HI!

I wanted to quickly blog to remind you all to watch the Season Finale of Extreme Makeover~Home Edition tonight!  It is the Williams family from here in Pine Mountain, Ga!  They are such a deserving family and their problems unfortunately will not end with a new home as the husband has ALS and quickly takes lives and the son has Spina Bifida!  I was there for the reveal and it was awesome and you could see how grateful they truly were and that was not re-recorded for the camera.......it was real!  Please remember to keep them in your prayers!

 

Also I wanted to let you all know that the companies that built the home, Nationwide and Palm Harbor, they all used their vacation time and paid for their own travel and hotel rooms and they all were so happy to have done it and all they cared about was getting this house done for this family, not that they were not being compensated for their time!  This was truly a blessing to have been a part of to see a community, family, and friends come together for a selfless act to help out some one in need!  Hope you all tune in!

Real Fast

I went in the house today and when I left after 9 tonight they were still working like crazy and had a fair amount to get done!  I saw Michael Malone in the house, one of the designers.  I met a guy that works for Disney that works for the show Handy Manny.  

I am tired so very very tired. I have to get in the bed so I can do it all again tomorrow.  I have VIP passes for the reveal tomorrow along with tons of other people.  This should be interesting.

Here is the latest on the money they are trying to raise........Day Six. They are still a long way away from what they need.  Even $1 adds up if you feel like donating $1!

Thank You LG for donating after I blogged about it!!!!!!

It has been an awesome experience this week.  I am so tired and I know as I am getting ready to head off to bed there are people working around the clock tonight, many have not slept but a few hours here and there.  Every person that I have talked to that works for NationWide/Palm Harbor will tell you they have had no sleep and it has been exhausting but they would not trade it for anything.  That says a lot about what an undertaking these builds are.  

Hopefully I will have more to share and some pics after I get to sleep.

Good Night!

HELP

As you all know I have been out volunteering the past couple days at the site of the Extreme Makeover Home Edition and I am headed back early in the morning.  I was able to go up and view the house today (don't have pictures of that because you are not allowed to take pictures).  The family is being blessed with a beautiful new home that will meet their needs.  The one need that has not been met yet is that they need a wheelchair accessible vehicle that can have a wheelchair lift installed for their son Jacob who has Spina Bifida.  The wheelchair lift has been donated already so Palm Harbor and Nationwide Homes are trying to make this a reality.  I was in the tent this evening when Dan came down, he is one of the higher ups on the project....I have been told his exact title with the company but for fear that I will give him the wrong title I am just letting you know he is of great importance to this project!  Anyways he shared with us that they have set up a fund for this and are trying to raise the money by Saturday which is reveal day.  So many people have brought it items and given of their time but they do feel this vehicle is a big thing that would drastically help them.  The family does not have a vehicle to support their needs for their son.  They are also trying to pay off their mortgage!  When Dan was speaking about this I told him I would go home and get to the blog, facebook, and email with this.  I know so many of you contribute to so many things but as he pointed out if you tell 10 friends and they each donate even $1-5 and then they tell 10 friends then the money will start to add up quickly to help this family out with one of their greatest needs.  If any of you are able to just do a few dollars that would be awesome.  If you are able to donate leave me a comment and there will be a surprise in it for you!  

Go to this site here and there is a paypal link to the right.  Dan is in that video above the paypal link.  He is the guy on the right.  

Here are a few pictures to share with you!

 

Dan with Nationwide Homes

This lady was donating this laptop to the family!

 

The two ladies are from Nationwide Homes and the guy on the right is with Extreme!  He is the man that brings down the blue shirts.  I am sure that is a job of many he does!

 

  

  

The Columbus Cottonmouths

Extreme Update

I have not been home long and will be going back to Pine Mountain at 8 am in the morning folks so I am making this a short one.  Long story short I ended up heading to the house after driving halfway through half of the Georgian counties because they did not need help at the high school because they were laying floor so other people really could not get in to do any work right then.  So when I got there they asked if I would like to help them in the tent?  SURE!  It is the main tent.  No one enters without going through the tent to receive their t-shirt, hard hats, badges and fill out release paper work.  So I get to go back tomorrow and Friday to work up their with some fun ladies and the ladies from Nationwide and Palm Harbor.  Not sure about the weekend though.  We have a party to go to Saturday night although I would like to go to the "Move the Bus" Saturday.  The Columbus Cottonmouths came through tonight to come help.  It is really awesome to see all the people that have come out to support them and donate of their time and skills.  One lady came in today and dropped off a bunch of toys for the kids.  Her kids and nieces and nephews all pooled their money together to buy them for the daughter and son that will move into the house!  How great!  Good Night!

You can go here to read about the family and what all is going on!
 

Extreme News

 

I get to go help on the Extreme Home Makeover this week!!!!!  Yep I do!  I saw where they were coming to our area and needed volunteers.  I volunteered Cas (him the days he is off) and I both a couple of weeks ago starting today through next Sunday but they had so many volunteers in the end that I received and email to come Wednesday.  They did not email me back about Cas though.   I guess they had all they needed after the media coverage over it.  We have been looking for ways to give back and when I heard about this I immediately got online and signed up!  I will not be at the house site I will be at the "other" site.  You know how many times they have another project going on.  The Dad works at the local hogh school and is a coach and the athletic director so I am thinking that they are doing something at his school.   I recieved the email about the family today and I will share it later this week.  The design team and Ty always travel to the "other" site as well so maybe I will get to see them or the celebrity that is working with them.  If not that is o.k. too because it is all part of giving back and "paying it forward"!  The rules say that you can not take pictures inside the house but I don't know if you can take "general" pictures or not?  I can not wait until Wednesday.....what Extreme fun!

Mmmm Mardi Gras

One of the best things about Mardi Gras.....King Cakes!

Yes I realize the baby is sitting on top!

It was deliscious!

We have been a couple of years to Mardi Gras in Mobile...I can not find the pictures on my computer though.....and we love it!  It is so fun to see what you get at the parades.  We have seen Halloween and Christmas candy thrown out before.  The Joe Cain parade is fun because the black beads are the coveted prizes.  Renea and I have even been thrown Mardi Gras panties before!  When I say panties I mean the cheap kind that are printed and would fit your baby doll!  What fun!   We really really wish we were going this year but with a wedding coming up we are not going to go and pay for a hotel room at Mardi Gras prices........Happy Mardi Gras!

Operation Christmas and Compassion

I set out to start getting some of my items for my shoe box's today and it is harder than you think.  I know you are thinking what is hard about finding some $1 items and filling a box.  Well when you think about what they really need it would never fit it a shoe box, a full size moving box or even a refrigerator box!  I did off course pick up pencils because that is one of the things that they love to get because they are far and few between and they can write or draw with them.  How many of you have given your child a stack of paper and a marker to draw or write to keep them busy?  That is not even something that some of these children get to do.  Cas and I were talking tonight about this and some other things such as the Compassion Bloggers trip to El Salvador that I am sure many of you have read about at Kelly's Korner as she has had the honor of traveling with them on this trip and is blogging about it.  I also came in to check blogger in time to read that Angie Smith had posted about their being a live feed interview with all of the Compassion Bloggers tonight so I was able to watch a good bit of it.  I had been watching the CMA's and came in here to check on something during a commercial break and read about that so I tuned in and I listened to the rest of it not even going back to the CMA's.  There stories are just so much to take in.  Last season on 18 Kids and Counting with the Duggar family they went to El Salvador as well and I have watched that episode a number of times and I have listened to them talk about the poverty there and they showed many of the children there.  The biggest thing of that episode that has stuck with me was when they went to an orphanage and they showed all of the precious children that are orphans and technically should be adoptable but they said it takes 7-8+ years to adopt a child from there if at all.  It sounded like the government just doesn't make them a priority.  I have been reading Kelly's blog all week with her stories and I a have also been following some of the other bloggers that are there as well.  They have asked for people to step up and sponsor a child or children through Compassion for the cost of $38 a month.  Sometime in the next year or two, when things are financially better I would love to be able to do this!  I went to Compassion's website and they have all of the children that need sponsors and I looked at the children in El Salvador, you can look at a list for any country, and I noticed a lot of the pictures have hearts on them.  I looked to see what that meant and it stated that  they have been on the list for over six months for a sponsor!  It is sad to read and see list after list of them!  So if any of you are able and would want to sponsor a child go visit their website.  I will tell you that I have cried while reading their blogs and watching their videos they have posted.  What a blessing for them to be able to go over and witness to these families and children! 

As far as Operation Christmas Child my friend Susannah is going do some boxes as well.  You can go read about it here!  As Cas and I were talking we decided we can go ahead and commit to this for next year as well.  Since I have been getting so many things for Free with my couponing and a lot of them are toiletries I can start putting some aside for next year. Sometimes I see the Freebies or the next to nothing deals and I don't get  them because we don't need them but I can go ahead and put them away as well as collecting pencils, etc during the after holiday sells when they have everything marked off!  If you decide to do this you can read my previous post on it and go to their website and you type in your zip code and they will tell you where to drop your box or boxes off at.  There should be a church or school close by to you!  God Bless You ALL and to ALL a goonight!

A, B, C, and D From ME

A: I will be in Birmingham for the day tomorrow at the Southern Women's Show.  I will be by myself so if you are going call me!  Kate Gosselin will be there at 1:00.  I wonder if you are supposed to bring something to get signed or do you just get your picture taken? Hmm...things to sleep on.

B: Please don't forget about going to Cold Stone Creamery for the Make-A-Wish event being held tonight September 24 from 5-8 CST.  Everyone loves ice cream so why not have a treat and help children out at the same time!  For the a couple of years while I was a Director at a day care I had a little boy by the name of Daniel (only 3 years old) at the center.  He was a precious and energetic little boy and last fall almost a year ago he was diagnosed with Leukemia and in August he was granted a trip from Make A Wish to go to Disney World with his parents.  So without donations and fundraisers such as all of you eating ice cream, these things are not possible!

C: Sus, I got the game and will answer and post hopefully tomorrow night!  Friends you may be the next to get tagged!

D: It is after 1:00 in the morning and I am tired so sleep tight and I will fill ya'll in on other happenin's tomorrow!

Party on the Block

Tonight Cas and I went to downtown Auburn to the Block Party.  It is something they are having now the Friday night before the home games.  They have a different band each week and they had people out painting children's faces and yes one grandma's too!  I think she was supposed to be a tiger but when she smiled and showed her teeth it was more like a big rat!  So..... go rats!  She was also the Mom to the lady that was dancing with her husband and I am pretty sure the dance they were doing was from a work out video!  If only I could have turned on my video camera without anyone noticing!  Ahh the free entertainment!  One of our main reasons for going was because James Dean the artist that does Pete the Cat was at Auburn Art painting and signing pictures.  We have a few and we bought one as one of Cas's Christmas presents (to be put away until then) and he signed it. I have another one picked out for him too! I also took a few pictures of downtown while I was there too!  We had a good time and it was something differant to do on a Friday night.