Sweet 16!!

She's 16!!  I still can't believe it.  We started celebrating weeks ago when we traveled to our first concert.  

The celebrating continued over the weekend with a crochet class, some shopping, golf and into Monday when the official day hit.  For the big day, Gracie asked to skip celebrate away from school.  😉  Her request, a day in Indy playing TopGolf, shopping and her favorite restaurant.  

We piled in the car on Monday morning and Gracie drove.  Yep! She got in about an hour  of driving practice to Indy.  In the state of Indiana, you aren't allowed to get your actual drivers license on the day you turn 16.  You must log 55 hours of driving time and be 16 and 3 months old, so July 25th for her.

While it was rainy and cool, it didn't dampen Gracie's excitement.  She loves TopGolf.  We had a great time.  She and Matt traded off winning and well, I showed up. 

Lunch was wonderful as always and a stop at the Fashion Mall never hurts.  

Gracie, you aren't just 16, you are absolutely amazing!  I'm in awe of you.  Your work ethic, dedication to something, perseverance, kindness, big heart and sense of humor are just a few of the things that make you the wonderful girl you are.  You are beautiful inside and out.  I can't wait to see what life holds for you.  I know that great things lie ahead of you and I am just blessed to get to watch and call you my baby. 

We love you Gracie Cakes!!

I love surprising her when she comes home from school.  With her birthday falling on a Monday, Friday afternoon made for a great start to the birthday weekend.   She even found an early gift from Molly.

Gran sent Gracie this beautiful and fun little arrangement  on Friday afternoon. 

She's been wanting to get deeper into crocheting, so on Saturday, she and I hit a nearby little town to take a crochet class and it was so much fun.

We met these sweet ladies at our crochet class and they were so nice.  We had so much fun and the shop is just adorable.

Main Street in this little town is like Mayberry.  It was so cute and welcoming.  Gracie enjoyed a little shaved ice while we shopped some of the quaint shops.

When we returned home from crochet class, her Saturday surprise and arrived.  She has been wanting a record player and to start an album collection.  Well, she got a suitcase record player in her favorite color and a new Taylor Swift album.  This girls was so excited. 

On Sunday afternoon she and Matt got in a round to get their TopGolf skills ready.  It was extremely windy and Gracie pulled out one of her best rounds on this course to beat Matt by three strokes.  She was unstoppable.  It was so much fun.

The big day brought new gold hoop earrings Monday morning and  requested Chick-fil-A breakfast before our trip to Indy.

And of course, there's no celebrating without this big ball of fur putting herself in the middle of it all.

A picture with the birthday girl Monday morning before we leave for Indy.

Oh the concentration..

Her relief when her time driving on the interstate in the rain and construction was over.  ha! ha!  Dad took over at Starbucks. Grace said she had to get out of the car because her body was so tight and tense from driving.   Hilarious! I felt the same way as the front seat passenger.  She's getting better each time she drives. 

According to Lily, I'm only allowed to post this shot of the last game.  ha!ha!  Yep! She was the winner. 

What better way to finish off a birthday lunch than Creme Brûlée and an Affogato?

Happy Sweet 16 Gracie!!!!!  We love you!!!! 

-More than words could ever say!

Purdue-Boiler up!

 This past week we made our first official college visit.  Lily Grace was invited to attend the Introduction to Purdue.  We spent the day in sessions, touring the campus and housing, talking with students and getting information and advice from department heads.  

We were blown away by all that Purdue has to offer and with the campus itself.  So much so, that I kept telling Matt that I felt like I needed a do over. ha! Lily Grace loved their honors college.  It's pretty amazing. She is piling on the AP classes and is even taking some summer classes to make room for even more AP classes her junior and senior years.  Learning that all of her hard work in doubling up and taking AP classes would carry over to Purdue and afford her the ability to double major with a minor and possibly graduate in three years, really got her attention, especially since right now, she's planning on going on to law school.

No doubt all the accolades, successful graduates, rankings and status that Purdue has earned are impressive.  We still have several schools to visit, but Purdue is definitely on the list. 

Notre Dame, University of Michigan, Indiana University and Ohio State are some of the schools on the list of colleges still to see this fall and throughout next year.  I can't believe we have started on this adventure.  Seems like just yesterday we were walking to Kindergarten.  Nonetheless, Matt and I are so excited to see all that Gracie accomplishes wherever she chooses to do that. 

As I stood watching her check in, all I could see was my baby

Gracie got a taste of what it's like to walk to class even if it's pouring rain and windy.

She loved the Great Hall in the Honors College dorm which is fashioned after the British Education system right down to the floors being names and competitions held between the floors.  It was so Harry Potter.

Chicago Conert

 We rounded out Spring Break with another concert for Gracie's Sweet 16.  With snow falling yet again, we headed to Chicago for the weekend to see Tate McRae at the House of Blues.  

We arrived in Chicago and got settled in.  The girls had their own room which adjoined to Matt and me and they lived it up.  We kicked things off with a trip to the Chicago Institute of Art.  Of course we got in some shopping and hit our favorite restaurant.  

However, the highlight was of course, the Tate McRae concert.  Matt surprised Gracie and the girls got the VIP meet and greet experience. They were sooooo excited and I have to admit, it was so much fun watching them.  

Upon arrival at the House of Blues, the girls were given a T8 beanie and lanyard.  Afterwards, they were ushered upstairs to meet and have pictures made with Tate herself.  

After the meet and greet, they were given early access to the concert floor.  Yep, these two got right up to the stage.  Their excitement was off the charts, especially considering that during the concert, Tate reached down and grabbed Gracies hand, took her cellphone and videoed herself on stage before handing it back to her.  Those two girls nearly came unglued.  Tate put on a great show, but I have to say the show these two put on with their excitement was unforgettable!  

Chicago Institute of Art- You could spend an entire day here.

I loved the Monet's

But it's the Georgia O'Keefe's I was excited to see.

American Gothic

Nothing beats a meal at Joe's

They actually wanted to pop into American Girl.  We had fun looking around and reminiscing about the trips here and all the girls and accessories. 

Arriving at the venue we found that people were wrapped in blankets in a line that wrapped the building.  The snow had stopped but the wind and the temps were quite frigid and some of those people waited 3 hours to get in.  I've never been so grateful to have splurged for something like VIP entry. 

Inside, checked in and READY to meet Tate.

While waiting in the meet and greet line, this sign flashed above us we thought it was pretty funny.

The big meet- unfortunately they had to wear masks to meet her and have their picture made but it's the only time we had to wear them while there.  They could have cared less and it was still just as special and exciting. 

After the meet and greet they got early entrance to the concert floor which got them right up to the stage.

Here is where I make a confession. This place was packed elbow to elbow.  I was not feeling that scene, so I dropped $100 to for a seat at the bar that surrounded the concert floor.  Grace and I would text back and forth so I could check in on her.  At one point, you can see her raise up her arm to let me know that she was ok and she and Jackie holding their own. I met some nice parents back at my seat who also agreed that those seats were priceless and we had fun chatting and laughing about the crowded scene around us.  Those kids stood there for 4 hours.  

Lily sent this picture from her point of view behind her.

The girls and I agreed that the House of Blues was a really cool and fun venue for a concert. 

Being right at the stage she got up close to Tate's performance.

You've never met two girls more excited than these two after the concert.  After Tate took Lily's phone and filmed with it, I din't think they would ever some down off their excitement high. 

Always have fun with my best friend too.  Matt was our chauffer, coat collector and security

We ended our trip with Palm Sunday mass at the beautiful Holy Name Cathedral