The Senior Prom (s)

This month Will and Elizabeth had her prom and his prom.  She goes to the all girl school and Will attends the all boy school across the parking lot.  They each have their own prom.

First up was Elizabeth's prom...  I want to preface these gorgeous photos by saying it had been a ROUGH week.  Houston flooded badly and Elizabeth's family's property flooded so badly that she was taking a boat to get to a road to get to school.  Then the boat was stolen!  One of their animals drowned in the flooding.  It was awful.  She also got sick and had pink eye in these photos.  All that to say that I think she looks fabulous but I know that she had a very difficult week and was not feeling great. I felt really bad for her.

I was really hoping to get a good photo when Will handed Elizabeth her bouquet.  I made the bouquet for her and was hoping she loved it.  She did love it but I did not get a good photo.

Elizabeth and her Mom.

Will's best friends are baseball players (but Will is not).  Unfortunately, the baseball players had a game the night of BOTH proms. So, we don't have big group photos of Will's closest friends.

But for Liz's prom they did get a small group together for dinner at a restaurant and some photos...













You can see more photos of this prom here.

Two weeks later was Will's prom.  Again his friends had a baseball game and so they (the players) arrived late at Prom.  Will made reservations for a nice restaurant for he and Elizabeth and they met up with their group at Prom and the after party.  Thankfully, it was a beautiful week and everyone was doing much better.

Once again I decided to make Elizabeth's bouquet.  I was Mother's Day weekend so I tried to get the flowers a day or two early.  I was so worried they would not last but they did beautifully in the refrigerator.

A friend asked me to help make flowers for her sons' dates too.

I took a lot of photos because it was a gorgeous evening and we had lots of time.



I typically pin the boutonniere.  It was very sad to me that this is likely the last one I'll pin on Will (maybe until his wedding?)

(blurry phone photo)

They had a great time at prom.  In fact, Will has had a lot of fun with all of the end of year festivities.

As I type this blog post, Will is getting his cap and gown and rehearsing for graduation and baccalaureate mass. I have so many feelings y'all.  Happy, sad, proud, scared.  I know this is the place we work so hard to get our kids to.  Will is a great kid. He is graduating with high honors. He has really grown into a kind and accomplished young man.  If I cry tears, they are not tears of sadness...they are tears of a mix of emotions.  I just cannot believe that we are at this point.  It is surreal.

I have told you all on the blog before that it was a private little joke between me and Dave that when Will was a baby, every day Dave would walk in from work say something like "Did Will fill out his college applications yet?"  Or I would be ready to share some accomplishment (like his first smile or rolling over) and I would say, "Guess what Will did today?"  And Dave always replied "Apply to college?"

And now that time is here.  It is just so hard to believe it. It will be quite a weekend for us.  I am sure I will post some photos on IG.  And I'll be back next week with more posts.

P.S.  Harry was my photography assistant.  He took some shots and helped me a lot.  He has gotten really into photography and I love sharing that hobby with him.

Giant Homecoming post 2015

For about 6 weeks, our weekends have focused on Kate's gymnastics (I have been posting on IG and FB) but this past weekend was all about the boys.  It was homecoming at their school.  Friday night is the football game and Saturday is the dinner and dance.  We did not have a homecoming dance where I grew up (all girl Catholic school in PA) but it is a BIG deal down here in Texas.

So, Harry is a freshmen and this was his first homecoming.  Will is a senior so it was his last. I will warn you that there are tons of photos here.  Here we go....


Harry asked a friend named Kate to homecoming this year. This is them at the game.

I had to get one of Harry with his sister too.

Kate Swales had a great time at the game.  She loved watching the cheerleaders and she was so excited for Will's girlfriend, Elizabeth. Will nominated his girlfriend for homecoming court and she made it.  It was fun to go the game and sit with her parents and see the court at half time.  She looked beautiful as you can see.

The Dads escorted the girls onto the field.



That is Elizabeth in the pink.

Kate gave Elizabeth roses.

Elizabeth and her Mom and her sister...

These shots are kind of yellow from the football lights (and I am too tired to correct them in photoshop).

How cute are these two?

I love this shot of Will and his friends at the game.  They are such an amazing group of kids.




Saturday was the dance.  Before the dance, groups usually meet at a house for photos and then most groups go to a restaurant for dinner.  Harry's group was going to a restaurant.  Will's group has never done that.  My friend Cathy and I have alternated years hosting them in our home.  She did freshmen and junior year and Dave and I hosted sophomore and senior years.  We serve the kids dinner and all the parents usually stay and hang out in the kitchen and eat and socialize too.  We have LOVED this tradition for the past four years and we were honored that Will wanted to do it at our house this year.
BUT, it meant that I missed the group photos for Harry's homecoming group.  This killed me.  I hated missing it. The house was kind of far away and I could not leave.  Harry's date and her parents did come to our house for a few photos though which I really appreciate.

Harry's date arrived first with her parents.

Kate and her parents.

Me and Harry.  So grateful for this shot.

Dave and Harry goofing around....

As Harry and his date were leaving, I snapped one quick photo of the boys together.  I really wish I had taken my time and gotten one of our whole family.  This is the only year they are both going to homecoming.  Will will be gone next year at college.

I asked the Moms at Harry's photo house to send me some group photos.  I HATED not being there.  This was one of those times, I wish I could clone myself.

Harry's homecoming group

Harry and his date hurried off to the photo party and dinner and Will's friends and parents started arriving immediately...

Just had to post this one for the photo bombers (Kate and Nicholas)

Some of Will's friends and their dates.

Will's best friends...David and Caroline.

Audrey and Thomas

Nicholas and Meagan

 Jonathan and Paulina

Pierce and Lauren

Elizabeth with her Mom and Dad and her sister, Katherine.

The dinner was really fun.

Kate LOVES all the girls and they are very sweet to her.

We Moms got kind of silly taking selfies with the girls behind us.

These 3 boys try to recreate this photo from Freshmen year.  It cracks me up.  Will really needs a haircut but he refused to get one.  He is getting one today!






Here is the original one from freshmen year...

We all love this group of kids.

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It was a little sentimental watching them drive off for the dance.  Several of us stood on the front porch as they drove away almost unable to believe this is their last homecoming.  It really seems like yesterday they were those awkward freshmen with their head shaved.  All of the parents stayed and ate and had cocktails and socialized at our house.  We sat outside under the string lights that Dave worked so hard to put up this week.  It was a really special night.  We talked about how much we will miss these times together when they are off in college.

I know there are a lot more photos of Will and his friends.  I am hoping next year that Harry will let us host his friends;)