Signing Time at our Buddy Walk

Wow, what a whirlwind weekend, I thought I'd never make it through, but it was such an amazing success, or atleast that's how I felt. Now you won't see many pics up yet, and that is because I was too busy helping with Rachel and doing Buddy Walk things to take any pics except these few. I'm still waiting on my cousin Brian to send them to me, hint, hint if you're reading this Brian! :) So I told Lindsey (Rachel's assistant) that I'd forget a family pic of all of us because of how crazy I would be, and of course Friday night when we were supposed to get that pic, I forgot. So I told Lindsey that I was not going to miss the opportunity and get a picture on Saturday. Not that I am some crazy fan, and I probably could've lived if I didn't have a picture, but photographs are my life and I love to have them as memories, and for something the girls can look back and go, WOW, I got to see Rachel, and she's SHORT!

So I didn't get much sleep Friday night and I was up early Saturday morning. Mrs. Dotty (Lora's Aide) was an amazing blessing and got up early to watch the girls so we could go and set everything up, she brought the girls later and helped us even then, it was SO NICE of her, LOVE HER! We were at the park getting things set up when I get a call from Lindsey telling me that Rachels best friend went into labor (Rachel was her birth coach), I start to freak because I'm thinking Rachel is going to leave us to head home, but they had enough time (or atleast they were hoping they'd have enough time) to still perform, we just were going to have Rachel do her performance and meet and greet first. That was a quick change that wasn't too painful for the group, I mean really how many people read the schedule of events anyways. Atleast I didn't have to tell a ton of people that Rachel wasn't going to be there. It seems like EVERY year something goes not according to plan, last year it was the bounce house that collapsed on the children, the year before no show with the guest speaker, I guess I need to come to EXPECT the UNEXPECTED! So anyways we finished setting up, wet up went smoothly and Rachel arrived and we got everything set up and ready to go. Rachel performed, and of course it was amazing, I'll have to upload the video, shhhh don't tell, you may even hear my husband as I'm taping say, Cory you're not supposed to film it, but I couldn't help myself. After she was done we did the Walk itself, of course Jer and I sent the girls along with the rest of the family as we helped get Rachel off to the airport, I still had no clue of how she would make her flight in time. So after we got Rachel off, Jer and I RAN and caught up with the rest of the family walking, by then they were halfway done, I think Jer and I did the first ever Buddy Run! LOL! After the walk we hung out then got ready to put it ALL away, Praise God for my Awesome family, I never remember to "ask" if someone will help watch the girls for us as we tear down, and believe me my mother lets me know it, and she always gives me grief, and every year she conveiently has plans, which is totally okay with me, I can watch the girls, it will just take us longer to tear down. But my Aunt Nonie, Uncle Ron, and Cousins Shawna and Ryan always come to our rescue, they are so great, they played with the girls and took them to the carousel. At one point Shawna's boyfriend had one of the girls and our Aunt Bea (from Jer's side) didn't know him and she gave him a talking too because she thought he was taking Lora, and of course Lora couldn't explain that she knew him, thankfully Shawna came to his resuce, but Bea sure scared him. Glad my girls are being well protected! Poor Mark though! We got things put away in record time and then went to lunch with them!

On a side note Rachel made it in time to the airport and she made it to the delivery of the baby after a crazy weekend that she told the whole story on her blog, it was crazy! I can't tell you how AWESOME it was to work with Lindsey and Rachel. They were both so great, very easy going and genuinely nice! I was afraid that we'd be too "small town" for them and I was so worried that soemthing would go horribly wrong, but I think it went great and I hope we left a good impression on them!


Look we got a family pic! YEAH!

This is all about being in the right place at the right time! LOL! So the group got Rachel a care package, and in it were Canoli's well they didn't have a chance to eat them, and they brought it to the walk, and they had extra, so what am I going to say when they offer it to me, uh Duh, YES, of course. See you have to realize I was up so early and had ate nothing, so I was STARVING! Thank you!

See it's nice to be surrounded by short people, makes Jer feel tall!

The girls had gotten to meet Rachel several times, and by now had warmed up, I still am not sure what they thought of her. On Friday am when they first got to meet her, she was average Rachel, in Jeans and a t shirt with her hair pulled back, they didn't have a clue, she was just some lady talking to Mom. And honestly I probably would've walked by her in a store. I remember my first thought was Wow, she's bigger on my tv, than in real life! Yes, a fellow short person, I feel so alone in a world of giants! LOL! Anyways back to the girls and Rachel. On Friday night when she was "Dressed Up" the girls saw her perform and were excited it was Signing Time, but I still don't think they got it, maybe they did. After the show the girls wouldn't get close to her, but Cal had a picture and she was excited that it was Rachel, Alex and Leah, but still wouldn't go up and say Hi to Rachel. Then finally on Saturday I think they got it, and they had warmed up enough to get this shot, which I love, of course I should've paid attention to the lighting, I just didn't want to take too much of her time.

And of course had to get the AMAZING Lindsey in our pic, she was so GREAT to work with!

And these are the only shots I have of the girls playing! How sad is that. But like I said I knew Brian was taking pics, so I wasn't concerned about getting shots!