Visitors From the Past

December 18, 2011

One of the things I love most about the week before Christmas vacation is that all of the college kids come home, and I get visits from former students. It is truly a joy to see these kids come walking back through my door--I love, love, love these girls!


The beautiful Miss Bree, Miss Angel, and Miss Macie Marie.The beautiful Miss Ceci.

My, How They've Grown....

June 1, 2011

My friend Susan, who is a librarian at our elementary school, just sent me this picture the other day. It's an old picture of the Destination Imagination team that I coached when the kids were in second grade--Bree, Austin, Nicole, and Macie. They were checking out materials for their competition skit. So many years later, just the day before this picture was sent to me, I had taken a picture of these same little darlings, all grown up, at the CSF Banquet. It has been a real privilege to see these kids all grow into amazing young adults. It's also been an especially meaningful year, since all of these kids ended up in my English class for their senior year.

CSF Banquet 2011

June 1, 2011

The CSF Banquet: the culmination of an awful lot of hard work and effort on the part of the scholarly, academic-minded kids of the graduating class. It's a night to honor all that hard work (and an amazing collective I.Q. in the room), as well as a night to pay tribute to the parents of those kids and mentor-teachers who have helped and inspired their students on their educational journey. This year I was lucky enough to attend the banquet in a dual capacity--extremely proud parent to my darling daughter Brianna, and honored sponsor of Miss Macie Mellor. It's honestly one of my favorite events each year, but this year was especially meaningful. It's so amazing to hear about all the things these kids have accomplished, as well as their lofty goals for the future.

Simone Leighty, CSF speaker

Brianna with her proud mom and dad
Brianna with her sponsor, Kathleen Gleason

Macie and me

Austin and Bree

Me with Maddy Roubicek
Bree, Angel, and Macie
Nicole, Bree, and Simone
Austin and me
Me and my baby
Bree, Austin, and Nicole

Musical Jeopardy--Spring Choir Show Bree's Senior Year

May 19, 2011

Last week was the Spring Show for choir. Bree's been involved in choir for several years, and this was the final performance of her high school year. The Musical Jeopardy theme was fun and upbeat, but nostalgia still kicked in for Mom, so it's quite possible there were a few tears--in a good way, of course. So many of these friends of hers are kids she's grown up with, and I've seen them all blossom from little kids playing on the elementary playground to wonderful young adults getting ready to seek out their futures in the world. I can't wait to see what's next for these kids.

My baby, all grown upBree and her best friend, Shelby
Bree and her boyfriend Aaron--their very own American Gothic

Bree and one of her oldest and dearest friends, Austin
Nicole and Bree--friends from many years back
Part of the kids' second grade Destination Imagination team, plus the mom-coaches: Michelle and Nicole, Bree and me, Cindi and Macie, and Austin
Proud mamas
Bree and her best friend from elementary school, Macie
Austin, Nicole, Bree, and Macie--friends for eleven years

My sweet boy Austin
Miss Natalie--gotta love that kid!
Amber and Bree--these girls adore each other
Kathryn and Bree--'just-as-good-as-sisters' friends

A Magical Night Under the Stars

May 4, 2011

Brianna looked so beautiful on the night of Prom. She had a beautiful dress, a knock-out smile, and lots of great friends to make the evening one to remember. She went with Simone, who was also beautiful as always. The two of them, along with several other couples, had dinner at Simone's home before their limo picked them up to transport them to Holland Park West, a lovely outdoor garden venue.

I chaperoned Prom this year, so I got to see them all there and take some pictures. Luckily, someone was looking out for me, so I didn't have the dreaded dance floor duty--I just got to check the kids in at the entrance and take lots of pictures!


Austin, Mallory, Simone, Bree, Kyle, Lena, Katie, Alyssa, Berto, and Nicole
Simone and Bree

Austin and Bree--friends since second grade, all grown up.

Second grade buddies--Austin, Nicole, and Bree


My beautiful baby and me
Austin, Nicole, and me
Macie and me