Every Good Quilt Has a Story....

Every good quilt has a story -- a story it could tell if it could talk.

You've heard me talk about Team Talent -- the group Suzi and went to L.A. with. The group that was brought together and forged relationships in a way that only God could have orchestrated.

You've heard me talk about Stephanie -- our sweet Stephanie. About her story, the way she made the trip with her son David to make a memory.

You were here as I grieved for her. And you were here last spring when we lost Ed to a massive heart attack. With Steph, we were prepared. We said what we needed to say. With Ed, it came as a shock. An incomprehensible loss. So quickly. There was no time to say good-bye. No time to steel ourselves for what was coming.

When we found out about Ed's death, Suzi and I had two very different reactions -- both of which were very action-oriented. She want to Luby's and had Trout Almondine. I went to every quilt shop I could find and bought a piece of every pink fabric I could find. (Well, almost. No way was I buying the pink t.u. fabric. Ed wouldn't have wanted me to.)

From that second on, that pile of pink fabric was named "Ed" in my heart. You might think it's funny to name a pile of pink fabric Ed. If that's the case, that's because you didn't know him.

When I went to Round Top last spring, I made two quilt tops. One was to be for Sherry, Ed's bride. The other would be used to raise money for breast cancer research. To continue to fight this fight that Ed was such a big part of.

Today I went to the Quilt Festival and handed Sherry's quilt off to a friend of hers from Victoria. It's very important to me that she receive it from the hands of someone who knows and loves her.

The other quilt is up for auction on Ebay. When I handed it over to Michelle, the Queen of Ebay, we pondered what price to put on it. We started at $75.00, with hopes it would go to $100.00. We never, ever in our wildest dreams imagined it would be at $255.00 right now.

If you want to check out this Ebay Auction, you can find it right here. Every single penny we raise from this auction will go to the Breast Cancer 3-Day, benefitting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. That's right. The CURE.

Real Men Drive Pink!

You have to check this out!

Herding Cats.

Sometimes what I do with the 3-Day seems a lot like herding cats.

That's because I'm ADD. For anyone else, this would be a breeze.

But for me, it's all craziness.

I wake up every morning and check the totals. Check what our fundraising total is. Check what's been bid on the Ebay auction. Check on Facebook to make sure all is well with this world. And dream up a challenge.

For the month of October, I'm trying to do daily challenges for our team. Some are silly. Some are a bit scary. Some are just plain fun.

ALL are geared at raising enough money for the 40 men and women on our team to walk in the 3-Day.

It's craziness.

And fun.

And stressful at times.

And it's such a sweet, sweet blessing.

This morning I came to a realization about the 3-Day. Until this year I have avoided doing fundraising events like the plague. I'd support everyone else, but I much preferred a well-planned letter campaign to doing actual events.

This year that has flown out the window. If anything we're making up for three years without events by doing so many this year.

And what I've realized is that even though our fundraising total is less this year, we're doing our jobs better. This walk isn't just supposed to be about the walk itself. And it isn't just supposed to be about the money raised. Both of those are well and good, but there's more to the story.

This walk is about raising awareness. Awareness of this beast called breast cancer. Awareness that this isn't some disease that old, rich, white chicks get. Awareness that breast cancer knows no age, gender, race or economic boundaries.

With every lemonade stand, bake sale, poker night, bunko night, wine tasting night, financial seminar, letter campaign, tennis tournament, movie night, etc... With each and every one of those we touch new people. We raise awareness.

This year hasn't been easy. Whether it's the economy or what, I don't know. But we are working hard for every single dollar we raise. And in that, we're doing a better job than we've ever done before.

If you know a Team Tiara walker, please give them a hug today. Their road has not been easy. This is a big challenge that they've taken on, and it's one that isn't over yet. But I can tell you... These men and women have a ton of heart. They're working hard to save lives. And some of them have a long way to go on the fundraising end.

I think they could use a hug.

It's Been So Long...

I could probably be classified as a "Snow Virgin" all over again!

Pearls of Wisdom

Check out that frog. Isn't she cute?? Even better -- she represents a HUGE fundraising opportunity for the Breast Cancer 3-Day! My "Money Guy," THE Anthony Patton has worked his magic again this year and convinced Mass Mutual to give us $5000 for the CURE!

But.... We have to earn it!

Anthony is coming to Houston on Monday, October 26, to present the Pearls of Wisdom program about Financial Education. He did this for us last year, and it was great! It's primarily geared toward women, but men are welcome too.

I promise this isn't a high-pressure thing. We just need you to come and bring your friends. We'll have door prizes. AND we'll be serving dessert!

I have to tell you.... This guy knows his stuff.

Mass Mutual will donate $20 to Team Tiara for EVERYONE who is here!

Please come!

Monday, October 26
7:30 p.m.

15802 Applerock Trail
Cypress 77433

Too Cute!

Check this out!!!

It's way too cute -- and it's going to help Save the TaTa's!

Pink Ribbon Quilt

You know how much I love to quilt. But you may not know the whole story.

My Granny Lloyd was a quilter -- a very productive one. She made quilts for each of children and grandchildren -- not so easy when you have nine kids and some 27 or so grandkids. But she didn't stop there. Many, many other people in her life were given quilts that she had crafted with love.

I remember Granny teaching me to zigzag around the edges of fabric before she made a blouse. And I remember Granny teaching me to embroider. And I remember watching her cut out all those little quilt pieces -- long before the days of rotary cutters.

My Mom taught me to sew -- with some help from Mrs. Lewis and a few other volunteer 4-H leaders. My Mom was an amazing seamstress. She could look at a dress and go home and make it. She made all of our Easter dresses and most of our other dresses until I was about 12. She took great pride in making us "showy" shirts to show our cattle / pigs in. She made Halloween costumes and twirling uniforms and formals like you wouldn't believe.

After my Granny passed away, I started quilting. I couldn't do it without the memory of Mom's voice rattling through my head as I go. Some days I'd rather be without the "take out that seam" voice, but I love having her help as I go. When I'm making something and get stuck (which often happens with making doll clothes), I can always find my way through -- I have her to thank for that!

This year I've made a Pink Ribbon Quilt that we are auctioning on Ebay. You can find it here. The entire "purchase price" will go to the Breast Cancer 3-Day. Please help us spread the word!

Look! Look! I'm Over Here!

I'm over here a lot these days. If you want to see my new haircut, you'll have to come over here, too.

The 3-Day is less than a month away. I can't wait!

Oh. My. Word.

I got my hair cut today.

And no, I'm not posting a picture.

At least for 5-10 weeks.

It's a haircut like none other. The "perfect" blend of two different styles.

I went to the girl I've been going to, who cut my hair perfectly the first time, then left it a little long the second time.

I attempted to explain that I didn't want it even with my chin. My chin is awfully square, and when my hair is even with it, my chin looks even more square, which makes my face look even wider and fatter than it is.

I have a bit of a complex about this.

Did I ever tell you I have great legs?

Anyways.... I attempted to explain that the ideal location for my hair to fall would be between my square chin and my shoulders. Yes, that would be the ideal location.

But something got lost in the translation, and my hair is now shorter than Kait's in the front. Without the cuteness of Kait's little 7-year-old gap-toothed smile.

Argh.

But that's not all! After "the girl" had cut the right side of my hair, I think she realized what she had done. So the left side hangs a bit lower. Still not in the target range, but enough that I look lop-sided.

But that's not all! The particular style that I've had before and have absolutely loved flips up on the ends. She attempted to make my hair do that, but it's a little short for that. So it's kind of flipped up where it can. But not all over.

But that's not all! Apparently, in an effort to keep me from looking like a total dork, "the girl" left that longer-on-the-left part straight.

So here is what I have.

A haircut shorter than Kait's, without her cuteness, that's a bit lop-sided and combines two different styles -- flip and no-flip.

Oh. And no makeup on this afternoon. I look like a bad "before" picture when in reality, I'm supposed to be an "after."

That Linkety-Link Thing

** You'll want to scroll down and "pause" the music player in the sidebar before watching this video!

Hello World,

I know it seems like we're trying to accomplish the impossible here. I know you're thinking there's no way a handful of chicks and two guys can raise $88,000 in 30 days. I know you're thinking I'm smoking something over here -- and you're probably wishing you could get some of "it" whatever "it" is.

Well.... I have to tell you a secret. I've never smoked anything. Especially not the good stuff. The closest I ever came to that was chewing on some cigar for about 10 minutes a long, long time ago. And I'm pretty sure Kayren was to blame for that.

I'm not smoking anything. I'm not delusional. And trust me -- I'm not bored.

What I do know is that last year our team of 60 walkers in the Breast Cancer 3-Day raised $125,000. Looking at that, it seemed like a goal of $150,000 was perfectly achievable. Life hands you curve balls sometimes, and this year we're hanging in there with about 40 walkers.

Here's the deal. It's going to take a village to meet this goal of $150,000. And it's going to take a village to find a cure for breast cancer.

I'm from Fluvanna -- I know all about what a village can accomplish.

WE can do this, but WE need your help.

Would you please do that Linkety-Link thing and help us spread the word about this mighty fundraising effort? Would you please link to us via email and blogs and Facebook and whatever else you have at your disposal?

This. Isn't. Just. About. Me.

I know so much of this blog is. But not this.

This is about living my life without my Mom. About not being able to call her and hear her voice. Not ever again. I won't get to hear her voice EVER AGAIN. Some of you know what that's like.

Abbie's team won yet another soccer game tonight. My Mom has never seen a single one of those games.

Kaitlyn has a tooth that is just barely hanging in there. When it falls out tomorrow or the next day or the next, my Mom won't get to see those pictures. Kait won't get to call her and tell her how much money the Tooth Fairy left.

And I know that in the grand scheme of things Mom isn't missing out. She's with the angels now, seated at God's banquet table and eating off everyone else's plates. She isn't missing out.

But WE are.

This is about my friend Ann who is about to start Radiation -- as soon as she's strong enough.

It's about Mia and Liv, who have to grow up without their Mom.

It's about Chris, who lost her sister and still feels the pain of that loss weighing down on her.

Please link to my blog. Please link to the Team Tiara website. Please link to our fundraising website. Please link to a Facebook post. Please link us up somewhere.

With the way everyone is plugged into everyone they've known since the cradle, and a dubbed-over scene from that movie about Hitler can show up my Facebook page 15 times, there shouldn't be any reason why we can't reach that $150,000 goal in 30 days. There shouldn't be any reason why we can't fund the research that will find a CURE. There shouldn't be any reason my daughters will ever have to face a breast cancer diagnosis with fear.

For My Mom,

D'Lyn

If you're ready to donate, you can click here.

If you're ready to sign up to Crew or Walk in 2010, you can click here.

Why Cissa Walks

She looks like she's about 12, doesn't she? That's our sweet Cissa. She was the lucky chick whose face was plastered all over last year -- Rachael Ray's magazine, Oprah's magazine, billboards, etc. It was CRAZY!

But not nearly as crazy as this fun friend from Oklahoma who walked the 2007 3-Day with almost no notice -- all to honor her cousin's memory.

Cissa's story is one I can't tell. It's hers. You need to read it. In her words.

You'll find it here.

And you know what? That crazy chick from Oklahoma could use some crazy fundraising help. If you'd like to donate in her name, you can do so here.