MyMemories quick pages

Since I was gone all day on a field trip with K to Pamplin Historical Park, I decided to customize the "Partini in Paradise" quick page from MyMemories.  Our theme for the Food Services Crew was Luau.  So, I inserted a photo of our crew from the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure and added pink flowers, lace, ribbon, stitching, staples, and a quote box.  I was tired and didn't have a lot of time on hand, nor much attention span for staring at the screen.  With that in mind, I think it turned out pretty well.  Proving that even the most novice can succeed at scrap booking with this easy-to-use program. 

Here's the before...

And here's the after...

Tomorrow, I'll be sharing a page that my 10-year old created. I opened the program, gave her minimal instruction and let her go with it.

Also, don't forget to leave a comment here to enter a chance to win a free MyMemories Suite.

Copy and paste Promo Code STMMMS74641 to receive $10 off your purchase at MyMemories.com.

Disclosure: I received the MyMemories Suite digital scrapbooking software referenced above for free in exchange for a mention of their product on my blog. Regardless, the comments and opinions in these posts are my own, I have not been paid to give positive feedback on their product. Additionally, you're email address will NOT be used by the company, sold, leased, or given to anyone other myself. It's sole purpose is to contact you if selected as winner, so that you may receive your free code for the MyMemories Suite.

Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure 2011

Thursday morning, we hopped on the train bound for D.C.  The All-Crew Meeting was held here again...

Thursday night, we stayed at the Hotel Rouge, just like last year.  The view from the seventh floor looked like this...

Even though I love living in the country, I have an appreciation for the city. Amongst all the rushing, angry people, you can always find kind souls and beautiful architecture.   At the metro, we made friends with a couple of 3-Dayers who were also staying at the Rouge.  Shortly after arriving at the hotel, we called them and met for dinner.  Feeling like kindred souls, we walked the streets and did some sight-seeing, also known as "we got lost".

I had a long, tiring weekend, camping in the mud and waking before the crack of dawn, my muscles ache and I'm exhausted, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world.  Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure is something I look forward to every year, eagerness courses through my veins.  The excitement never goes away and while I don't know that I'll ever walk it again, thanks to the blisters I get after 5 or 6 miles (even though I toy with the idea from time to time) - I will Crew.

We took the lemons we were dealt and made lemonade.  I was thankful for the rain pants and muck boots I packed at the last minute on Thursday morning, they were worth their weight in gold!  I put away my camera for the rest of the weekend, wishing I'd brought my "big" camera instead.  The sights were all pleasantly familiar and I was happy to be living amid the world of pink.  This year, I was part of the awesome Food Services team where I made new friends, exchanged info and made plans for next year.  I thoroughly enjoyed my dreary, dismal weekend of rain.  The sun shown through, we laughed and joked, we had the best of times.

I was thrilled to see some "new" friends from last year.  Since mom and I weren't on the same team, I planned on joining Mr. J for breakfast every morning, but due to a wedding, they weren't able to be there this year.  They were at closing ceremonies, which was good enough for me.  And we planned to meet for dinner and catch up.  For real this time.

Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure is about finding a cure for breast cancer, but it's also about camaraderie, friends who become family, people supporting one another in love.  Everyone uniting for a cause, everyone sharing pain and adoration, tears and smiles.  No one wants to see others suffer, so we weather the storm together.  A love for fellow mankind.  1 Thessalonians 3:12 reads, "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else..."  Love is definitely abundant at the 3-Day.

While reading the introduction to 1 Thessalonians, I found this..."In the third century, St. Cyprian wrote to a friend named Donatus:  This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair garden under the shadow of these vines.  But if I climbed some great mountain and looked out over the wide lands, you know very well what I would see; brigands on the high road, pirates on the seas, in the amphitheaters men murdered to please the applauding crowds, under all roofs misery and selfishness.  It really is a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world.

Yet, in the midst of it, I have found a quiet and holy people.  They have discovered a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of this sinful life.  They are despised and persecuted, but they care not.  They have overcome the world..."

While it's not exactly a quiet place ~in fact, it's extremely loud~ the 3-Day for the Cure is full of love and kindness.  And I was ecstatic and honored to have spent my weekend there.

Nonsense

I have been so busy in the last two weeks.

I will not recap, it'd be way too long - you and I both know it.

I have been sewing away.

I will try to post some pics tomorrow but, I'm not promising.

On that note, I must tell you about this place.

I was overwhelmed with all of the gorgeous fabric there.

For me, it's definitely a place where you already have to have in mind

what you're going for and they re-upholster furniture. 

We saw some of their work, ready to be picked up, nice!

I will tell you that as I was driving over some homemade lasagna, salad, and blackberry wine cake to my grandparents, I saw a beautiful winter sunset and couldn't help but thank God for the gorgeous day (with 64 as the high!  Can you even believe it?!  Wow!)

The sky was blue and purple with fluffy cotton candy pink clouds.

There were well-defined pink trails where jets had flown threw, breaking up the blueish-purple sky and it was absolutely stunning!

Also, another high for the day.

While I was waiting to pick up Caleb, I sat in my car reading.

It's one of those frugal movement things - saves gas if I stay in town.

At the 2.5 hour mark, I couldn't hack it anymore, I had to do something.

I'd already run errands and gotten groceries the day before.

So, I ran over to Target where I scored an entire outfit, completely on clearance!

Cute trousers = $17.50 (not exactly a bargain but, hey!)

Cute Sweater = $5.00

Cute Slip-ons = $4.98

I absolutely hate clothes shopping, with a passion!

So for me, this was outstanding!

You see, nothing ever fits right,

I have obscenely long legs and arms.  

Nothing ever fits in the waist that is long enough for the legs.

SO, if you buy a smaller size, the smaller the appendages are.

I'm in no way bragging but, I wear an XS or S in shirts,

and pants just depend on the brand but, they have to be LONG.

Neither set of limbs can find a good length of fabric.

All in all, it makes for an extremely frustrating shopping trip.

And my mom doesn't understand this at all.

Tomorrow, I will start a new book, as I finished another today.

My mom secretly got this as a gift and had it autographed at the 2010 3-Day.

She surprised me with it at Christmas and I can't wait to get into it.

Then, I have a laser appointment.  Oh joy.

I tell myself  it will be worth it soon!

I can handle 5 minutes or so of zaps.

See you tomorrow. or Friday. or the weekend?

Thanks for stickin' around, I'll try not to be gone for so long this time.

a simple request

Maybe blogs aren't the place for asking favors but,
I have a simple request of you, my friends. 

At the 2010 Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure, included in our our crew team was a

lady (we'll call her P), her daughter and sister who flew in from another state.
She is a warm, caring, enjoyable woman with a wonderful family.

This morning, I received an email from her...

Hello DC Crew --

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and best wishes for a Merry Christmas.

I have a favor to ask.  Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I undergo a bilateral mastetcomy and reconstruction on December 21st.  I didn't have the best news with my annual mammogram at the end of October.  I didn't have a recurrence of my first cancer but rather a different kind of cancer in my right breast.  I had the choice of lumpectomy with radiation or mastectomy and we decided to go with the mastectomy. 

Thank you!

P

I wrote her back...

P,

I'm so sorry to hear this news.  You will be in my prayers and in the prayers of others as we storm the heavens for you.  I pray that the LORD will bring your doctors wisdom and steady hands, and that you may find peace and comfort in God and those who surround you with their love and support.  I know J will take good care of you.  Give her my best!  And I know that it's a long haul but, I hope that you will come back to crew in DC again sometime.  Keep us updated.  Merry Christmas!

With love,
MK

My request of you, is simply this - pray for her.

"When a believing person prays, great things happen."

- James 5:16



Last chance!

So, my mom and I were feeling pretty crummy the other week when we realized we had missed the deadline for the $35 discount for the 2011 Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure.

(It's held in most major cities.)

Tonight, I was checking my email and voila!

There was a message about the deadline being extended until December 6th!

GOD IS GOOD!

So, I am passing this on...

the regular registration fee is $90,

with the discount - only $55!

The code, you ask?

CURE2011

Now, why I'm involved...
My mother's had breast cancer.
Both of my grandmothers had breast cancer.

My grandmother's two sisters had breast cancer.

My grandmother's mother had breast cancer.

My dad's first cousin died at the age of 34 from breast cancer.

There are many similar stories in my family.

Do you see where I'm going with this?  I think you get the point.

My mom was diagnosed just before Christmas of 2008,
I was fed up!  I'd had enough!  I would lay down no more!

I decided in February 2009, that I was serious about doing the 3-Day.

My best friend, of 20 years and I signed up together as a team,

Cheryl's Girls,

paying tribute to my mom.

A friend of mine, had walked the 3-Day the year before and I had heard her story.

It wasn't good.

I didn't care.  

I was bound and determined to make my stand against breast cancer!

What were the requirements?

Well, first, you had to raise $2,300 in donations in order to
participate in the actual walk.

This was just a tad bit intimidating.

I didn't care, I was gonna' do it.

I raised $6,711.26!

My eyes bulge when I look at this number?

(You see, I live in a teeny, tiny town where it's the norm to make corn pudding and apple pie all the time, people don't just go out and raise thousands of dollars and then, agree to walk 60 miles!  What kinda fools what ever think that up?!  Hmm, I did!)

It was hard work, but I do believe my mom made it all happen due to the person she is.

As a physical therapy aide, she shares her playful spirit and warm heart with

her patients and co-workers daily.  They absolutely love her!

I know she made it easy for me.

All in all, my best friend and I raised just under $10,000 together.

I was so proud of us.  Thinking about it, makes me giddy with excitement all over again!

Lastly, we couldn't just talk the talk...we had to walk the walk!

(OK, with a lot of training in between.)

SIXTY MILES.

Yep, I said it.

Twenty miles a day for three days.

All while camping and using porta-johns!

And yes sirree, we did it!

In 2010, we crewed it (volunteered/staffed).

I plan on crewing again in 2011 and then walking in 2012.

That's the plan at least.

The pictures you see below are from 2009.

If you haven't already,

I encourage you to read my other posts about the 3-Day...

Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure

Recruiting and promoting

Faith and Encouragement

Weather Gotcha Down?

If you read or read my other posts, you will or have seen this year's photos.

We participate in Washington, D.C.  Hope you will join us!

6:00am - Day 1

Day 1 - The Capital

Day 1 - Proud to be holding the "I'm honoring MY MOTHER" flag!



Day 2 - motorcycle patrol, love the kilt!

Day 2 -Entrance to Camp

Day 3 - (freezing cold) and yes, we love the safety patrol!



Day 3 - Sixty miles down!

Cheryl's Girls - Me, Mom, T.