Graduation

Well folks, we really did it. We're college graduates. Oh, wait. PSYCHE! Rivka still has an online class to finish! Who did she think she was kidding!? But she's not thinking about that till vacation is over! So, as I was saying, we're college graduates! Here are some of the photos of that memorable day. Thanks to Ma and Pa Wilcoxson for bringing the photoshoot (although I know you won’t want to take credit for some of these!)

You may kiss the graduate!

Davis Divas!

Wow. It's been quite a while. First things first: Diva Weekend. Since most of my brothers went to Panama for a couple of weeks last Christmas, the girls decided it was their turn for a little R&R sans children (except baby Ezzy who was still too little to be left with her dad). Where did we decide to rendezvous? Where else but our grandma's house in Davis, California? But without the luxury of buying a cheap plane ticket months in advance due to the quick organization of this trip, and due to our typically tight student budget, I assumed that this was just one of those trips I would miss out on. However, a couple of weeks beforehand, my wonderfully sweet husband surprised me with a plane ticket, and I cried tears of joy!

But why Davis, you might ask? This town, this house, and this lady hold all the charm and enchantment that seven Mikkelsen ladies could possibly want from their vacation. Non-Mikkelsens who didn't grow up visiting Davis every summer may not understand the nostalgia of the few things we chose to do while in Davis, namely take walks around my grandma's neighborhood, make jewelry at the bead shop, and stroll through the UC Davis Arboretum. (Unfortunately there was simply too little time to allow us to visit the Jelly Belly Factory, another favotrite destination!) Otherwise, we were content to talk and laught about anything at all, eat good food, give eachother pedicures, and sleep in!

This picture needs a little explanation: Every summer as kids, at the end of the 10-hour drive to Davis, my dad would get to this very corner (just yards away from my grandparents' house), stop the car, and say one of two things: 1."Kids, I think I'm lost. We'll never find the house. Let's just go home." or "Oh, darn it! Ya know, I think I forgot my ... (insert personal item such as toothbrush, q-tips, deodorant, etc.) We'd better go back home and get it." At which point we would all scream, jump out of the car and run the rest of the way to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We didn't have Dad with us this time, so Miriam was the one to break the news that we were going to have to turn and go back home. Above is a disgruntled Rivka who has fallen for the trick. Mom is pointing to the "Diva Driver" sticker, which inspired the theme for the weekend.

Pre-pedicure mingling in the bagno.

Morning snuggling.

Diva poses.

 Walking in the Arboretum.

Beading.

 I returned to Provo just in time to for finals week, rested, rejuvinated, and reassured in my belief that I have the coolest sisters, mother, and grandmother a girl could ask for, not to mention the dad, brothers, and husband who made our little getaway possible. Since my sisters, Anna, Miriam and Kathryn have already reported the highlights of the trip, I refer interested readers to their more interesting renderings of Diva Weekend!