husband turns the big 2-8.

This guy turned 28 on Sunday. 

So to celebrate, we had a few friends over Saturday night for a cookout. Thankfully the rain stopped just before the party started and the guys were able to hang outside in the man cave while the girls sat inside (in the air condition).

eatin'

Sawyer had a great time destroying the playroom 

our friends' Dana & Bradley's son, Colton (and his tragic NCSU outfit) had a great time with the soccer ball  

...meanwhile my son decided he should help deliver some beverages to the boys...

who MUCH appreciated it.

so they could play flip-cup

The Ladies: LP (and Miss Grace, due in three weeks!), Me, Hope (and Miss Ella due July 7), Dana, Laura & Colton

Such a great night to celebrate Josh!

Retirement Banquet 2013

One of my favorite parts of my job is planning, coordinating and decorating for district events, such as our up-coming annual retirement banquet. 

Since I am working with a budget of less than $300 for decoations for these banquets, I always buy things that I know I can re-use such as white candles, silk flowers  hurricane glasses good cardstock and etc. In the past, I have done cutesy things centered around education and kids and such...

2011 Banquet

2012 Banquet

But this year I am going for a more elegant, classic style with blacks, whites & golds.

(the keys in the top left corner are part of our logo)

Here are some of my main ideas for decorating (thanks to good ole Pinterest):

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(only mine will be black & white candles with gold sparkles)
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love the grouping of mason jars with ribbon
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I have SO much to do between now and the banquet, not to mention I am planning a baby shower or two also. But I am so excited to craft, plan and execute this event.

that child.

my child is always that child in public. not the one screaming and kicking or being mean, but the loud one saying inappropriate things.

yes, this sweet little face can be bad.

For example, at the Artsplosion event that our district hosts, I needed to grab pictures during the band performance. Sadly, Josh had a meeting so I took Sawyer along with me, thinking he'd be quiet and watch the music. I was very wrong.

Not only did he keep talking throughout the performance, he did so during the pledge of allegiance, the presentation of the colors, the introduction of the guest director and so on and so on.

He finally quieted down when I gave him a pencil and paper to color with when all of a sudden he handed me his pencil and screamed said, "I not want to color anymore, mommy." So I whispered, "That's fine Sawyer, what do you want to do instead?" To which my child replied, very loudly in the moment the band quit playing to switch to another song, "MOMMY, I WANT TO POKE YOUR BOOBIES!"

I liked to died.

I was wearing a v-neck dress that I had complained about my boobs trying to poke out of, and apparently Sawyer heard me and somehow misconstrued.

I decided I had enough pictures, picked him up, and practically ran out the door of the auditorium with him screaming, "WHY ARE WE LEAVING? WHERE ARE GOING?" the whole way.

He is definitely his father's child.

weekend update

it seriously can't be Monday, can it? Our weekend was a  whirlwind of activity between a wedding, baseball game, birthday party and Mother's Day, and it flew by way too quickly.

Saturday my beautiful cousin Samantha got married in Snow Hill (where my Mema's family lives - and where Mema grew up), so Josh and his daddy took Sawyer to a Mudcats baseball game while I went to the wedding with my mom & Deanna.

I of course cried like a baby during the ceremony, my Mema's brother Ronald died a few years ago and watching my Aunt Nancy walk down the aisle without him just about broke my heart because he was such a huge part of our family.

Aunt Nancy and the bride (her granddaughter)

Not only did that trigger the tears, but so did the beautiful music. Samantha had two young people singing three songs, "The Prayer", "Come What May" and "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You" and they were absolutely amazing.

she had a beautiful, delicious cake

isn't she gorgeous?!

Dee & Me (Lilly love runs in the family) also, I NEED A TAN.

my Aunt Pam, cousin Carla (who is expecting a baby due on my birthday!) and Me

 I also got to see my cousin Ali (the only other redhead in the family)! Ali was in Wilmington while I was at UNC-Wilmington, I rode out two hurricanes in her townhouse. (excuse the terrible BlackBerry photo, my other phone had died by this point)

me & Ali

Mama, Me, Mema & Deanna

Then Sunday we went to church and celebrated Mother's Day at my parents before heading to Josh's grandparents to celebrate there too (and also attend his cousin Braxton's first birthday party).

Sawyer hanging out with Mema Dean

and attempting to hit everyone with a fly-swatter

Mama and her girls

me & Sawbug (who managed to slam his head into his bed that morning, hence the goose-egg)

then on the way home from Josh's grandparents, I realized I had forgotten my hair tie but needed to ride back in his jeep... with the top off.... and the doors. Here is what that looked like:

How was your weekend?

Relay fo' Life

Part of my job as the Communications & Community Relations Coordinator with my school district is to serve as the fundraising chair for the two campaigns our district participates in (United Way & Relay for Life). But, even if it wasn't part of my actual job to raise money for the American Cancer Society through Relay for Life, you would still find me out on that track and football field all night long getting my Relay on.

I can't think of a single person who HASN'T been affected by cancer in some way. I personally have lost two grandparents to the disease along with several aunts and uncles. Thank God that treatment exists and that my amazing Mema Dean (read about her here) has beat this disease not once, not twice, but THREE times.

Mema with Sawyer at Christmas

At our Relay for Life event you can expect fun (and important) things like:

hearing an entire football field of people go quiet and watch a memorial video for those we've lost to such a horrible disease followed by a VICTORY lap of brave survivors....

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beautiful candles and luminaries lit in honor or memory of cancer patients shining bright in the darkness when the sun goes down...

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line-dancing at 1am...

sorry the shakiness, I was mid dance.

great campsites with important information about cancer awareness and fun themes....

our "All I Want for Christmas is a Cure" themed campsite in 2012

hanging our "Beach Bum Birthday Bash" banner for the 2011 theme "Beachin' for a Cure"

this year's theme was "Washing Away Cancer" so I made a washer & dryer for our campsite

Yes, it makes for a long evening, being out there setting up at 2pm and staying until the next morning at 9am, but it's worth it.

Want to know how you can get involved in such a great (and fun) cause? Visit www.relayorlife.org to find an event near you, or to donate to a great cause!