Celebrating Mary Grace's Graduation

Today is the day we celebrate great-niece Mary Grace's 8th grade graduation.

From a very young age, she demonstrated that she was creative, an adventurer, and a risk taker.  After all, how many kids CHOOSE to change schools not once, but multiple times?  Mom and Dad selected the special reading program at St. Priscilla Academy for her primary years, then it was on to Thorp Scholastic Academy.  At Thorp, she realized that the Chicago Public Schools have many unique programs and she decided she wanted to experience as many of them as possible.   In 7th Grade she transferred to Disney II magnet school and then to Taft Academic Center for eighth grade.

Since our family is big on tradition, her cookie collection had to include at least one "look out ______ high school" book cookie and a diploma tied with a heat-shaped ribbon.

Although Mary Grace could continue in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program at Taft, she decided to challenge herself and is moving on to Lane Tech College Prep for high school.  This design seemed to be perfect for this adventurer.  I am so proud of how she is willing to take risks and challenge herself.

I have always marveled at Mary Grace's unique take on life!  This is the girl who had a pickle party for her fourth birthday, a live pig at her 6th birthday party in the city of Chicago, and took her friends to the museum to dissect an eyeball on her ninth birthday.

Mary Grace has often challenged me with her unusual cookie requests, like a fidget spinner cookie that spins!  So, I knew that I wanted to challenge myself while making her collection.  Stenciling cookies has become quite popular, but it is way out of my comfort zone.  Mary Grace would encourage me and tell me to "go for it."  So I did.

Traditional graduation caps were used to celebrate all of her achievements.

Designs to celebrate her love of running, basketball and skateboarding completed her collection.

I think Mary Grace will be proud to know that the cookie cutter I used to make the girl grad was also used to make Hillary Clinton cookies.  After all, if we have to wait another 20+ years for a woman to be elected president, MG could be the first!!!!

I hope that Mary Grace continues to dream big and seek new opportunities.  You go, girl!

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

                                                                                     Robert Frost

Little sister, Leann, decided that cookies belong on the cake!