He's A Graduate!

Thought I would post a few quick photos for the Grandmas, Aunts, Uncles and friends. Believe it or not, Jackson is now a GRADUATE!!! More details and photos to come later. We're off to a big party tonight.

Go Tigers!

I sent this photo (finally) today to the Free Press. They have a feature where they run travel photos of Detroiters wearing the Old English D in the Sunday travel section. How could they resist Hannah and Taylor at Versailles? Because you're my blog friend, you get to see it first!

Post Prom

Jackson and Hannah went to the post prom gathering on Saturday night. They sure clean up well.

Winding it Up

Brazilians don't do proms. The whole idea is quite funny to them. I spent 20 minutes explaining to the building receptionist what the concept entailed and why my son was wearing a tux. Jackson had to walk a florist through what a corsage was and how to make it.

Jackson and his girlfriend, Rachel, looked amazing last night. She's such a pretty girl. One of his classmates invited all the senior parents and kids over to a pre-prom party at their house so everybody could see all the kids dressed up. (Not sure if the kids liked having their parents around...but too bad!) Cameras were everywhere. The kids looked great but I was just in awe of this house and their hospitality. So beautiful! Dan had to keep reminding me to not be so nosey. The prom theme was a masquerade so that is why some of the kids have masks on in the photos. We had to leave when the kids left for the prom but I could have stayed there all night. Ro and I went out for dinner just the two of us. (Hannah spent the night with six of her girlfriends.) It was almost like it was our prom night again....only 30 years later.

Hannah and Jackson are going to a post-prom party tonight. From what I understand, tonight is the real party for all the high schoolers. It doesn't start until 11. We hired the kids a driver!

Some of you may have seen this on Facebook, but Jackson was recognized Thursday night as the David Tully award winner at his athletics banquet. The award recognizes the epitome of teamwork, fitness, leadership and sportsmanship. So cool. I have since learned that David Tully was the Graded principal about five years back. He was a fitness fanatic and a big supporter of athletics at the school. He got cancer but somehow found the strength to make it to the Big 8 sports tournament to cheer the Graded teams on the week before he passed away. Sounds like an amazing man. We were teasing Jackson that when he comes back to Brazil next year, he can't pack on the "Freshman 15" pounds at college. The award is all about his commitment to fitness after all.

Hannah was at the athletics awards too with her volleyball and basketball teams but the night was mostly about seniors. They are really looking for her to step up once all these kids move on. She's ready!

I am leaving tomorrow for a quick trip to Los Angeles for work. I was supposed to go, then it got canceled and now it is back on again. Oi vey. I land back in Brazil Friday morning in time for the Senior Awards ceremony that night and graduation on Saturday. Cross your fingers all the flights work because I'm cutting it tight!

Tres Bien!

I know we're supposed to be all about Brazil and South America but when Patrice and Taylor mentioned they wanted to celebrate 16th birthdays in Paris, Hannah and I were all about it! We left Sao Paulo for Paris last Saturday and spent six great days in the City of Lights.

Patrice found a hotel near the Opera House and it was a perfect headquarters for all the fun. Man, there is a lot to see and do in Paris. I feel like we hardly put a dent in it. I have been there three times for work but I never really have had a chance to play tourist. We tried to see as much as possible, with gusto...Notre Dame, Louvre, Pompidou Center for Modern Art, bike excursion, boat tour, hands on bakery visit, Montmarte, Eiffel Tower, Sacre Couer,Versailles and the Champs Elysees. The Metro sure is an easy way to get around. In between each stop, we put quite a dent into the credit cards of our two families. The stores are amazing.

We were definitely tourists....a snobby French waiter said my choice of chardonnay was "ordinary," we trekked up to this recommended restaurant from our bike tour guide only to find it closed and we tried to go to a Third Eye Blind concert and the show was canceled. Oh well. C'est la vie!

I think my favorite thing was the bike tour we did the first day. We spent about five hours on the bikes and rode through a lot of side streets. It was a group of about 10 people so we really learned a lot. (I took my sling off that day and used a bike with pedal brakes and the dislocated shoulder survived just fine!)

Fun fact: Did you know there are five kilos of butter in every batch of croissants?

As a sleepy Patrice said on the last morning when Hannah and I left the hotel to catch our plane, "We'll always have Paris."