Relay for Life 2009

This past weekend I participated in Pataskala's Relay for Life benefitting the American Cancer Society. This is my 3rd year attending, but my first year actually participating on a team. Here is the story of how I got involved with it. Back early 2007 (I think?) a friend of mine from church called me saying that she felt she needed to go to the emergency room because she hadn't been feeling well, and was running a fever and just knew something wasn't right. Her husband was at work, but didn't want to call an ambulance, either. So I told her I would come get her and take her to the hospital. I stayed with her most of the night, until her husband got there in the very early morning. Long story short, they found that she had a large cyst on one of her ovaries, the size of a volleyball!! They removed it and did find that it was cancerous. She had to go through chemotherapy, but thankfully everything went great! So that year (2007) she asked me to take her to the Relay for Life and help her with the survivor's lap. It has become a bit of a tradition with us, now! I've thought the past 2 years how I'd like to be on a team, but never was motivated to actually do so.

But this year a sister in our church decided to start 'Team Latter Day Saints'. I was so excited! I signed up and was eager to help any way that I could. I was incharge of doing the decorations for our booth, but I didn't do real well - alot of the decorations didn't hold up to the wind. I'll keep that in mind for next year... Thankfully it wasn't hot at all and it didn't rain during the relay, either. I walked the 11pm to midnight shift, and the noon to one shift. I didn't actually walk the whole last hour because they were doing closing ceremonies and I wanted to watch that. Our little team raised over $1200!! Over all this relay raised just over $30,000! It was just amazing.

Cancer is an awful awful thing. I think just about everyone at least knows someone who is affected by it. I hope and pray that they will find a cure and find it fast. I heard so many stories this weekend of children, even babies who have this awful disease. Cancer is horriffic, but it's even worse, it seems, when it affects the life of an innocent child. I love the motto for the Relay: Celebrate, Remember, Fight back! I walked my laps in memory of my recently departed grandfather, James Slack, who died of Leukemia, and in honor of my friend, Diana Taggart, who won her battle of Ovarian cancer.

Here are some pictures from the Relay for you all to enjoy!

Here is our overly motivated team Captian Brandy with her husband Derrick and her youngest, Kaylee. From watching her these past few months I have found I would get much more done in life if I had even half of the motivation she does! She's amazing!

Here is me walking the survivor lap with Diana. I was so honored that she wanted me to be with her. :) I was very proud of and happy for her that she was able to walk the entire lap!!

Here is our team doing our fundraiser. Brandy got Chipotle to DONATE 150 burritos for us to sell at the relay! This fundraiser brought in just under $400 I think.

I loved the luminaria ceremony. It was so amazing and inspiring. They lined the entire track with luminarias in honor of many cancer survivors and in memory of those who bravely fought the disease. I love how they spelled 'HOPE' on the bleachers - it was almost like they were announcing to the heavens our hope that a cure will be found.

Diana's Luminaria

Here are some boys from our ward who participated with their family: Chance and DJ Crook. They are such good boys! They are both in my sunday school class. Chance is pushing Kaylee, Brandy's baby.

Here is me and my friend Sarah Brazier Saturday morning. She walked from 11-12, and even walked another 30 mins with me chatting! She's so fun.

I am so glad that I participated in the Relay this year. It really was amazing and I can't wait til next year!!

Super long Joey post

WOW! My Joey turned 4 years old yesterday!! I just can't believe it. When I first had him, it was much more of an adjustment than I ever thought. It felt like he would never get older, that he would always be a baby. So to watch him turn 4 was so surreal to me!! How did that happen? I could swear he was just a baby yesterday. I know that sounds so cliche, but now that I've lived through it, I understand it. I know it will be just tomorrow that I wake up and he'll be headed off on his mission or to college. Hm... Crazy. I do love this little guy so much!

Since I just started blogging not quite a year ago, and I have a TON of Joey pictures that have not been blogged yet, I figured I'd choose some of my favorites and post them in honor of his birthday. At the end of this post, I have pictures from his birthday yesterday. Unfortunately, on this computer, I don't have any pictures of him younger than 1... so no newborn pics to grace you with.

This was taken on our trip in Aug of 2006. We went to Arizona and got to visit with Kris' paternal Grandmother and her husband. Joey is just barely over 1 here.

Another one of him and our trip out west. 1 y/o

I love this one... This is on our flight back from Utah (we flew to Arizona, drove to Utah, and flew back from there). Joey was super tired andf ell asleep, but my arms got tired holding him, so we parked him on the tray tables as a bed - it worked!!

Here's Joey bein Joey... 1 y/o

Joey in his 'thinking chair'. He got this from Meemaw (Kris' maternal grandmother) for Christmas 2006. He was into Blue's Clues back then and would always get in his 'thinking chair' to watch it. He still has the chair - it lives in his room now.

Another one of Joey being Joey. These were my favorite jammies on him - I was so sad when he grew out of them...

I took this picture becase I was amazed Joey had gotten old enough to sit on the couch and eat a snack by himself... I know, lame, but it was a milestone in Mommy's eyes.

Joey turning 2!!

I had laid Joey down for a nap - this was shortly after he moved to a 'big boy bed'. I always had to just lay him down and shut the door and wait for him to fall asleep, then go back in and lay him back in bed because whereever he fell asleep, it wasn't in his bed. Ha ha!

Joey and his buddy Ethan at the zoo

Joey enjoying the joys of finger paints...

Halloween, 2007 - my little cowboy.

Joey playing ball with his Aunt Kara and Uncle Garrett.

This is why Ace is a good dog.... He always lets the kids climb all over him and acts like he loves it!! He's so patient with them.

Joey trying to fill daddy's shoes.

Another one of my favs... Joey's 3rd birthday party

Halloween 2008 - my little fireman

Joey - my bouncing baby boy

Kris and Joey at Coco key water resort, Valentines day 2009

The rest are of his birthday yesterday. We had his party at chuck-e-cheese. It was fun, and decently priced, and I didn't have to do any cooking or cleaning, so totally worth it in my mind! And all the kids had a blast!!

Here are some of the kids that were at his party (L ro R) Ellen, Kristen, Kaylee, Joey, Ethan, and Alyssa. Not pictured are Meghan, Kenny, and Jacob. Meghan didn't like chuck e very much and Kenny and Jacob were too busy playing to stop and get a picture!

Joey and Chuck E

Joey blowing out the candles

My sister-in-law made the cakes - she did an AMAZING job!!!!

She made this Lightning cake out of red velvet cake, so it was red inside and out. I was shocked at how perfect it turned out!! I mean, I know she's talented, but this looks professional!! Thank you so much Melissa!!! Joey LOVED it!!

Earlier in the day I took Joey to COSI - they had a big 'farm machines' exhibit open - Joey LOVED it! Here are some pics from that.

Joey in a tractor - he thought he was soooo cool!

Savanna my water baby

In the farm machine exhibit, they had all kinds of fun farming things to do, including milking a cow. LOL! no, it's not a real cow and the 'milk' is water, but Joey had fun all the same!

Joey in the combine

Joey in the combine again. He was like 'look, mom! I'm in Frank!' (if you've seen the movie Cars, you know what I mean)

Savanna in my most recent 'haley holder' This one is my favorite so far! I had her hair in cute pigtails, but it's hard to see in this pic.

Joey and his buddy Aiden in a tractor

Joey under the sprayer tractor - he was so funny he said 'LOOK mom! I can get under this one! Now I'm out of the sun!'

He was totally enamored with the BIG tires!

All in all, I think Joey had an awesome, albeit very busy, 4th birthday. I love you SO much my little Joey! I'm so proud of you! You are an amazing little guy and I just can hardly wait to watch you grow!

Walking!

Just thought I'd post Savanna took her first 'step' on Monday, July 13! And she has been taking a couple steps in a row yesterday and today! Not many, but it's obvious she'll be out and running in no time! Fun times. I just love watching her grow up!

Who knew these ACTUALLY existed??

I saw an episode of Seinfeld once that was about these 'strength shoes' - it was really a very funny episode! But I clearly remember thinking 'now - those CAN'T be a real product'. BUT this weekend I had a garage sale and my bestest friend Amy brought some stuff to sell, too. She lives in the middle of NOWHERE, so a yard sale wouldn't be real productive in her neck of the woods, so I invited her to take part in mine. Well as she was unpacking she was like 'Sara - look at these!' and I looked over and there they were - Strength shoes!! Ha ha! I guess they were Pete's (her husband) but he hasn't used them in a looooong time. They are supposed to make your legs stronger for basketball. Real shoes that help you run faster and jump higher. I just got a huge kick out of them! And poor Pete got picked on alot about them. The shoes didn't sell (surprise surprise), so if you are interested, let me know and I can pass the message to Amy! ha ha!!



Here's a pic of our 'little' garage sale. It was huge! I had a ton of baby stuff and clothes and Amy had a ton of just about everything. It was fairly a successful yard sale, but unfortunately it got rained out on Saturday. We did have alot of traffic Friday, and we thought for sure Saturday would be even better since people woudl be off work, but unfortunately it just rained and rained all day Sat. bummer! But we both came away having unloaded alot of our stuff and with some cash in our pockets! And it was fun, so it's totally worth it!!

Amy brought her new pyranese (sp?) puppy with her both days so she wouldn't have to stay home alone. Meet Hannah - isn't she adorable??? She's 10 wks old and already 20 lbs! She's gonna be big! She must be growing, because she slept 90% of the time she was here! It was so funny, people would come in and fuss all over her and she wouldn't so much as open an eye. Sleepy baby dog! All that growing is alot of work!

Who needs a water park??

O how I love summer in the back yard. I LOVE just sitting back and watching my kids being kids!! Aren't they the most precious kids you ever did see??

Savanna LOVES water! I have my own little waterbaby. She does not care how cold it is or if it gets in her face or anything - if there is water, she is in it!! Joey likes it, but is a bit more reserved... he's not into splashing and craziness with water, but he likes to feel it.