Catching up

Okay - back on track we go.  We had a great weekend,so it is time for a wrap up.

 Apparently I missed a few bulbs when we replanted the front yard

This weekend, Mat's parents were here.  It was nice to see them.  They came to help us while Mat and I went to a dinner dance on Long Island.

 How cute is their logo for their little girl?

We had a great time at the dinner dance.  It was done by one of our RDH12 families - the Fiores.  This is the 2nd year they have done the dinner dance, and it was another huge success.  It raised $23,500 for our foundation.  Yes - you read that right.  Isn't that number amazing?  We are beyond excited about their success.

 Mike, Maria (Fiore) with Mat and I.  (Yes she is that beautiful.  Yes she is tall)

This year, Mat and I went to join in the fun, and I am so glad we did.  Not only are the Fiores a fantastic family, but all of their family and friends are amazing as well.  We met a lot of wonderful people and had a chance to see how far our RDH12 Foundation is reaching.  We got to stand in front of the group with Maria and Mike and tell that group of people how grateful we are.

 The food was great, the baskets were outstanding, and we met some really great people. The next morning we had a delicious breakfast at Maria and Mike's house before heading home.  We promise to attend this event each year.  I am so glad we are close enough that we can get together.

 

Look at these baskets!!

The kids had a great time with their grandparents while we were gone - getting to go bowling and to McDonalds, and just have undivided attention for two days.  We were sad to see them go this weekend, and are looking forward to seeing them again soon.

 I want to give a great big thank you to my sister in law's school for doing a dress down day for Finley.  Tricia is a powerhouse when it comes to fundraising for Finley, and it has rubbed off on her incredible school.  They raised $200 on a dress down day, and we are so grateful for that wonderful donation.  The kids there have really taken to Finley and our cause, and - like many other teenagers we have met along this journey - have shown me the good side of kids that age.  You hear so much about the bad, but I have seen the exact opposite in these last three years.  We have seen nothing but compassion, willingness to help, and lack of selfishness from this age group, that I KNOW the good will always outweigh the bad.

There is a group at Tricia's school called the Interact Club that wants to do a pancake breakfast for Finley and our foundation on June 2nd.  We are really excited and hope to be able to work it out so that we can attend.  They have a lot of great things planned, so if you are in the New Brighton area, hopefully you can stop by.  Once we get closer and get more details, I will share.

We are still busy working on our 5K/10K that is coming up on August 25th in Connellsville.  Have you put it on your calendar?  Do it right now.  Online registration is set up.  We will be sending out registration forms in the mail in May, but if you want to pay by credit card, or get ahead, you can go to:

RACE REGISTRATION CLICK HERE

  Please note - credit card payments will have an extra "tax" type charge to offset the credit card use.  But you can also register online, print out the form, and mail it in with your check.  OR - you can just sit back and relax and wait for the registration to come in the mail.  Many choices, one great event.  You don't want to miss it.

Also - our website for the 5K/10K will continue to be updated as we get closer to the event.  Make sure you bookmark it and check it often.  It also will link you to the online registration site of you want to use it.

http://finleys5k10k.blogspot.com/

Okay - I am all caught up on the blog, but I am not caught up on sleep.  This past week with Finley's big appointment, getting a new puppy, making a big weekend trip, and then starting back into a full week, we are getting less sleep than we need to function.  Time for bed.