Graduation Gifts and Announcements

My baby girl is now safely delivered to college.  I still can’t believe it.  I woke up this morning to a quiet and empty house.  I have a lot of thoughts to share on that but they will have to wait until another day when I can sort them all out.

High School graduation is now only a memory at our house but I have one more post to share with you about it -our graduation announcement and a few of the gifts I put together for my daughter to remember her graduation and to send her off to college with.  I wanted to give her something a little more meaningful than luggage or a new computer (although she got a computer too)

One of the gifts I gave to Tessa was this necklace that I had made by White Lilie Design etsy shop.  I wanted something with a key on it.  I had it personalized to say “You Hold the Key.”  I wanted Tessa to know and remember that she holds the key to her life – to all the exciting, wonderful things that are to come.  She has been wearing the necklace constantly since I gave it to her – I guess she likes it.

To go along with the necklace I also put a poster together, using my Creative Memories Storybook Creator software. On the poster I included all kinds of quotes I found about keys.

The poster is 16 x 20.  I also gave copies of it to some of Tessa’s closest friends who were also graduating.  I went to a vintage shop and bought some old skeleton keys for about $5.00 each and put them on a piece of ribbon and then tied it to the rolled up poster.

If you’d like a copy of the poster – you can download it for free here.  A gift from me to you.  I had it printed at Costco as a 16 x 20 poster.  After it opens up on your computer, just right click on it and save it as an image to your desktop.  You can then upload it to Costco.  Be sure and check full resolution to download it at Costco.

I also created a digital book for her using the same software.  I had made one for my daughter Cali also and it is one of my favorite books I have made.  I used a poem “Did I Tell You?” by Elizabeth Knapp.

I used various pictures of Tessa that went along with the poem.  I love it.  Here are a few pages from it.

If you’d like to see the entire book you can go here.  You will need to create a log in.

When I left her in Utah I framed this piece of art and left it on her dresser.

You can buy a copy of it here.

And there was that new MacBook Pro she got too.

I am not a big fan of those graduation announcements you can purchase from the company that does the graduation gowns etc.  Just too boring and impersonal.  I prefer to make my own.

One of the companies I love that does a great job with announcements and invitations is Tiny Prints. They have lots of really fun options.  Here is the one Tessa chose for her announcement.  It turn out beautifully!

Now I just need to get them out in the mail.

They have lots of great options for  party invites, birth announcements, etc.  Check them out here. I want to have  BBQ just so I can use this invite.!

Being able to make a more personal announcement that reflects the graduates personality is so much more fun.

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Fathers and Sons

I am breaking my own rule today -I am blogging on Sunday.

But I have had some thoughts in my mind and on my heart today that I want to share.

Today is Father’s Day.  I have been blessed to have a wonderful father and I have also been blessed to have a wonderful father for my children.

A father’s relationship with his children is different than a mothers but just as important.  My husband has a wonderful relationship with his daughters but today I want to share my thoughts about a father’s relationship with his sons.

In church today one of the speakers quoted from a talk by Russell M. Ballard entitled “Fathers and Sons: A Remarkable Relationship.”

He said the following:

There is no other relationship quite like that which can and should exist between a boy and his dad. It can be one of the most nurturing, joyful relationships in life, one that can have a profound impact on who boys become and also on who dads become.

It got me to thinking about the relationship my boys have with their father.

Then this morning my husband sent me a link to an article from the sports page in the Oregonian entitled  “The Glue that Binds Fathers and their Children is Sports.”

This has been true at our house.  My husband is a huge sports fan and he has shared that love with his children, especially his sons since they were little. It is truly one of the things that binds their relationship.

In the article, Canzano says:

You may have played catch with dad in the back yard. He may have coached your sports teams. You may have watched events on television, or listened together on the radio. Maybe you even had tickets and went to games. Whatever the case, sports was your glue, wasn’t it? And if you have children of your own now, it bonds you with them.

If you were to ask my boys what some of their favorite childhood memories are I know without a doubt that the top memories would include attending Blazer games with their dad ever since they were small.  Clark use to fall asleep at the games and Jim would carry him in his arms back to the car at the end of the game.  They continued to attend games together regularly until the boys left home and then Jim would take his girls.

Car rides up to Seattle to see the Mariners and watch their childhood hero Ken Griffy Jr. play would be another highlight of their growing up years.  Those 6 hours round trip in the car were probably more valuable than the time at the game.

Every time the boys come home now they check the Blazer and Mariner’s schedule to see if their is a game they can attend together.

Last year for his birthday the boys flew their dad to Provo to go to a BYU Cougars game with them.

Now, with both boys gone from home I don’t think there is a Blazer or Mariner’s game that Jim watches that he isn’t on the phone talking or texting with his boys during the game,  discussing the last play or  the score.

Jim spent many years on the ball field either coaching or watching and cheering on his boys (and his girls.)

The Oregonian article also said:

The game itself is incidental. The seat location, a minor formality. Whether you were playing or watching or listening, all loose details. But most important was that it was you and your parent.

But simply being at a sporting event together is a wonderful part of any relationship with a father.

I may have sometimes complained (o.k. more than sometimes) about the amount of sports my boys and Jim watch but after reading the Oregonian article today I think I will stop – it is the glue that binds their relationship.  A relationship that is strong and powerful and one that I am grateful for.

My boys have become good and kind men just like their father.  A good man is a good thing.

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30 Years

Thirty years ago today I married this man for time and all eternity…

I was only 21 years old.  My mother called him the “stabilizing influence in my life.”  She was right.

This is the man who didn’t flinch when he came home a few weeks before Christmas one year and found big splashes of red paint on our living room wall.  “Oh, by the way honey, I’d like to repaint the living room – now.”  He just smiled and started painting.

This is the man who when a few weeks ago I showed him a picture of a table I wanted him to build  for a party this weekend just smiled and went out and bought the wood.

This is the man who, 20 years ago when I told him I was going to start a business selling scrapbooks just smiled and then loaded boxes into my car and took care of the children in the evening so I could go out and teach classes.

This is the man who loves me no matter how crazy or out of control I get, no matter what I ask him to do, who supports me no matter what new venture or scheme I come up with, who just smiles and gets to work.  He loves me and I love him.

The past 30 years have had their ups and downs.  There have been twists and turns we didn’t expect and adventures we didn’t plan on.  But through the good times (there have been lots) and the bad times (there have been our share) I am grateful for that “stabilizing influence” in my life. For a man who has kept me upright and moving in the right direction.  For a man who loves me and a man who loves his children.  My children couldn’t ask for a better father.

Here is to another 30 years!  May it be just as much of an adventure as the last 30 years!

photos by MeganElle Photography

PS  – Because you have asked here is what we looked like 30 years ago.  Remember it was the early 80’s.  Please be nice!

Our engagement picture.

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