Stella….our 2025 GRADUATE!!!!

We can’t believe that we now have four grandchildren who have graduated from high school….Ian, Marina, Adam, and Stella!

We spent the last several days with our daughter, Candice, and our granddaughter, Stella, to celebrate a milestone for Stella—her graduation from Boulder High School!

Earlier in the week Stella took us to one of her favorite places in Boulder—NCAR, the National Center for Atmospheric Research Center.   We can understand why this is one of Stella’s special places.  The Center is filled with interesting and informational “hands-on” exhibits, and NCAR is surrounded by hundreds of acres of rugged trails nested beneath the spectacular Flatirons.

We asked Stella open her graduation presents from us several days before her graduation.  We wanted to have plenty of time with Stella to look at the four volumes of books that we had made for her.  

They are filled with photos of all the hours and days, since the night she was born, that we have had the honor of spending with our dear granddaughter through the years.  The books are titled, “ Loving Memories of Stella with Grandma & Grandpa”.  And they are filled with so many “loving memories!”

When all our grandchildren have completed high school and started their adventures in the world beyond their childhood, we have gifted them with photo books filled with their adventures with us….their adoring Grandma and Grandpa.

We also gave her a vintage jacket and shirt that I had worn and loved for many years.  On the jacket, I attached a gold pin and matching earrings that I had worn when I had competed in horse shows and dressage over 40 years ago. 

This is another tradition of ours—to gift our grandchildren (and children) with family heirlooms for memorable occasions.

Graduation morning….

Grandpa had ordered four corsages with purple and yellow flowers—the school colors of Boulder High School.

Isn’t my Danny sweet!

Stella actually completed her high school requirements in December….at 16 years of age.  Since then she has been taking guitar lessons and college classes at the Berkley School of Arts.

Here are a few of her paintings:

We’re pleased that Stella wanted to participate in her graduation ceremony with her classmates this spring.  It was so special for us to attend her graduation, and to see her walk across the stage to receive her diploma.  Although we have to admit that it was hard to see her through the tears of joy in our eyes!

The Graduate with her VERY proud mother….

And proud grandparents….

Candice hosted an amazing graduation party for her daughter!

….but first there were decorations to hang.

Flowers for Stella from her Mom!

While Candice was preparing the food for the party, Stella gave all of us an hour-long concert.  She sang, played her guitar, and explained many of the intricacies and techniques that she has learned in her guitar lessons this past year.

 

It was such fun to see Stella swaying and joyfully strumming as her beautiful music filled the home!

Stella’s graduation party was a roaring success!

Much to my surprise, at desert time, the Graduation party also became an early celebration of my 75th birthday!

The birthday surprise, was such a well kept secret, that I was singing “Happy Graduation” to Stella, while everyone else was singing, Happy Birthday” to me!!!

So I got to make a birthday wish, Stella made a graduation wish….and we both blew out the candles together.  

Danny knew it was a surprise birthday party for me, and laughed uproariously for several minutes that I had been singing happy anniversary for my own birthday celebration.  In fact, when he read this, he started laughing again.  I had been wondering why everyone else was singing Happy Birthday….

Thank you all for my birthday card, and thank you, Candice, for my 3/4 century birthday party and your amazing gift….two LED candle sticks that look like 100 year old vintage real candle sticks. 

I had been coveting Candice’s “candle sticks.”  And now I have my own, so I didn’t have to pack hers in our bags “by mistake” when we left.

All in all, this was a week that Grandpa and I will always remember….starting off with our Mother’s  Day celebration, then special days with Kathy and Tonia, seeing many of our dear friends who live on the Front Range, and finishing off the week with endless days with Candice and Stella, and all of us talking to Marina who is studying in Japan.

The grand finale was Stella’s graduation, with an extra bonus of my 75th birthday celebration!

Wow, what a week. Thank you all, for your hospitality and love.  You’ll mean the world to us!

Every day is Mother’s Day

A Mother….surrounded by her loving children, grandchildren, family and adoring husband—this is bliss and this is my life.

I am overwhelmed with all the love that our family showered on me today and every day.

I had an early Mother’s Day celebration when a package arrived from Mila and Owen.  Enclosed was a lovely card….

….and cookies handmade by Mila.  Each cookie was not only a work of art, but they were also heathy and super delicious!

Love sent from the east coast…. 

A fun and festive message from Calvin and Alison….

….and from Luc!

We were fortunate this year to be in Colorado, so we could also celebrate Mother’s Day with our dear sister, Kathy, and her daughter, Tonia.  Kathy and I made meatloaf in honor of her and Danny’s mom….and my adopted loving Mother, Jeanne Graybill.  We used the meatloaf recipe that she had given to me many years ago.

Stella painted a lovely picture of a couple dancing.  She told us that she painted it in celebration of Danny’s and my beautiful dancing—and us as a couple.  We will treasure it forever, and think of Stella every time that we see this special picture on the wall of our home.

Marina sent her Grandmother’s Day love from half way around the world in Japan where she’s enrolled in an immersive Japanese language school. 

Love sent to me from the west coast….

Precious little Hannah sent flowers and her love to me!

We arrived in Boulder at Candice’s new home on Sunday. Candice prepared a wonderful Mother’s Day dinner, and we celebrated with Candice, Adam, and Stella.

Candice outfitted us with Arizona Monster 300 gear for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day—exactly what we have been wanting since we live in Arizona and had been at Candice’s AZ Monster 300 inaugural race this spring!

A special heartfelt message from Candice….

These words from Candice are very meaningful to me as all of our children have voiced a similar sentiment at various times in the last few years.  I am so proud of each and every one of our children and grandchildren.

Being a Mother, Grandmother, and wife is the most fulfilling thing in my life.

I feel fortunate to be surrounded by all this love.  Thank you to all our family for all your precious love….

Spring in the desert…..