Here is a sure way of making sure your seniors check out academically by the end of April.  Oh well.  I think they all graduated so I guess it all turned out okay. :)
Chad & Sam at the band banquet.  You may recognize the carpet from the prom pictures which were taken at the same hotel.  Chad hadn't gone to this banquet ever before but Mr. Converse told him he had to go his senior year.  He ran in late after the first game of state but he made it just in time to get his plate of Mediterranian chicken.  Yum!  Chad won the Louis Armstrong jazz award that goes to one person per school each year and apparently puts him on an honor jazz registry for the rest of all time.  Who knew?  He also won the "Most likely to become a rock star" award from the band juniors.  So fun!
And here's the whole group.  Chad to do a quick make-up assignment two days before the ceremony but he pulled it off people.  Rock on!
These displays are the kind of things that make moms tear up when they enter La Cueva during the last month of school.  How cute were these seniors back in the day?
 And here's a close-up of my cute little senior in second grade, his first year in Albuquerque.
Here's the picture that went on the invitation to Chad's and Trey's graduation party.  They have been the best of friends for four years and it only made sense to celebrate together. As a matter of fact, at the baseball banquet last night, Coach said he should have probably had them come up together since they are basically attached at the hip except when one of  them has to go to the mound to pitch while the other stays in the dug-out.  He said if he ever couldn't get a hold of one of them on their cell phone, he could just call the other and ask him to pass the phone over.  Ha!  So true.
We couldn't figure out how to schedule both Chad's party with Trey and our ward senior party on different nights so we just did them the same night and Chad bounced from one to the other.  Luckily they were held practically across the street from each other.  Above is Chad's senior display at the ward party.  Thanks to the baseball mom who made the poster for senior day (more on that in the baseball post).  It really made the table.  And below is the awesome cake that Andrea (one of the senior sisters) made for the party.  Kiean really admired it.


 And now, I'm out of order again.  Above are the baseball seniors hanging around trying to locate Trey so that they could take a picture together.  They never did find him.

And to the side is Tingley Colliseum before the seniors came in.
Chad and his adoring sisters.  The elusive Aaron was around somewhere but the ceremony went a little long for him so he had to take a walk.
 Chad & Leah.
 Chad and his awesome dad.
 Chad and his two good friends, Nate & Chris.
 The baseball seniors minus Trey with their manager Taylor.
 Chad & the 6'4 crew, Chris, Garvey and John.
 Chad with his diploma and his silly sister.
And moving on to other end of the year ceremonies.  Here are Morgan and Bethany on their way to Seventh Grade Honors Assembly.  So proud of these stellar students!
 And finally, fifth grade graduation.
 Miranda and her proud Grandma.
 Miranda was so excited to get graduation flowers that she went around showing them off to everyone.  Maybe her dad and I need to get her flowers more often.
 My mini-me with her diploma.
Miranda with her good friend Rachel.  Aren't they looking so grown-up?
And so almost ends the month of May.  I will post the end of season baseball post next week when I can feel my fingers again after typing these last three posts.

 Chad was a little tired by this time after playing a double header district game followed by a two hour stint at the gym.  Grandma had to bring him a granola bar right after this picture was taken because his blood sugar was so low.  Luckily, after pictures, the group went to dinner at Claim Jumpers.  Can you believe it?  It's true!  Albuquerque finally has a Claim Jumpers.  Yahoo!
 The girls.
 The corsage.
 The boutinniere.
The boys.  Everybody had a great time and even got to go bowling afterwards because the parents of one of the girls in their group own Silva Lanes.  Awesome!

And so here I am catching up on my blog yet again because I am not able to handle one measly A & P class along with baseball season.  Yesterday I took a look at how much I'd let my housework go and I almost cried.  You also might want to know if I've completed Amber's baptism dress that will need to be done by early July.  The answer is - no, but I did get the pattern pieces cut out.  That's something, right?  Anyway, here I go trying to belatedly document our family's history one post at a time.
Bethany has a great friend and tuba buddy named Morgan.  They played together at solo ensemble and have collectively spent at least $50 seeing Diversion together.  Here they are at Hummingbird music camp.  On our way to the concert, we saw emergency vehicle racing down mountain in some kind of high speed chase. This should have been our clue to turn around and high-tail it home.  Sadly, we traveled on and then had to take the scenic route back to Albuquerque (because the direct way was entirely blocked off).  It took us three hours to get home.  The concert was good but not that good.
Amber and Miranda are playing softball this year and they are quite darling.  Here they are at opening day at Eastdale.
Miranda and her team, the Rockies.  They are "playing up" in the major league which means that they compete against girls who are a couple of years older than they are.  They have actually been doing pretty well and are improving every game.
Amber is on the Braves.  That is her playing catcher.  Amber was not sure about switching to softball from baseball but she has mostly adjusted.  She has to remind me most game days, however, that it was not her idea to play with the girls.  Whatever!
Dad and the girls decided to hop down to White Sands over spring break.  Doesn't the picture above look cold?  But it was actually eighty degrees.
 Bethany taking a slide.  If you look closely, you can see her brand new braces.
 Up the hill again.
 Miranda's turn.
 And look at this silly.
 Amber looks like she could use some sunglasses.
 Choo-choo train.
 Just chillin'.
 Aw, good times!
Bethany decided to go to the water park for her 13th birthday.  She brought along her sisters and her friend Eden for fun-packed evening at Cascadia.  Here are Bethany and Eden relaxing between activities.
 And here is brave Miranda in the surf room.  She actually hung on for quite awhile.
 Somehow Miranda talked Amber into doing it also.  I thought she would be terrified but she was a trooper.
 And here they are during a more relaxing part of the night.  I love these girls!