Congratulations grads!

We are so proud of Colleen (my cousin) and Courtney (future sister-in-law) who both graduated from college this weekend!

As I told Colleen, despite everyone telling you how great college is, the years immediately after college were actually the most fun years of my life (and I went to Penn State, so that's saying a lot). Live it up. You are young and have your whole lives in front of you. As the age 30 approaches, you will wonder how the decade has passed so quickly.

Take advantage of your early twenties. You now have your degrees, and you will both get your first real jobs shortly. In the beginning, you'll be excited to go to work everyday. You will probably even still be go out on a Thursday nights until 2 a.m. and roll into work by 8 or 9 the next morning... for a few years anyway! Perhaps most importantly, you both still look great and will have the time and expendable cash to go shopping for yourself! It's the best!

Courtney, however, don't forget: if you don't get a teaching job by the fall, you know we will hire you to be our nanny!

Which brings me to my other point: Today, my sister Kelly, or Kelly Poppins, as Erin calls her, started her job watching Brenna for the summer. Day one went great. Brenna looked confused when Kelly came in this morning, but as I got ready for work upstairs, Kelly handled the confusion perfectly by feeding her a waffle and talking nonsense - just like me! By the time I came home for lunch, Brenna was sleeping, and the two were best friends. It's going to be quite the summer for those crazy girls, with Erin, Maura and Bobby across the street everyday. Can you see the jealousy in my sentence?

If not, let me be clear: I.am.so.jealous.

Floating around in our living room is a smiley face balloon from Brenna's former daycare teachers. On Brenna's last day on Friday, I took them in donuts and bagels and these cards that my friend Denae designed for me because she's so nice:
If you can read the poem (if you can't read it, click it so it gets bigger): the last line is a lie. I am so happy Kelly is watching her, and I hope to find the perfect situation by the fall. No returning there.

Again, I'm going so far off topic. Back to the grads - congratulations Courtney and Colleen!! We love you!