sweethearts ball

Grace's Sweethearts Dance

Grace had been thinking about this "Girls' Choice" dance for months.  She decided to invite Lasse, who is our friend and neighbor.  Lasse will be here for four more months as an exchange student with Layne and Julie as his host family.  We all love this boy!!!  He's very intelligent, speaks great English with a hint of an accent, has a very witty sense of humor and such manners! He has been raised well.  I would love to tell his parents that one day.  Lasse and Grace have both been very excited about the dance and it was fun to watch them planning throughout the recent weeks.  Grace double-dated with Kazlee, her friend in our ward who welcomed her with open arms the very first time we even visited the ward before we'd made an offer on this home.  They had such a great night, all four of them!

Lasse had a little help on selecting his colors for Grace's wrist corsage. I texted her a photo of part of the dress.  It was perfection!

It's always fun to watch this part of the date... both are so nervous about the flowers, no matter who the date is.

 

Usually, it's me who pins the flower on the boy, but the pictures wouldn't look quite the same if I was in them!

 

Lasse was such a gentleman!  He said over and over how beautiful Grace looked.  The fact that they are such good friends made this a guaranteed good time for them both!  I love this shot!

They both look so sharp!

They also both look very comfortable together.  I didn't sense the nervousness in either of them.

I think that my favorite thing was that Doug pulled his phone out and was taking pictures before and after Lasse came.  He tears up when he sees the girls growing so quickly.  And Doug using his cellphone camera... will miracles never cease!?

 

Of course, we have to have the "silly" pictures... They both thought "Ninja" instantly!

 

The flowers were a perfect match!  Thanks to McKenna, our friend/neighbor from Smithfield, who manages the Lee's florist.  I think that she may have had a little something to do with that.  Also, we loved the touch of a Hershey's kiss in the flower box!

 So cute together!

 

Walking out the door, Grace said that she'd bring her coat but I don't think that she ever put it on.

Doug's taking more pix of his girl!

 

 She is quite the confident girl.  I'm glad for that!  Truly a beautiful daughter of God.  She radiates her light!

My favorite shot of Grace... just because it's "her".  Just before Lasse arrived, she said to me, "I can't believe that I'm at this wonderful part of my life!  I love it!"  and she does!

 

That dress!  That long, tall body!  She's beautiful inside and out!

 

This dance was not at Grace's school.  It was at Lasse's.  The kids in the ward all attend it.  Zeej attends it.  Grace does not, but she felt totally comfortable, as she's getting to know kids at both schools from all of the things that they do together.

 

 okay, one more.  This one's for Carol!  She knows why...;)

My favorite shot of the night!  They are such good friends.  I love it!  Seriously, we all get teary-eyed when we think of June coming and Lasse going back to Germany.  What a delightful boy he is.  This morning, Grace's first words were, "Lasse is such a gentleman!  I loved last night."  It's not a crush at all... just two good friends sharing a special experience together.  I'm glad that Grace chose to take Lasse to this girl's choice dance!

 

They left and went over to Daniel's for photos at his home.  This staircase is so beautiful for this type of picture!  Love it!  The all look so sharp!

I'd never met Daniel, but when he came in for the latenight dessert after the dance, he immediately shook my hand and introduced himself to me.  What a nice young man.

 

Cute, cute!  Grace told me that while they were having dinner, Daniel asked them when they had their first kiss and she and Lasse both started laughing very hard.  "Oh, no!  It's not like that at all!"  To me, that said that Daniel could feel how comfortable Grace and Lasse are.  (He did hug her goodnight though.)

 

Just before the actual dinner and dance.  Dinner was at Cafe Sabor before the dance.  I'm so thankful that Melanie, Kaizlee's mother and my friend, sent me some of the group shots!

 

How thankful I also am for teens who are patient with mom's who love pictures!  They arrived at our home at about 11:15 for brownie and strawberry trifles.  This shot, I used the flash, but the candlelit room and the cute and simple table got lots of "wows" from them.  They were all four very gracious!

 

As a mom, it's such a wonderful feeling to have your children making good choices of friends and great wholesome activities!  These kids really are amazing!  I'm so happy for good choices!

Life is good!  So is being a mother... and so are good choices!!