Maria Graduates from National University

Maria made it! A Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from National University!

Commencement Exercises were at the San Diego Convention Center.

Now it is up to you daughter Melissa to follow, and soon...

• James wishes big sis Maria congratulations with a lei and bouquest of flowers...
• Beautiful Maria, we are all so proud of you...
• The Graduate--it only took over half of her life! Wonder what she will do with the next half century. We can only imagine.

• “There is a good reason they call these ceremonies 'commencement exercises'. Graduation is not the end, it's the beginning.” Orrin Hatch quotes (US Senator)

Graduation Dinner Celebration

Maria's family gathers at Busters at Seaport Village for a Celebration after the graduation!

Happy to be here, Camber and James...

The Appetizer!

James and Camber share...

Maria, Linda and Melissa...

Two of the three desserts--Hardys can't have a celebration without desserts.

Brownie Deluxe

Banana Fritters

Great dinner and great fun...

More on Maria Graduation

 

Graduation Day for Kelly Pulsipher

"A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success." - Robert Orben

Ah, but Kelly certainly has individuality so she will be successful--here she is dressed in her lookalike cap and gown.

At last the final march for the diploma from Grossmont High.

 

 

The Graduate!

Whew, that's all over...

Kelly with her best friend, Matt.

Kelly with her Dad and Mom.

Kelly with her grandmother Janet.

Kelly with her brother Tanner and his friend Ron.

Graduation Lunch

After Graduation there was lunch at The Cheesecake Factory in Fashion Valley--attending were: Kelly, the graduate and her friend, Matt!

Dad Gary and sister Sarah of the graduate.

Janet and Linda, grandmother and mother of the graduate!

Brother Tanner and his friend Ron were there, also. The lunch was so delicious!

Afterwards there was shopping for the perfect graduation gift and here it is...

Kelly's bling from Tiffanys--graduation gift!

The Graduation Party Saturday Night at Pulsiphers

We didn't get many pictures but all the cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and a few friends were there. We took pictures of:

       Stephanie and Kelly--the Graduates! 

 

                Kelly and Matt at the Graduation party.

 

Casey and her boyfriend with Jamie's baby.

 

                                                                                            Sarah and her cousins in her redecorated                                                                                                       playhouse.

 

O Remember, Remember

Ever since an experience in my life when I was prompted to acknowledge the hand of the Lord in my life I have tried to express gratitude to my Heavenly Father always for my answers to prayers, tender mercies and little miracles in my life. This Mormon Message by President Eyring expresses that well. Just click on the title!

Memorial Day Weekend

Lea is looking so grown up and beautiful. She is also very strong and surfs with Jacob and is quite a basketball player and inline skater.

Kelsi was ready for Sunday School so she posed for me. The next day while traveling she gave us an interesting version of her Sunday School lesson. She is a real sweetie and can be very chatty when she wants to. She can also tryicycle so fast I have to run to keep up.

Jimmy and Kelsi ready to go with Grandma on Memorial Day morning.

James and Camber had about three shifts of friends and family over to eat barbeque and play in the surf on Memorial Day. I only got pictures of the last group!

Jacob and Lea were making Popeye legs with their wet suits and a hose!

The kids were alternating between boogie boards and little round rubber boats.

Camber said this was here last bikini! She still looks very good though, so I doubt it!

The tiny speck in the middle of the ocean picture is Maria and Linda kayaking!

Maria, Linda and James in a pix...

A pix of James' partner and wife...

Jacob and his friend enjoy dinner after lots of time in the ocean.

While the adults were partying on the deck, Sarah and Lea were conducting school for the other little ones upstairs--what a lot of clean up!!

Memorial Morning 2009

The Hardy family in years gone by.

On Memorial morning Maria called and said she would go with me to El Camino Memorial where Richard is buried. Kelsi and Jimmy decided they wanted to go also and Matt was with Maria so we five started out.

When we arrived I told Maria to turn on the wrong road and we couldn't find the gravesite. Then a nice lady comes up on her cart and says she can help. Another person had given us a free flag when we entered. So nice of everyone!

The final result of our efforts--with flag and flowers and a clean marker not encroached upon by grass...

The helpers pose as the nice lady calls to check on where the burial plot is.

The nice lady showed us where the plot was and then got her tools to help edge the marker and clean it off.

Matt dug up the vase, Janet filled it with water and Maria brought the roses to fill the vase.

After the marker was all edged and cleaned, the roses placed in the vase, and flag planted, Maria took my picture by the grave.

While I was looking at some of the graves near Richard's (Jack Hansen, Bob Black, etc) Thad and Judy Pugmire and their children were at Judy's Mom's grave. Aileen had been a friend of mine and my Relief Society president. I had forgotten she had died so young. Judy was my children's babysitter when we lived in Pacific Beach and lived in 7th Ward. She was such a great baby sitter!

The nice lady even stayed to take our picture. I have been to the gravesite many times but have never had the service we had on Memorial Day. It was very nice.

Maria and Matt took Kelsi over to the hill where many children are buried. There are always balloons and windmills and colorful markers. It is sad to know so many children die so young.

Richard died too young also. We all miss him.