my weekend

My weekend consisted of:

relaxing with pasta and red wine and some tv shows on Friday night

job applications...always...

Participating in the March of Dimes' March for Babies for the seventh year in a row on Saturday morning! My team raised over $2,200!! So proud!!

Stopping for coffee and fresh bakery treats after the Walk.

Coffee with friends and browsing Von Maur and Ulta.

Enjoying pizza and the Blackhawks game (win! a big win,too!) on Saturday night.

Church and hanging with the twin sis on Sunday afternoon.

Cleaning.

Reading

Enjoying an April weekend.

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And now,another Monday is just about here!

november is:

Prematurity Awareness Month!

And just like I have done before,I will be donating $1 to the March of Dimes for every drink I buy at Starbucks.

I have coffee AND support an important cause!

weekend

This weekend was a good one!
Friday night: grilled dinner and beer while catching up on shows and watching the Blackhawks (win!).
Saturday: Up early for the March for Babies! Team V.I.C. raised over $1500!! So proud and thrilled!

After the walk and treats for my Team I met up with Besties P and K for coffee/von maur/target. Fun times! Then I actually stayed in all night with some wine,pizza and tv :)

Sunday

church,lunch,paid bills, watched the Blackhawks (win,again!!) and read more of Marcus Luttrell's Lone Survivor 

Here we are again,Monday,here's to hoping this is a fast week.

2014 Walk

Tomorrow is the March of Dime's  March for Babies! Their biggest fundraiser they have,I am participating for the sixth year in a row with my team. Please help us raise money to help all babies and their mothers!!! Keep us in your prayers and thoughts,too :)

One day, ALL babies will be born healthy!

(Just click on my left sidebar button to donate).

wednesday

It has been sunny and a bit cooler around here (highs int he 40s/50s) but I will take it.

Blackhawks,good luck tonight!!!!

Saturday morning is the March of Dime's March For Babies! Team VIC is excited and we have already raised over $1000! There is still time to donate though,click on my left sidebar button (any size donation is welcomed.)

I am reading Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell and it is good;but I soak up any true/history/soldier story so I knew I would like it.

This Summer I am tagging along on another B family vacation,this time to North Carolina and I CANNOT WAIT. Oh, Lovebugs,gear up!

Deadliest Catch returned last night, I recorded it though...and Alaska State Troopers is new this week,too!

If you are the type,would you please say some extra prayers that I find a more suitable teaching job for this coming year...I am worn out from the disappointment and I just don't know if I ever will have my own real classroom. So anything extra would be great :)

God is good,all the time!!!!!

March for Babies 2014

Please, help me help babies!!

If you feel so inclined,make a donation to my Team (Team VIC-very important cause) as we participate for the SIXTH year in a row in the March of Dimes' biggest annual fundraiser. I love raising money,praying for all the families involved in every way, and walking with others who have gone through the same journey as my own family.

God bless ALL babies and their families!!

Hopefully,one day all babies will be born healthy!!

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2013,2012,2011,2010,2009

weekend

Thanks,Syn & Sar!

Saturday:

Lovebug #2's First Communion!

Sunday:
The March of Dimes Walk!

The route was in a new area of the Forest Preserve,much prettier/scenic actually :)

Then I relaxed,did some more job applications, went to coffee with Bestie P, took a brief nap and read more of A Place of Secrets.

Overall, a busy yet fun and family-centered weekend!
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Happy Monday!

one last plea

Hey you awesome readers and friends!!

I am walking tomorrow in the March of Dimes' annual fundraiser  March for Babies. It is my fifth year supporting this wonderful and personal cause. I am more than halfway towards my goal,but I still have a little ways to go.

If you feel so inclined, please click on my left sidebar button to make a monetary donation (in ANY amount you can). It ALL helps and makes a difference.


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Hopefully,one day ALL babies can be born healthy!

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Thanks!!

Happy Saturday!!

i need your help for a good cause

Have you heard of the March of Dimes? It is an awesome charity that was started by our former President, FDR, as a way to raise funds to help create a polio vaccine and it eventually branched out to help all sick babies and their families.

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The March of Dime's mission is simple and incredibly important: We help moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies.

Prematurity is such a close-hitting factor in my own family. My twin sister and I were born 9 weeks early weighing in at a total of just over 5 lbs...my first born nephew was earlier than thought and spent a week in the nicu/special care nursery...two of my cousins have had sweet little boys that were born much too soon and spent weeks and weeks in the NICU. 

Prematurity can affect anyone and everyone. It has no boundaries and it doesn't always end with a happy,healthy baby(ies). There are numerous factors that cause premature births and so much more time,energy and research is needed to help put an end to it,once and for all.

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That is why I walk in the March for Babies every year and why I love donating to the March of Dimes;because they care and they use their monetary donations well and whole-heartily.

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The March of Dimes' 75th Anniversary is approaching as is their annual fundraiser,March for Babies. I have had the honor of walking in this event for four years already (2009, 2010,2011,2012) and I am stunned that this will be my fifth year giving my support. Back in 2009 I created my own March for Babies team because it is such a worthwhile and critical cause, so Team VIC (very important cause) was made and my parents, twin sister and older sister have helped raise over $3,000 in the past four years alone.

But just like every year, I can use your help and support! Please,if you can, make a small donation to my team. It only takes a few minutes and it really is an incredible organization to support.

Plus as a fun incentive,if I raise just $75 this week (April 1-7) online then I get a super cool March of Dimes cup! I would love to show off my MOD support and pride with that :)

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If you are able and willing at this time,please make any size donation by clicking on my left sidebar badge;it would mean more than you will ever know to have your support. If you can't make a donation at this time,could you please keep my team and the other teams walking along with all the babies and families that  are in the NICU in your thoughts/prayers? That is just as important and priceless as a donation!!!!

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Thanks for listening :)

Hopefully, one day all babies will be born healthy.

silence and praying

world prematurity day

A cause so close to my heart! I am currently in the midst of my own personal November collection for the March of Dimes because it is the least I can do for something to important.

One day,ALL babies can be born healthy!!

Just keep all the sweet babies and their families in your thoughts/prayers today,especially.

(thanks to the MoD for this graphic)

things on my mind

{one} November is Prematurity Awareness Month so just like I have done the last couple of years, I will donate $1 every time I buy a drink at Starbucks :) Just something small I decided to do for myself because I love supporting the MoD and I go to Starbucks at least once a week...a win-win for everyone.



{two} Tonight, Burn Notice returns! Two hours long, hooray!

{three} I have already participated in TWO swaps this month, no more until December now, I am cutting myself off for the sake of my wallet. I signed up for a fun ornament swap and a coffee mug swap :)

{four} My heart continues to break for the people on the East Coast, I cannot believe they were hit again...keeping them all in my prayers!!

{five} How is Thanksgiving two weeks away?! I am so excited though, most of my siblings will be in town and my parents are hosting (as usual) so we will have a fun time together!

{six} I am so glad the election is over, no more constant phone calls and commercials! (I am not a fan of politics at all!) All I will say is that I hope the President can truly make an improvement in his second term, for the better.

{seven} Girls' night at home tonight, I am thinking some chicago fire then a new hallmark Christmas movie i dvrd last weekend :)

{eight} I hope the NHL's lockout ends soon, now they are all just being ridiculous and spoiled. I say give all the money they are fighting over to people in need, like um to those crushed by Sandy! I just want to watch some Blackhawks' hockey, come on guys!!

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Happy Thursday!

March for Babies 2012

Thanks again to all of you who donated,prayed and kept Team V.I.C and all the other teams in your thoughts. It was ALL greatly appreciated! What a success we had again(about $1500 raised for my team!).

One day hopefully all babies will be born healthy!

March for Babies 2012

March for Babies 2012

The biggest and most fun charity event of the March of Dimes is their annual Spring March for Babies. It is just over 2 months away-my how fast time goes! I will be walking with my Team (Very Important Cause) for the fourth year in a row and I couldn't be more proud and excited.

The March of Dimes is such an important cause to me because it supports an issue close to my heart and family. Over the last couple of decades, my family has had 4 preemie babies (two of which were myself and my twin sister) born yet thrive, grow and live healthy lives. Not all families are as lucky as we have been which is why raising money for the March of Dimes is such a crucial task. The March of Dimes uses their funds for necessary research,support,education and for other resources in order to help prevent premature birth for all women and babies.

Last year Team V.I.C. raised over $1100 and it was well worth the time and effort.

Please think about sponsoring and supporting me and my team. Trust me, I know that this is not the best of time financially for a lot of people, but even the smallest donation can make a big difference. If donating is not an option this year then please keep my team, all the other teams, and all the babies and families in the NICU in your thoughts/prayers because that is an easy way to show your support.

If you feel inclined to make a donation (how ever big) you can do so through my button over on the right side of my blog...or through this link.

Hopefully one day ALL babies will be born healthy!!

Prematurity Awareness Month

November is Prematurity Awareness Month. It is a cause close to my heart (my left sidebar picture is actually of me when I was one month old after being born at 31 weeks with my twin sister; we weighed a combined total of 5 lbs 6 oz).

From the March of Dimes' monthly newsletter:

November is Prematurity Awareness Month, a time when the March of Dimes draws special attention to the problem of premature birth and raises funds to combat it. We know this cause is as important to you as it is to us. In 50 percent of cases, the cause of premature birth is unknown. Help us get to the day when all babies are born healthy and full-term. One voice can make a big difference.

So just like I have done the last two years, I will be making a donation at the end of the month to the March of Dimes based on how many Starbucks drinks I buy. For every drink I buy I will donate a $1; and if you know me you know that I frequent Starbucks a couple times a week and I tend to buy a drink for someone else every now and then. :) It adds up to a decent amount in the end!

I am just excited to support the MoD and the cause of Prematurity.



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By the way, how are there only 2 more months of this year left?!?! Time is going by too fast!

Radiothon

It is that time of year again...Eric and Kathy's Radiothon for Children's Memorial Hospital.

Feel free to make a donation here!

It is a wonderful cause and any amount is immensely appreciated.

MOD Walk 2011

I spent my birthday morning at the March of Dimes' Walk for Babies; a fitting way to spend it actually, considering I (and my twin sister) was born 9 weeks premature and I weighed 2lbs 2oz. It was quite a chilly and windy start but there was free coffee, sweet rolls and muffins and hundreds of people still showed up to support this wonderful cause.

The purple and white balloons that greeted us at the starting line...and our audience of elk :)

 

And as we neared the finish, the sun shined down upon us....a great way to end the walk :)

Thank you to all who donated, prayed and sent positive thoughts our way! We greatly appreciate it all and we have raised over $1100 this year!

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!

10...

...inches were chopped! I cut it all off for a good cause again, "beautiful lengths" that makes wigs for women.  I like having long hair but I was getting tired of it PLUS I love having short hair too! And it grows back, so no major worry on my part.

Before

After