduation. Therea are so many thoughts swirling around in my head as I rpepare to preside over my first ever graduation ceremony (of my first ever graduate)! As an educator (at the elementary level) I often had the pleasure of wathcing as my students moved from elementary to middle school (and the one year that I taught at the mddle school from middle to high school) but never before have I taken a student all the way from kindergarten to senior year and ultimately to graduation day. 

It has been the honor of a lifetime to be mother/teacher/principal/gudiance counselor and superintendent for my girls. As a way to "cap off: this experence of serving in all these capactities for Grace (and next year for Emma) I present to you one of her grad cap pictures from her senior session last August. 

I can't believe this time has come.....xo 

On Memorial Day

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Senior Prom

 

It was a chilly, rainy night (becasue that seems to be our typical weather lately) but the rain simply meant that Grace got to accessorize with the perfect umbrella! She attended the prom with her friends from Parker, which was held at Wachusett Mountain. The food was great and the rain did stop enough that the chair lift was able run for a bit so that people could take a ride to the summit and back. xo

In Which David Attends One Last Ballet Technique Class...

 

Grace's Last Gala (and Emma's Second to Last)

In Which Emma Goes to the Junior Prom

 The Keefe Tech Junior Prom was Friday night and Emma was thrilled that her dear friend Lucy invited her to go with her! While the day started off chilly and grey, we were exccited to see that Mother Nature had sent a beautiful evening their way when she started to get ready. 

One of the things that I wondered about (and that I know the girls wondered about and were hopeful for) was if these homeschooled girls of ours would get to attend a prom during their high school years. Seeing each of them go to a prom last year (Grace with her friends from her time at Parker, and Emma with a friend from Pilgrim Lodge) definitely checked that box. We went all out last yaer since were were unsure if that would be the one and only prom each attended. And so, when Grace was invited to attend the Paker prom again this year, and when Lucy invited Emma to the Keefe Tech prom both girls (and Dave and I) were over the moon!

Grace knew that the dress she was interested in would have to be ordered. Emma on the other hand wanted to go to a couple of stores and look. This gorgeous dress was the second one she tried on and as soon as she came out of the dressing room we all agreed that was the one! With hair and make up done, dress on, and her sister's hot pink shoes from last prom on her feet she was the image of a true princess! It was as if this dress was made with Emma in mind (even if it needed to have ten yards of fabric removed to make it the correct length for her)! 

We met Lucy and her family at the riverwalk in town, since the prom was taking place her in Marlborough, for pictures. Lucy in her green and Emma in her blue and white looked so gorgeous together. We could not have asked for a more lovely night and a more beautiful setting to take prom pictures! I was asleep when Emma returned home but the stories she shared with us the next day (today) were wonderful to hear! 

So grateful for the experiences that the girls have gotten to have as homeschoolers, especially when it comes to these rites of passage! Thank you, Lucy, for inviting Emma to go with you! She had such a wonderful time! xo 

What. A. Day.

Grace's last day of homeschooling, and Emma off to the junior prom. 

Too many thoughts in my head and feelings in my heart, so I will just leave it at that and let these two pictures speak for themselves. 💗💗

Drumroll Please......

We are thrilled to share that Grace has chosen her cosmetology school! She will start in October and complete the program the following September! We are so excited to see all that she learns (and to have her practice her new skills on all of us)! xo 

Final Preparations

With many thanks once again to Carrie for altering the girls' prom dresses! xo 

One Last Time

Mother’s Day

 

With our impromptu car buying adventure yesterday, we spent today playing catch up. We started our day with a trip to Flour Bakery in Boston, where we passed all the Northeastern grads taking pictures on our walk to and from Flour, and then spent the rest of the day doing all the things that we did not do the day before. Even though it wasn't the most glamourous of Mothering Sundays it was probably one of my most favorite yet. 

To those who texted me today my apologies. I knew if I stopped to reply or return your call that I would never have gotten back to what I was working on! 

Thank you to David for everything over the years. For the support, encouragement and laughter (cause you gotta find the humor) as we journied through The Land of Infertility all those years ago), to your willing ness to be the sole bread winnder for many, many moons so that I could leave out my calling to stay home with our girls, to all you did so that I could make it through this docotral program. I could not imagine a better partner for me in this parenting joruney. 

Thank you to my girls, for making this day possible for me to even celebrate. To Grace, who took her time to get here but arrived at the exact right moment. And to Emma who surprised us with how quickly she arrived on the scene. I cannot imagine my life without either of you and ma so grateful you chose me to be your mama. 

I love you to the moon 🌙 and Saturn 🪐and back. xo 😘

Oh Happy Day!

 

In which Dave gets a new car. 

And yes, we mean new (like 2025, with only seventeen miles on it when we drove it off the lot)! xo 

A Lovely (Yet Mysterious) Gift

 

These gorgeous flowers arrived the other day in honor of finishing my doctoral degree but whoever sent them did not include their name. Looking forward to finding out so I can properly thank them! xo 

Mystery solved: it was my Aunt Gail and Uncle Carl! Thank you both so much. They are gorgeous! 

Sunday Brunch

 

Today we hosted an end of the season brunch for the Elite Team (and the dance team seniors). The house was full, the conversation good and the food super yummy!

 After the amazing day that the team had yesterday it was wonderful to be able to get together and celebrate these incredible dancers, especially the ones whose competative dance careers ended yesterday. 

Congrats class of 2025! You will surely shine bright in all you do! xo

A Perfect Ending (To the Season and to Grace as a Competative Dancer)

 

I have spent the past twenty-four hours trying to find the right words to describe the final competition of the season, as well as Grace’s final competition on the dance team. It’s just not possible to sum it up any other way than to say it was extraordinary! The team was at their absolute best yesterday, and their hard work paid off and their talent was recognized tenfold! Grace placed seventh for her solo, Emma placed sixth for her solo and the elite team’s contemporary piece “Girlhood” took home the coveted Xcaliber award. There were many other awards and placements for the CSDS dance team yesterday, but to list them all here would rival the length of my dissertation!

Thank you to every teacher who has been part of our girls’ dance educations. Your guidance, encouragement, love, and support helped shape them into the young women and the dancers they are today. We are grateful for your presence and impact on their lives!

Grace, watching you go from the mini, to junior, to senior, to pro, and finally to the elite team has been absolutely incredible! We have watched you grow as a dancer in ways we could never have imagined and are grateful for the day that Miss Lauri said to me “she should try out”. You and Emma, you were amazing all season long but especially on that stage yesterday! We are so proud of you girls and look forward to seeing you shine bright again on recital day! We love you both to the moon and and back and could not be more proud!