A Month of Celebrating

Spring is here "the grass is rizzzz", flowers almost all planted,  half the veggie garden is done, and the celebrating for a month is behind us.

And celebrate we did. May 4th started the day cool but turned warm and just the right weather for the first big celebration of the spring. This was the biggest day for two very special people.  My oldest Granddaughter Ashley graduating with a Masters degree in Art Therapy  from Adler School of Psychology in Chicago and for her fiance' Ray our soon to be grandson  Graduating from Adrian College and also being commissioned 2nd. Lt. in the U.S. Army.

We were very honored they asked if they could have their party to celebrate all this plus their going away party. It was the first time we would meet Rays' family. We had a wonderful time ,lots of good food and will have many wonderful memories of the day.

Ashley and Ray along with Grandma ( Me)

Ashley and Ray with Ashleys' dad Darryl

Ashley and Rays with Rays Parents, Brother and Grandmother 

Ashley and Ray with Ashleys' sister Brittany . 

Celebrating so many things at once. What do you  put on  the cake?  

Congratulations

&

Best Wishes. 

After the excitement  the day  totally needed to some serous relaxing. The next couple days I did  just that. Then came the next few busy days, preparing to get away to the beauty of nature while camping in the North Woods of Michigan. George and I spent a week at the Sleepy Bear Dunes Platt River Campgrounds. We walked trails  took a few senic tours and just  enjoyed the time alone. It has been a long time since just the two of us have gotten away. We looked for the elusive morel mushrooms and came home with enough for 4-5 good sized servings of them. Weather had been dry. Rained finally Wednesday and Thursday so by Friday morning  mushrooms were really popping all over. Found many good sized ones that day compared to early in the week. Alas Saturday morning it was time to pack up the trailer and hitch up and head back home. 

Just a couple pictures of our trip. More to come about our beautiful state later. 

Point Betsie Lighthouse. 

Sleeping Bear Dunes. 

Short note. Warning signs all over do not go off the wooden trail. Dunes could move. Well the two dots down by the lake decided to climb down to the water. As we left rescue helicopter was coming in as they could not get back up. Why people do things as this just baffles my mind. 

Back home and now just one week away from the second big celebration of Spring of 2013. 

Our Granddaughter Brittany would be graduating and she has lived with us for over a year now. Party # two Open House for her Graduation. 

Walking into the gym 

The Year Is  over and she is now officially out and is College bound.

Brittany with her mother Cherrie

Brittany with Grandma and Grandpa Gilbert,  Grandpa George and I 

With Aunt Lisa and Cousin Holly

Brittany with our Nephew, Tyler. And out of all the boys in her class they ended up walking down together. What are the odds of that happening. They match boy girl alphabetically. 

Then came the Open House. She had asked for a Mexican Meal so that is just what she had. Chicken Fajitas, Mexican Rice, Mexican Steak and Gravy with potatoes in it, homemade chips and salsa, taco salad and all the other goodies to go with the meal.What a fun time with all. 

Good food, Family, and Friends. What more would you need.

The cake. Made by her Aunt Jill. The little Graduate is solar powered and jiggled. 

Love her look. She was not too sure on cutting that cake. 

Her niece. Our 3rd.living Great Grandbaby. It was so nice to see her. Her parents live out of state now so the last time we had seen her she was just 4 weeks old. My how she has grown. 

Great Grandpa Choate and Jan 

Aunt Pat and Great Grandma Cox

Grandma and Grandpa Gilbert

And this is the morning after .

So the celebrations are over. Quiet has returned to our house. At least until I decide rather to have the family reunion later this fall. We have been talking about it. Been 3 years since doing one. 

Now the gardening has begun in earnest. I hope that I Can soon be sharing some of the changes going on in our yard.