Fun Filled Weekend

Weekends like this leave me wishing for another day off to rest.  We didn't stop for even a minute.  But we sure did have fun!

We woke up to a little surprise on our front porch Saturday morning.  We were boo-ed by one of our neighbors!  It's not even October yet, but the fall excitement is here!

I spent all of Saturday in Athens at the Georgia/LSU game with my sweet friend Allison.  Game Day was there, and I just love SEC football! There's no way I could wear red, but I did enjoy every minute of the game and even caught myself clapping and cheering a few times!

This morning we went to church for Music Dedication Sunday.  This is Elizabeth's first year singing with the Joy Choir which is the 4 and 5 year olds.  God Squad is the bigger kids and then of course the real choir sang.  I remember holding Elizabeth when she was 6 months old during a service when the Joy Choir sang.  I teared up today watching her and thinking how quickly the last 4 years has gone.

This afternoon we went to the North Georgia Fair.  It was crazy busy, but the weather was perfect and we ran into several friends which made it so much more exciting.

Elizabeth wanted to ride everything.  Even the big rides.  I was thankful that she wasn't tall enough.  I really think she would get on the upside down rides and everything!

Caroline was content with her fries and lemonade in the stroller.

Caroline said she wanted to ride the Nemo ride with her sister.  As soon as she realized she couldn't actually ride with her, she wasn't so sure.

She tried to be brave.  But as soon as it started moving, she lost it! 

Poor baby!  I hope she's not traumatized by this experience!

Caroline said she wanted to ride the train with her sister.  

But then she changed her mind.  She kept saying, "I too little!  I too little!"  

We rode the carousel too.  E rode a horse, but C sat in my lap on a bench.  She can stay too little forever as far as I'm concerned.  

They both loved riding the ponies!

Now we are all ready to get some rest.  Thankfully it's a short work week!!

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Sunny Skies

The weather has been absolutely beautiful!  Fall is in the air and it makes me giddy!!

Caroline is not quite the dare devil that her sister is.  She prefers going down slides in the safety of her daddy's arms.

Elizabeth can get ridiculously high all by herself.  It makes me so nervous when she starts pumping her legs and swinging so high!

Again, Caroline prefers a safer speed:)

We had one day of rain last Saturday, but that didn't stop us from getting out and running errands in the morning.

But we spent the afternoon inside.  The girls love to play ABC mouse on the computer. 

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Rally for Childhood Cancer

My leadership class had their first big project on Friday night.  It was our annual Matt Hobby football game to support the Rally Foundation who raises money for childhood cancer research.

Elizabeth and Caroline got to help us set up to welcome the Rally Families (those with kids who have or have had cancer.)

Every day there are 46 parents who learn the devastating news that their child has cancer.    One of our own students, Matt Hobby, was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma when he was in high school.  He played football and was determined to beat it.  His teammates supported him and the phrase Stand Tough became his motto.  Unfortunately, he lost his battle just a few days after graduation in 2006.  Each year Pope High School raises money to support research for childhood cancer and continue Matt's legacy.

Two of my students created this video to share Matt's story and help raise money.  They did it completely on their own with no guidance from me.  I was so proud of them!

Elizabeth (on the left) is one of my students.  Her twin sister, Julia, had brain cancer.  She is now in remission and just had her port removed last week!

Every year the coaches and players chose one player to wear Matt's number 70 on this night only. They all raise money and if they reach their goal they have special jerseys made just to wear for that game.  Quinton Bange was chosen this year.  This is him with Matt's parents.  I never met Matt, but I imagine he's pretty proud of his parents and everything they've done in his name.

Little Drew got to walk out with the players and do the coin toss.  At 2 1/2 years old, his parents were told he had only a 10% chance of surviving the cancer he had been diagnosed with.  His parents found 2 experimental treatments for him try.  Both of which were 100% funded by the Rally Foundation.  He is alive and well today because of the research dollars raised by Rally!  

Some of our Rally Kids got to run through with the players.

We raised a record amount this year.  Over $27,000 and still counting at the end of the game.  In the last 6 years, Pope has raised over $100,000 for Rally.  I am so proud to be apart of this school and to work with these kids who give their hearts and souls to serve others!

Random Pics

This week has been crazy busy with school so I haven't had a chance to take or post any pictures.  My new leadership class has been planning a big fundraiser this week for the Rally Foundation to raise money for childhood cancer research.  We've been busy every night and our big event happens at tomorrow's night football game.  Hopefully, life will settle down a little bit after that.  

I found a few pictures on my phone that I never posted. 

The girls and I had our flew shots a couple of weeks ago.  Elizabeth didn't even wince!  She is one tough cookie!!

Ella Mary goes everywhere with us these days.  Caroline still prefers her baby Cinderelly.  Good thing we have two of them!

The last day for the pool was extended to last Sunday.  Of course we had to go!

After baths the other night, we let the girls take a little stroll down the street so we could walk off dinner.

I got to face-time with Rebeka last night.  She's been sick since she got to New Zealand, so I was relieved to see her smiling face!

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Babyland General and Oktoberfest

On Saturday, we went to Cleveland with the Hills to visit Babyland General!  I'm pretty sure Melissa and I were the most excited about visiting the Cabbage Patch kid hospital.

It just so happened to be the 30th anniversary so they were having a huge birthday celebration!

some of the original cabbage patch kids

The girls could've played in the little rooms forever.  And lets face it, so could me and Mel!

I had forgotten how good the cabbage patch kids smelled.  A flood of childhood memories came rushing back when I breathed in that sweet baby powder smell.

I love this picture because Mel and I are so excited and the girls are quite freaked out by the adult sized cabbage patch kid.

They loved walking around checking out the babies and picking one to adopt.

The Delivery!  The actual birth story was a little disturbing, but the kids were hardly paying attention so we didn't have to do any explaining afterwards... Thank goodness!

The Adoption Ceremony.  Elizabeth had to raise her right hand and promise to be a good mommy.  

She named her baby Ella Mary and she got a birth certificate for her too.

Afterwards, we went to the birthday celebration.  It was a lot of fun complete with rides, games, and cupcakes.

Elizabeth was thrilled to have Kate there to do "big kid" stuff with.

We left Babyland General and went to Helen, GA for Oktoberfest.  There was great food, music and shopping.  It was a perfect end to a great day!

Caroline was so exhausted that she passed out on the way home and went straight to bed when we got home.  She didn't stir until 8:00 the next morning!

Our neighbors are hilarious!  They were teasing me about going to watch the birth of my first grandchild so they put this on my mailbox.  Bert was a little confused when we got home wondering if there was something I needed to tell him!  Ha!  The only other girl coming into the Kelly home is a cabbage patch kid!