Fundraiser Dinner, Con't

Hello, and happy May!  It's my favorite month, for so many reasons.

  This will be a long post, so grab a cup of coffee or tea and join me for the fundraiser dinner that we attended last weekend.  With all my family being there along with many of my close friends, it was a fun time!  It was in my hometown, so Nel and Jess had to travel here this time, and my drive was about 3 hours.  

Nel got in town a bit earlier than everyone else, so she took Mia on a walk along the trail that is close to her old high school.

When I first got there, Jess wanted us to meet at grandma J's, cause Francesca didn't know Mia was coming, and she wanted it to be a surprise when she opened the door.  Remember the goody bags that I've been making up?  Well, they were filled to the brim, and I gave them to the kids right when I got there.  They loved all the little things that I have been finding for them along the way.

It was lunch time, so our first stop was at our favorite Mexican restaurant, which I ordered chicken fajitas.  Oh, how I miss this eatery, it's the best.  I held baby Charlotte the whole time, except when Mia asked to hold her cousin for a moment.

After lunch, Nel wanted Mia to be able to run around and play before the dinner, so we went to the park playground.  I'll share more pics on this later.

After resting up a bit, it was time for the fundraiser dinner.  I wore a full-length dress, and I wasn't sure about it when I bought it, but it worked out well.

Nel is good with hair styles, and she did my hair in a French twist.

She also fixed Mia's hair with some braids and bows.

It was a wonderful meal with a variety of dishes.  Francesca and Mia had fun dancing later that evening with cousins Danny, Leo, and Katie.

And to top the night off, there was a delightful photo booth, and me and my girlfriends from high school gathered around to take a picture.

We went to grandma J's after, and she served us some wine with cheese and crackers.  I opened up the gift that my best friend got me, and it was a pretty cup from Anthropologie.  She knows that's one of my favorite shops.  I was surprised and upset when opening the gift bag, only to find that the handle had broke in the travels.  She was so thoughtful to order me a new one.  

The next morning, we went to our favorite cafe for breakfast.  This is the most charming cafe, and it's always decorated so festive for the seasons.  The owner once sold me one of her orange glass pumpkins she puts out during Fall.  There is a train that goes around the whole restaurant, and the kids enjoyed watching it.  I ordered blueberry pancakes, sausage, and scrambled eggs.  And the kids had hot chocolate with their breakfast.

Afterwards, we all went outside to see the goodies that uncle R. brought us.  They were old things from the past; some were my mom's and some belonged to him.  I call them treasures, as they were passed down to us from another time.  He gave the kids a few of grandma's ornaments, Nel got some Fall decorations, Jess got a wooden bench that her grandpa made, and I received an old hymn book and a vintage poloroid camera, which I loved.  Oh, how I miss those old hymns that were sung at Mass.  

We all had a wonderful time, and Nel and Jess want to attend these dinners every year.  It's a special time to remember their grandfather, and to see all their family and be in their hometown once again.

~Sheri