R.I.P Talia Castellano

Heaven gained a spunky new angel this morning. After a 6-year long battle with cancer, Talia earned her 

wings and is no longer suffering the pain that plagued her for far too long.

Talia was widely known for her makeup skills that she shared with the world through her YouTube channel, 

famously quoting "makeup is my wig." After appearing on The Ellen Show, she was also crowned as a honorary CoverGirl. 

Talk about a huge achievement at such a young girl - one that was no doubt earned.

What really sparked the hearts of millions was her vibrant personality and optimistic outlook on life. 

She was an inspiration to many people and I know without question that she will be deeply missed.

R.I.P sweet angel. We were blessed to have you here, even for such a short time. The world is a more 

beautiful place because you were here. Your legacy will remain and, eventually, there WILL be a cure.

Did you know that childhood cancer takes the lives of 2,500 children every year? That is WAY too high of a number, 

especially since only a small percentage of the The National Cancer Institute budget is set aside for childhood cancer 

research.  Please take a quick minute to sign the petition to increase federal funding for childhood 

cancer research to eliminate the risk of pediatric cancer.

Weekend Update

This morning I woke up by a call from my Sister at 7:15. I typically leave my house right then so to say I'm not very put together today is an understatement.

I guess I fell asleep last night sometime during the AMA's.

I was exhausted.

My weekend started off like every weekend. I picked up my best friend in the form of a 2 1/2 year old, Landyn. With the exception of a quick trip to the store to buy presents for the following day, we stayed in Friday night, had my Mom & Landyn over for dinner and I was asleep by 11. Now if only I could do that every Friday!

Saturday we went to the Marriott World Centers for the Margarita Ball.

It's a charity event that is hosted every year. You must bring your invite and a present for a child in order to join in on the fun.

We always get hotel rooms to avoid drinking and driving.

We got there around 11 and went to the pool for a nice view, drinking and yummy food.

Then we cleaned up and headed to the ball. This was the only photo I had on my phone so that's all I can share now. 

Sunday, I spent the day with my Nephew, Sister & Mom watching my Sister unpack her new apartment one building over from me (That means I'll be 3 miles closer to Landyn - SCORE!), we ate Chipotle and watched "He's just not that into you." Lazy day.

Today, I'm exhausted and ready for a nap.

So happy that our office is closed Wed-Fri. This week will be a short 2-day work week

& it's much needed.

Weekend Update

Hey Ladies!

My Monday was super busy so I didn't have time to update you on my weekend festivities. 

As planned, we participated in the Heart Walk in support of little Mason (see below).

My lazy butt actually finished the entire 3.1 miles. 

I walked of course, but finishing is finishing :)

There were SO many people there and the views of the walk were beautiful!

After that we got freshened up for his 1st birthday party.

Le Boyfriend and I brought my sweet Nephew.

The theme was Mickey Mouse and she did such an amazing job with it!

Did I mention, she made that Mickey Mouse cake herself? Insane.

We dropped off the kiddos and proceeded to have Saturday night and all day Sunday hanging out with great friends and playing old games such as Circle of Death, Charades and Clue. 

We are truly blessed to have such amazing friends.

We stopped at Starbucks on Sunday.

I got my usual and Justin figured out what the Pumpkin Spice Latte hype was all about. 

He likey a lot.

Heart Walk

Here we are again, another Friday. 

Call me crazy,  but I feel like weeks just go by so quickly.

Sure, not when you're alarm is going off Tuesday morning.

But looking back, I wonder where the week went. 

No complaints here though!

Tomorrow I'm participating in a Charity Heart Walk in support of little Mason, which you may remember from here and here. 

After the walk we are blessed to be able to celebrate his first birthday at a Mickey Mouse themed party. 

The feeling that his parents must have that he made it to one is probably indescribable. 

Two major heart surgeries later and we get to celebrate.

What a blessing. 

Charity is something that feels a bit selfish to me.

I enjoy it so much and the feeling I get is so amazing that I feel like I'm getting far more than I'm giving. 

It's going to be a great day.

On Sunday we get to spend the day watching football and enjoying some BBQ with our dear friends who just moved back from Nola. 

They made an appearance on my blog back in June when we went to visit them in The Big Easy. 

That's what I have lined up for the weekend.
Looking forward to every bit of it. 

 

Relay for Life

My Mema did great during the surgery and I couldn't be more thrilled. Truth be told, I had a horrible feeling about it and was scared to death. I ran up to the hospital on my lunch break and got to see her right after she came out. She was able to communicate by nodding but I know that the anesthesia is still wearing off. It hurts my hear to see her like that, in pain and all, but I'm SO happy that everything went well. The ICU has very strict visiting hours so I'm hoping they will allow me to see her again tonight after HH.

Now that I can stop worrying, I can share some fun news with you. Tonight, my work is hosting a fundraiser for American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Our company will also be participating in the overnight walk next month, but this is a Happy Hour function downtown. Everyone is welcome :)

Fundraiser's really touch my heart, even when I don't know the person it's for or anyone that has suffered from a particular disease. The thought of people joining together for a good cause just makes me feel happy. And, who doesn't love being happy?

Looking forward to having a drink with my co-workers, celebrating my Mema's surgery success and relaxing after a stressful few days.

TA-TA :)

Mason, Jimmy & Brady

This weekend was a big weekend for me. 

In a previous post, I explained Mason's story. Well I'm proud to say that the golf tournament was a huge success! They raised a great amount of money that will help little Mason and his family during the long road ahead.

We were in charge of working the 19th hole challenge. The guys had to try and hit the island in the middle of the lake and if they did, they got a stroke taken off their team.

Some of the boys made shirts as well. 

 After they golfed, we all went in the clubhouse for lunch, raffles and we got the pleasure of listening to the Doctor explain Mason's condition. Tony got choked up when expressing his gratitude to everyone for coming out, and let me tell you, I had full on tears coming down my face.It was just a beautiful day and I was so grateful to be a part of it. 

Around 3, I rushed home, changed my shirt, my mom picked me up and took my downtown to the Jimmy Buffet tailgating.

My mother has always told me not to drink and drive. She always said she will pick me up anytime, any place, as long as I call her. She would really prefer me calling her than riding with someone that has been drinking or taking a cab, so I take full advantage of that :) Plus, my Landyn came along so that was an added bonus!

For years I had heard how amazing it is to tailgate at a Jimmy Buffet concert and I finally got to experience it first hand. I was definitely not disappointed! 

People were walking around with jello shots, gummy bears soaked in vodka, moonshine infused cherries. All the parrot heads were just handing everything out like we were all family. It was awesome!

It was A BLAST to say the very least. 

We went to Tony, Nichole and Mason's house for Superbowl. I was exhausted from the previous day so we only stayed until a little after half time. We finished the game at home then watched a movie and hit the sack.

Not happy about the outcome. I mean, Brady can't win the game on his own. But, it was a good game none-the-less. 

A good cause

Meet Tony & Nichole

A few months ago, they were blessed with a beautiful baby boy named Mason. 

Mason Mehlich was born on September 8, 2011. The birth of a child is typically a joyous occasion, but for Mason's parents it has been a heartbreak.He was born with a rare heart condition and has already endured open heart surgery. He used a ventilator to support his respiratory system, until he was finally able to come home. Since then, he has been back in the hospital on 3 different occasions, one of them being an immediate surgery. Although the talented doctors at Winnie Palmer Hospital have been unprecedented in their care and support, Mason must undergo a second open heart surgery in a few months, and then a third before the age of 3. He is currently being fed through a G Tube because he was unable to keep any other food down and they have to get his strength up before the next surgery.Although they will do anything to ensure Mason is taken care of, there is only so much a Teacher's salary can pay for. 

Nichole quit her job shortly after Mason was born so that she could provide him with full time care. My heart just breaks for her knowing she has to watch her son go through all this and she can't take the pain away. 

On a brighter note,Tony has created a charity called the I HEART YOU FOUNDATION. This will assist not only Mason, but other babies who are born with a similar condition.

This weekend we are having a golf tournament for little Mason. And, I couldn't be more excited to be a part of such a good cause. My boyfriend and his friends will all be playing in the tournament while my sister, a friend and I will be working the 19th hole :)

Check our their darling Christmas pictures

Please pray for Mason & his family. He has a long battle ahead of him.

SO grateful for everything

I feel that I have been extremely MIA lately. Most people have, It's the holidays. Personally, I haven't really sat in front of a computer for longer than a few minutes since I last worked on Tuesday.

Last weekend we met up with some friends at Old Town. They were attempting to do something different. If you are not familiar with this place, it is basically an outdoor shopping plaza with restaurants, rides, shops, bars, and LOTS of old fashioned cars. After about 4 or 5 drinks, something different turned into a lot of fun.

We had our pot luck at work on Tuesday for Thanksgiving. My plate was full!

Thanksgiving was filled with lots of family, friends and food.  We started the day at 11 at my Grandma's house for the first Thanksgiving of the day then left there and drove 2 hours to Sebring to my Mema's house for yet another dinner. My sister and I spent the 2-hour drive back listening to throw back music. 

I was full, happy, and grateful. 

My Mema & her feast :)

My Landyn <3

That night we went out with a few friends to the neighborhood bar, I had a few too many Vodkas and H2o's. Thankfully, I didn't have much to do that Friday. Since my boyfriend had to work, I ordered Bonefish take-out and rented Crazy Stupid Love and had a relaxing night in, I needed to save all my energy for Saturday's festivities. 

Saturday was the 29th annual Margarita Ball, It's a nationwide charity that is held for donating toys to less fortunate children for the holidays.  Every person that attends brings a gift for a child. It's a formal affair that is best described as adult prom. You get to get all dolled up, dance all night and indulge in as many margaritas and wine as you'd like. Of course, I chose to stick to vodka water. I say no to anything sweet, no one likes a hangover!

My Aunt and Uncle go every year so they are pros at the best way to spend the day. The ball is held at the gorgeous Omni Resort at Championsgate. 

We got a cabana by the pool for the day. We just relaxed, drank, listened to music and got pumped for the night ahead. 

This year my friend Steph joined us and we had an absolute blast.

My sister and I

My sister, aunt & uncle

The group before heading downstairs!

The gifts we brought...

Only one of the piles of all the presents donated.

Another pile of presents...

Not even half of the donated bikes!

The only thing better than seeing all those donated toys would be seeing the children's face when they opened them Christmas morning.

All-in-all it was a great day/night. Did I mention that my Noles pulled out another win, against the Gators? What a great ending to a perfect day :)