Catch Up

So sorry that I have been MIA for so long.  Just silly busy! :)

Let me back track and catch up.

On April 28th we were asked to go to the Kosciusko County Relay for Life Survivors Supper and to speak.  Which means that I got to speak.  I was told to tell our "story".  I was told to take as long as I wanted.  Believe me, I asked several times what time frame I had and was given very little info - which was actually very intimidating.  At the end of the night, the Lake City Roller Dolls presented Maggie with a bike (and a autographed helmet) and a tote full of other toys and Jared with a big blue bag of toys as well.  We were flabbergasted, surprised, taken-aback and all of those other words.  I was also feeling very guilty.  You see, there are other kids still in treatment that are just as deserving - if not MORE - than my kids to have received all of this.

See the smiles on our kids faces! 

Please ignore how incredibly fat I look.  I actually thought that I looked a little cute....  UGH!

Anyway....I felt very melancholy for several days - I am not even sure if that is the correct description for how I felt - I can't put my finger on it.  Maybe undeserving or that my "talk" wasn't really what was desired or.... I don't know.

The next day, after talking with the kids, they agreed that not only did they not need all of the toys but also there were other boys and girls who would definitely appreciate these toys.  They put over 1/2 the toys back into the tote and we will take those up to Memorial to the kids up there soon.  I was really proud of the kids being so willing to give stuff away.

We are hoping to go see the Roller Dolls at their first home "meet" (is that what you call it?) in August!  Between you and me, I would so love to join their team!  If only they didn't have meets on Sundays - just too hard to work it out w/ Rod's schedule.....

Friday, April 29th was Jared's bday and Saturday was the party.  There was a total of 4 boys - which was just right.  I got most of my ideas for the party from the blog My insanity.  I copied their invitation and typed it up on the computer using an old style font and glued them to some card stock that I have on hand and then hand delivered them.  Ummm, I was late in getting this done! :)

Then I decided that the boys should have shields.  So I got into our stash of cardboard that Rod (thankfully) kept after we got some cabinets for our basement.  I just used a utility knife and cut out the shapes of 4 shields.  Then I spray painted them gray that we had floating around here after other projects.  I made a "handle" on the back by attaching more cardboard with duct tape.  Then I looked online for "emblems" that knights might have had on their shields.  I picked crowns, crosses, eagles and lions.  So the first thing that the boys did was to color their emblem and glue it to their shields.  Some chose to also write on their shield.

I had gone to the Dollar Tree and picked up 2 swimming "noodles" which became their joust.  They had to hold on to their shields, joust, and their horse (a broom) and joust.  Here we had a little bit of trouble as it was a VERY windy day and the cardboard just could stand up against the wind and the boys.  But they had fun.

We also had a "wall of boxes" that was our enemy and they had to catapult a ball and knock over the wall.  We used a towel that 2 boys took each end of and they used the towel to swing the ball to the boxes.

We had cake.  Jared asked for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and since we were at the end of the month and our monthly cash envelopes (ie Dave Ramsey) were running low, I made a Texas Sheetcake!  YUM!  (I admit, I did eat one piece!).

The boys played light sabres and basketball in the backyard.  Overall, I think that the boys had oodles of fun. I am sorry that I'm not posting more pics but I don't have permission of the boys' parents. :)

So once all of the festivities surrounding Jared's bday was done, it was time to get ready for the garage sale.  My friend Toni joined me and between the 2 of us we did well.  I didn't have as much to sell this year as I have given a lot to Goodwill.  Overall I felt good about the money we brought in.

But now my house is trashed.  Yesterday was trying to catch up with cleaning out the garage - Rod was kind and allowed me a break over Mother's day - and doing dishes and laundry.  Now is the time for the rest of the house. Getting it back to normal.  That might take me till July....  :)

More soon!

In the meantime - Go Live BIG!