Turning a Quarter of a Century

On June 18th I turned 25…a quarter of a century!!  It was hard to believe because,  it was like yesterday I got the keys to my green VW cabrio on my 16th birthday.  The party came to happen while on a late night fishing trip at the mouth of the Suwannee for some tarpon.  I always wanted to have a big bash, but never said anything about it.  My friends Torie and Christina helped me orally plan it all out,  all “Adam” had to do was put it all together for me …haha!  We found the invites  at Hobby Lobby and they had all the colors I loved for the tables.  I think they were perfect and all my friends laughed when they got the invitation in the mail and complimented Adam on his invitation skills.  Now we hadn’t had a big “ta da” at the house for some time.  The house and yard had been a bit neglected so a party meant WORK time.  We borrowed the pressure washer from Adam’s dad and I LOVED IT. I am not much for working outside, because I grew up in a house where my dad paid someone to do that kind of stuff.  It was a very rewarding job because, once your done pressure washing you see the difference.  Now I won’t say my body wasn’t bad sore the next day, but then I walked out the front door and smiled at my hard work.  We worked in the yard and dug up trees, cut back limbs, planted flowers, weed eated, and blowed!  I learned how to use a pole saw, weed eater and the blower too!  Who knew  how much knowledge I would gain by my 25th!  Check out the track hoe we used to dig up trees.   Adam used it, but I had to get my picture on it.  Yes, I look like a bumble be with my yellow shirt and black short, but they match my yellow bee boots! 

Now we had some professionals come in an fix up the front of the house to give us some curb appeal, but that will come in another post.  Once we finished up the yard it was time to get the party started.  Annie got here prior to the party when I was running around doing last minute things and took pictures which I am so thankful for.   Hear goes….lets start with dessert its the most important part of a birthday party!  Torie and Jimbo ordered me a cake from Betty Cakes in Ocala, Florida, who did their wedding cake.  It was delicious and I could go and order another one sit eat the whole thing myself right now..no joke (that’s another post)!  My mom and dad were able to come up from Tampa and join us for the festivities.  My new love in Tampa is the Peanut Butter Cake from Wright’s Gourmet, so mom picked up a small cake so I could indulge!  Yumm!   

 

I love yellow and green they are my favorite colors, so I wanted to incorporate lemons and limes into the table scape.  Thankfully Annie and my mom have all these wonderful glass display dishes I was able to use for the lemons and limes.  Adam and I got a pedestal beverage dispenser for our anniversary  so we used that for some sangria and Torie let me borrow hers for the sweet tea.  We ordered food from Backyard BBQ in Newberry, Florida.  Oh it is making my mouth water as I think about it…RIBS, BEANS, GARLIC BREAD….YUM, YUM, YUM!!   On the food and drink table I was able to use the sweet frames that were used for our sisters Kelsey’ sweet 16th a few days earlier.  At her party they had her pictures in them but,  I put in a piece of paper with what each item was and they turned out so cute! 

 

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Now that you got the set up lets get the real party started!  It was great to have everyone come and celebrate with me!! I will never forgot my 25th.  I even blew out 25 candles in one breath!  The cake was amazing I had two pieces that night and much much more later on that week.  

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What a great night we had!  I am thinking come February 10th we will have to have one for the hubbster!!!

*LRW*

Tampa for a Big Event

Graduates turn your tassels!!!  The phrase every senior with senioritis wants to hear.  My brother, Michael  graduated from high school last Friday, June 4th.  Adam and I headed to Tampa for the big event and his graduation party.  I was excited because this was the first high school graduation I had been to since my own 7 years ago.  It was at a different venue, but I was looking forward to the ceremony and comparing it to what I remembered of my own.  I would have to say it probably was more meaningful now than when I was a 17 year old sitting down on the floor with the graduates.  Some teachers and administrators were the same, and the PHS chorus sang the national anthem, which made me smile.  I was in chorus all four years and loved it, so I sang the anthem quietly as it was sang.  I was proud and I think my parents were relieved when Michael walked across that stage to get his diploma, and he definitely got a shout out even though we were asked not to yell (it was said it embarrasses the graduates).    Later in the day he had a drop in graduation party which was a blast to see people I hadn't seen since our wedding.  In all he is very much loved and people are rooting for him next year as he begins this next phase in his life at College of the Holy Cross.

The stage...I was happy to see ramps and not stairs like mine!

Half the chairs...over 500 students graduated!

Proud Parents!!

Michael walking across the stage!!

Its hard to believe he has graduated high school and is going to college in the fall.  Michael and our parents leave today to go to college orientation until Friday.  I hope they have a good time because orientation makes the college experience finally seem real.  No more cheering for PHS it will be Go Crusaders this fall!!

*LRW*