graduation + party + picture overload

Four years ago my little sister was graduating from high school. She entered college full of ideas and dreams and expectations. I'm sure she would laugh loudly at many of those plans she had made, now. Four terrible, wonderful years of fear and laughter, learning and growing, loving and tears and many late-nights later, she has bloomed into such an incredible young woman, and I couldn't be prouder of my sister. Granny, Dad, Kelly and Mom.

Thisters!

us + our aunts, Charlotte and Karen and cousin Rachel.

Kelly and her friend, LJ.

Her grad ceremony was in the afternoon on Saturday, so Mom threw her party Sunday. Kelly changed dresses 5+ times that day. Typical.

Mom's fragrant peonies. How lovely is it to have these growing in your yard?

Food! This veggie pizza was a huge hit, as well as the avocado dip, pinwheels, deviled eggs, cupcakes, and all the other yummy noshes. Mom is such a great party-thrower. Kelly definitely has her to thank for all her event planning skills!

Dad made some fantastic cheesecakes (pineapple and white-chocolate raspberry). He really does make the best cheesecake in the world. One bite and prepare yourself to be a cheesecake snob for the rest of your life. In other news, aren't the punch bowls and cake plates fabulous?

The kids had a blast playing with their cousins. There was so much squealing and foot thuds up and down the stairs. I wish the weather had been nicer so they could play outside, but being inside didn't stop anyone from having a good time!

They all gravitated toward the "rocking boat". My dad had made it for James last year before I moved home during Jason's deployment. He made a cradle for Riley and was concerned that James would want something to climb into and rock back and forth. It has little switches and levers and opens/closes in the front and back to store toys. Cool, huh?

Kelly's boyfriend, Drew (who is part of the family--we've adopted him), and her best friends from grade school, Katie and Laken, all looking glamorous.

Us and our cousin, Aspen. I can't believe how grown up she is. I still think of her being 3 and us "babysitting" her at Granny's.

My happy boys after about a million cupcakes.

Shortly afterward, this happened.

No matter how long I've been gone, as soon as I walk into my parents' house, it feels like home. There's something about toasting a turkey and tomato sandwich on the stove, fresh flowers, the squeak of the kitchen drawers, green trees everywhere, coca cola (especially in the glass bottles), homemade yeast rolls, the smell of food cooking, brightly patterened quilts and fabric scraps, thick air, playing in the pond and puddles, and the smell of gain detergent that immediately turns on that "I'm home" sigh.