Festival is Here!!

Give the Gift of Hope!

The 2010 Festival of Trees event is finally here. I can't believe it has been a year since we did this last year. The crew moves into the convention center today and over the course of the next few days will transform the building from plain convention center walls to winter wonderland amazement!

Tuesday is designer day where the designers spend their entire day putting their ideas to work and creating beautiful trees and Wednesday the doors open. Thursday we have the 2ND annual(sold out) Ladies Night Out, Friday is Gala, Saturday during the day is Public Day followed by the Jingle Bell Jam Saturday Night and Sunday is for the Public again. Our attendance in reservations has already surpassed last years and we have good vibes heading our way in hopes of raising a lot of money.

Thank you for supporting Festival! It is because of events like these that help families and friends in times of need when they otherwise may not be able to afford care.

The theme this year was Give the Gift of Hope. I had this idea to go throughout the hospital and ask families, nurses and kids what HOPE meant to them. The answers were overwhelming and very touching. Some were elaborate and some were as simple as Hope to me is knowing that tomorrow will come".

I challenge you to take a moment to think about what Hope means to you. Feel free to share it with me and I will put your meaning on the trees for Festival. I focused my centerpieces this year on those very meanings. The words will hang off of cards on my centerpieces from every table inside the convention center (65 of them).

Here we go.. GIVE THE GIFT OF HOPE

Chickens

Are baby chickens have now emerged into CHICKENS!! They are getting ready to move outside to their pens and hopefully begin to lay some eggs. These guys are fast, funny and very fluffy!!! Stay tuned for local egg updates. So far our two adult chickens Lucille and May have yet to lay!

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving this year was wonderful as always. I always spend my mornings serving the needy which really gives me and my family a greater appreciation for all that we have. A few years back I went to go volunteer for the EFN and I was turned away. I ended up driving around downtown Tacoma until I found this church. Since that day this is where I have returned. I have never in my life felt more love, graciousness and appreciation for life then I do inside those 4 walls. The church is predominately black and a lot of the time when we are there we are singing and praising the lord.

Last year as well as this year after we prepared the meals at the church we were outsourced to local shelters. The last two years I have been sent to Nativity House. I love returning here because this is the place I used to serve in high school. Many of the same faces are still walking thru those doors. The building has changed and is much bigger then it used to be but the help and need however have not!

It seems like with the hustle and bustle of life we tend to forget that there are others in need and that are way worse off then us. Handing someone a hot plate of food can completely turn their day around. Sitting down to play a game of chess or to just say "how are you"? can make them feel worth something. They are not scary and they really truly appreciate the smallest of things. A pair of gloves, a hat or a hot cup of coffee. Our local shelters are in dire need of items for this winter. Last weeks weather was a small indicator of what we are in for over the next few months. 10 degrees is cold when you are on the streets and have no shelter. When you are cleaning out those drawers and making your goodwill bags. Drop them at a shelter instead. People are lined up to receive such small items to make their lives a little better off.

A small thing I have been doing lately is buying coffee cards with little amounts on them. When I am walking to get coffee near my office and am hit up for change I hand them these cards to the local Cutters Point. That way they can have $2 to get hot coffee or a pastry. A little amount to me but a huge deal to them!

Anyways I am coming off my soap box now. Thanksgiving was wonderful and I am so thankful for all the wonderful things and people in my life!

Fathers Feast

Last Thursday was Gracelyns Fathers Feast. Mara had one also but just Daddy went to that so I have no pictures. I however got to go to Gracelyns to take some pictures for her teachers. The children sang, prayed, ate and told us all the wonderful things about their dads. Justin had a great time and it was the perfect activity to do before boarding a plane for a month long mission to New Zealand and Antartica.

Job Carr

Last week I got a chance to go on a field trip with Mara's class to the Job Carr museum at the bottom of 30th street hill in Tacoma. I have driven by and walked by this place a thousand times and have never really thought twice about it. It just looked like and old wood house. Amazingly enough it is set up like a museum and the point of it is to learn about the history of Tacoma. The kids learned how the pioneers lived and how our city got to be the way that it is. They had people dressed in attire appropiate for the times and they held the kids attention the entire time with masses of fun information.

Bread Making

A few weeks ago I brought Papa home from the nursing home to get a lesson in bread making. This is the old country recipe that our family has used for years. It isn't in a cookbook, it is simply upstairs. I figured that somebody else better learn it to be able to pass it on. This was Papas first try at the kitchen in 2 years. Although it was a bit frusterating for him with the wheel chair he actually did great.

Bottom line the bread was great and we had a blast learning how to make it!

Strep Throat

We were down and out for some time with Strep Throat. This poor little munchkin was so sick with a sore throat and a very high temp. A round of antibiotics, a whole lot of Motrin,a weeks worth of rest and we were much better!

Gracelyn the Breakfast Maker

Gracelyn made us Breakfast the other morning. Eggs, pancakes and sausage were on the Menu. This girl loves to help in the kitchen and I love the help!

Costumes 2010

Mara= Sassy Vampire Alice in Wonderland

Gracelyn= Monkey

SUGAR

My girlfriend Donna opened this cute little store on Proctor called Sugar. I have been meaning to blog about it for some time but just haven't had time. Donna and I have been friends for about 6 years and she is by far the most creative, talented girl I know. The ideas are endless when it comes to her brain and I feel so lucky to have her in my life. Mara and her daughter Stella have been friends since preschool. This year Sugar got to do a lot with me for Festival of Trees. I hired her to do 650 table giveaways and for the 750 lucky ladies that will attend Ladies Night Out they will get to experience her creative side there.

The store is full of fun old fashion candy but what she loves to do is party bags and favors. This was the cute mummy container she gave Mara to go along with her Birthday present.

Thanks Donna.. We love Sugar

and more Halloween Parties

Halloween weekend was busy busy. Lots of pumpkin carving, sweet treats and friends!

Party Time

Mara decided to wait on her friend Birthday party this year until Halloween. The theme was costumes and boy did we have a blast. I rented the Fircrest Rec Center for the night and did all the fun things that come with Halloween Parties!! I did spooky decorations,music, craft tables, cupcakes, spooky stories and games. The kids had more pizza, soda and candy then you could possibly imagine and they had a blast.

Michelle Obama

Did you know that my daughter was the first lady?? Ok well maybe not but on this day she was pretending to be Michelle Obama. Mara did an oral report on her and this was her presenting the information. Mara got an A and she deserved it. Although she spoke a bit fast she was clear, direct and made great eye contact.

Happy Cakes

The only thing better in the morning other then breakfast is Happy cakes for breakfast. The girls loved it and I must admit they are super fun to make!