Its over....finally

I had almost no sleep last night and am currently running on the 15 million ounces of caffeine I poured down my throat today. Team Chaos and Mayhem pulled off our goal and then some for the March of Dimes March for Babies fundraiser today. Travis and Sam were undoubtedly hungover but they were in brighter spirits (and shape overall) than I was today. I was late...big surprise..... but we did it. Our initial goal was $500, which Jessi killed her first day of donation seeking, so I raised our goal to $800 (I didn't want to go too high since donors were starting to lag)... but we doubled that today too. We raised $1576!!!! Not too shabby for only 2(ish) weeks. I was pretty surprised. The walk was from 10-12 and then it was back to the homestead for final steps in the pre-party process. And Ashtyn's birthday party went very well. Part of the reason for no sleep last night was because Julie and I were up until 1:30am decorating Ashtyn's cake which tasted delicious and looked pretty good for 2 girls who have no idea how to decorate a cake. The weather was awesome... a bit too hot, but we finally got to use the swimming pool we got her 2 years ago which the kids all loved. Pepere and Nonna gave her a wonderful playhouse. My dad.... aka Pepere, built it to resemble our camp. It came out awesome. She got tons of kitchen and fake food things to put in her new house. And a beautiful princess ball gown with shoes from Grandmama and Papa. I still haven't even actually scene half of the gifts since I was dealing with Taylor and everything else but she is spoiled spoiled spoiled. There were so many kids here today and I don't think there was a single episode of bickering, whining, fighting, nothing. Everyone was completely awesome. This one little girl, who I met today for the first time, completely blew me away. She was absolutely in love with Taylor's little hand. She kissed her "smiley" a bunch of times and acted like it was the coolest thing she'd ever seen. Yet again reassuring me that Taylor will be fine. I'm still waiting for the day some little bully picks on her.... I'm really waiting to see how bad she pummels anyone who dares to pick on her, but either way...it will someday happen. Just not today. Today would not have happened without all the help from my family. They tied up all the loose stings I forgot about or just couldn't pull off and helped out so much. Lisa, Mom, Dave, Ryan, Julie, Dad, Jess, Bryan and my hubby Jeremy Thank you all for your help. Thank you everyone who Marched today. Thank you everyone who donated. And thank you to everyone who joined us today. This week has sucked, today was awesome and finally...its over.....now I can get some sleep

I'm going to be an aunt....and other things that happened this week

Now that I've got your attention......Its not Julie!!! Jeremy's half-sister Crystal is expecting. Congrats Crystal!!! (Jolene and GG, I saw you both jump, and I'm giggling to the point of wetting myself.) Team "Chaos and Mayhem" (March of Dimes) has grown to 8 members (and 7 baby-members).... and we've raised almost 500 dollars so far (not bad for 10 days).....we've got 15 days left to rally some more funds but 4 people joined us yesterday and I don't know yet how much CrownPoint is donating for Travis. Now if only I can pull something similar off to help Shriners. Depending on how this vote of theirs goes in July, I may be attempting a community wide party to benefit them. I'm still in the pondering stages and finding out what I can for info on how to go about this project. If all goes as planned it shouldn't be a big deal and it could actually get a lot of donations for them and be a ton of fun. Here's to hope. For those of you completely confused as to what I'm talking about, you apparently somehow missed the 8,000 posts of news clips I put up, but the hospital Taylor goes to for her prosthetics and Orthopaedic needs might close, along with 5 of their other locations due to lack of funds, stock market losses, decline of donations, etc. If they close Taylor and lots of other kids will either have to trek thousands of more miles away for care, or they may not even be able to receive care anymore. That's not an option in my book. I'm currently trying on much smaller than community-wide-party scale to rally some donations and at least light a fire under some people's tushies to donate. I've got a million and one ideas, I just need to figure out how to make them work. Hmmm other stuff that's going on... Jeremy got his engineer's license, so he can now drive the train without someone holding his hand:) Woo-hoo! And a raise:) Super-WOO-HOO! and a cut in hours :( Not so woo-hoo. But back on the ups, one of my ex-daycare families might be a re-enrolled daycare family!! Yippee. Apparently "Mom" and her mom and step-dad are going into a Tri-ownership of a new restaurant. Super! And my current part time fella might become a full timer in May. Its about time something changed for the better around here. I hate not having a ton of kids around, I get all out of sorts when its just my two. When I've got a bunch, I've got a schedule, I've got rhythm, I've got some sanity. When its just Ashtyn, Taylor and myself, there is no schedule, there is not rhythm, its full of indecision and destruction, or a doctors visit that will undoubtedly be accompanied by a HUMONGOUS BLOW OUT TANTRUM FROM HELL...in other words, not as fun as it should be. Speaking of my tantrum-haver, she's in love with her dad this week?!?! She had a complete break down when he left to go to Sam's tonight. She ran to the door behind him and just screamed and cried and yelled for her daddy. It was so sad but nice at the same time. She's not usually (at least for the past year) very lovey. She is generally happy just doing whatever with whoever until she gets in trouble and then she wants anyone who isn't the person scolding her. But the last couple days, she's been a total Daddy's girl. And when she's not glued to her dad, she's trying to help me with anything and everything. I don't know what happened to her or if she's been switched with an alien, but she's a total different kid this week. On that note, I've have caught you up on the good, the bad and the in general happenings of the homestead and now I'm departing to my bed.... my mind is jumping around like a kid with ADD after drinking a 12 pack of redbull.....I'm sure you've noticed......waaaaaay past my bedtime. Goodnight

A pic for you, Jolene

I do have more to post when I get a minute or two. This week and last have been crazy.... 6 appointments with doctors, physical therapists and prosthetists, ripping up 2 driveways and then putting them back together again, sanding, painting and cleaning my in-laws computer room, watching another child above and beyond my own two, everyone being sick, a birthday party this weekend, planning 2 other birthday parties for both of the next 2 weekends, a walk-a-thon and brainstorming fundraiser ideas.....All that and fighting with Ashtyn for just one decent picture of her and Taylor, or even just of her alone......hopefully it will happen....but for now, I'm pooped.