The Fair!

This was the first time Dave and I have taken the kids to the fair. Scott LOVED it! It took Anna a good 2 hours to get into it and then it was time to go. I think she will be ready from the start next time we go! Scott could have stayed all night! Dave and I .... not so much! : )

Charlottesville and Dave's Birthday

We had a lot of fun in Charlottesville the weekend of October 17th. We got to hang out with old friends and their children along with Nannie and Grandad! Unfortunatly, Carolina lost for the millionth time in Charlottesville. It was not the best but everything else was fun!

In the pictures you will see Cathy Leitch and I! I had not seen her in over 15 years and was so excited to spend time with her and her beautiful children. I also loved seeing Kaye, Maia,and Liza. We had a blast! The kids had fun too!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Please visit my Avon Walk website to see how far we have come! 3 years and $67,000, we will WALK ON....

http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk2009/WashingtonDC?px=2384934&pg=personal&fr_id=1760

GO Pink Pacers..Walk on....

The Avon Walk is this weekend in Charlotte. Dave and I are going to Volunteer for the event. I am excited and ready! Here is the history of my team!

For many years, I had seen advertisements for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. It was something that always caught my eye and would always make me think. I knew in the back of my mind that this was something I might do. In 2006, one of my Sweet Briar friends sent me a fundraising letter for the Avon Walk. It had been years since I had thought about it and decided to look into it further. I was excited to see that it was now in a place near me, Charlotte NC! I immediately told myself I am doing it! I started training and figured this would be something that I would be doing by myself. I had a 5 month old and a 3 year old and still felt that I had to do this. In retrospect, it may not have been the best timing!

In August, before the October walk, I ran into one of my neighbors. She was a fellow Women's college alum and a new breast cancer survivor. I asked Anne if she wanted to walk in the Avon Walk with me and she immediately said yes! I was so excited to have a partner in this and it was even more amazing that she was a survivor. I was honored to be able to do this with her. Anne and I bonded...We trained together, laughed together and cried together. We went to the walk and were truly blown away by the experience. We raised $6,000 and walked away fulfilled. At this time, Anne was a 3 year Breast Cancer survivor walking with me in a 40 mile walk. She was my rock!

After we got home we decided to start a team! Anne and I were able to get 11 team members to join us the next year! We were officially called The PINK PACERS! I loved having a team! We had an amazing time and once again..we were changed! The Pink Pacers were amazing in the fundraising and we reached $34,000! I was in AWE of what we had accomplished! We were 4th place for Charlotte Walkers in fundraising! I was nothing short of proud. This time, Anne was a 4 year Breast Cancer survivor!

In 2008 we are at it again! Half of us are walking and half of us are Crewing! The half of us that are walking have raised almost $27,000. AMAZING! The other half of us are volunteering and manning a Rest Stop. Our theme is the Breast of the 80s and I am ready to go! I am so excited to cheer these men and women on! We are at mile 17 and I know that is a huge rest stop because you start to get tired around that time. I am ready to go! Anne is a FIVE YEAR Breast Cancer survivor!

In 2009, I am in the process of starting another team for the DC walk in May! My goals are set high and I hope that we are as much of a success as we have been in the past! The Pink Pacers Walk ON and I am so honored and proud to be a part of this amazing group. That one decision that I made 3 years ago has changed me. I am finally doing something that is bigger then me and not about me. I am pushing myself to take it one step further then I ever thought I could. I am not done and I will WALK ON....

The Pink Pacers have raised upwards of $67,000 since we started in 2006.

2006
Anne Neeley
Katy Gilliam

2007 Pink Pacers Team
Anne Neeley
Katy Gilliam
Allison Paul
Mary Stillman
Brooke Bowersox
Mary Lloyd Preble
Wendy Woodall
Kathy Del Pizzo
Suzie McGuinn
Mike Stanaway
Pavita Derebail
Gina Wesanko
Karen Kelce

2008 Pink Pacers / Crew
Anne Neeley
Katy Gilliam
Carolyn Back
Rachel Bearman
Christen Borrello
Paul Borrello
Dave Gilliam
Susan Egnoto
Carter Gray
Julie Harris
Leslie Henson
Steve McGuinn
Suzie McGuinn
Carolyn Morris
Mary Loyd Preble
Bryna Rapp
Anne Marie Schneider
Mike Stanaway
Robin Stanaway
Patty Wild
Michelle Young
* Mary Stillman - injured and deferring to the DC walk in 2009

Dave's birthday and field trip!

We have had an awesome week. It has been crazy busy and cray fun! Yesterday the kids decided that they wanted to celebrate Dave's Birthday early. The first picture is from that fun celebration. The next picture is Anna's first experience with a camera. It is a bit blurry but she did make my face look leaner! Good job Anna!

The next pictures are from Scott's field trip to the pumpkin patch today. We had such a great time. Lilly's mom and I went with the class and loved getting to know his teachers. He is so lucky this year to have such awesome teachers. We LOVE Scroggs! Mrs. Edmonds is Scott's lead teacher and she is on the better end of breast cancer. She found out in May that she had BC and started Chemo 10 days later and continued through the summer. She came back to school for the new school year and was only with our kids for 8 days before she had to leave for a double mastectomy (sp). We are so excited that after 1 1/2 months, she is back for the year. This was her first week back and it was such a nice day getting to know her. We were also lucky enough to have her husband with us. I think I have convinced him to walk in the Avon walk with me in May. I also may have recruited a few more team members as well. All in all, I call that a fantastic day!

Dave and I are gearing up for the Avon walk next week. We will be volunteering and are excited and ready to go!

Will's Birthday AND yard work!

Here Dave and I are looking super fantastic! We have been planting to try and get our yard looking somewhat cozy! I think we are on our way and I am so excited. I want it to have a cottage-like feel and hope some day it will get there! Maybe after a few more sweat sessions like the one you see in this picture!
Aww, Molly and Scott! These two have known each other since they were born. Leigh and I use to switch off every week with the children. I would take Molly one week and she would take Scott the next. They are so cute! I hope that they are able to know each other for the rest of their lives. They may not be at the same school or have the same friends but when they are together they are like family. They are also pretty darn cute, huh?

We love Jess! Jess was our neighbor in Garrett Farms and was Scott and Anna's babysitter since they were born. She is not at Meredith College so we are doing our best "Women's College pose" for the pictures!
Here Scott is at Will's 3rd bday party. It was the coolest party! Leigh and Jeff got a HUGE dump truck to come and it was really neat. I am not sure anyone could top something like that. I was shocked to see Scott ask to get back in it!!!!!!!! Who knew??????

Planting day again! Our weekend was just jam packed with 2 birthday parties and landscaping! Scott loved to chop up the red clay in with the planting soil! He was the best dirt/clay chopper around!

Super fun weekend full of Birthdays!

Here is Anna before we left for Max's 5th bday party riding Maizie's bike! She looks so big on it! We hope she will get one from Santa for Christmas. I believe this girl is ready!
Here are Scott and Max at Kidzu for his birthday party! It was so fun! the boys were building something here and having a blast. We must go back again soon!
Here is sweet Atlee after her brother's birthday cake! I think that she might have enjoyed it..right?
I think these girls are trouble in years to come! Atlee is 21 months, Anna is almost 3 and Laura is 2 1/2!
Look at cutie pie Atlee ready to fight fires! The safety goggles are the BEST! You can't fight fires without safety goggles!