Cue up the spy music! It’s been two weeks since the 7th annual gala for SJ’s school (the theme was 007) and although I was the photographer, I didn’t have any pictures that I was in. Now that I got a hold of a some I am ready to blog away!

Let’s start with the girly stuff! I wore the same dress I wore to our church Christmas banquet. It was a no brainer since it’s my one party dress. I got it on clearance a couple years ago at 80% off. I didn’t feel like buying it at the time because I had no need for it, but I knew I wasn’t going to get a glittery cocktail dress for $20 when I was looking for one. So I decided to get it while the gettins good. You know what I mean ladies? 
I did my own hair, nails, and makeup. My hair was kind of a mess. 
Luckily the lights were low, because it wasn’t exactly the smooth chic bond girl look that I was going for. 
I even tried backing out of the up-do, but J talked me into it and I am glad. I don’t regret giving it try. I felt pretty. 
As for the nails, I combined 4 shades of glittery gold polish. I don’t really have any pictures (other than my thumb holding this photo booth strip), but I loved the sparkles. When it comes to polish this was my chance to go for the gold!

Speaking of gold, once again the pictures don’t really show it, but my jewelry and eye shadow were also gold. 

J’s outfit and accessories are much simpler. He had a tux rental curtsy of donations, and he pulled himself together in 5 minutes. He looked dashing though, and I was proud to have him as my date! 

The event was held at the Horseshoe Casino in Cincinnati. I didn’t do any gambling, but they had game tables set up in the ballroom. 

I got to see a lot of the other moms from the SJ’s school (shown above in my bad hair photo) and all of SJ’s teachers and therapist too (SJ main teacher in the pic below). 
The night was emceed by Sam Wyche, former Cincinnati Bengal’s coach and Superbowl star. 

I don’t know much about Football, but J, who played in High School and has been a fan his entire life, was excited to get to meet the guy. Wyche is the first coach in the NFL to implement the “no huddle” offense back in the 80’s which is still used to this day. 

The hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and food was all wonderful. 

The speakers were great, and there was a fantastic James Bond parody video that was done by one of the school’s alumni who is now in High School. He was witty, charming, and so well rounded. What an encouragement to see a deaf student from the same place SJ is in who is now thriving as a young man. The school hasn’t been around that long, so he is one of the earliest students. The video was probably my favorite part.

Second to that though would have to be the band. The Naked Karate Girls (don’t let the name fool you, they are none of those things) are the ultimate party band. So fun, so entertaining. They keep the crowd engaged and there is NEVER a dull moment with these guys.

People danced, and partied until I don’t know when, because I left at midnight. I was worried that my car would turn into a pumpkin or that I would come home to find by dad tied to a chair while the children sprinkled flour all over the house. Fortunately, neither of those things happened. In fact my dad said the kids were great and he had them all asleep at 9:00 in their own bed.
The gala was truly a success all the way around. So many people had to pull together in order for us to be there and I feel so honored that they chose to include us in this unforgettable night. Oh, and I forgot to mention J danced!