Simply SuLee: Full weekend filled with fun!

Whew....we had a busy weekend!

Started off with Jeff's unit deployment ceremony on Saturday. Seems like we just did this yesterday but the calendar says different. It has already been a little over 2 1/2 years since he's been home from the desert and here they are going again....but not my husband. I am one of the fortunate ones....my husband will be deployed but will stay back on U.S. soil as the rear detachment commander.
My heart broke as i watched the tears streaming down wives faces, as i knew what their hearts were feeling. I too cried, not for me, but for them and for the family members who were sending their loved ones off to fight for our freedom.
I sat there, wondering, WHY...WHY, is this still going on?
Then a snip it from a training activity was played and at the end, the commander was standing above his troops after they had performed PT and he said...."You can do this! You were made for this! You were born for this! Let's go to war"! Everyone went crazy and i looked over at those soldiers faces as they stood in formation and they were not sad, they were proud, proud to be serving this great nation.
Keep these dear men and women in your prayers. They are amazing!

Fast forward to 2011.......

Rewind to 2007.......

Jeff's note book that he has had since his last deployment.
This Barbie sticker has been to war and back.

What a pretty little pilot!

Silly Daddy!

After the deployment ceremony, we scurried home and i quickly fed the girls before we headed out for the 1st of our 3 outings for the evening. When it rains it pours!
We started out at a Rotary progressive dinner. We were only going to stay a moment for a quick glass of wine and we didn't leave until 1 1/2 hours later. Yup, i love Jeff's Rotary group. Their motto is service above self, and each one of those members displays that in every single thing they do.

Spanakopita...the REAL deal, not the kind you buy at
Trader Joe's. YUM-O!

The 2nd stop was at the Names' family annual Sip and Savor, a fundraiser to raise money for leukemia research. It is such a fun event. Food, wine, auction items, wine, desserts, wine, oh and did i mention there was wine? :-) You get the picture!
I made cake truffles last year and offered to do the same this year. They are always a hit. One of my friends, Mark, calls them Ding-Dongs on crack. I must admit, they are TASTY and oh so pretty!

Cake truffles, cake balls, whatever you might call them but
one thing you can definitely call them...DELICIOUS!

Mark with his Ding-Dong on crack!

This was going to be a quick stop since we were already running an hour late for our evening events....2 1/2 hours later.......yup, we missed the 3rd party all together. That's okay, i was kind of pooped!

Are you ready for some football.......
Not really, but i am ready for some food and good company!
Invited the ~~future in-laws over for Bella and Lily~~ Stewart family over. We thought, what the heck, how bad could it be to have 7 children under the age of 9 1/2 under one roof at the peek of the bewitching hour? And guess what? It was fabulous! Our children are growing up. The Dads could watch the game and throw a few cold ones down and the Moms could actually just stand around the kitchen and sip wine in peace. I hear it was a great game! :-)
Love you Stewart family!