Tuesday is the day to share a “Slice of Life” with Two Writing Teachers. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here. Thanks to Stacey, Anna, Beth, Tara, Dana and Betsy for creating a place for us to work collaboratively.

It was a huge family weekend.  My youngest brother, the baby in the family, graduated summa cum laude with his BS in Business Friday night with Mom plus three siblings in attendance. We had a fabulous pre-party with food galore:  veggie and fruit pizzas, veggies and dip, sandwiches, cupcakes, pies, sweet potato cake, and a wee bit of Uncle Leo’s homemade wine.   Here’s a collection of photos from the festivities!

Everyone had read last week’s slice (Mom’s birthday post) except Mom so she read that later in the evening.  She wondered why I had left out the “riding the bull” picture.  That led me to wondering about the “Kiss the Blarney Stone” picture.  Darn, again. . . . all on an external hard drive at home – not where I am currently located.  I discovered this picture of orchids that Mom drew in a class on her Mediterranean cruise and decided to share it.  She has so much artistic talent!

Saturday  was a fabulously great family day with our departure from Ankeny at 6:15 am for the Iowa Homecoming festivities. Drumline, Alumni Band, Hawkeye Marching Band – what a treat to see and hear so much great entertainment! And the “FUN that was had by all!  You truly can see just about anything and everything at a collegiate football game.  It was my sister’s first game sitting as a spectator in historic Kinnick Stadium, as well as niece Courtney’s first Hawkeye football game so the high-scoring first quarter and ultimate win were greatly appreciated!

Simple things like late lunch after the game, picking up Grandma and heading on to the next adventure occupied Saturday evening.  We watched nephew Josh’s high school band perform at marching contest at Muscatine.  What a pleasure to see and hear the pageantry that accompanies high school marching bands.  However, it was a bit nippy and the blankets to sit on and wrap up in were both greatly appreciated.

The big excitement from the weekend was skyping with my kids Friday afternoon.  It was so totally an “A-Marek-N” conversation with many people talking simultaneously and lots of laughter.  The seriousness was in this message!

And this one . . .

So my final words for this weekend (courtesy of a vendor on Melrose Avenue), and I’m sticking to it . . .