Friday, May 31, 2013

Graduation visit with Family

 
 
Mom and Dad make the long drive from Texas to visit and make sure they are at the boys' big events.  They arrived on Thursday with smiles and FOOD!  There was panis for breakfast...yum!  (brisket for later and Kahlua for whenever)


 

On Friday, we took them to Gardenhood and the Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta.  The Oakland Cemetery is huge Victorian style garden cemetery that dates from the mid 1800's.  There are some really cool monuments and mausolea to check out.

 
Mom looking at Margaret Mitchell's headstone.  (author of Gone with the Wind)

 
Friday evening, Shey's dad, Glenn arrived.  We took the guys out to the climbing wall, just to show them and.......



....well....one thing led to another.......

Glenn on the wall


The grandfather's, "still very active" or "still not grown up"..... :>)

 
They somehow managed to squeeze their feet into our two-sizes-too-small climbing shoes.


I can do this, no problem.


What a pro!

 Graduation was Saturday,







then on Sunday, we had Brisket!!!!  Our favorite!  Thanks DAD!!


The last couple times Mom and Dad have come to visit I have wanted to interview them, so we would have an archive of our family history.  Before they arrived, I purchased a great little microphone that you plug into the computer and the sound was GREAT!  It was very easy to use.


I spent about an hour or so with each of them, asking question about their childhood and family. It was really cool and we listened to the recordings after each interview.  Then, I made them each a CD before they left. 



I also made reservations with Storycorps so we would have a recording of them at the Library of Congress.  Since, we had already been through the questions at home with my recording, I don't think this interview was as smooth this time, but it was really fun!  http://storycorps.org/


Here we are in the sound booth.  The boys are in the room outside, listening with earphones. 
The ladies who run the sound booth were really cool and one of them told us the microphones were the original ones purchased for Storycorps.  So, many famous people had used these devices and she rattled of a list of names, but the only one Mom got really excited about was Yoko Ono........yes, that's right, Yoko Ono.




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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Jansen's High School Graduation 2013

 
Yeah, he made it!!!!
 
 
Nobody tripped.....
 

The ceremony was nice.
 

 
And his speech was amazing!  He told his classmates to stop dreaming and DO something!
 

 
Maceo, the ninja.


Sleeping Ziljan.


Scarves and watches......

 
Jansen was jazzed about his sketch from Kurt.




Mom and Dad with the boys.  Best grandparents EVER!!!  Thanks so much for everything guys!!




The men...........Everett, Dad, Jansen, Glenn and Shey



Happy parents!!



Then, it was over too fast.  The past few weeks have been crazy and graduation day was here in a flash.  It was really nice to have my parents here and Shey's dad, too.  So, after the ceremony we all went home and changed clothes, then met at a Thai food place to visit and relax.
 


 
Then, a nice long walk along Floyd St.



I am  so happy for Jansen and all that he has accomplished.  We are so thankful to know this amazing son, brother, grandson, cyclist, academic, blacksmith, rocket builder, unicyclist, juggler, adventurer...and the list goes on and on.  Love you man!!!!

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Quick Peak at Graduation Alcovy High School 2013

 
 


Jansen speaking

Brianna, Jansen and Brittany



More info up soon....especially of the super cool sketch by Kurt Rampton of Krautstache Designs http://www.krautstache.com/ !!


Friday, May 17, 2013

Another fantastic Mother's Day!

 
I like to stretch any holiday into a holi-week!  So Mother's Day started with some Nutella Gelato, followed by a haircut at Van Michael Salon.
 

Then my weekly hike with Everett.  I LOVE hiking with this guy!


Next a sweet climbing session with my Grateful Dead loving son.




 Then a day trip to the lake to paddle with the guys.  Jansen is in a hammock studying for an AP Physics exam on the shoreline.




We all went to eat at Bullritos then headed home for me to do some gardening.

Perfect, as usual!  Thanks so much to all my guys!
 
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Friday, May 10, 2013

Graduation is near.......

Senior year is winding down.  This semester has been hectic, to say the least, for Jansen.  But, essays are written, scholarships accepted, university chosen, AP exams, finals and projects will be completed by the end of next week.  Whew!!
 
 
He is salutatorian of a graduating class of about 420.  (interesting number, eh?)  So, the award ceremonies began last month.
 
 
Highest SAT
 



Top Ten from all the high schools in the county.  (other schools not shown)




Changing in the car for the awards this week....


 
 Honors Night
 
And there was cake.........
 
 

Happy and hungry

Lots of cool awards


Here are the Graduation Announcements.  Very fitting, I think.




Yeah, so we went to the black barber shop down the street for his haircut.....they weren't quite sure what to do with him, but I love the razor sharp sideburns!!





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