The Cure-rageous Knitters

Walking and Knitting for a cure.

Last year I was invited to join a friends team and walk all night long in the American Cancer Association Fundraising event called Relay for Life. I found it to be one of the most beautiful and rewarding experiences I have ever had. I walked in memory of my sister Julianne, and family friend, Jennifer Fick. Two Angels. Little did I know then, that I would be walking again this year, but this time as a cancer survivor.

The Relay is much more than a walk around a track. It is a time to remember those lost to cancer and celebrate those who have survived.

Wanting to participate again this year....and being team-less, I decided to start my own team. "The Cure-rageous Knitters." The event is being held here in Eden Prairie at the Central Middle School track on July 21st, 2006. That is next month, folks! Don't have much time here. I need your help.

Three ways you can help.

1. Donations to my personal page (however small) are so very welcome and so very appreciated.

2. Join our team and collect donations yourself and come out and have a great time knitting and walking all night long. The objective is to have at least one person from our team on the track at all times throughout the event. I will set up a tent for anyone needing to "rest up" a bit. Food and beverages are being donated all night long by local resturaunts and sponsors. If you don't knit, that's okay, come, walk, sit, chat, eat, whatever you want. It's all for a great cause.

3. Or Spread the Word. A link on your own personal blog, or a few e-mails really goes a long way.

Eeks.......This is going to be so much fun!

Go Grease Lightning......

My godson Jason and my son Ian doin' the We go together,
like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong,

Move over John Travolta. These boys are s-mo-kin'

And just for a big,huge gut wrenching belly laugh..check out my sisters and I sporting the poodle skirts our mom made us. Really now, these things weren't meant for middle aged gals, such as ourselves. Good thing we have good senses of humor.(Okay, I'll speak only for myself here.....my little sisters actually look pretty good.)

So you can tell I had a great time with my mom and dad and sisters and their kids visiting, before they headed on to our family reunion in S.Dakota. As mentioned, my mom made each one of us girls a poodle skirt to wear to the sock hop dance at the reunion. Yes, I come from BIG family. I decided not to attend the reunion this time as I thought it might be too soon post surgery for me. But it was nice that my mom made a skirt for Olivia and me anyway.

They all left Wednesday morning. Oh how I miss them already.





These cousins are like two peas in a pod.

Leave it to Beaver Land

Dear Dana, Mindy, Jill, Tara, Jeneen, Heather, Allison, Janet, Barb, Amy, Suzy A. and Suzie S.,

I just wanted to let you know that whenever I talk about Eden Prairie to my (out of state) friends and family....I always gush about the wonderful friends I have made here in Settler's Ridge. I am sure that they all think that I am just being overly dramatic the way I go on and on about how nice everybody is here and how we all watch each other's kids, about the really cool block parties we throw, the bon-fires with all the kids running around playing flashlight tag, all the G.N.O. (girls night outs) or mid-day margarita's at Dana's house (just for the heck of it) and so on and so on. But really, I am not being dramatic. I do live in June Cleavers world. ...and this letter is a testament to you.

Today I woke up, got dressed, let three complete strangers into my house (with their own rags and cleaning products, and went off shopping for the day. Yep, I went shopping! All day long! No, really. It was my day off. Get this.... Somebody else was cleaning my house besides me for once!

I came back after several hours to the most thoroughly clean and sweet smelling home. Not only did they do the regular cleaning, but they also cleaned all the baseboards, light fixtures, and blinds too! Thank you my dear friends for all chippin' in and hiring me maid services for a day. What an incredible treat....and really, this couldn't have come at a better time, because although I've been feeling so much better lately, I've also been feeling sorta frustrated over not being able to do all the things that really have needed to get done around here. (Notice, how shopping is never a problem, though.)

But here's the icing on the cake. (as if that wasn't enough, eh?) While I was out doing my shopping thang (with not a care in the world, mind you).......the elementary school health room is desperately trying to get a hold of me to tell me that Ian is feeling very ill and should be picked up from school.......and of course, my cell phone is not charged..... (which I didn't realize at the time.... because why would I....I'm out shopping and "the people" are cleaning my house.

Needless to say, they never got a hold of me.....and didn't get a hold of Byron either. Who they do get a hold of, however, is my next door neighbor Tara. She went down to the school and picked up Ian (with her own two toddlers in tow) and played nurse-maid to Ian all day long. (while I'm out shopping) Now how is that for being neighborly? (I'll blog about my immense guilt another time.

Meanwhile ....back at the farm, I come home.... thinking I am Queen of my CLEAN castle, prop up my feet up and press play on my message machine. (okay, so I didn't really prop up my feet. (What? and get dust on my squeaky clean desk? Uh....I don't think soo!)

Anyway, bubble burst.
Back to Reality.
My Cue.......It's mommy time.
Go next door and get Ian.

Factoids. In the reality of "Beaver Land", June would've been cleaning her OWN home (in pearls).....would have picked up "the Beave" from school HERSELF, and never ever would've been out charging up a storm on Visa without asking Ward first. But what-ever! The point is .....here in my little world.....we all look out and (I believe genuinely care)for each other. I certainly can't think of any place on earth closer to the idea of "Leave it to Beaver Land" than here. Thank you so much dear friends. I look forward to when I'm able to repay all of your kindness and favors.

Love, LisaD.

p.s. Ian is feeling much better.