Diana's High School Graduation

 She did it!  We did it!  Yeah!! It was a beautiful weekend and we are grateful that we were able to enjoy Diana's graduation ceremony outside with the entire fam.  The next day, for her party, was even more beautiful.  I'm exhausted but happy, relieved and feeling accomplished.  Here is what our exciting weekend looked like

 

 

Friday

 

I had taken Thursday and Friday off for prepping.  On Thursday, I cooked my food and did some work to stay on top of things. I also put the finishing touches on our party decor, made centerpieces and then picked up Diana from St. A's from a rehearsal (stay tuned for more on that).

 

Friday morning I headed to mass then picked up Diana and we enjoyed breakfast together at Mary Ann's. 

 

After that, I did some more work and then party prepping.  Rob was home midday and we slowly got ready for the big night.  Of course, we kept checking the announcements to see where graduation would be held and we were ecstatic when we found out it would indeed be outside- woohoo!

 

 

Then it was time...first things first, some family pics!

 

 Can you tell they were arguing?  Captured the whole thing...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Then we headed up to the high school before 4.  We waited in a car line until they opened the parking lot.  Then Diana went to meet her friends for some pics.  The rest of us went to take our seats and help Papa reserve a row for our family.  

 

These girls ended up making such a great impact on Diana this year.  We are so very grateful.

 

 

We were catching up with some friends from town- sweltering in the heat (but still worth it) and enjoying the senior slideshow on the jumbo tron

Jerry and Rob- Friends and Former School Board Members- getting to present the diplomas to their daughters :)

 

Then it was time...this song gets me every...darn...time...

 and time to graduate!

Diana getting her diploma from Dad!

 

and her proud Grad Walk :)

 and the walk through "the gauntlet" of special teachers invited- Diana picked Bethany :)

 

Congratulations Class of 2026!

 

 

 

 Pictures with the Fam after...not even sure how we found each other...it was sooo packed!  (Cass and Alexis came too and we couldn't even find them after!)

 

 with Mimi and Papa Pete

 

and with Uncle Matt!

 

with Zach

 

Then and Now! (13 years apart)

Check out this Then and Now

This is Kayla holding little Diana at Ally's Graduation and then Diana holding Kayla's Daughter Sylvie at her graduation- 15 years apart! :)

 

The Siblings

 

with her Lifesaver/ Executive Functioning Coach/My Bestie- Bethany

 

 Then time for some more friend pics!

 

 

 When we wrapped up, we headed home for Friday Night Pizza Night with the Fam- loved having everyone together!  Diana got home a little after the rest of us.  Ally stayed with her to take some more pics and then brought her home.

We had a great time decompressing and then Diana headed out to her friends and they all headed to "Last Night" at WHS.  It is an all-night event with games and karaoke and food and fun for the graduates.  She had a blast!

 

 

Saturday

 

 

I set my alarm and headed up to  WHS to pick Diana up at 4:30 am!  She was crying- so sad to be leaving her high school for the final time- she is going to miss it and her people so much :(

 

When we got home, she headed straight to bed and I did and was actually able to fall back to sleep for a bit!

 

When we finally got up around 8:30, we started getting to work right away to put the finishing touches on the party.

 

Papa took Eva to her softball games and we worked all day.

 

 

 

Diana only slept for about three hours- she bopped right up like she had a full night of sleep and came downstairs to check out our work and snuggle with Remi for a bit

 

 

 Rob picked up the cake from Kat in town who did a beautiful job!

 

 My friend Erin (Diana's bestie Ella's mom) came over and made me a balloon arch-she is so talented and I was so appreciative!

 

 Now I have to preface this recap by telling you all that I really failed at taking pics.  I know it is hard during an event but I wanted pics of all of our creative touches and I didn't get them- sigh!

 

We had a photo guest book where our guests would take a pic with an instant camera then stick the photo in the guest book and sign it.  I LOVED IT!  This is what the book looks like...

 

 I put the appetizers on the kitchen counter.  I filled these grad numbers with charcuterie type snacks.  I also put together a Meditteranean Platter and a Fruit Platter and the other few apps were catered by Rigatoni's- Stuffed Mushrooms- a Bruschetta Platter- and a Veggie Platter.

 

 

 For the main dishes, My Mother, My Brother and I all did the cooking. My Mom made her amazing Stuffed Shells and a bunch of Meatballs and Sausages.  My Brother made his famous Eggplant Parmesan and I made Chicken, Broccoli and Zit along with Cavatappi with Homemade Marinara.  I tossed together a huge salad and heated up some garlic bread to complete the mail meal.  This was probably my favorite part of the party-the fact that my family and I did this together and these dishes are part of our heritage and family traditions :)

 

 

 

 

 One of the highlights of the party was having the Jass Brothers Reunite for this special occasion.  This was Rob's band when we met!

 

 

 

These three are still pure magic together!

 

and a few pics I managed to get that day....

 

 

Diana and Auntie Cass (her Godmother) 

 

 

 

 

Some of Our Favorite Dudes

 

 

 

 

Eva!!!

 

 

 

3 Generations

 

 

 

 with Jess and Joe

 

 

with the Rain Forest Elephant from Uncle Matt~!

 

 and one more Then and Now...

 

 Ally's High School Graduation 15 years ago and now Diana's

 

 

It was a success...until about 8:30 when kids kept showing up...some invited...some crashed...when I went outside and saw about 100 kids in our backyard, I shut it down and kicked them out....all set.  Thank God for my peeps who calmed me down and told me I did the right thing...kids :/

 

 

You guessed it...even though it was after midnight we crashed!

 

 

 

Sunday

 

 

We were up bright and early and started the cleaning process.  Then Rob, Eva and Papa headed off to more softball.  

 

Diana and I got ready and then headed up to St. A's so I could drop her off for a show.  Yes!  A Show!  This ended up being a Surprise Grad Gift for all of us!  Mrs. Mullen called Diana and asked her if she wanted to dance and what would've been her Senior Show at LDA.  She jumped at the chance!  She had a few rehearsals with Harry and it was like no time had past.  They choreographed their number they danced.  Harry played George Banks and Diana played the Bank Manager who fires him in LDA's production of Mary Poppins.

 

 

When she was warming up, I headed down the road to The Copper Door and sat by myself at the bar to enjoy some lunch and a cocktail.  Friends?  This is the first time I sat at a bar by myself and though I was nervous, I ended up being fine- ha!

 

 

Then I headed over to the theater. 

 

It was a fabulous show and we loved seeing Diana on stage again!  Very emotional for all of us.

 

 

 

There were two shows- a 1pm that I sat for and then a 4:30 show that Rob and the Grandparents joined me for.  Eva was still playing softball and staying with friends.

 

 

Everyone was wow'd and emotional of course.  It was a BIG weekend for all of us but the biggest for Diana.  We are so very proud of all that she accomplished! 

 

 

After the show, we headed home, just as Eva was arriving home.  You guess it, we crashed early and hard!  Except for Diana of course, who headed out to another grad party...oh this summer...we are bracing ourselves...ha!

 

Congrats Diana Mary and the WHS Class of 2026! 

 

What were you all up to?