Seminary Graduation for Jasmine

June 10th was our Stake Seminary Graduation.

Here are 27 of the 33 Seminary graduates.

And toss in Bro. B, the beloved Seminary teacher (that's him in the front!)

 Graduating cousins - Jasmine and Jaime.

Our ward graduates with Bro. B (who also is a member of our Bishopric).

Brooklyn, Jasmine, Lexie, Celine and Kim

The graduating Laurels from our ward.

Jas and Bro. B - she had him for three years of release time Seminary (that's when you take Seminary as one of your options in school.)  In Grade 9 she did early morning Seminary.

Beautiful friends - Jas, Lexie and Sara.  Sara was the Seminary President this year.

Enjoying refreshments - ice cream bar!

Seminary is such a wonderful program - our kids learn so much and absolutely love their gospel study.  My girls are always sad when they have to miss their Seminary class for some reason.

Jasmine Graduates

May 18, 2012 was the date of Jasmine's High School Graduation.

At 3:30pm her date Clayton picked her up.  They put on the wrist corsage and boutonniere and were ready to go off to celebrate their graduation.

They looked fabulous!!!

Let me backup six days before grad.  Jas got hit in the face while on the pitchers mound in their final game of a softball tournament.

This was her eye five days before grad.

This was grad day, just before Richelle got at the eye with the makeup (and special corrective cover-up we borrowed).

But wait!  There's another injury:
The grads had lots of activities planned on the evenings of grad week.  On Wednesday night they played night games around town.  Jas, in flipflops, cut the bottom of her foot while running down an alley.  It wasn't just a cut but a big blood blister all around it too.  She could hardly walk the next day, which was also "Grand March" practice, in grad shoes!
So our girl had a rough week before grad!

 

 

You'd never know she had a black eye.

So, they left our house and went to Clayton's house for a few pictures before heading off to the school for the group photo.

44 Graduands in this years class.

We were able to get a few outdoor photos outside the school as the sun peaked through for a while.

Then on to the Auditorium . . .

. . . to let the celebrations begin!

Under the star balloon arch.  We were on the decorating committee and decorated with lots of stars and other shiny things.

Rich and I with our beautiful Jasmine.

So we had photo time and then the delicious roast beef banquet.  Then a program that consisted of toasts and replies to teachers, parents, class president's remarks, class history and grad video.

Then we all made our way down to the TK Gym where the grads all got changed into their caps and gowns. 

In the change room with Lexie and Sara.

My sister was in the bleachers above the girls change room and was able to snap this photo of Jas before the Processional, just as she saw her extended family up in the bleachers.
That paper in her hand is her speech that she kept up her sleeve until she needed it.

The Gold Braids are for any students who achieved an 80% average in English 30-1, Social Studies 30-1, Pure Math 30 and two of Chem 30, Bio 30, Physics 30 or Math 31 (Calculus).  This is also the criteria for Valedictorian.  Jas took or is taking all of these classes and her average was 97%.  That is absolutely amazing to me!!!  Sure proud of you Jazzy!

And now for the Processional . . .

. . . and you may take your seats!

Our dazzling 2012 Grad!

Giving the Valedictory Speech

She did a wonderful job!!! 

(I was having troubles with my camera all evening - it would shut off right as I was taking the picture.  So unfortunately my only pictures of her giving her speech are fuzzy.)

Then the Grad Choir sang.

It was a cute song called "I'd Do It All Again" written by the mother of a grad.

(Jas is middle row, third from the right.)

Time to present the Diplomas.  Jas shaking the principles hand.  They read a little blurb out about future plans for every grad as they received their diploma.  They also announced individual subject awards that the students received.  Jas got the Math 30Pure Award (I guess 100% on the Provincial Diploma Exam helped with that!).

Once all the "Candidate for Graduation" Diplomas were handed out . . .

. . . they all moved their tassels to the other side of their cap.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Graduating Class of 2012!

Some other special awards were given now as well.  Jas received the Humanities Award and the Valedictorian Award.  Jasmine has really worked hard on her studies.  She sets up study schedules for herself and has the discipline to stick with her plan.  She has mentioned that she reads more novels during study time.  She'll study to a certain point and then reward herself and rest her brain by reading a bit of a novel.  Whatever her system is, sure seems to work!!!

With the formal ceremonies over, it was time for the Grand March.  The audience watched the Grad Video while the Grads were all getting changed back into their finery.  The March is alphabetical so Jaime and Jasmine were very last.

These pictures are fun - Jaime walking out with Jas waiting in the back.  Chelle taking a picture of Jaime.  Our other girls admiring cousin Jaime as Chelle gets ready to take a picture of Jas.

A picture of me taking a picture of Jas (how'd we manage that?).  Her train looked lovely as she walked.  And a picture of my brother-in-law taking a picture of Jas.

And the back view of Jas with her escorts.

With the formal ceremonies over, it was time for mingling and fun (not that the ceremonies were dull - they were very well done!  Perfect mix of laughter and seriousness.)

Our seven beautiful daughters!!!  We're so blessed!

Jasmine and Jaime with Gramma and Grampa.

Then we eventually made it back to the Auditorium where the banquet had been cleaned up.  It was now time for more pictures and dancing.

Jaime and Jasmine . . .

. . . and their dates, Johnny and Clayton.

 

The Daddy/Daughter dance - they were just having too much fun!!!

Dancing with her date.

 

Besties - Jas, Sara, Lexie - so pretty!

Erica, Lexie, Sara, Brooklyn, Jasmine - love the colours of their dresses!

And now, the Ladies in Red . . .

Erica, Hailey, Samara, Celine, Jasmine . . .

. . . and Tori and Kim!

A few more shots of Jas and Clayton and some decorations.

The giant 2012 that Rich and I painted the night before Grad.

Candid photos of all the Grads.

The bicycle built for two.

They don't hang around the dance for too long - everyone wants to go home and get into comfortable clothes (and shoes!) and head out to the Grad Party that lasts all night long and ends with breakfast.

 

Jas with her newest plaque.

 

(I'm getting better at photo editing!  In real life it does have her full name and school on it, but for the sake of anonymity in the blogging world, I got rid of it!)

And now for courage, Jasmine, as you leave home and pursue your future plans and follow the paths that are meant for you.  And courage to us left at home who don't want to adjust to life without you  here and your cheerfulness, daily school stories, humour, kindness, chauffeuring abilities, willingness to help and your steadfast example.  But we will survive - it's all part of the plan!

And we'll wrap this up with a little photo collage I made . . . 

Chelle Graduates from College

My big girl Chelle graduated from college on April 27, 2012.

She's beautiful!!!

I like what Jas said.  "Wow!  You've graduated twice before I've even graduated once!"

 

Chelle completed the two year Diploma in Office Administration.  Her instructors told them that this program was the most labour intensive of all the courses in the college.  I guess that's part of the training - being really busy and being able to prioritize and cope with it all.  She did spend lots of late nights and Saturdays in working at the college, and some of the computer stuff she did was pretty amazing.  She didn't prefer the legal courses and didn't mind the medical ones.  Accounting had it's good and bad moments.

So this is how her graduation day went . . .

Grandma and Grandpa were the first to arrive and save seats for us all.  (That's a scary face, mom!)

Chelle was lucky to have both sets of grandparents there.

In comes the Processional, led by a bagpiper and two mounties.  This was the second graduation ceremony that day - there are too many graduates for one session!

Okay, I've learned some photo editing skills!  The green arrow is pointing to Chelle's eyes.

There she is in the very center.

And there are all the graduates for this session.  The ceremony is optional - hundreds more graduated who chose not to attend this formal ceremony.

There's my girl crossing the stage and receiving something in a folder.  It's actually a picture of the college on one side, with a space on the other side for the Diploma when it arrives in the mail.

(They stop and pose for the official photographer there, which makes it handy for zooming in from way in the back to take a picture!)

Now for the recessional and then literally out into the world.

College Graduate #1

With some of her Office Administration buddies.

And with the parents . . .

. . . and Gramma and Grampa. 

The Culinary Department kindly provided refreshments so we hung out there for awhile.  Then we went out to dinner - she chose Moxies and it was really nice to visit and eat.

Now comes the courage of really heading out into the world, being officially finished with school.  Chelle was fortunate to get a temporary bookkeeping job before she even finished school.  That was a crazy month for her doing job training, then starting the job while still going to class and finishing up school projects.  Luckily some of her classes had ended already so she managed it okay.  Now she's enjoying coming home from work and not having other projects and assignments to work on.  Such freedom!!!

While going to school for the past two years, she also attended Institute classes and the Institute Choir.  Their concerts are phenomenal!  And she would say that the highlight of her week was dance class.  She's been learning waltz, jive and swing for the past two years and is apparently pretty good now, even helping instruct others.  Those boys throw her all around and she likes it!!!  Someday, somehow, we've got to see her dance.  She's been learning all sorts of things!

That's my girl!

Sure do love ya Chelle!