A GIRL

We are well into summer around here. 

#3, Barrett, is "all done" with her sophomore year and

I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT HER BEING A JUNIOR,

 just yet.  

Here she is headed out on the last day of school.

She was loaded down.

During the school year she was an assistant in a second grade class. She wanted to do something special the teacher and decided on a French themed basket, complete with warm french bread, cheese, jams and napkins. She took the students in the class ice pops all bundled up in ribbons. She also baked cookies the night before to share with her friends during lunch. This has become a tradition for her.  She needed the pair of closed toe shoes for her Biology lab....somehow they fit into her packed purse.

Somewhere on her, she also has a couple bottles of water, her lunch and of course school books!

She had a great school year, but was so glad to see it come to an end. 

(me too)

AP biology was getting the best of her.

(and me)

She had straight A's going into the last quarter, but during the last quarter her Bio grade dropped to a B.

Her dad may have bribed her a wee little bit just to get her motivated enough to make it to the end.

She has always wanted to go to Italy

and her dad said he would take her if she could make it through the school

year with all A's.

(Of course, he is the one that really wants to go to Italy and just saw it as  an excuse!)

Well, she did it!

She is a straight A student again this year.

We hate talking about it around here because we don't want to jinx her or make it seem it is what we expect from her. She takes her school work seriously and has never made anything but A's. 

She makes her own "studying" decisions and in the end has earned her grades.

And yes, I am proud of her and not ashamed to say it. 

Next year will be harder though, she will have several AP classes to deal with.

I will be proud of her no matter what her grades are, because she is such a hard worker

 and

 always does her best

and 

has a great heart

and 

is just so dang cute!

I am not sure when she (and her dad) will get that trip to Italy.
I don't even know if I am invited, but I heard them talking something

 about next spring break. 

Great job #3!

PARKING ISSUES

So how does a sixteen year old girl give her dad a heart attack?

One sure way is to text him these pictures...

Barrett's car is the blue one.

(Yes, the car that she got in January for her birthday.)

The white one belongs to a very very nice lady, thank goodness. 

The guy and girls are some of Barrett's friends. 

Kyle's face says it all!!

Barrett was moving her car after school to a parking space closer to the soccer field. 

She parked next to the white car and.........

cut it a little close.

It took two other dads to navigate her car out

and 

believe it or not, her car never touched the white one.

Here is a picture of the white car after her car was moved........

not a scratch!  

(and yes, we did talk about parking and choosing spaces that actually have enough room)

(and Art's heart rate has returned to normal!)

1970's RETRO PARTY

Where did my little girl go?

Barrett (#3) was invited to a 1970's themed murder mystery party not too long ago.

Everyone invited was given a character to dress up as and act like at the party. 

Barrett's character was a super model who secretly held several PhDs.

I thought it was a very fitting part because Barrett is very studious and is somewhat of a closet bookworm.

We found everything she needed in our closets and drawers, 

including the sparkly blue eye shadow!

The glasses actually were my mom's. 

I am so glad I kept them, I knew they would come in handy one day!

The dress is new and was worn to a sorority formal by Brooke just this year.

The scarf and bracelet were my souvenirs that I bought in Italy last year. 

The shoes were a TJ's find. 

She had a great time and won the best dressed award! 

GROOVY!

FASHION WEEK

NC State Fashion Week

NC State held its annual Fashion Week before the semester was over.

Brooke was asked to walk in the School of Textiles fashion show.  

I wish I could say she got her legs from me, but she did not.

She also walked in the ART2WEAR show for one of her friends

that designed a line of clothing using the theme

Cotton and Wood.

She carved the wood pieces and hats. 

She made the paper!

A few days before the actual show, they had a photo shoot in a field near campus. 

I am so glad that Brooke got to experience these things during her college days. It was a very very hectic few weeks for her, but I know she will always look back at this time and experiences as some of as some of her best. 

College Graduation

It has been over 75 days since my last post.

Good gracious!

I have a lot of catching to do.

But first things first,

I am officially a mom to a college graduate!

Brooke graduated from NC State University last week with a degree in 

graphic design. 

The week before graduation, I attended her senior project exhibit.

The School of Design held their graduation the day before the larger university wide commencement. 

I love this picture. Brooke is walking across the stage, Art (daddy) is videoing and all of my girls are being shown on the screen.

My dad came.

BF2 came all the way from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill 

and even wore his Carolina blue among all of that NC State red. 

(He also graduated.)

Brittany was there, but unfortunately Barrett was not able to go.

Her school's soccer team made it into the conference playoffs and she had to go to Charlotte for that. 

Saturday afternoon, she opened her graduation present ....

she was surprised and very happy!

Saturday night we went to dinner with BF2's family. 

It was so nice to get to know them, they are a great family. 

Barrett is looking so grown up!

It is killing me!

Congratulations Brooke and BF2!!!