Shop Sip & Share

The event: Shop Sip & Share
When: Thursday Dec 10th 6-10pm
Where: Mama Fu’s in the Triangle
Cost: $12 for dinner and a non-alcoholic drink, raffle tickets for the drawings are $2
Fun: food, plus shopping from lots of cool vendors, and a raffle with tons of prizes
Why: To support b club of Austin
How: send me an email if you would like to buy a ticket to attend, go to the website above, or show up on Dec 10th. I will also be selling raffle tickets.
How else: if you are a vendor who would like to attend and have a table, or if you have a product or service you would like to donate, go to the website or contact me and I will set you up with Renee.

What is b club? http://www.bclubaustin.com/ an organization that raises funds to support the breast cancer emergency support fund providing short-term financial and social service support to Central Texans living with breast cancer.

On a personal note: this event is being organized by one of my very best friends, Renee. Last September when I was at the hospital visiting my babies in the NICU I got a call from a friend telling me that Renee had breast cancer. I will never forget that moment. She was too young, too vibrant and way too cool for something like this to happen to her, I get teary thinking about it. It certainly put all my small problems into perspective quickly. I was devastated for her, but I also knew that Renee would face adversity head on and kick cancer in the butt. I am happy to say that she did both and continues to fight cancer through volunteer activities, raising funds and awareness.


Renee’s story:
Being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30; married only 4 years and being a mother to a 13 month old was a real shock in my perfect little world. However, thanks to the support of my family, friends and my faith I was able to kick cancer in the butt, and have found a new calling in my life - to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer patients in my community. When I was given my diagnosis in September, 2008 I was fortunate to have the financial means to keep my energy focused on fighting the cancer and my family and not stress about finances. However not all women have the fortunate circumstance I was blessed with. And now as a breast cancer survivor, wife and mother; it is my turn to give back to my local Texans. I am happy to say that as of January, 2009 I have been given an “all clear” from my doctors and now onto the PARTY I call “My Life”! When I was approached by Jan to join b club as a queen b I was tickled PINK! Becoming a queen b with b club has instilled a passion and drive I had forgotten was in me to focus on my mission to inform, educate and make people aware of the day to day impact both mentally, physically and financially this disease can take on a woman and her family.After the mental and physical triumphs I have endured after my breast cancer diagnosis, fight and successful battle, I am always ready to CELEBRATE life, have a Party and B-INVOLVED.With much love,Renee

Format change

I liked that other blog background, but could not figure the damn thing out to edit. All blogs I read have really cool backgrounds and formatting, but I refuse to spend money and don't have the time to mess around with mine. For now, I think this will be it, but maybe some day I will be motivated to spend the time fixing it up.

101. Do something that I am afraid to do

Was I afraid to zip line? Not really, but this is not something I would have done on my own. Thanks to Monica for suggesting it when I started my list, to Jennifer for planning the day to go and to all the girls that joined me in celebrating my 30th birthday with Zipping and Sipping!

Jennifer picked me up at 9am and I could not have been more excited. The kids were going wild and I was counting down the minutes to leave. We picked up refreshments and met up with Kim, Renee, Christina, Karen and Monica. Kim was nice enough to drive everybody and we enjoyed mimosas and muffins on the ride to Wimberly. After lunch, we headed to the Wimberly Zipline Adventures. A couple of us had ziplinned before, but it was all new to me. We did 8 lines in 90 minutes and it was so much fun, we all had a great time.

After jello shots and some celebratory wine, we went to Mandolas Estate Winery. We did a wine tour and tasting. Then dressed up for dinner at Trattorina Lisina at the winery. By this time everyone was feeling pretty good. We were the loud party in the restaurant, looking back I feel a little sorry for the waiter and the manager who kept coming over to subtly tell us to shut it. I think we had 1 too many bottles of wine, but it was so worth it. The ride home was even more entertaining after I took a little nap.

It was a great birthday celebration - it was worth turning 30 for! A special thank you to John for letting me have the whole day off - that does not come easy for us anymore!

62. Have a backyard we can hang out in

I can’t take any credit for this one, but we have a pretty cool play scape for the kids to play on now – thanks to John. He found a play scape on Craig’s List and put it together a couple weeks ago (with a little help from Jeff and Marty). The kids love it. Unfortunately, it gets dark so early, we only have about 20 minutes a day on it. John has also put up an outdoor fan and shades over the porch. Only thing left to do is plant another tree.

81. Take a class in something creative

Last week I attended one of Renee’s card classes. We made 4 different holiday cards and they are so cute. She showed us some new tools and techniques I had never done before. It motivated me to make a couple other cards at home too.

46. Read to Gwen every day

Gwendolyn gets a bedtime story every night, and 90% of the time she insists I do it. I’m not sure why, as John really wants to. She seems to enjoy doing the girl thing and senselessly hurting his feelings. Jack and Madeline love books, but don’t let us read more than a page or 2 before they take over and turn the book upside down and flip the pages themselves. It’s a start though!

My favorites: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, If You Give a Moose a Muffin and Make Way for Ducklings

Gwen's favorites: High 5 Magazine (I ike it, but hate it for bedtime. It almost always ends in tears when it's over); Bible stories (MOST are great, but some are disturbing. Why are Joseph's brothers shoving him into that well?) and Ballet Kitty

Jack's favorites: Wiggles books, or whatever Madeline has

Madeline's favorites: Brown Bear, Brown Bear or whatever Jack has

24. Read 3 books that Jenna picks out for me

(1 complete 12/22, 1 complete 7/20, 1 complete 10/15)
I finished The Shack last month. If Jenna had not given it to me and it hadn’t been on the book club list I would not have read it. It was challenging subject matter, more than a couple tears over the story. I liked it, but I don’t think I was a moved as the author would like the reader to be.

Description of the book from Amazon:
Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!

27. Catch up on photo albums (2/33)

As of 11/6 Gwen’s is updated through 2 years and I started Jack’s. John bought and assembled a desk for me in our room for me to keep my craft supplies and work on projects. This was supposed to be in the office, but the office is officially Madeline’s room now. I have been spending time here and there working on the scrapbooks and making cards. The only caveat – I HAVE TO KEEP IT CLEAN. That will be challenging, but so far I’m doing pretty well.

What's so great about being 30?

I am a few ~gulp~ days away from a milestone birthday. So, my few dear readers, What is so great about being 30? Please post or email and I will post in an upcoming blog.

new format?

I don't know about this free template