Erin's Graduation

Last month I was in Boise with Rebecca to be at my younger sister's graduation from Boise State. We saw several family members and were happy to be there. Coming home was a different story - one plane was delayed so we opted to stay an extra day, then another plane was cancelled so we had to hang out in Chicago for a while on Sunday, but in the end we made it back home. Jacob played with his cousins in Ohio while the baby was on the trip with me and while Jeff was busy studying for finals at home. Jacob seemed to miss Rebecca more than anything else, go figure.

Here are some pictures and video of the highlights of our trip.

Rebecca hanging out during our layover in Chicago. It was getting to be bedtime, can you tell?

This is how we take naps at Aunt Erin's apartment. She was zonked after we got in so late the night before. And wouldn't you know it, she woke up right after I took this picture with no flash.

They had confetti falling from the ceiling of the Taco Bell Arena right

after the commencement ended.

Horrible picture with the point and shoot, but a really cool memory! Yay Erin!!

Rebecca got to hang out with her Aunt Jamie for part of the ceremony. Here she is wearing her fanciest dress, which Jacob lovingly refers to as "Becca's Christmas Dress."

Here is my family, missing a couple taller and several shorter members. Sorry Dad, the other one I have of this pose has Mom sticking her tongue out. I figured this wasn't so bad. I'm amazed Rebecca didn't chew a hole through her sweater.

Erin didn't play football on the Smurf Turf, but she did do marching band so she spent some time out on this field. I walked on it. It really is fake, and it really is very blue.

Walking across campus before heading to lunch...

After graduation we ate at Donnie Mac's Trailer Park Cuisine. It was quite the experience, even just to see their decor. I had my biennial reuben sandwich and enjoyed it. If you ever make sweet potato fries at home, you should try them with a sour cream + brown sugar sauce.

Rockin' good.

I didn't take any pictures of the graduation party, or a video of the cheer Jamie made up for us to sing to Erin once we got there, but we did have fun meeting some more of Erin's friends. We took pictures by our college flags after the party...all I have to say is "RAH RAH RAH RAH RAH RAH RAH RAH RAH RAH GOOOO COUGARS!" :) Three college grads, pretty exciting!

We made mom cry that day. Doesn't take much, but she was proud for sure.

I spent a few nights at my Aunt Tami's house, where Rebecca got her first taste of hanging out with the guys watching football! That's her with the black Nike hat on backwards...

This was a sign for BSU in the airport in Boise.

I don't know if you can read all of it:

Where you see BLUE, we see:

A Metropolitan Research University of Distinction

The largest institution of Higher Education in Idaho

A place of Science, Business, Nature and Art...

Discover the New U Beyond the Blue

I mean no disrespect to my sister's alma mater, but this was funny to me for some reason. Maybe it was the weird capitalization?

I am working on doing a Photoshopped version of Erin's face on the sign.

After waiting for a long time in the Chicago airport the day we were finally heading home, I realized as we were getting on the tiny plane to Dayton that they had put us in First Class! I got snacks and about 3 cups of orange juice on my 40 minute flight. Livin' the dream for sure. Additionally, I had the World's Cutest First Class Traveling Companion (WCFCTC).

Congratulations, Erin!

It was so fun to take a trip to see you in your regalia and celebrate with you!

Pomp and circumstance, indeed.