Laurie Kathryn's 6th Annual Butterfly Dance

It's that time of year again! The girls can not wait to strut around with

their butterfly wings again at

 

Sunday September 9, 2012



1-6pm at Patch Park in Charlestown, NH

There will be food, music, 3 bounce houses,

activities and more!

Donations are welcome and greatly appreciated.

All proceeds go to children's charities in the community.

The event is rain or shine.

 

(if you need directions google "Charlestown NH Ambulance" ,

the park is out behind their building or "Fort Number 4" which is

267 Springfield Rd, Charlestown, NH is next to the park...

either way, you can't miss it)

 

The following I snagged from Dee's facebook page:

 

"For those of you who are wondering what this event is all about-Laurie was mine and Stacy's daughter. Shortly after she turned 3, she acquired a virus that turned into a nasty strain of pneumonia. The illness only lasted a few days, but she passed away from it.
In memory of Laurie, we have a Butterfly Dance. She loved butterflies and dancing. Here, we raise money and turn it around and donate it to local charities that benefit children. Some of the charities include the Headstart programs, Christmas Fund, Toddler Program at the Charlestown Library, clothing a toddler who's house burned, summer pool passes, and more!
It is just a fun day for kids. The bounce houses keep them well entertained. We also have activity tables, music and dancing, food and raffles. Please come and join the fun! Your child will look forward to it all year:) "

 

Check out the event and invite friends on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/events/154563748000910/

Don't Use Planet Aid Yellow Boxes

I donated a bunch of clothing and shoes to the Mason's Clothe the Children project, baby blankets and newborn outfits to Valley Regional Hospital (where both my girls and I were born) and food to our local food shelf this week (I'm in super un-clutter mode...and want to give back at the same time). During my struggle with my closet and shelves, I attempted to rally up some more donations from others. When I met up with a girl in Claremont to pick up her contribution for the clothes drive she told me she was glad I found a legitamit charity because she had dropped off a bunch of clothes to the Planet Aid box and was told that the clothes deposited in them where just shreded. She was the second person to tell me something "not right" about the Yellow Boxes. Another person told me the Planet Aid people were selling them to fatten their own wallets. I was pretty annoyed by this idea since last month I brought 6 contractor bags full of coats, backpacks, shoes, clothes, whatever and deposited it into a Yellow Box. So I decided to check it out when I got home.... it isn't good. The short of it is.....don't bring anything to the Planet Aid yellow boxes. Look for a legitimate charity locally.... there are many!


http://cbs3.com/investigations/I..Team.CBS.2.309677.html

http://www.7dvt.com/2008/planet-aid-help-poor-or-charitable-pandora-s-box

http://organizer.wordpress.com/2007/12/20/thinking-outside-the-yellow-box/

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/investigative/051209_fox_5_investigation_planet_aid

Waaaaaay too much again

I received an email a couple weeks ago from Ashtyn's school about the Mason's doing a "Clothes for Children" clothing drive for local less fortunate children. Well, they are in for some overloading. I went through the clothes up in my attic...and filled up 2 totes of clothes to give. Then proceeded through what was piling up all over the kids' room and filled another tote of donatables. Then it was on to the basement and closet....hmmm.... I think I need a bulldozer.


My bed is somewhere underneath this mountain of clothing. I just wish they wanted clothing of all sizes not just newborn to 9-10 year old.

I just emailed the Mason (Ashtyn's teacher's father) about how much I have for them and am awaiting an oh-my-god type response. I have 6 totes full right now and I haven't found my bed yet (which I need to do before Jeremy gets home from working up in Newport on Wednesday) and I have a huge bag full of newborn footed onsie outfits, blankets and newborn hats for the hospital..... oh man. And I still have sooooooo much stuff left to go through... and in all honesty I'm totally keeping stuff I can't part with yet....first Christmas dresses and the like..... but I'm trying to be better. Its awesome that my kids are provided for so well, but I feel bad that we are so fortunate and completely spoiled. Its so hard for me to not be a pack rat....its in my blood. My mom and aunt Kathy have perfected it. They have more stuff in their houses than you'd find in 50 "normal" houses..... but they display everything perfectly and beautifully and its always dusted and spotless... and then theres my house...... more clothing than you'd find in the mall, more furniture than the biggest antique store on the planet.....enough toys, ride ons, bouncy seats and what have you for 5 kids (in all fairness its because I have at least 5 kids at my house almost all the time) and my house is itty bitty. At least too itty bitty for me....a normal person would be fine but me and my brood...not so much. Anyway the point of my rambling..... I set out to thin out and thanks to the Mason's having this clothing drive, I finally am allowing myself to thin out a bit.

iGive : Raise money for International Child Amputee Network, every time you search the web.

iGive : Raise money for International Child Amputee Network, every time you search the web.

Click on this link before you do your online shopping or searches for shopping goodness.... whenever you buy something from overstock, amazon, ebay, etc part of your sale will be donated to I-CAN... It only takes a second to register.... help out a good cause by doing something you are going to do anyway

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My little cuties

I'm not-so-patiently awaiting the release of this week's Compass paper.... There was a photographer at the butterfly dance Sunday and she took a zillion pictures of both girls.......... cute, cute stuff.

Laurie Kathryn's Butterfly Dance

I finally managed to find Dee (Laurie's Mom) today so I could snag some fliers for this wonderful event they host every year so I can finally share the info.

Laurie Kathryn Hassett died on July 4th, 2006. She was 3 years old. News travels fast around here and I learned about it within minutes of it happening and I just about had a break down when I heard the news. Ashtyn was 2 months and some days old and I was still very post pardom crazy. Just hearing that someone lost their baby ripped me in two. I didn't even know Dee then, and I never met her beautiful little girl, but just knowing that a mother lost her child, it was more than I could take. It has been three years and I still get teary when I think of their loss. On a slightly more positive side, Laurie helped me realize my "loss" was not a loss at all and the little picture I have of her on my fridge reminds me everyday to love and cherish every second with my girls, even the very very bad seconds. Now, every year, the Hassett's host a Butterfly Dance in memory of their precious little girl. And now that I've shared a little piece of the story, and why I feel so compelled to share this with everyone, here's the flier and info:

(Click the pic for a larger view)


Patch Park in Charlestown, NH (I have linked the map to Charlestown Ambulance because even though it shows Patch Park on the map, mapquest doesn't think it has its own address.....its the same place)

Donations are accepted (recommended $10 for adults). Hope to see everyone there.... and kids, don't forget your wings.