Grandson Zach Graduates from Broughton High School

Zach with his Mom and Dad. (Dad graduated from Broughton too.)

It hardly seems possible, but my first grandson graduated from high school today.  It seems like just a bit ago that he was a toddler coming over to spend the night with GrandPat. 

Zach at age two.

Zach at eighteen.

 He's grown into a fine young man, and we are very proud of him.  He's cute as a button, smart, a fine athlete, but most of all he is a kind and thoughtful young man.  He'll be in college at NC State University so he won't be far away.  He will be staying in the dorm though, so we may not see him as much as we would like. 

Classmates Will and Zach will be roommates at NC State University in the fall.

Honors and service cords.

 I've thoroughly enjoyed the role of Grandmother to him and to his three younger siblings. 

Zach with his family and the Broughton High Bell Tower in the background.

We will have more graduations on the horizon.  The next in 2015, then 2018, then 2020. 

Zach with his girl friend, Claire.

Zach and GrandPat. 

Good luck Zach in whatever the future holds.  Love you. 

Zach's Graduation and Bon Voyage Party

Grandson Zach graduates on the 10th of June and leaves for Australia on the 15th, so we had a little family party here on June 3 to celebrate both events.

The ten guests were greeted with an Australian flag as they entered the front porch and a sign on the door to set the mood for an Aussie-themed party.

National flag of Australia.

Welcome to the Outback sign on door.

When Marcia and I were over at Southern Season the other week, I found some pretty lime green and some yellow paper plates so I used a green, yellow, melon color scheme.  I made this party as easy as possible---had barbecue and all the trimmings catered by Cooper's Barbecue---and used disposable plates, cups, and napkins.

"Green" table in dining room.

My friend Helen who is an avid scrapbooker made the little kangaroos attached to the cups that served as place cards. 

That left just the dessert for me to make and I made macadamia nut, chocolate chip cookies (Macadamia nuts are native to Australia.).  Dan prepared a fruit salad of cantaloupe and kiwi which matched the color scheme perfectly.

Macadamia nut, chocolate chip cookies.

Fruit bowl of cantaloupe and kiwi.

To make preparation even easier, I had flower arrangements prepared by Kelly Odom Florist.  (Kelly and Brian are our neighbors here on Davis Street)  Their floral designs are widely acclaimed, and the arrangements they prepared for this party were stunning.

Arrangement (by Kelly Odom) in living room.

Arrangement (by Kelly Odom) for "yellow" table in living room.

Arrangement (by Kelly Odom) for dining room table.

Dessert table arrangement.(by Kelly Odom).

I gave a quiz to determine the guests knowledge of Australia.  Claire's mother, Jeanette, is a native Aussie, and she helped me check the quiz answers to determine who had the most correct answers.  Michael won first place, a gift certificate to the Outback Restaurant, and Patrick was second and won an Aussie bush hat. 

Gifts of Aussie-style hats were presented to Jeanette, Claire, and Zach for their upcoming trip to Australia.

Jeanette, Zach, and Claire.

Zach and Claire with their Aussie-style hats.

It was a fun party!!!!