8th Grade Graduation in the Nick of Time

Caleb was out for a week's visit the first week of September. His classwork starts a little later than most schools, so he had a precious few days left of his summer vacation and decided to spend it hanging with his peeps. And I had a precious few days left to pull together his promised graduation celebration before he started high school (it just loses some of its specialness when you're already in the next grade). Of course, I could have waited, oh, about 4 more years and combined events with his high school grad, but I don't think Caleb would have gone for that plan. Don't know why not...much more efficient that way!

Part of the festivities was to be special cupcakes for potluck at church, so Friday found me looking around to find the ingredients. Should I drive 30 minutes into the nearest large town to find them? No, I'll just pick them up at the little market in Westby. Only problem was that they didn't have half of what I needed, and some of the rest was too pricey for my thrifty soul to purchase. ($5 for a package of cookies!?) I did what I could without violating my cheap conscience, but there would be no puppy cupcakes. Sad face.

That's OK, I totally ran out of time to make them anyway! I do think the owl cupcakes turned out well, though they don't look as good as the picture in the magazine. But when do they ever? Never around here at any rate!

[If you are interested in how to make them, the eyes are opened Oreos (or if you are too cheap like me, opened "sandwich cookies"), the beak is a Reese's peanut butter bit turned on its side, the eyeballs are Reese's bits, and the graduation cap is a squashed gum drop cut into the right shape. Simple, but time consuming.]



Saturday night we gathered at my parents' house for the rest of the big day. Tiggy was so kind as to do the decorations, and I must say she did a splendid job. I felt the medicated pineapple was a nice touch.



After some tasty snacks (that did not involve anything overly sweet since I had a cold at the time, and if I don't want sweets, nobody gets sweets!), we watched that old, old, ancient classic movie, "The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming." By then, it was so late that Caleb had to open presents the next morning before heading back to school. Lucky Caleb to have a graduation celebration spanning two whole days!


Caleb modeling one of his gifts. I'm having to remember to buy in mens' sizes now!