My little sister graduates...from college!!

Early on a Saturday morning, my dad, mom, Jimmy and I headed to Manhattan, KS for the last time to visit my sister there.  Because she graduated!  Oh my gosh!  After 8 years, my parents no longer have a kid at K-State.  So crazy!

Our first stop: Mr. Goodcents for some yummy subs.  This is a must!

My dad - ready to EAT!

We headed next to my sister's apartment to meet her there along with my aunt and two of my cousins from Colorado Springs that made the cross-Kansas drive to be here to celebrate her accomplishment with her!  So fun because we had not seen them for a while.  Here is a pic of the graduate getting some pre-ceremony food!

Everyone hanging out in my sister's empty apartment; my dad and her boyfriend moved all the furniture out the day before!

I had pictures of the cake, but apparently they didn't load! Oops - it was pretty and delicious :)

Here is my sister and I - very excited to graduate!

the girls!

The whole family (minus Jimmy the picture taker)



We then all got in the car and headed over to Bramlage Coliseum for the ceremony.  We got to watch the tail end of the College of Education too and waited patiently for the Business folks to get started!

FINALLY - (Marketing was the last ones to graduate out of all the Business majors) my sister walked across the stage and accepted her diploma!  I was stalking her to grab these 2 pictures!  How cute!

Next up we went outside for a few family pictures - here is a good one of the whole bunch that was there from our family supporting her.  My cousin Brett and Ryan, aunt Susan, mom and dad, grandparents and me and Jimmy!  GO Lyndsay!

Trust me there were lots of pictures taken, but I like this one of Lyndsay and Andrew in front of the power cat!  So cute!  The next day they were headed on a road trip to Ohio to move Andrew there for the summer for a great internship.  I'm sure they will miss each other, but as everyone knows...absence makes the heart grow fonder :)  He will graduate in the fall with his Masters in Engineering!  Wahoo!

After we left the stadium, it was just our family in the car and my sister and I demanded to make 2 stops:

1) Dara's for a fountain drink and laffy taffy  - which is so funny because the minute my sister walked into Dara's she went to the stand with lots of laffy taffy containers and started grabbing a bunch and Jimmy goes, "Oh my gosh, you are exactly like your sister - that is what she did every time we came here in college".  And yes, that is true...guess the love of laffy taffy runs in the family!!

2) Call Hall - I actually hadn't been to the actual Call Hall (this is an ice cream place on campus that K-State students make the ice cream and it's delicious!) since probably my own freshman year of college...eek...8 years ago!!  Makes me feel old!  But we made sure we made the stop and made my dad get some ice cream.  My dad and I got purple pride and Lyndsay got chocolate.

Then it was back to her apartment and the troops dispersed for awhile.  My grandparents went home, my aunt went to pick up her car with one of my cousins, my parents went to the hotel and Jimmy and I and Brett went to Buffalo Wild Wings in Aggieville to watch the Royal's game.  I also stopped by a new clothing store in Aggieville called Envy and got suckered into buying a new dress!!  After we had some drinks and played some trivia - we met everyone else at Los Tacos across town for some Mexican food and $1.99 Margaritas.  I'll just put it this way - my mom really like the $1.99 margaritas :)

Then we headed out to Aggieville and started at Salty Rim where we introduced my cousins to nudie photo hunt (where have they been!!?) and of course dominated - first, second and third place!!

Sister's picture!

My dad and his girls!!

Dad, Ryan, Aunt Susan, Mom and Jimmy

This was funny - with my mom's "margarita" overload, she was pretty slap happy and insisted we take this picture with a random guy.  Oh Barb.  You make me smile :)

Last but not least, before Jimmy and I had to head back to KC for the night, we had to stop at Bomb Bar (yes it's a bar for shooting "bombs", oh college...) to get a drink for the boys to all toast to the graduate!!

And here we all are - toasting to her for all her HARD work, dedication, leadership, friends, etc. that she has put forth and gained the last 4 years at K-State!  Can't wait to see for all the wonderful things to come for my little sister in her life and I'm so lucky to have such a great sister!!!!!  I'm excited to have her in KC for a while and make her come over to my house to watch TV and play with our dogs!!

And then Jimmy and I headed back to KC...to sleep with 6 dogs.  AH!  More to come on that :)

Cheers and congrats to ALL the 2011 graduates!  Molly and Chesney from law school, Courtney and Brian from med school, Van from dental hygenist school!!!!!!!  Ah - did I forget anyone?? So so so proud of you all and I love you!  Can't wait to continue to celebrate your successes with you!