University of Tennessee Graduation

{BEWARE: this post is filled with lots of pictures, from various cell phones and cameras - some clear and some not...}

We set out on our journey to Tennessee on Thursday, December 8th to see my cousin Jordan graduate from UT on Friday morning. We were so excited to go as most of the family would be together for the first time in awhile. Whenever my dad's family gets together, an amazing time is guaranteed. The ride to Knoxville was smooth and easy.

The kids went to bed not too long after we arrived. Graduation was scheduled to begin at 9am on Friday morning and there were at least 15 people staying at my Aunt Rita's house so everyone had to be up in plenty of time to shower and get ready. Thank goodness for 4 showers & a huge water heater in the house! The graduation was held at Thompson-Boling Arena and was really nice. It was a little long and with every graduate walking the stage, Deuce got a little restless. So after Jordan finally made it across the stage, I took him up to the concourse level to roam. We must have walked the arena 4 or 5 times. Then we stopped to take a break {and lay down on the stairs for a bit}.

After the ceremony we all headed to the Country Club for a brunch for the family. The Club was decorated for Christmas and sits on the side of a mountain looking over the valley with large homes. It was really beautiful. The food was great and we had a good time. We even had a few emotional family moments when Jordan was thanking all of us for driving the distance to watch him graduate and telling us how much he loves us all. My cousins and I are very close.

some of the Edgerton family, everyone joked that me and Ed had to stand on the right side to spread out the color.

cousins: Ricky, Laura, Jordan, Ryan, Jami, me

my cousin TJ with Aunt Rita (we had to call him Big TJ all weekend to not get the two confused).

G and Laura

Jordan and Big Chris

Deuce and Jordan

The chocolate cupcake that could not be put down

Seriously, how Dennis the Menace is this??

Aunt Rita, Jordan, Uncle Jeff

The Roth boys doing the Baylor Bear Claw for Spencer. He is the punter for the Baylor football team and couldn't make it home for graduation.

Deuce and G

After the brunch we went back to the house to hang out for awhile until the party started. A local bar had been reserved for a graduation party and we turned that biker joint into a club. That's how my family rolls. Chanler was on board to babysit for us {love having built in babysitters in Knoxville!} so we had a late night out. We wobbled and shuffled and booty popped all night. That night was one of the best nights we've had in a VERY long time!

I don't think I really left the house on Saturday. The boys watched football in the media room all day and the girls watched Lifetime movies in the living room all day. Aunt Rita and Aunt Rhonda cooked dinner and we had a wonderful time laying around. Sunday we headed back home after a lunch with Ed's brother and the kids. It was such a nice weekend and has us all looking forward to Ricky's graduation in a few years!

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