SURPRISE!

I DID IT! I PULLED IT OFF! I successfully held a surprise party for Mike's 40th birthday. Oh how I've wanted to blog about it, but Mike DOES read my blog on occasion. It was so much fun-but WAY nerve wracking.

the invitations turned out pretty well. Not at all what I wanted but it worked. I told him that I was renting a hotel room just for the two of us....enough said? I ended up getting him to the party non-chalantly (sp?). He was SO surprised!
He has no clue here.

He was surprised with a hilarious gift here!

This is the gift. Tammy made this up for him. Click on the picture to make it bigger. Old, bald and beautiful!

The cake. YUM! It was dee-lish! Friend Angela made this for Mike. Her husband Jeff used to work with Mike years ago and he now coaches Carson..and has for a few years now. Thanks girl. It was gee double-o dee...GOOD!

I made two poster boards full of pictures of Mike. From baby on up. I thought they were a big hit. I also had 2 of his football and track scrapbooks that his momma made sitting out. Mike and Sam checking the pictures out.

Childhood friends Bobby with cutie kids in tow, Shannon Carroll and his wife and Doug. Doug drove all the way from Fayetteville for the party. We missed Laura and the kids but Mike and I both were SO glad he came. It wouldn't have been the same without him.

Kody and Dummy. This is Melissa. Kody's girl. He calls her Dummy. Why does he always act like a goober?

My best friend Lorie Davis and Mike's best friend Doug Quillen.

Lorie told me about this place several months ago. Idlewild House. It belongs to the city of north Little Rock. It's a small building complete with A/C, bathrooms, tables, chairs, stove, fridge, tennis courts and a park. LOVED IT! It was perfect!

Kody and Sam....I swear he's cracked out! (JK)

Mike and the fam. Sister's Lisa and Carol, momma and brother Larry.

Grilled burgers and dogs for everyone!

See, I told you the pictures were a hit!




Luke, Cain and Carson. All the boys stayed outside the WHOLE time and played baseball on the tennis court. Boys can always seem to play ball anywhere.

Kody and Dummy. We LIKE her!

Allison (Chase's girl) and Ms. Cheryl. We love both them both!

John, Bruce, Cheryl and Amy. Ball park people and good friends!

Bruce made a presentation to Mike. Because he is a pharmacist, he gave the gift of geriatric aides. The reading glasses were the first of many of these aides.

Underwear from Sam and Lorie...........................

Mike being presented with his many gifts.

Cheeser! Chase and Allison were such a help with the party!

This was my gift to Mike.

And then this one. The family had reels and reels of old home movies that I have ALWAYS wanted to get converted to DVD. It just so happens that with all the storm damage at the ballpark I happened to come across a web site that does it. http://www.homevideostudio.com/ It cost quite a bit but they had tons of reels. Mike's siblings went in on it which was a TRUE help! Thanks, guys! He was really excited about it!

They all got copies of the DVD's!

Bobby

Chase and his aunties.

Kody = crack!

Chip being...well Chip!

Mike and Bobby and the kiddos.

Lorie and my mom looking at the books.

Bethy

Bruce and Mike.

Angela, Sandy and their crews!

Kody and Beth.

Mike and Shannon Carroll. We all go WAY back! Lots of time spent together at the OLD ballpark as kids.

Noah, Blake and David. Only in for a drink!

What do you do with him? He has ALWAYS done this to his Aunt Lisa!

Chip and Tammy. I could NOT have done it without them! They brought the grill, cooked, helped ice drinks down. I LOVE you guys. Thanks ain't EVEN enough!

Looking forward to the next 40! Love you babe!
~Shannon

A Day at the Park

Last Tuesday The Buzz 103.7 radio station and channel 7 news joined together to Build A Ball Park 2 . The day started very early. We were supposed to be at Dickey-Stephens Park at 5:00 a.m. Yeah, I said it- AM. The first broadcast from Channel 7 was at 5:15. We watched that one from home...in true Sanders fashion-we were late! We finally arrived at about 5:30. Here is just a few of the ones that braved the chilly early morning temps.

Amy, Tammy and Jodie Jason Harper and sleepy kids with their donation buckets.
Way too early!
Jason asked Carson to do the 'running man' dance
Check out the signs.

Kinda ghetto but I did the best I could with what I had!

Hobby Lobby surely was not open at that hour!
Carson chatting it up with Baz (David Bazzell)
Bruce talking about the park to Tommy Smith and Baz.
Lovin the shades on Harper!

All the Sylvan Hills hooligans on the morning show with Jason Harper.


Yes!
HECK YEA!
Waiting for the first of many camera spots.
Officer Kuykendall giving rules to the kids. We were told by another officer that because we didn't have a permit-we couldn't solicit on the streets. Jason Harper hooked us up and called Terry Kuykendall.
Taking it all in...with these two guys - that's kinda scary!
Big Mack!
Dickey Stephens Park

That's where my man works.

Justin Acri, Pat Bradley, Jason Harper and a few others went inside to see who could hit a few gold balls out of the park.
Beth Hunt from Channel 7 came by for a visit.
I took this one for Mikey!
Carson and Tommy Smith-TROUBLE!
Mike and my ole buddy Tammy. Isn't she pretty? crazy-

Freaky Joe, Justin and Pat...with 3 little boys hanging on their every word.
Checking out the ghetto homemade signs.
If you look to the right of his ear...you can see the moon....just barely!

Lovin the shades!
This money collecting stuff is hard work!
Nice car...I wonder how much she gave.

Oh honey...it's not even noon yet.
Steve, Mike, Academy Sports guy, Amy and Jason.

This guy flew in from Dallas just to make a presentation during the Travs game. Academy pledged $10,000.00 to help in the rebuild of our park. They've been GREAT! They had employees come out and help, too! Why does there always have to be a crazy picture....
and then a normal one?
The Buzz guys with Amy...sorry Ames-you blinked on this one.

You gave $10,000.00 to our ball park?

Yeah, I can wear a shirt for your advertisement.
He loved the radio broadcasting.
Waiting for donations.
Jessica Dean from Channel 7 with Blake, Cain and Carson.

Interviewing Carson
And he had a great interview, too.
Harps (as Pat Bradley called him) with Carson. He was absolutely the sweetest thing. He was so easy and wonderful with the kids. Sweet! Sweet!
This is early afternoon...after most of the press had left. Me, Mike, Kody, Carson and Jason F. were the only ones left. A few other TV stations trickled in and out during the afternoon.

Duane and Mike with the Buzz guys.
Mike being interviewed by Channel 11.

Carson's sign
Channel 4 interviewing Carson.

During the interview.
Jason and Kody
Carson with Randy Rainwater from the Buzz.
Rainwater interviewed Mackenzie during his "Drive Time Sports" show

while brother Addison looked on.
Tammy-BAM!

Addison
Channel 11 guy Mike whatever broadcasting at 5:00. He was a really nice guy.

Heck, they all were.

The Buzz guys-not so much-but don't you think they all have huge egos anyway? I do!
Mackenzie

How cute is little man beside him with his sunglasses blowing a bubble?
I LOVE this pic.
6:00 Channel 7 news broadcast-there's Carson to the left.
Nerd Sperme Ned Perme doing the weather. He's holding one of our fundraiser T-shirts that his camera man and I just about fought over. This dude walked up to our table and wanted to know if he could borrow one for the TV shot. Of course. And in my smart-aleck sweet way told him that he could borrow it for $10.00...the cost of the shirt. He copped major tude with me and put the shirt down. After some persuasion by a few other sweeter than me people, he took it. So then I of course cop a tude and go suck up and tell him I was only kidding and to get over himself.

Crossed out words are in no way how I truly feel. HA!

The fund raising helpers, crazy and extremely TIRED womencommittee. Check it out...me with a bunch of little tiny cuties. NICE! But they are very good friends and I love them. Carson and Luke at the end of the day.
TIRED!
On the jumbo tron getting ready to head out with the players announcement.
Anxious to get out on the field.

3rd baseman for the Travs.
Carson and Hunter
The presentation from Academy Sports.
The Travs offered our park 900 free tickets for every child. The tickets were for the outfield seats. I'd say we had a pretty good turnout.
I couldn't stay. Carson and I headed home around 8:30. It had been a long 14 hour day -but REALLY fun. The park's take was about $27,000.00 including $10,000.00 donated by the Moose lodge of Sherwood. Serveral companied stopped by to drop off checks....Delta Dental, the Heritage Company...some lady dropped by and offered a $500.00 check. WOW!

No pictures from the chili supper (aren't you glad?) Have I pictured you out? The supper and the auction together raised about $13,000.00.

It was an incredibly long week.

Still recovering,

~Shannon