ND graduation!

WOW! I cannot believe we are already here.  Our year here at ND is over.  I am so heart broken and excited at the same time!  Being as it was graduation weekend, we had a TON of family in town.  First, On Thursday afternoon, Zacks Grandma and Grandad  showed up.  We took them around town a little bit and then they took us out for dinner!  After dinner we met up with the Bensons and all of us went out to get some ice cream.  It  was so fun to see people and be able to talk and relax and not have Zack worry at all about homework or school.

Friday Zack's family came in and we enjoyed time celebrating my graduation. I felt very special.  I got a BEAUTIFUL bracelet !in a little blue box! from my in-laws.  And some other very sweet gifts from the grand parents.  Then we enjoyed some cake and ice cream all together.  The best graduation gift I could have gotten was the Bensons and the Olsens all there with us.  The only thing that could have made it better was to have my family there as well.    I definitely missed them!

Saturday was the first day of Graduation ceremonies.  The business department walked and he got his diploma- MBA Magna cum Laude.  I am so proud of him and all of his hard work.  We enjoyed a great dinner and evening together again.

Sunday we went to the big overall ceremony with all the undergrads, which was AMAZING by the way.  We besides the KILLER hott weather.  We were roasting.  But it was such a great time.  We then went to church and walked around campus and had an amazing night just hanging out together.

I had to work Monday, so Sunday I had to say goodbye.

It was such an amazing experience to have all of them here.  We have such an amazingly strong support system, and it was just so wonderful to have all of them here.  I already miss those evenings we had just sitting and talking.  I love you all!!

Zack and his good buddy Brian. They did this whole program together and were in our ward. They love each other a lot.

A more normal picture of the two of them

Our best friends out here!  Brian and his wife Carolyn.  So happy we got a picture with them before we all left for the year.

The Bensons!  I am so happy tat they were able to come out and visit and support Zack and I.  We have missed them like CRAZY!!

Zack and I on day 2 of the festivities!

Us with Touch Down Jesus!

Zack and Touch down Jesus with a sweet picture of his Masters hood on the back of his robe!

Zack and his parents.  How I have grown to love my in-laws.  I am so grateful for all they do for us and for the support that we constantly feel from them.  It was so great to have them out here!

The whole Olsen/Caputo clan that came!  Other than Jace, all the family and living grand parents made the trip out.  So incredibly fun to have them all!

ND tradition, you can't walk down these steps til you are graduated.  Here is Zack taking those steps like a champ!

I know that I look high in this picture but it was a random spontaneous moment that Zack kissed me during pictures.  It just showed how excited he was that day and I love it.  The picture is funny, but it reminds me of a great moment.

Day 1 of the festivities, after he got his official diploma!

This is the whole clan that came out for graduation!  It was SO fun to have you all here!!

Right after receiving his diploma! He was so happy!

Zack and his Nana.  So happy she could come out to support us.  Seriously so fun

 

A&F Controversy

So.. I have heard a LOT about this whole Abercrombie deal.  For those of you who haven't, (obviously you're living under a rock) here is a quote from A&F CEO.

"Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely."

So this has caused a HUGE uproar all around the country.  While he maybe could have said things a little more eloquently,  and been more sensitive to the feelings of others, I actually don't think it should have been that big of a deal.  I am sure he didn't mean to make anyone sad or feel bad about themselves, he was just stating his company's business plan.  If you think about it, the "cool kids" are the kids who, generally speaking, spend more money on clothes.  He didn't say, "I hate kids who aren't cool" or "If you're not a size 0 you should not be wearing cute clothes" or "Anyone who is even a little bit fat should go commit suicide"  He didn't even say, "If you don't fit in our sizes you are not as beautiful as the people who do".  He simply told people frankly who his company was targeting as their primary customers.

Did you know that McDonalds targets single parents as their favorite customers?  The difference is that anybody can buy and eat food.  I mean anyone can buy the clothes at Abercrombie, it just might not fit them.  Also, McDonalds doesn't offer actual healthy food.  They say that people know what they are getting when they come here, and let's be honest, people don't come to McDonald's to get a healthy meal.  They o to Whole Foods or little Cafes.  And what about Plus size stores?  Should anyone who doesn't fit in plus sizes be in an uproar about the fact that the plus size stores target those who have volumtious curves?? No.  Companies are allowed to target whatever market that they want to.

This world can be so overly critical sometimes.  I mean I even look at much of the Gay community.  They expect everyone to accept their personal views and beliefs, but then if you don't believe in same sex marriage, they criticize you and attack your own beliefs.

Everyone should fight for what they believe in.  But there is a way to fight for what you believe in without attacking others.  I hope that I have not offended anyone.  Big is beautiful.  Small is beautiful.  No matter what your size is, you have outer beauty as well as inner beauty.  All I am saying is that companies have the right to target whomever they want to.  Don't be offended by that.  Be strong and confident enough in yourself that you don't get offended easily.

Sorry for that rant.  I'll be done now!