Hi, "Teapots" readers,
It's been a week since I last wrote something; forgive me! So much family stuff has happened, I had to stop blogging and just...
be present for it all.
In the last week,
1. Lovely Daughter #1 flew in from out of town...waaaaaaay out of town (Dubai).
2. Lovely Daughter #2 received two departmental honors for her senior thesis and graduated from college.
3. The Boy went to senior prom.
4. And LD #1 got her first glimpse of the little house she'll be renting, together with LD #2, starting this August.
Hokay.
So, here are some photos of all that has transpired:
First, The Prom. Well, actually, the
Pre-Prom. Moms and dads, siblings, and prom-goers gathered at one family's home so the parents could take photos and annoy the heck out of their kids:
All the boys arrived on time. They waited around for the girls, who did not.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN40JXcecZjZ6v43bD3XEHAc4d1O81asxDR-HPT2-3WNMfO6z5j-rYZ1Z-gApB4a3roPCNYNe3saJ7fYRZf8uOBtVBD1Ze_7eYtVQTgkBryvSSWMzD46UTmeTEve-f5vdTgSpr4RNnfj4/s400/P1160017.JPG)
They waited...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbABn03YeezPrhPK-lCpWcR6pLJhK-9AFPvp3X7Ay_8ZGg2Aw8UeKYlKUuzWzwmaf1wFKYcJmXS4D11qO9hckc7ciz4QVEZ8ulVjJh4LE8AKnbN_tSbxQQ2h9iGfcvdDenJrqHJDzVVY/s400/P1160015.JPG)
...and waited.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHLU7Hsaw0ODLzaXmoIk4n4jO91TyWBlow6t1MxoVHG5U_OITVwBCaq0RvZU6q_pRaCDQ6Wh2o7RZOEn_9OJMIPsJ_j2JefEbvXotpyvVZfRHnc5TeJ57o4QmaxcjIEMaZRPs_ccbjUQ/s400/P1160016.JPG)
Almost every boy had a corsage box in one hand and a water bottle in the other. It helped to have something to keep hands busy.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LMVINAbVznIcKrnMoh_X3hQtUQm70OnZLrCL-2fwzro-tFdcDkcFlLS23U8NuQZDrs9W_Wxw06XM6DCQVoX8gt5j_TYfAHpUz1ZSAzzM5CRfjhgv50A4fW6pJIhQmAF6fIRE-47loRk/s400/P1160021.JPG)
Fiddling, fiddling, waiting.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjceavmmqwXWdToTOFKufvqfc1sUggDmNwdje2228L5ezf4HVnUCf8cH7y1PZID4-pKVjrrQ5PBrfkOtabXXOkgiDcjrPoiT075ujXwHVB1eaDVKE3anltt-lrIBiyQtuyS4qNuNMy1kXU/s400/P1160022.JPG)
Wandering around the beautiful gardens. And waiting.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLc34qezk6uzWjYhWOXiSykQ1MCTHjPQta5Ghn16wFI7eQg8LECmasykC5BXa1cMZatCxAnqWQyNNX86SPKD6fivZrcbPFk8wRuh1CB3JuEGPxEEIvzs-z3nqOTKnd28v7nUOVIpLgYUY/s400/P1160055.JPG)
At last the girls began to arrive in ones and twos. This cutie was not The Boy's date:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePdy-R6uWm5A4s_kTDSREGZay1GPZMvUTODmTSDIWuwVgdEOfDBnIQBP7Yx1Dd2n9LoJuBryVeAZUZImTcbu4D375lKrB0sB-R_gC7Z3ciUamuezfup_5TMcfwpe6JVNkMmkYTxOzrRc/s400/P1160024.JPG)
She was tall, but not THAT tall. Some sort of optical illusion was taking place. And the cutie in red was not his date, either:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AaC2YM5HHQG5aYKbyVJLEMagQqAG_AtQrYotfnxP1l8Rt7v6MaDwZebmeoQpn1aZpxVD4Z_AY7Sx5JPRHNFPEvHdar9aT6mHsY8M683R-wSAhureE8-BsSm1myUtaDSisIETG0mDur4/s400/P1160025.JPG)
Here's his date! (Isn't she pretty?!) And finally he could give her the corsage he'd been holding.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2xv83od3mzNadXdeaemUZVDzkGi1OQUSxjJgThKTTBRHHin2MKUpbXMtt00hstdTQzZb6eh0cdtrBuTUy6bZfM6B83yb_YKc8FZz3qxQH_vMsZd5T-XyhV-7rfiCVDgSBaByJYP0Cvc/s400/P1160036.JPG)
I love the silly expression on his face as she pinned on his boutonniere.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuXvl-G87RvOswLM3X8zyZaL9ODqyYs3qicCy26iqaiuAYJ_0cFsH1XeJ1BtOasFlWN10ToLo24Il1Qbz2xb2x9CjZwoQyoefeb8iHvhUxQ779S8Lk6Myl-8LdKEVlKQKRBARVPET-E0/s400/DSC_7861.JPG)
With everyone there, mass amounts of posing for photos began:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_gNFL15pC3mB9za5WQW54VB0QU39IckaYp8fFBMTce3xhOpJab_EPt3rbeJiEVuaotjW0dnut6C8T1JV9uhKefERgfqZc_APra7d1jpc0V6sVmVESg-x4ByPbiQUT0gnRxz9oq70c4s/s400/DSC_7944.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KnIdfCosOtK3Aylenft6JDBZLi3PB8T65-rieUl3ruUB-bJb8J_qfyWMba4pBGlChsPCSccnysTZMEysDXoX288cPbZCOpoi7hH7PIODduis2UFOsOX7Lf20PVyRWSp7eJA5nxEapPk/s400/P1160054.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOCusY-iFuLjsAGmvLYGXvzrk_z9C64ONVsvtEusk83srkVonQ4AfVSmDKu9tr2Xh6jbvpKAdmW1UL2wDli5GAk1uwd-5ReesXTpIlx_BqyaOgh9s5qp_V5Gwc6GCEjx7E9YPsiH5kyQ/s400/P1160048.JPG)
Proud parents posed with kids...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgD_jlQR1TECRuGKLIi7ImuqRrBBLI-gIyyadCNYcR-f4wF89YiqqvWoexCZe3hnLeQflLIRyrA-atm9l-yup1vlCUh5o1xJ2pkfx9eB7Oo7KOKHY9kdUUfEEG4byekujW5uyuS4D-nxo/s400/P1160018.JPG)
...and snapped endless pictures...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHhvpaYeTvZ2Y1xF_LOd4zeSaccqSQezBhepn4OTY48mE-_zrtIIxNlW_D-WeE77TQGKjRg4PkJOrkj1ZCQSR6OYuXOwbg_AXOh0l9yB3LqupoEqoFNUpTAy_cFymVeh4hPkF9fsCMoY/s400/P1160044.JPG)
...gazed on their offspring with wonder...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnHEbrovc9Q14o6WpMD_nFrdiOOZ4RYeI2L3GmwgS8lcwKdR0BJGZe0l7icq7Mp_JOf8Rz-QA3WI8vpm8CSoqk91gOz41pgB_jeq_9S12tZuNkobCwClSokwZj6sSTwi-5-sSfO51SVE/s400/DSC_7921.JPG)
...and made them squirm:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogNpK6JuoS4rJG8a4Lf_tazXTVm04aXrgyelRmoWNQGdWeHm3ZKkAQLimrQO-pHq08LD9HjKwbIOjZOu3X1n8WeiQov2KLYTQYNzbZeDByg8tpif3FCiIn3EJ3t6sfxK2cZqQbuw1fes/s400/DSC_7922.JPG)
Proud big sisters got into the act, too. This is Lovely Daughter #1:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-J3m5Zq952k4IpOp8A_PORHXyi4FT2WoenvO8nN2josXZqMeFGSO7w7mJ4oaBmRDziH2fLjiBFtGc6POkdIGFJ1SqxflC7C5SJlhX69J3z0Y4naazBRv8ax1Zk0xitfl0uiEaqxx5nQ/s400/DSC_7935.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSpIx-xTMl-X69KCpJCk0LFYdY7omYf9OLu6crdY8LJ5faf1UBXz4Iw9wrNCUrP_s0VGQqT2YZT60Xq9u3rLk8aHSjHA-7lttIIADtz23uVDfhh8zN3Thv-V6Yt2ioPGp71nIRCV09js/s400/DSC_7936.JPG)
And so, totally annoyed by his family, The Boy went off to Prom in a huge party bus with 43 other beautifully attired youngsters.
Next, Lovely Daughter #2 was inducted into a national honorary society for her major. There was lots of standing and saying "I do" at various moments:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis15woMsHQ-3V6BqhWOFUlv6fYnvSvmMWUnSnkRN064Q0Gb_Lf4ZGaiNKHba7Ths7hc8KIqG_8FOpAhfq22dBoIzoHZajNq3iLLJBHog0uuq51-k19sj5sd-eWlxaz_tmAHiurwqXul3I/s400/P1150982.JPG)
There was posing with each other and beloved professors:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnKRIfWBY0oKxN3EdbbeZvvN4tqW_xnS0RkvPGUB7e8avfwzzsfcCkiXi3WDO5NSy_lzREPeBDWey0WZbyKzF3sln99xNvz7F4Rk45-BG_-7yssN1FPUVDq6XxP6DSNjrQD4LIgzlTNw/s400/P1150988.JPG)
And, of course, showing off fancy certificates:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQCu6Xu_1LhsxvtrDVsO9aY8FHP_ypBIdzIYmaCfFCtsRtv5wNZQj-Xt9gYeyNOaeZ7g3NJwnhXtHke0HUHwnDYPz6Y4-NMpXbbtBbe0G4iGgDzInHHGGVAQR6gxadZ56Zbult-xL7nY/s400/P1150994.JPG)
We had time to duck into Lovely Daughter #2's favorite little bakery, which has sustained her with sandwiches, gladdened her with pastries, and kept her awake with coffee for four years:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwwOQMl3fbiQFPCL7rdHrnS2G6iE6OI6lHJOgUOdkXWFhMZH7rvD7dh9HAb-F2LzVwaY3Tq6HKGOoC7t9Y4hStoBtq_7sdvzG3A-hCVTvB0Lc1iayZTtu7XcT_6Japs1vNthf74PX83c/s400/P1160007.JPG)
One last round of yummy things to eat:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNUFSFuL3QGCoRb8l4HBRIzlS8qVwEsh4J97CmRjxlus7g1vcHvRn1NOALYQjPoamPTQ_01viW3zwAsP5s-vtl2NbRLl6fb7i-aQ-Qm66WnJEd3QZW8VkRMcXFl0Eb47DDWr2s8R-IWg/s400/P1160008.JPG)
How she'll miss this place!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltojUn3PNW_vv8o3x-uRwR-T1RY7GJC6fCqpG7p7sU6cuY54lxK4tMWEeDzFFiQiaU09UIXMis0xuiAtTovp1JMhqHkHDh0hEsI5opB70AS_uyQeup2P9cdjgbGnQsNK5dRRsif9hr_U/s400/P1160009.JPG)
The next day was graduation day. It was the 118th year this college has graduated a class of youngsters. And it was the first time, EVER, that it rained:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsa-4Oia2uKtUHb53fEuBR0rRmZezOuVmBuPJNaotyVFb1YwC2r2mQNMPxxr9TjFT3NJWVPfMMf01XD1FnX7nP_uTy2i-ImzyLWrOYdR7NuaIWS9h6vCX-r-bZkQHOfFIY3tSElmwWF4/s400/P1160070.JPG)
The college handed out blue plastic ponchos to everybody:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQxDtPpwXLjLSsKpqzCQlzB21rcpf3vCIz82KjKLTgF6xXOug5QeA1wYm08WOSDgHYVY8zW__ou6zqJso3EA1kaa7eA8jM5uJ-6Td8QdFgGN1oXxv4jnbmB6oc572KOBQFeS1diuomP0/s400/P1160073.JPG)
We sat, steaming in our ponchos, like a sea of blue-wrapped burritos:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGt3FwRYWk24-eF2LjZ8zoKduWVCZrzOfZLQM5UOjc62_SWZUBhmbUEL0jCV5c1MiJ0lF9mbtZXVFM-EbC0ecJM8eBknvEt5rXOAFd1Ixut7-DYjVlLv9kRD37EE8Cqo0iean5B84lc6A/s400/P1160075.JPG)
While overhead, blue-and-white flags, artfully hung, artfully dropped rain water on us:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKwO5tYkxmddg6EmbTBqtRnCzlzY3u3Aq50WqAPmVuVDFBmeBlv_qK1BYTLeAtc03CehCxxPx9fzhPifOngz-WJBJV-C62TR2Va7wemJQMQiUqy-RRDJknAPxU_q-dJw5Tnc5cCygp5w/s400/P1160074.JPG)
But it was worth it to see this moment:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVywu_ewP2uI0CaVAmkLoivbqBFsIQNUPIf1CfkLV-coZTswXy3h0HvWPhBTrJfoDIOmmlmo95fkgq40nCPllAjZbJ9vODTAkqIniAEVbn-wnzLInHIFK3Golpjr2Z9eSq0LTUTWPg3TM/s400/P1160081.JPG)
As the ceremony reached its conclusion, the sun beat back the rain, and the flags seemed to be glad of it:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2v6JFKlei21x4N5cSjjaO6okM7wPvpWKRzMEQOViEIRNDfA8UeaogmGUzskB4vHOXqSYtXkNIzswInocr67xtnjuwjNQ8OrT8QO9bA9T8bmeIxClElvGT4945H54T067o0ROjvsd62KA/s400/P1160082.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWn38ILoXKXsI2vt7XAQKzqkeWfZ93ggumsLaMtS8txMsuEbMbTEFOd0SBrDP50Kr7-9EvIKLAoEmgFlhI6R3vOujw_jlf9h3WxCR9YP58ZX9ywSne7cPU3HO7akEGGUqGTxy4kOxaTFM/s400/P1160083.JPG)
We were all happy for the sun:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToMWZgYEMtr9mqQk4tT0EoPRsFvfGa4La8e15tzaTvnVJlYNgThTadgy7v0meusDb7SRCFK4jcX6Sgdse6QltabAupgAKML-9YOKcEUZS4g6ni3SfS3T7ySIXoPVdOu-XCZyJ1nXvwTw/s400/P1160086.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqpyqFue66aISOdAIYVbRboUp3nmMNYdjx2h2l5tmPzMGPB3n4mMbZzAfB1mpJnCWfSeKD019wPWsxRxnFgCiNyUaqpJrwMlMNFT3lB3H4XzjL4m7sWvGljTEZQ_pEOr9P9XRcFst4aQ/s400/P1160089.JPG)
And for LD #2:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZ7H6LJQJEW6uMuOQOz_zDooY9ufl2op_zYPu3xpe4lWjayQEhD33T3aaxkoxdlpEJwl6NBxSHOSsWXzbYfjQSqLaaEH9U1tAVXL8o_q4itfrntLvifTzmpFvphg24kQXxVt5aTfRpe8/s400/P1160093.JPG)
After the ceremony was over, we joined her friends and their families in a celebration BBQ. Then we changed into jeans, packed up all her things, and stuffed them into the U-Haul to take them home.
But not for long. Come August, we'll drag her stuff all out, stuff it in another U-Haul, and drive it 15 minutes down the freeway. She will live with her big sister in a funny little house while Big Sis attends medical school and she works for a nonprofit for one year.
Ah, that first place after college! Long on independence and freedom, short on style and amenities. The kitchen is cramped:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hvLMAbDxkOvKN29kmKXl6bGIObBVg4pYkFzXocYWufgG_i_T8wNWNwnoXsq_9tyJA0Yu5ekPeSpDlHUTpREX2lh3dsH46-qsYwhXphT9T1p_8CkyPYibDYIK6_U9Y-9Ep-2B5Q7NzKo/s400/P1140947.JPG)
And the closets--what few of them there are--have no doors:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksUngOcjpfjnikboet2U4erdoeEX6Weeb80BU1xgrxi1W0mPN8zqsV8dU2ltWUZR6eOgmISQawg_4jBOSBOfXyzuC90Zk-hsSuqXQ9xTotvjklRyb8Mre2AvwtkGSjhCE8u4DoJstkDI/s400/P1140934.JPG)
A few walls need to be painted over:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxs8J6UHuVB1bmpl1Yr-gwPdFr8-h8zk1AlORMgynAsv1uublKylTyTdHOhmldIT-xt0JB5WGlLk4g8z3Xw2eqR4SRcVd3jUvHETJVuueubgTNPZu7I-L3rOKwBZDkyHP9l8D1lkgcDE/s400/P1140950.JPG)
But LD's #1 and #2 are tickled to have a place of their own to share. They are taking notes and taking photos, trolling the second-hand shops and stealing ideas from IKEA.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7A7lI6fassofwfHo8Ozht_QVvFNrtuPELhQoa9ND6bUXmqY2QeHYGXbLmGz4G69AdeFUhTjWaMnyFi07iW0n1SxMZHbZlFjKXf3Y2lEHRJX3LMFfC6z7pYllpHskgM9RdSwXylS5bu4/s400/P1140930.JPG)
A prom, a graduation, and a new home in the very near future:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZl_QfmuiN-MJqGb1LcVtqkHeXnU2jU_cPy_OgrkELXIcnfYo_5bvxoxhVlQ1g0SVujEF0SRxkARoWy4ZYJUWDXoTDF_9iPvy-WTO_VsbK2TY9uxgPu0xaX-hzWrj0KpdNE0ab0Z_3E4/s400/P1160097.JPG)
It was an exciting, exhausting weekend!
LOVELY recap of such special, memorable new beginnings. Beautiful photos, wonderful commentary -- loved it all! I almost felt like I had been there, and for a very proud auntie, that's important! Thanks for sharing, and Congrats all around! xoxo
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