Kelsey Graduates!

The first half of our June was spent celebrating DW’s baby sister’s high school graduation! None of us could believe the time had come, and she was really graduating. The years have flown by.

 

                   2002                             &                    2012

She was 7 years old when I came into the family. I’ve loved her since the first time I met her. I feel like the years we’ve had together has given me the right to claim her as mine, too. :)

All of the graduation festivities stretched over a two week span. There were banquets, award ceremonies and then baccalaureate. Since space was an issue, only her mom & dad went to these… but Kels did stop by after baccalaureate so we could see her in her cap and gown! Seeing her in that cap and gown is when it became real. AB ran to her room and got the graduation cap that is in her dress up bin when she saw Kelsey had one on, too! :)

DW couldn’t be left out either- ha! (his cap & gown was out because we were going to use the cap at her party for decoration).

Her party was the Friday night before graduation. We did her school colors (red & white, with some black) for the party with polka dots (because they’re Kelsey’s favorite) and it turned out really cute.

 Over the food table, Kellee hung blown up pictures of her yearbook pages. (The one from them and then the one from the brothers/SILs). Here’s what our page looked like:

Food was lots of Kelsey’s favorite things- a Chick-fil-A nugget tray, chips with queso, Italian subs, & BBQ sliders. We also had stuffed jalapenos and salsa.

The dessert table was all of her favorite desserts in miniature.

She has always loved anything miniature. When we were shopping for her party, we found the tiny dessert shooters in three different designs, so in those we did a strawberry shortcake, chocolate delight, and dirt cake. We also found the teeny tiny spoons- which were a cute touch.

  

We did mini-cupcakes in her 3 favorite flavors: white with butter cream icing, chocolate with peanut butter icing, and red velvet with cream cheese icing. We also made chocolate truffles on lollipop sticks.

We had the best time cooking and baking for the party- we did all of that the day before and finished up last minute things the day of.

This was a Pinterest idea- and it turned out so cute!Pappy enlarged the picture and it hung above the drink/fruit table at the party.

The turnout for the party was great- it was a house/yard full for the whole two hours. Lots of family and friends, all of which were very sweet and generous to Kels. My MIL put all of Kelsey’s school pictures in the photo screen in the picture above and it turned out so cute, too.

The following Sunday evening, our church had it’s youth banquet for the graduating seniors. I was asked to decorate, so Kellee, Lauren & I did that on Saturday. My Mom helped us come up with a theme where we could let all the seniors have a part in the decorating:  “Always remember who you are and Who’s you are” – we had each of the Senior’s families decorate their table for them according to their likes, interests, etc. We made tall table markers for each table with graduation caps and the graduate’s name on them- this was the only thing at all the tables that were alike.

We did Kelsey’s table in her favorite colors; pink and green- and just did it very girly.

For the tables where other guests were to sit, we went with a neutral theme of burlap and lace. I made ruffled burlap runners for the long tables and we did mason jar vases with white flowers in the centers. Super easy and it turned out really cute.

The other thing we had to do was a backdrop for pictures… we thought and thought, and Lauren came up with the idea to use burlap for the backdrop and then we just framed all of the Sr.’s names around it.

They always have steaks – and this year Van & Amber cooked for it – which is why they didn’t stay for the actual banquet.

Of course, DW, who was already dressed for the banquet had to get in on the grill action, too. :)

They have a guest speaker and then a slideshow presentation. They also buy each of the Sr.’s a new Bible with their name on it. I loved that the youth director took the time to choose a different Bible for each graduate. That was so sweet and special.

It was such a sweet night to honor the graduates at our church.

Lauren, Adam, Kelsey, DW & Me (No, I’m not pregnant, and I haven’t worn that dress again after seeing this picture) :)

A proud Momma & Daddy

Graduation day was on Tuesday night of that week. We got good seats about three rows back and we had three cameras snapping pictures during the ceremony. We were all so excited and proud! Kelsey was Sr. Class Vice President, so she and her good friend (and class President) gave the welcome.

When her name was called we yelled like crazies.

After the ceremony, we took pictures in front of the Performing Arts Center:

  and then hit Carrabba’s for celebratory dinner.

My parents were too good to us to spend that night (which was also their 36th Anniversary) at our house keeping the girls. :)

We wrapped up the graduation festivities that evening – it was so much fun to celebrate a girl who’s so very, very loved!

 

~amw~