Easter 2013 with the Bellottis!

What a wonderful Easter Sunday celebrating our Savior!  We had some company at church.  The Bellotti family.  Nick, Stephani, Robert and Patti! I was so excited to have them join us at church and then for brunch afterwards!

Wendy Gilbert and her family were at church too.  Sorry we didn't get to visit much but it was so good to see you and the kids!  

This is Nick.  Gotta love those blue eyes and that bright smile!  Nick and Stephani are married and are expecting a son in June.  We haven't known these people very long but it seems like we have been friends forever.  Very fun, and wonderful people!

 Mike is helping Leola, his mom.

 The top chef!

The spread!  Ham, eggs, hash browns, cinnamon rolls.  Yum.  We had lots of fun sharing stories and laughing! From the left, Stephani, Nick, Mike, Leola, and Patti.

We got a beautiful gift from the Bellottis.  Such beautiful flowers and a sweet little bunny!  Today was a day I have been looking forward to so much.  Life is precious and celebrating the life of Jesus brings everything I have been through to my mind.  I feel so blessed to be here to spend time with friends and family, celebrate holidays, and to wake up to a new day every morning.  Live life every day to the fullest!  Happy Easter! He is risen!

Happy Birthday Steve Gleason at Michael Anderson Elementary School

What a day!  We wore our Team Gleason shirts to say Happy Birthday to Stephen.  Stephen you were in our hearts and on our minds all day.  We hope you had a special, wonderful birthday! What a group of spectacular people to show support for Team Gleason today.  We started the day with a staff meeting.  I could have possibly been a little disruptive during the meeting because I was taking pictures. 

After the meeting we got together for a photograph!  I just want to say thanks to everyone for wearing their shirts today.  It meant a lot to me and I know to Steve too.  What support!!!!  Love you all!

 NO WHITE FLAGS!  Never give up!  Steve lives his life that way each and every day!

When I had a break during the day, while the students were in music class, I wandered around disrupting things again taking pictures of the staff hard at work. 

 See all the donuts behind Kim that were purchased for a fundraiser!  Yum!

 Sally is eating M and M's!

 I couldn't get any students in the pictures because this is on the Internet but there are kids everywhere with these teachers!

 Could this be the 4 musketeers?

Or are these the three musketeers?

 Sorry you are blurry Denise!  I had to put the picture in anyway!

 Lunchtime at MAE and Michele just walked her students to the lunchroom.

 These Team Gleason shirts were everywhere!

A day in the life of the staff at Michael Anderson Elementary School.  Thanks so much for supporting Stephen, me, and Team Gleason.  You are the best!  Let's do it again next year!  NO WHITE FLAGS!

St. Paddy's 5 Miler

Another event for the EAOD (Elite Athletes Only Different).  The St. Paddy's 5 miler in Spokane, WA.  Last year it was raining.  This year much better, cold but not too bad and some wind.  We started the day with some Team Gleason pictures.  Yes, we were inside, it was cold outside!

And yes we were in the locker room at the college, restrooms and all in the picture.

I spotted a Seahawk's fan to the left of us as the event started.  12th man!

Everyone was invited to this event as long as they wore green.

Where do people find this stuff to wear?  Love the pants!

Look closely and you can see all the people that were way ahead of us on the other side of the river. Freida, are you over there somewhere?

Such a beautiful course.  Spring colors hadn't erupted yet but soon.

The person holding the cups was a little suspicious of me taking pictures I think.  I got a look!

Sheila and I were walking along and I said, "Do you think we can pass these two men?"  The answer was yes!  We never did.  I wondered if there were cookies in the man's hand so I asked him.  Probably shocks you that I did that. :-)

Yes, they were Girl Scout cookies.  Next question, "Can I take a picture of you with your cookies?" Yes!  We started talking and finished the event with Keith and Richard.  Small world, Keith's brother in law donated all the noodles for a fundraiser held for me out in Medical Lake.  Sheila, I think they slowed our pace down a bit but we made new friends.

All decked out!

The shirt is green.  Surprise!

Sheila and I both mentioned that a different color shirt would be nice. To cover the St. Patrick's Day theme just put green writing on it.  Sheila's suggestion was black with green writing. Mine was anything but green. Green is not my favorite.  I am sure the volunteers passing out the shirts appreciated our input.  I like the design just not the green. Last year the shirt was gold/yellow.  Loved it.  I will retire the shirt after wearing it to school on Monday.  

Lots of green shirts.  

Dad and son!

Patty worked as a nurse in our school district.  She is retired now.

                      
Traditional coffee/food stop after the event!

Pretty sure this is one of the oddest pictures of me ever! What kind of smile is that?  We were surprised by Freida and Dave at the Rocket Bakery.  Nice surprise.  Freida, fellow EAOD member, participated in the event too.  She is a super fast runner so we never saw her at the race.  Dave ran too. Also, super fast.

Dave finally made the blog.  Congratulations to Dave!

Another fun day with friends!