A Hard Decision to Make

At the end of July, I made a very hard decision.  I did not come by this decision lightly....I had been trying to decide what to do for months and months.  But after careful contemplation and looking at the kids schedules for the coming year, I made the hard decision to resign from Junior Hospitality.

I have to admit, this was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made.  But I am confident that I've made the right decision.  In fact, I strongly believe that it is better to be a stay-at-home mom when our kids are in Junior High and High School instead of when they are babies.  Too bad I wasn't a SAHM then and I can't be a SAHM now...so the next best thing is to dedicate myself to their activities.

So, never fear....all of that free time that I now have (ha!) will be taken up with Band Boosters and carting Ashton to and from her three dance classes this year.  So, don't you worry about me getting bored.  There isn't a chance of that happening.

I still love all of my JH friends and I will (and already do) miss them terribly.  It was weird not going to the first general meeting.  But I know this group will continue to do great things for our community and I will continue to support them through their different fundraising efforts. 

Another Year Wrapped

Our Junior Hospitality May Giveaway was last week.  This is where we wrap up our year, give the grant to this year's recipient, and install the board of directors for next year.

The night was bitter sweet for me.  It was a hard decision to make, but I chose not to serve on the board again.  I've really loved serving the club as secretary, but I just couldn't devote the necessary time to it for another year.  (My life will now be consumed with Band Boosters.)  So, as they said goodbye to the 2011-2012 board, it was a sad moment for me.

Second, it just wasn't the same without Nicole.  (She resigned back in January when they initially thought they would be moving.)  Nicole has been my rock in JH.  I've made some good friends in JH, but Nicole is my closest.  I know it is time to put my big girl panties on and put myself out there to become closer friends with the other girls, but it is still hard.  One such friend that misses Nicole as much as I do is the other Becky.  I know I'll have her to turn to next year when I try being a molly member again.

This is the new board for next year.....I'm excited to see what these ladies will do and how they will make 2012-2013 bigger and better!!!

I'm looking forward to the summer off, so I can recharge and get my passion back for the good things that JH has to offer to our community. 

Chips for Charity 2012

JH hosted our annual spring fundraiser, Chips for Charity, on March 31st! This is such an exciting event for us. Not only do we raise an insane amount of money for our grant recipients, but we get to party while we do it.





Of course Nicole was there to enjoy the night with me. But my friends Jeana and Angie also came. It was so much fun to share the night with them.

One of my favorite parts of the night is I get to dress up and be all girly! I love having flashy make up and trying all kinds of new things.


This year we changed venues and the change was FANTASTIC! The event was held at the OKC Farmer's Market and it was such a neat venue....old and rustic, tied in with glizty and party.


I am so blessed to be a part of this organization. I love JH and and I love Chips for Charity!!!

Jingle Mingle

Last week was the annual JH Jingle Mingle. It's always so much fun to see each other all dressed up and meet the significant others. Unfortunately, Tony was working this year, so I played third wheel with my friend, Nicole, and her hubby, Matt. (Thanks for letting me hang guys!)


This year's event was at Rococo's in NorthPark Mall. If you haven't been there, it is super yummy. And they really took care of our large group well.

Of course we had to play Dirty Santa and, as always, all gloves were off.

This was my first gift! Unfortunately, I was number 3...so the chances of getting to keep it were slim.


So...of course it go stolen. Then I opened an awesome giftcard and lost it immediately. This is what I ended up with. (I am generally an OU fan and our family isn't huge on watching football...so it is very ironic that I got this.)


Can't you see the excitement on my face. (btw...this picture has given me several moments of laughter...hehehe.)

I love the holidays and I am thankful to have such a wonderful group to celebrate with.

Today and Tomorrow

Is Sub Blitz!!!

If you didn't get your pre-order in, please come visit us at Mayfair Baptist Church from 11am - 2pm each day...2715 NW 50th Street, OKC.

Sandwiches are $6 and chips and drinks will also be available.



Proceeds from the sale of the sandwiches helps JH continue to make a positive impact on our community. Members volunteer at local organizations and fund grants to help provide vital services.

JH Sub Sandwich Blitz 2011 is HERE!!!

JH will be selling our Famous Sub Sandwiches November 4 & 5 at Mayfair Baptist Church from 11am - 2pm each day. Sandwiches are $6 and chips and drinks will also be available. You can pre-order any number of sandwiches and large orders can be delivered.


Click HERE or the logo above for more information on our subs and information on how to place your order. Proceeds from the sale of the sandwiches helps JH continue to make a positive impact on our community. Members volunteer at local organizations and fund grants to help provide vital services.

Super 8

I had a fantastic weekend. We had our JH Board Retreat this weekend...we mixed a little fun in with a lot of work getting our 2011-2012 year all set up.

It was a little overwhelming, but I know this is a great group of women and we will have a fabulous year. Unfortunately, I am reliant on Nicole for pics since I didn't bring my camera. So, I'll get pics up and more details on the weekend later.

But on Friday night, after we spent the afternoon in meetings, our group went to see Super 8 in the Warren Balcony. OMG! This movie was FANTASTIC!!! It was a cross between ET/Goonies/Alien. I did scream a couple of times, but the overall movie, filming and acting was SO, SO, SO good.


Don't miss this movie. Go see it in the theatre and enjoy it on the big screen.


Hope you have a happy Monday!

Wrapping Up Another Year

We have officially wrapped up the 2010-2011 year for Junior Hospitality Club. It was a fantastic year for us. I know I say this every time, but I am so, so proud to be part of such a fantastic group of ladies.

Thursday night was our final meeting and May Giveaway. This is the night where we present our grant recipient with the funds that we raised for them. Bethel Foundation was a fabulous partner this year and I hope the funding can impact many, many more lives. To learn more about the Bethel Foundation, click HERE.

(Nicole, Linda from The Bethel Foundation and our pres, Jenn)

(Me and Nicole)

As part of May Giveaway, we can also invite any perspective members that we would like to invite into the club. I invited my friend Misty. I think she would be perfect as she has a heart of service too.

(Me and Misty)

One of my responsibilities this year was the club scrapbook. I really enjoyed putting this book together, but I am SO, SO glad that I am done with it. I am so far behind in my kids books. It's time to start getting those caught back up. The slide show below is the final book. The pics are horrible, but you get the idea. And as you can see, we have so much fun in JH. If you are interested in learning more about JH, just leave me a comment and I will be happy to talk to you.

This is also a night where we say goodbye to our board of directors and install the new board. I think our 2010/2011 BOD did a fantastic job and we have some big shoes to fill.
(2010/2011 Board of Directors)

I am so excited to tell you that I have been selected as Secretary for 2011/2012 Junior Hospitality Board of Directors. I am so excited to serve this group and impact even more lives through our fantastic volunteering and fundraising efforts.
(2011/2012 Board of Directors)

It's been a great year and I am looking forward to many, many more.

Five for Friday

5 Reasons Why I love Junior Hospitality
1. I have made many GREAT friends and I am so thankful to Nicole (my bestie) for inviting me that fateful two years ago.

2. I love being involved in such a diverse group of women.

3. I love, love, love all of the volunteering opportunities.

4. I love how it makes me feel to be part of such a stellar organization.

5. I love our motto "Help Yourself by Helping Others"

Chips for Charity

Saturday night was Junior Hospitality's big spring fundraiser...Chips for Charity. It takes a lot of work, but this night is so worth it.

We had over $22K in donations to load up our raffle and auction area. We are so blessed to have wonderful people willing to help us out and in turn, help out our grant recipient The Bethel Foundation.

We set up on Saturday afternoon and the doors opened to the event at 7pm. It was a packed house.


Tony and I got all gussied up. He even helped me pull up my hair (which you can't see real well cause of the dark background...but take my word for it, it was an awesome side bun that I would've never been able to pull off without my extensions).


Here is my friend Kelsie and I working the registration table! We are each required to work an hour shift, but there are several girls who devote themselves to working the whole night (hmm, hmm, Nicole). Unfortunately, I was a horrible friend and partied after my shift and just left my friend at the Wine Pull all night. Sorry Bestie! :(


But I did get a picture of Nicole and I together. Doesn't she look beautiful? I love her tan. I wasn't feeling the self-tanner this year and only put it on once. I just couldn't handle the smell. Maybe later closer to summer.


Our friends Misty and Justin and Tom and Leslie went this year. OMG! We had such a good time dancing with Misty and Leslie while Tom and Justin gambled. Yes, I said WE. Tony is a dancer, not a gambler, so he was on the dance floor with us girls.


This is my girlfriend Karlin. She and her hubby came last year. Karlin completes our "three wheeler" on Chips night since her husband is a die hard poker player...so it is typically me, Tony and Karlin just hangin' out. And thanks to D and his awesome poker playing, they won the grand prize!!! Congrats Karlin and Dywain.

Oh yeah...Tony and I won a raffle prize. I was so excited. We got a night's stay at the Courtyard Marriot, Kayaking for 2 on the OK River, Climbing for 2 at Rocktown and a $25 GC to Earl's. Sounds like a fun weekend in Bricktown is in our future!!!


The event was a huge success and I am so glad it is only once a year. It will take me that long to recover from it. Whew! I am still tired today! But I can't think of any way I would rather wear myself out, than with my hubby and all my friends by my side.

Hopefully next year...YOU'LL GO TOO!!!

Girl Talk: A Day Away

This weekend's was a very important JH weekend. We hosted our annual Girl Talk event with the girls from Emerson High School. These girls are all teen moms and are working hard to stay in school and continue their educations. As an incentive, they are rewarded at the end of the first semester with this weekend get-away. A weekend where they can be teenagers.


We titled the event A Day Away. My friend Nicole taught them a fun dance to a Black Eyed Peas song. They had such a good time.



Then, I helped them make two different crafts.



It was nice to see them laugh and enjoy themselves and have some stress free time. I'm already starting to think about what craft to do next year. If you have any ideas, I am open to the suggestions!

JH Sub Blitz 2010

The ladies of JH had our annual Sub Sandwich Blitz this past Friday and Saturday. It was a HUGE success...we easily made over 1500 subs!! Thank you to every one that came out, ate a sub and showed their support for JH and The Bethel Foundation!

JH at City Rescue Mission

Saturday morning, the JH girls met down at the City Rescue Mission. The first hour we worked in their warehouse doing an inventory on the items that have been donated. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting a real "warehouse". I guess I was a little delusional...cause this place was a typical dark and dirty warehouse.


In the second hour, we moved to the family portion of the mission and played with the kiddos for an hour. We had "minute-to-win-it" games all ready to go. We were originally supposed to be in the gym, but instead we got moved into a very small room. Luckily our games easily adapted to smaller environment, which was good...cause once you got all of us and all of the kids in one room...it was organized chaos. I am not posting pics of the kids for obvious reasons, but the funniest was watching the girls try the oreo game. Fun!



Overall though, it was nice to make an impact and actually see where our "work" was going. I know I say this a lot, but I love being part of an organization that does so much for the community.

JH Sub Blitz and Pepper Chop

Tuesday night was Pepper Chop night. We had a blast chopping 35 jars of peppers in preparation of our Sub Sandwich Blitz. Two more work nights and it's time to make our famous sandwiches.


The 3rd annual Sub Sandwich Blitz is scheduled for November 5-6. Mayfair Baptist Church at NW 50th and May has graciously agreed to let us use their kitchen. Sandwiches will be available from 11-2 both days and large orders can be pre-ordered and delivered. Sandwiches are $6 and chips and drinks will also be available.

Proceeds from the sale of the sandwiches helps JH continue to make a positive impact on our community. Members volunteer at local organizations and fund grants to help provide vital services.

Prices:
Famous JH 6" sub $6.00
Combo meal $7.50
1 dozen brownies $10.00
1 box of 12 assorted cookies $12.00

To place your order or to learn more about the FAMOUS Subs click HERE!!! You can also order from me. Just leave me a comment and I'll contact you.

JH September Volunteer Event

Saturday morning, the girls of Junior Hospitality volunteered at Bethel Foundation. They are our grant recipient this year and so it was fitting that we did our first volunteer event of the year with them.


We started out with a tour of the place and then got down and dirty in the community room. The community room is where the mom's come for assistance. There is a food pantry and clothes closet where the women can get the things they need for the families. The director, Lynda, believes in providing what ever these women need, so there are no limitations put on what the women can take. If they need it, it is available.



Our time, Saturday, was spent organizing the area and getting the winter clothes out and putting away the summer clothing. It was hard work, but it was very fulfilling. If I am going to wear myself out, I would rather it be done helping others.

JH and Shabby Souls

On Thursday night, JH had our monthly general meeting. We try to make the general meetings fun by having theme nights and this month's theme was Team Spirit. Don't we all look adorable sporting support for our team's.


Then, on Friday, the Shabby Souls got together at a new Ice Cream shop called Scoops Treatery. The shop is on the northside of town and was really yummy! They had some great flavors (and some weird ones...Gourmet Bacon...I didn' try, I was too skeered). I had Banana Pudding with Nilla Wafers mixed in. It was so yummy and rich...I barely even made a dent in it.



We discussed The Hunger Games since most of us had read it. Then we shared the other books we had read during the month. Of course, I walked away with another stack of books to read. I wonder if I will ever be caught up with what I want to read. It doesn't ever seem like I will be...I guess the only way would be to hold up on a beach somewhere and read my little heart out. But I live in the real world, so I read when I get the chance...about 30 minutes to an hour at night or on my lunch period.

Hayley, Chrystal, Natalie, Me and Kelsie (Nicole was behind the camera...thanks for taking the picture Nicole)