Grad parties take our reporter back in time

Attending graduation parties this past weekend really took me back to missing my high school days.Who doesn’t reminisce about returning to their youth, being active in sports, choir, swing choir, extra curriculars?Simpler times when our parents took care of the bills and we just had to attend class and pass a few tests.I instantly wanted to pull out my scrapbooks and see the pictures from my past. It’s always fun to see what kids come up with today versus what we did in the past — although there are still quite a few things that have stayed the same.I got to hold my party at a cabin at Pine Lake right off the golf course, its a beautiful wooded area that allows for plenty of grass area for kiddos on nice days and still a large updated cabin with kitchen, bathrooms and large seating area for stormy days.While I don’t remember the food much, because I was standing out front greeting the whole time, I’m sure it was amazing!I do remember starting out in heels and ditching them about half an hour into my party because yowsa did my feet start to hurt! That was silly of me.I wore a dress that resembled a disco ball of sorts - silver and shiney!Like the parties I viewed today, I was the greeter but my parents were the true host and hostess talking and laughing with many of the guests that I was lucky to just know the names of.Thank goodness for good friends that stuck around and hung out during the low times and I was grateful to have a young cousin that waited on me and hand and foot bringing me food and drinks.The gifts were really exceptional though and you could definitely tell the crafty people that then gave me ideas that I continue to give to this day.My favorite and “still used” gift today? A small pink and purple toolbox that not only helped me solve a few problems in college but many problems in my apartment, house and current house since I moved to Northeast Iowa four years ago.