wow, what a night!
this was my very first year ever participating in any way with Relay for Life...i didn't quite know what to expect...i'd heard it would be fun - & boy was it ever?! just a big party!
surprisingly, i have very few photos from the Relay...Misty took a lot of the pics below...i was just too busy having fun & taking it all in, to remember to snap a lot of pics ;0)
we got there around 3pm on Friday & started setting up our site...
my BFF, Misty, worked her magic (she works for the chamber of commerce for Yadkin Valley, NC) & got our t-shirts donated...they were designed from my tattoo
there was sooooo much to do at Relay! the girls & i got colored hair extensions put in...
the kiddos also enjoyed moon bounces, face painting, karate demos, a petting zoo, games, tons of food...the list went on & on! & believe me, they wanted to do EVERYTHING! it was hard to say no too - cause everything was so cheap & the money was all going to the teams' fundraising goals for Relay! there were live bands throughout the night...even karaoke at 3am! it was so much fun!!!my fav munchies of the night came from this site...here there had things like fried pickles & asparagus...& my personal fav - grilled mushrooms...mmmmm! not to mention, a kick-ass grill! ;0)
here's a family shot...including my mom - she & i are wearing our survivor sashes (my mom had a cancerous tumor removed from her thyroid in 1984)...
the first 2 laps of the Relay were for the survivors & caregivers...
the kiddos helped us decorate the luminaria that were donated by our generous friends & family...
they walked a few laps with us too...but mostly, Curtis kept them busy checking out the different activities & food...here they are showing off their face painting (& ice cream & funnel cakes)...
the luminaria ceremony was at 9pm...it was such a moving experience...
about 10pm or so, the kiddos started getting tired...they chilled inside our tent with a movie for a little while, but then headed home with daddy before midnight...
they were disappointed they couldn't stay all night, but as Curtis reminded me - if Misty & i wanted to get any sleep the next day, he needed to sleep some that night (so he could leave the house with the kiddos while we slept)
at midnight, there was a womanless beauty pageant...no matter how hard i tried, Curtis would not do this for me...he said there are just some things he will not do ~lol~ maybe next year ;0)
at 12:30am, we had a team captains meeting...i snapped this pic of my beads while i waited for the meeting to start...at that point (half way), i'd walked 7 miles...
(the beads were a cool fundraiser that one of the teams had...u bought the string & ur first bead for $3...then each time u passed their site, u picked up another bead...u'd get a colored one on every 4th lap - that helped u track ur miles)we picked up our pace during the last half tho (i guess the distraction of all the games/vendors/food slowed us down in the beginning)...at the end, my mom & i both finished up at 17 miles & Misty went a whole 19!!!
(pic from at home, the next day)at around 5:30am, we stopped for a group picture...we might look like death warmed over, but we wanted to stop & thank each one of u for ur support & donations! we couldn't have been so darn successful without u guys!!!
♥
& i'm soooo thankful for these ladies!of course, my mom - for always supporting me! she actually passed me & my fundraising total at the very end of the week - raising $860!!!
Misty - for not only coming all the way up from North Carolina to walk with us! but for being a true best friend - there for me always...encouraging & supporting me more than anyone i know!
& my dear friend Cindy - who was one heck of a trooper that night...staying out there with us the entire night...& she's 4 months pregnant!!!
the sun was rising during our closing ceremony at 6am...we were so proud to be among the few that stuck it out all night...it was such a rewarding experience & we've already talked about what cool stuff we can do next year to be even more successful...i can't wait!!!here's a video i took while walking around the whole area (double lap)...i wanted to catch all the luminaria lit up...remember that each luminaria u see, represents a person that has fought the battle against cancer - some winning, some losing, some still fighting
celebrate. remember. fight back.
& lastly, here's a pic of Misty & i before she headed home...after our IHOP breakfast & only 4hrs of sleep! ;0) luv ya girl!!! ♥
