Saunders Excellent Adventures: Graduations Galore -- Verse 2

June 10th, 2009

Lake Washington High School Graduation

Before:

I made Scott pose for a few pictures a few days before graduation. Does he look happy and impressed? Does he look like he's absorbing the wonder and granduer of the moment and of his accomplishments? Mostly he kept saying -- "I'm wearing a DRESS!" and "This thing is so gay."

You will also notice throughout all the pictures that his "aviator" sunglasses, with the gold rims, add to the overall "look" that he was trying to achieve.

Ahhhh -- a hint of a smile

Scott carefully prepared each aspect of what he was going to wear to graduation. He has great taste and wore black pants, black shirt, purple tie and added a black pin-striped vest and cowboy boots. He looked awesome! He also acquired a nice belt buckle when he went shopping for his boots, but alas, the idea of wearing his buckle was vetoed -- and not by me -- I like it.

Graduation Day:

Very small, celebratory bouquet

His dressy outfit! Doesn't he look handsome?

Country (who's real name is Eric -- I found out) came over to hang out, get ready, and ride downtown with Scott and Sunny.

Derek and Scott were talking to Jon and Country.

I was going to take some photo's and Scott was fobbing off his cap and gown to Jon for a few minutes. We were taking pictures while we waited for Sunny.

Jon inspects the cap -- this is one of my favorite photo's -- he's so intent he didn't even notice me snap the photo -- he looks pretty good with his purple "scarf" huh?

Country was talking on the phone to Angelique, came out and handed Scott his tie. So, Scott tied the tie and then, while Country kept talking -- put it on him and fixed his collar --

Molly Groven and Sunny Casanova

More fixing of the tie -- gotta look sharp. This year the school required a dress code for graduation. Guys had to have a shirt with a collar and tie. Girls couldn't wear flip flops. And everyone had to be wearing clothes under their cap and gown.

Finally the caps were on and they were going to pose for "formal" photo's.

Country was goofing around with the tassle.

Molly and Sunny

Molly, Sunny, Scott and Country -- notice the change in headgear that Country made. Scott almost bought a black felt cowboy hat to finish off his outfit -- but decided to wait for awhile before getting one.

Country, Scott, Sunny, Molly

Kyle needed a couple of shots with Sunny. He adores her.

The one above is good and the one below, Jon said, "Kyle, do your 'old man' face." So there you have it.

Scott and Sunny

Good times and BIG smiles

Jon, Scott, Ronna and Kyle

This is an excellent adventure!

Derek, Kyle, Jon, Ronna and Scott

The Graduation Ceremonies:

Graduation was held at Key Arena in downtown Seattle. Graduation started at

6:00 p.m. The graduates had to be at the arena at 4:30 p.m. so Sunny, Molly, Scott and Country drove down together and we left home at 4 p.m. I'm not sure why the organizers of this event had it right during the heart of rush hour -- especially when, to get to downtown Seattle you have to cross one of the floating bridges, which are packed solid -- stop and go from 3 p.m until 7 p.m. -- but there you have it. So, we left home at 4 p.m., arrived, parked and were waiting in line to enter the building at

4:45 p.m. Which I thought was pretty good considering the traffic. Derek and Jon lamented that standing in line was just stupid. The venue didn't open until 5 p.m. -- but already there was a line. And everyone knows that if you want a good seat you get there early......I can't help it! And, by the way, we got great seats! Front row of the stadium and the graduates were on the floor.

The Space Needle over the top of the stadium.

Angelique Alonzo and Scott

Scott and Molly Davis

Derek and Jon -- "enjoying" the wait.

Kyle enjoying the moment.

Graduates milling about before the ceremonies begin.

Scott, Phi Vuong, Eric "Country" Wuthrich

Oh, the boredom -- Dig deeper Country...

Julian, Phi, Country, Scott

The Jumbotron -- televised the proceedings for those sitting up higher...

Meghan Edwards and Hilary Skinner -- part of the Choir -- and two of my Young Women.

The U.S. and Washington Flags

Marching in....

Waiting for the cue to take their seats.

Scott is the second row from the back -- 4th one in....next to the short girl....who's name we will not put in this post.

This was taken....one handed during the singing of the National Anthem.

I was impressed -- there were a few guys who took off their caps -- Scott was one of them -- I was very proud of him......we are losing some of the formal expressions of patriotism and respect, so I was proud that he remembered.

The more boring part of the exercises -- the Speeches! I took photo's of most of the speakers but won't bore you with the details -- or the photo's.

You can tell how impressed Jon was with the speeches -- although he only slept through part of the first one. Derek was checking out the jumbotron.

Heading up to receive his diploma....

This was snapped from the jumbotron as he left the stage....

Back and waiting for the night to end -- he didn't lift up his diploma for me to see, but I at least got a photo.

The recession.

Again...snapped from the jumbotron as he left.

After:

Jon and Derek -- making pissy comments about people while we wait for Scott, while Kyle flashes the peace sign --actually it might have just been the number 2...?

Isn't this fun?

Kyle reading the program

Here come the graduates....

And there you have it folks.....a High School Graduate

A throng of humanity -- joined in joyous celebration.

Kyle and Sunny

Scott and Isa

Mom (Ronna), Scott, Dad (Jon)

How can I be old enough to have two High school and one college graduate?

Kyle is "gunnin" to be a graduate....not too many years left! Sigh!

The Space Needle at the Seattle Center.

Why a picture of a school bus? Well, I stopped to take the photo of the Space Needle and Kyle saw the bus and needed a photo of it. This was the bus that was transporting the choir and band.

Meghan Edwards, Hilary's friend -- and her name escapes me --sorry, Hilary Skinner and Kyle. He is a ladies man.

Dinner:

After graduation we went to dinner with the Casanova family.

Sunny, her parents, Ron and Gina, and her sisters (and significant others),

Rhiana and Garth, Sarah and Duncan (and her son Anthony), and Sonay and Dana.

We went to Maggianos at Lincoln Square in Bellevue.

Kyle was very excited to see Anthony because he'd gone to a movie earlier in the week with Anthony, Sunny and Scott.

Dinner was great, and it was fun to get to know Sunny's family.

Maggianos is a family style Italian restaurant. They do not do French fries. They were not even serving off the kids menu -- Kyle kept anxiously watching the kitchen door for his dinner. Which didn't come. We did ask if they did fries and the answer was "No". However, the lady we asked went and talked to the Chef -- who, made a batch of fries, just for Kyle. The chef, herself -- Deb, brought them out to him, and then she came a little while later to see if he liked them. By that time, they were all gone! He wouldn't even share with anyone -- of course we didn't need him to share since we were eating (all you can eat): Maggiano's house salad, chop salad, stuffed mushrooms, fried zuccinini, Mama's lasagna, baked ziti with sausage, pork medallions, chicken parmesan, and to finish us off -- apple turnovers al a mode and New York style cheesecake!

Dinner was GOOD!

Our server was so sweet too -- he didn't charge us the "per plate" price for Kyle and he didn't charge us for the fries -- because they don't "do" fries.

If you ever get to eat at Maggiano's -- we highly recommend it!