2 Little Beans: Parents Weekend 2008

Uncle Shane just graduated from high school--this school, and we went down to Oregon for the year-end festivities. Because it is a boarding school, there are activities, ceremonies, seminars, plays, musical performances, a bbq, and of course Prom and Commencement. We met Uncle Derek and Shane as well as Gran and Grampa down there. We stayed in the house that Gran and Grampa still own down there. It was like a camping trip, but in a house, since there is no furniture. :)

We drove down on Thursday, leaving home at 9 a.m. We had no wait or trouble at the border, and drove to just north of Seattle before stopping for lunch at 11:30 a.m. I fed Lukasz and Tatus and Lily ran around the rest stop for half an hour. Then it was back in the car and we drove without hitting any traffic all the way to southern Washington, where we stopped for...

COFFEE!!

Lily & Lukasz were AWESOME the entire drive--little to no complaining, and nothing we had to stop for. They both had enough of the drive at the same time--when we were 5 minutes from our old house. So that was fine. We got out, stretched, got something to eat, and found a park.

On Friday we met up with everyone--Gran, Grampa, Uncle Derek and Uncle Shane, and then Lily and Lukasz stayed with them while Tomek and I had a date and saw the school's production of Footloose.

On Saturday we were up at the school at 11 a.m. (with much crazy morning scrambling) for the Awards Ceremony, where Uncle Shane received four awards:

-President's Education Awards Program: Outstanding Academic Excellence
-Academic Merit
-Special Mention: Advanced Literature
-Outstanding: Advanced Current Events

Way to go, Uncle Shane!!!!

Then all eight of us piled into two cars and went for lunch at McMenamins, where we finally gave Gran her much overdo birthday present--the book Before Green Gables.

Gran & Uncle Derek at McMenamins:

Then we drove back to Delphi where they had a barbecue and the jazz choir gave a performance. Tatus and Lily checked that out, I had a delicious hot dog and talked to some people I hadn't seen in years (Delphi was my high school, too), and Lukasz slept. :)

Grampa, Uncle Shane & Gran

Uncle Shane lifting Lily HIGH into the sunshine

Then we all went and got ready to attend Uncle Shane's senior Prom. It was a bit of a mad dash for us to get out the door again, and in the rush, we left Lily's shoes behind. It all worked out ok, she ran around on the grass in the tent in her tights, so that was fine. And when she danced with Uncle Shane her feet were off the ground anyway. :) We didn't see much of Uncle Derek since he was taking photos the whole night, but we did pig out on chicken satays and strawberry shortcake! Yum!

Tatus & Lily at Prom

Uncle Shane and his date, Lily :)

Uncle Shane & Lily tearing up the dance floor

All of a sudden it was Sunday--and Commencement. We got up to Delphi a few hours before Commencement to get some family portraits taken--Uncle Derek will be heading off to work in the UK soon, and Uncle Shane is going to be off to college, so it's not often we are all together in the same place at the same time. I don't have these photos yet, but I'll post them as soon as I do.

The guest speaker at Commencement was really inspiring, and then there was Uncle Shane, receiving his diploma! Since the class sizes at Delphi are pretty small compared to public schools, each graduate gives a speech. Uncle Shane gave a GREAT speech, and we were all so proud of him.

Proud Grampa: