And the winner is... (and more)

Andi!!!

I put all the names in a cup and drew one out. Andi, I'll e-mail you the specific instructions for choosing your alphabet set and stamp pad!

Now a few confessions:
1.) I did make the cake, but about 1.5 hours before the party, I had MAJOR cake crisis. My friend Susie was coming to the rescue, but life with two sweet babies happened, so Donna was the Cake Rescue Queen. I did the cake part and the initial icing, but Donna totally pulled it off for me. I owe her BIG time. And the idea was from Susie, so I owe both my dear friends an entire bottle of wine on the deck once we get enough chairs for the three of us!

2.) I couldn't have pulled off the party if it weren't for my amazing friends. Joe (Susie's husband) and Wes showed up about an hour before the party with tables for us. They stayed and blew up balloons and kept the mood light. Andi and her daughter, Aubrey, showed up about 30 minutes before the party to help with last minute decorations, etc. My sister-in-law and precious nephews showed up early and stayed late with Andi and Aubrey to help clean up. Anything I needed, they were right there waiting to help. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing friendship.

A funny teacher story.
Maybe you won't find this hilarious, but it still cracks me up, so I must share.
Imagine: 20 students on the carpet staring at their adoring teacher (Okay, okay, so it wasn't quite like that, but you get the idea--19 kids were wiggling on the carpet and I was TRYING to keep control, but let's go with scenario #1). Got the image in your mind? Oh, yeah, add a student teacher sitting at my desk and a retired teacher sitting in the other corner of the room. Here we go:

Me: Boys and girls, do you know why we didn't have school yesterday? It doesn't have anything to do with the fair. (A few shocked faces, but they are hanging with me) Our country was celebrating an important person. (Hands waving in the air. I'm feeling good, like maybe they really do know)
S1: God!
Me: Well, God is important, but not God.
S2: Jesus!
Me: Well, Jesus is important, but that's not who we were celebrating. (Even more hands. I'm beginning to realize they don't have a clue!)
S3: Martin Luther King, Jr!
S4-7: Yeah! Martin Luther King, Jr!
Me: Yes, Martin Luther King, Jr. is very important to us, but that's not it either. (I'm laughing so hard at this point that the kids are completely confused)
Me: A long time ago, way before your mom or dad or grandma was born, a man sailed across the ocean and discovered America.
S8: (Handing waving in the air so hard I think it might detach and fly across the room) I know, I know! (Thank God, I think to myself) George Washington!
Me: (laughing so hard now that tears are rolling down my cheeks) No, this person was even before George Washington. His name is Christopher Columbus. Have you ever HEARD of him?
S9: Oh, yes, I have. He was the first president of the United States of America.

Enough said, people. Christopher Columbus not only discovered the land of the free, but he was also the first president almost 300 hundred years later. That's some good history. Let's just say, we had a great Social Studies lesson today and my stomach still hurts from laughing so hard.