Party Week

What a week!!! It all began last Friday with the Fathers and Sons campout. Damon was super excited to go camping with his dad. Barrett told me that Damon was so excited when he found out they were going to sleep in the tent.
Saturday, Kim came for the long weekend. Barrett of course had to go study for the bar...so us girls and the kiddies went to the grocery store for our entertainment:) That night, my parents flew in, so we visited for a little bit.
Sunday was Kim’s birthday!!! We made her French toast for breakfast, and then headed off to church. We came home to a yummy roast, watermelon, tangy beans, and potatoes. A delicious chocolate cake and ice cream followed with presents too!! It was fun celebrating Kim’s birthday!
Memorial Day was fun. Poor Barrett had to study, so the rest of us hopped in the parent’s rental van and headed up to Valley Forge. Dad bought a CD self tour to play in the car. It was a great investment as we drove around, learned, stopped and ran around, and had a great time. Damon fell asleep eating a granola bar…he must have been tired!! We picked up grilled KFC dinner and ate at the park. Kim had to drive home, but we stayed and played and took a walk. We introduced my parents to Rita’s water ice and loved every bite!
Tuesday was spent running errands and getting things ready for Barrett’s family to visit and getting prepared for the graduation festivities. My parents take such good care of us! Damon loved seeing his other grandparents and didn’t get to bed until really late. Ainsley was able to come too!
Wednesday….GRADUTATION!!! Barrett had his bar review class in the morning, so we met up with him at Macaroni Grill for lunch. We drove back to our apartment and he opened his graduation gifts…I got one too:) What very generous family members…we’re so lucky. Ice Cream Cakes for graduation are a tradition in my family, so we had a yummy one from Coldstone. I got an idea to make little graduation caps out of tasty treats from Bakerella. It was a nice added touch. We all got ready for graduation, then Ainsley took pictures. On the way up to Philadelphia, one car picked up Quinn at the airport. We got to the Kimmel Center for Drexel’s Earl Macke School of Law Inaugural Graduation Ceremonies!! We had great seats, and a great view. Rudy Giuliani spoke, plus a lot of others. Barrett was recognized in a few places in the program…Candidate for Juris Doctor Degree, Academic Honors—Cum Laude (top 25%), Pro Bono Service Honors (75-100 hours), and Donations by Students—class gift donation (he was able to give me a shout out there too:) It was fun to see Barrett graduate. I'm proud of him...he had awesome grades while in law school, 2 kids while in law school, went on many campouts with the Scouts while in law school, commuted on the train just about every day of law school, interned an hour away every summer and commuted on the bus! He's worked hard and deserves every good thing that has come his way! It is hard to believe we’re actually done…I can still remember his graduation from UD with his Master’s Degree knowing we still had 3 years of law school to get through…now we’re done! Since this was the first graduating class from Drexel’s Law School, they invited all to stay for a reception in the lobby. There were lots of yummy little tasty desserts. We sampled almost all of them, plus went back numerous times for our favorites…the little lemony tartlets with a raspberry on top were by far our favs! We made it home safe and sound. We had left the kids home, and we found them good and asleep thanks to my parents. Later that night, Damon woke up not feeling well. He ended up throwing up (for the first time!) then slept with Barrett on the floor. When asked about it the next morning he would say, “I spit in the toilet. I sleep on a towel on the floor.” Poor kid, but he was fine the next day!
On Thursday, Barrett went to his bar review class, then came home. My parents went to DC to see Kim and the Edwards Clan headed over to Fort McHenry. It was so fun roaming the fort. Ainsley let everyone practice taking pictures with her camera. Barrett got some awesome ones of Damon running. He ran all over that fort and then some. No wonder he wouldn’t settle down to eat dinner at PF Chang’s (Barrett’s early birthday celebration dinner). Tommy was an angel the entire day (a few fussy moments on the way home, but nothing to complain about). We had Rita’s later that night too.
Friday was the fly home day. Barrett’s parents left, the a few hours later my parents and Ainsley had to get to the airport. We decided to eat lunch at Valley Garden Park. A pleasant, peaceful little park. Ainsley took tons of pictures, I can’t wait until I get copies of them! It was sad to have visitors leave. It is fun to have family around!
Saturday was Barrett’s birthday!! Due to all the playing during the week, he desperately needed to get caught up and study. He’s discovered a new study place…the food court at the mall!! Silly, but pretty convenient! They have better hours than a library and you can eat there too:) I dropped him off, then went grocery shopping. We had a good dinner that night with left over graduation cake. He got some pretty neat gifts too. I had made so many signs already, that I just didn’t have it in me to make another one for his birthday. Damon made a card though.
Now, back to reality. Barrett takes the bar the end of July, then he’s officially done! We can’t wait!!!!

*Most of these pictures are from Ainsley's camera...most taken by her too!