Stella and Dot with your stylist support ELENA!

We had so much fun on Sunday at our Stella and Dot CF fundraiser party!  The products are amazing quality AND beautiful!  My friend, Aimee from the UGA Catholic Center, was our stylist and Elena LOVED being the helper.  Ethan was so sweet helping Emily find pretty earrings even though she does NOT want to get her ears pierced after Daddy showed her how it is done.  However, the gleam in Emily's eyes as she tried on the necklaces???  WATCH OUT!

 Our party has already helped us to purchase over $500 products using hostess reward dollars which will be used for the silent auction at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Wine and Roses Gala!!! The party will be open on line for the next 3 weeks if you would still like to participate.
 http://www.stelladot.com/ts/sgov5  
A giant thank you to all who participated either in person or on-line.  Shopping is fun, but shopping for a great cause...WAY more fun:)

Trails and Vertical Miles for Rosebuds

The four E's are logging miles for their big  1.2 mile finish on April 26th at 9am in the Atlanta kids marathon. This week has been so beautiful that we were able to log 4 miles!!! 2 on trails and 2 vertically (Thanks Stone Mountain for making logging miles more fun!!)

All 4 E's actually ran faster and never complained while we ran trails. Of course, we made loads of discoveries in nature as we moved along the trail. The kids found birds nests, fallen trees from the ice storm, moss ( which Elena quickly informed us which way was north based on the directionality of moss on trees...it's facing the north), bird songs, bugs, and 

A turkey vulture which we interrupted during a meal!

What makes a Rosebud CF superhero run faster? A haircut! Everett visited the barber and was not happy when his name was called. He said, "No Sit. No cut me hair." After some screaming, a sucker pop, an iPhone movie from the stylists own phone, and a seat on moms lap the hair cut was complete. Was he faster?

Um.... YES! Once again, Everett boogied his way up Stone Mountain by himself with his siblings in tow.  He went out of his way to climb the biggest rocks at every chance he could.

Our kids at the top with daddy feeling major accomplished!

The boys played with their hiking sticks after our refuel snack.

The girls preferred to refuel some more with Gatorade.

Then we were off to complete the final mile.

We pretty much were on repeat with words like, "Slow down. Don't jump from there. Hold someone's hand. Quit poking your sister with your walking stick. Wait up please." Just to name a few.

Once we were done, we took time to admire the train tracks. 

I'm amazed at what kids can do when you ask them to. These Rosebud CF Superheroes might just change the world if you don't watch out!

Join our cause: www.milesforcf.org/rosebuds 

Party for a Purpose

What is a party for a purpose?  It is a party that is hosted by someone that is working towards raising money and awareness for a cause.  We host them, we attend them, and we support them every year.  They are usually for Cystic Fibrosis but the type of party varies.  It seems that it is different every year, actually!

There will be a Party at my house that my sweet friend Becky and I are hosting on February 23, 2014 from 2-4.  You can shop on-line to join our cause!  We are asking people to shop with Stella and Dot at this link: http://www.stelladot.com/ts/sgov5 We will use the hostess credits to get items for the silent auction at the Wine and Roses Gala that are guaranteed to bring in some dollars to go towards research that is providing medicine that has benefited Elena already!.  Won't you join us?  The stuff is pretty and it is for a great cause:):)  Thank you to Aimee McDonald, a fellow UGA grad, for being our Stella and Dot consultant!

This past weekend Elena, Emily, and myself helped my parents with their "Party for a Purpose".  Their party was a wine party 

and their purpose was to collect wine and wine related items for the silent auction at the "Wine and Roses Gala" event for Cystic Fibrosis on April 26th, 2014 in Atlanta.  If I can divert for a second and say a HUGE thank you to our friend and fellow UGA grad, Jennifer Vetter, for volunteering her time and talent to create this beautiful logo for the event.

Back to the party; there were 40 people that attended and brought several wonderful items.  However, it was the atmosphere that I love.

Everyone there is happy to be there,

excited to help,

loving talking with Elena,

smiling at being entertained by Emily,

and showing endless support of helping with our cause.


We made some new friends.

Elena with Randy Waters from 11Alive.  

We reconnected with some long time friends.

Joyce Pulver, our realtor and friend since I (Julie) was 2 years old...she is like family!

It was a fabulous evening that I am so thankful my parents asked us to be a part of.  I continue to be amazed at my parent's endless energy that they put forth every year with fundraising, volunteering, and co-chairing for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Wine and Roses Gala.  

Thank you so much Nana and PaPa!

Annie Jr.

This was the big weekend!  Elena played "Duffy" in the musical Annie Jr. 

She has been rehearsing, practicing, singing, prepping, and smiling for 2 months and the time is here!

This last week was tech week where they practiced in full costume and went through the whole show.  I had the fun honor of being the photographer for the tech week run through.  I had SO much fun watching everyone's hard work come together.
Elena had her first Preview show on Thursday night.  Ethan came to watch the second half and brought her flowers after he met Crash who played Sandy. 

Saturday she had two shows.  Grama and Grampa came for her first show and then Nana, Papa, and Dr. McKean came for her night show.

Grama and Grampa

Nana and PaPa

Elena's awesome CF doctor, Dr. McKean, came out to support her show.  She ran to give him a hug.  Having him there was a highlight for her!  I was reminded that the last time he was at St. Oliver Plunkett was for the funeral of our friend and fellow CFer, Kathy Marder.  Elena and I attended the funeral along with family, friends, and their excellent doctor, Dr. McKean.  Elena was just a little thing then and when she saw Dr. McKean, she went sprinting down the aisle toward him and jumped into his arms.  It was hard for everyone there not to cry at this sweet moment.  The relationship you share with your CF doctor is a special one.

Sunday she had a huge crowd!  Me, Daddy, Ethan, Emily, Everett, Nana, PaPa, Aunt Jenn, Will, Aunt Cindy, Uncle Thad, Allison, Brandon, Lindsey, Becky, Jason, Bobby, and Leslie.  So much love and support for every show! More wanted to join us but sickness kept several families at home.

 Elena became fast friends with Isabella who played Annie.

The kids took the opportunity to be in a picture with Crash who played Sandy.

Elena did an excellent job.  It was the most fun to watch her giant smile and see how much she truly enjoys performing.  She is a shining star and we can not wait to see where she goes!  Cystic Fibrosis will NOT hold back this firecracker!

Here are a few pictures from the show.

 Elena with her orphan friend.

 Elena on stage performing "Maybe" scene.

 "It's a hard knock life" Elena's, Everett's, Emily's, and Ethan's favorite song.

"Easy Street" one of my favorite scenes and songs...but picking a true favorite is very hard!

 The full cast shot.  A great group!  Below is the director, Miss Hannigan: Beth Mappes with her son playing Rooster and a fellow Rosebud supporter and CF Superhero playing Lily St. Regis!

This was so much fun!  I cried when it was over just like when I was a little kid watching it in the theater for the first time! Elena is ready for another show!  

I must admit, I would love to be on stage with her next time!!!