Cap and Gown Pictures

The cap and gown pictures turned out perfect!

We started at each of the school signs. First, we went to the Ridgeway Elementary sign.

Then, we went to the West Middle School sign.

Finally, we finished at the Hickman High School sign.

Tamara Dee Photography took a bunch of different pictures at Hickman. We made sure to get pictures at the different entrances, and, of course, Tamara made sure to have Laura throw her cap a few times.

There were just so many great photos to choose from!

With 131 different photos, it was so hard to choose my favorites.

We finished her session at the Fine Arts building. This is the building that Laura called “home” the most.

Thank you, Tamara, for capturing the memories so well! The photos are perfect!

Spring Band Concert

We were back at Hickman for John’s final band concert of the year this evening.

John is in Symphonic Band, and I really enjoyed their song selection for this concert.

John can be hard on himself, so he did not think that he played well. However, the band sounded great.

Concert band is officially wrapped up for this school year!

Wind Ensemble Concert

Tonight was Laura’s last Wind Ensemble concert.

It is hard to believe that this is another last for her.

This is a special performance for only the Wind Ensemble that includes honoring each of the Seniors and the Senior Solo Series.

It has been a great year, and Laura has grown a lot as a musician.

There are only four days of school left for Laura. It is a week full of lasts.

Deck and Patio Upgrades

We did some deck and patio upgrades this weekend. First, we purchased flowers and other annuals for the outdoor planters.

While Andy worked on those, I cleaned all the outdoor tables and chairs. Then, I replaced the chair cushions on our deck chairs with these new blue ones.

This morning, Andy put together our new firepit table for the back patio.

All that is left is to install the new cantilevered umbrella on the deck and buy a propane tank specifically for the firepit.

We are looking forward to spending some time outside this coming summer!

Senior Prom

Laura’s Senior Prom is here. I asked her if she wanted to have her hair professionally done, but she did not want anything elaborate. I am certainly not a stylist, but I was still able to find a low bun made from braids. Laura said that she loved the way it looked.

As with her hair, Laura did not want an elaborate, sequined dress. She spent hours looking through dresses on Amazon for something “fairy-like.” Her ultimate choice is beautiful, and the color really shows off her red hair.

I especially love the back of the dress.

After she was ready, we met Laura’s best friends at Grindstone Nature Area for pictures. It was fun taking pictures of this excited group of Seniors.

It was bittersweet for me as we took pictures of Laura and Annabelle. They met on the playground the very first day of kindergarten and have been best friends ever since.

They are two peas in a pod.

When pictures were taken, Laura headed off with her friends for the evening. After some hang out time and a trip to Sonic for dinner, they went to the Columbia Country Club for Prom. Laura said that they all had a great time, and it was a lot more fun than she thought it would be. She loved spending her Senior Prom with her best friends.

I am so glad that the night was more than she expected. There are only five days left of school for our girl. Where has the time gone?

The Hickman Review

Laura shocked me when she told me a couple of weeks ago that she made the Hickman Review. I thought, “What the hell? She submitted a literary piece?!?”

While Laura has been writing for years, she has always refused to share anything that she has written. For her to submit a piece for a literary magazine was stunning.

I am so proud of this kid. She stepped outside her comfort zone, and, now, I get to see a small piece of her work in print. I find it amazing. Way to put yourself out there, Red.