Family Summer Festival

My company has a volunteer initiative program called AIM (Ares in Motion). I knew I wanted to participate, but wanted to do a little more than just show up to volunteer, SO I joined a planning committee! Out of the five events occurring in our Los Angeles office, I was a part of the Penny Lane Family Summer Festival team. Penny Lane is a local organization that helps match foster kids with foster or adoptive parents. 

We had a super yummy food truck called The Rolling Burger Barn to feed our 200+ kids and their parents! I was very impressed with the quality of burgers and fries being produced in such mass! 

We were not allowed to to take pictures of the kids faces, but I was able to snag this cute one with some kids sporting their Ares shwag. 

In addition to the food truck, we had a cotton candy machine and an ice cream cart.  Maddie Jane went CRAZY after I ate all that sugar! 

I was specifically in charge of arts and crafts. I took it back to my VBS days and ordered a ton of cute crafts from Oriental Trading. We did scratch art, decorate your own foam visor, sand art, and sun catcher wind chimes! 

We had a water balloon toss which was VERY welcome with that Valley heat! I don't know how people live in the Valley.. it's over 100 all summer long!

Tracey was manning the check in station where the kids got Ares bags, sun glasses and beach balls AND received their passport to get stamped. Every game/craft/food station had a place to be stamped so we kept the flow of kids moving around to the different activities (and no over earters.. ha!)

We had some cute home made games like can toss and bottle rings. I forgot to take a picture of the finished spray away game that AJ made! 

And of course, everyone'e favorite.. the bouncy obstacle course!! 

By the end of the day, this Mama had her swollen feet in a bucket of ice. I don't know how pregnant teachers/nurses do it! Being on your feet with a baby is tough!! Kudos to you guys! 

It was such an AWESOME event! Everything ran so smoothly and went exactly as we had planned for months and months. To see the look on those sweet, appreciative kids' faces was priceless. I just wanted to take them all home with me! I really hope AJ and I are able to adopt a sweet baby one day..  These kids came into this world in an unfortunate situation at no fault of their own. It really makes you thankful for everything you have and makes all those ridiculous problems seem so small. Hug your loved ones just a little tighter tonight! 

xoxo,