The Princess Guide: Guess What??

Guess What???

It's another one of those days when I'm eager to show off pictures of our weekend, but really don't have a big way to tie it in.

But guess what??

I'm going to do it anyway!!!

Yesterday we took the girls to their first Aggie football game. Our tickets were in the 3rd deck, and we hiked up all those ramps without my getting winded -- at all!!! AND... Then we had a big, old training walk back to the car.

Here's what I know. The hike up the ramps showed me that my bike riding has really worked. I felt strong -- probably stronger than I ever did as a student. That was great. The hike to the car felt great.

BUT... Today my feet hurt. Still not sure what my future holds as far as walking in the 3-Day.

Yesterday started off with soccer. I don't have many pix of Kait -- Abbie had my camera during the Cheetahs' game. BUT... I've got lots of pix of Kait from later in the day.

Abbie's team won 2-1. It was a bittersweet win, since Kat was on the other team. But it was kind of fun to see them go head to head. Abbie probably had her best game ever!

This is the one good picture I have of Kait.

You know, walking in the 3-Day is a whole lot like playing soccer. If you've got a team supporting you, it's a whole lot easier to make it through. Can you imagine playing soccer by yourself?

Kait's birthday is this Friday, and her friend Logan has a birthday this week as well. Both families went to the game yesterday for a dual birthday party. It was unbearably hot, and the icing melted right off the cake, but we still had a great time!

If Abs could be in the Cav, I think that's the only way we could get her to go to A&M..... It might be worth a try.

Michelle made sure the girls got the very best face-painting available!

Bet their Dads like this picture!

Here's the party -- minus Avery. Nothing like opening your birthday presents during March-in.

The only way I can get Abs to wear the A&M logo. Sneak up on her.

We absolutely could not have gotten through yesterday without Carla's help. Carla, you rock!!!

That is one crazy, melted cake!

Birthday Week is so much fun!

There's no place like Kyle Field....

If you've never seen the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, you should put that on your Bucket List. At the very least, watch some videos on YouTube.

I think I see Rings in your futures!

This morning was Kick-off Sunday at church. Check out Abs in Biggsy's Rice uniform. How cool is that??

The Princess Guide: Are You Interested or Committed?

This is my first-ever mobile blog post, so please bear with me. I'm going to have enough Crackberry typos to sink a battleship, but we'll have to grin and bear it.

So... Keeping that in mind, are you interested or committed? Did you sign up for the 3-Day in February but have the excitement cool down as the summer temperatures went up???

Guess what? I'm going to be frank with you. I don't care. I don't care that you're busy. And I don't care if your "usual" fundraising sources are lagging this year.

Because this is what I care about: Our friend Cheri is still fighting strong. She walked with our team last year -- the cancer already in her bones.

I care about my friend Shari -- a two-time survivor. And Ken, just diagnosed.

I care about Tracie -- spending five days in ICU after an 8-hour double mastectomy and reconstruction this past Wednesday.

That's what I care about. None of those people got a choice. They didn't get an opportunity to skip the cancer route because they were too busy.

I'm asking you to do whatever it takes to reach deep down, grab hold of that commitment again and don't let go. Whatever it takes.

About this time of year I start to hear the "IFs" start to come through. IF I walk. IF I can raise the money.

Don't you dare let that happen. Don't sell yourself short -- get out there and Git er Done.

You don't raise the kind of money Team Tiara has raised without learning a few things. The biggest thing is that after October 1 the money starts pouring in. It's crazy, exciting and boggles your mind.

But you know what?? That's where faith comes in. When you make that commitment to self-donate it can be a bit crazy. But you HAVE to keep in mind the fact that you're not committing to self-donate the whole $2300. Your committing to donate the BALANCE that you haven't raised four weeks AFTER the walk.

Dude.... That's plenty of time!!!

Here's the clincher. If you're on Team Tiara you've got to do the online registration before October 6 or you won't be able to camp with the Kool Kidz.

PLEASE step out on faith and let's get this job done. Let's make that choice to COMMIT for all those who don't get the choice.

Your Challenge For Today: I'm in Old Army mode today, so I'm thinking we need to give this the Good Ol' College Try. Contact 10 crazy college buddies to let them know what you're doing!

What I'm Doing Today: Today we're taking the Bigglets to their first-ever Aggie Game. Whoop! Kait is thrilled; Abs not so much. We'll be stopping by the AFC tailgate with hopes of seeing Bob & Myrt. A&M has lots of neat stuff to commemorate 9/11, and I think that's pretty cool.

I watched the coverage on TV today -- seeing the planes hit still causes a physical punch-to-the-gut physical reaction. I watched it with A&K and explained that that's what Hate does.

On the other side of the coin, it's been a great day for our family -- both girls won their soccer games this morning. Go teams Germany and Portugal!!!
www.teamtiara.net

The Princess Guide: Chew on This....

Okay. This is lame, I know.

BUT today hasn't gone at all as planned -- and I'm trying to do the whole 74 in 74 thing and have run out of speed....

So... For tonight, I have one question for you. When it comes to the 3-Day, are you Interested? Or are you Committed??

Think about that until I can get to you tomorrow to elaborate!!

Big Hugs,
d.

The Princess Guide: This Tent is My Tent; That Tent is Your Tent....

Hey Folks! We're in the middle of 74 posts in 74 days around here -- counting down to the DFW 3-Day! Happy Reading!!!

Okey-Dokey....

In Dallas, we have about 3,000 walkers on the walk. While not everyone stays in camp (WIMPS!), that still leaves roughly 1500 tents. If you don't do something to make your tent stand out in the crowd, you could be wandering around for quite awhile looking for it.

That's not so bad at 7:00 in the evening.

But think about 3:00 in the morning. It's cold. The kind of cold that North Texas saves up just for the 3-Day walkers. (Out of four years camping, last year was the ONE that was comfortable. If that's global warming, it does have a positive side after all.)

But seriously, 3:00 in the morning. You've lain (laid? lain?) there in your tent for the last two hours in a semi-concious state thinking "reabsorb, reabsorb, reabsorb." All that hydrating is coming back to haunt you. You unzip the zipper on your tent, causing a chain reaction that wakes up 2900 other walkers, all of whom realize they need to pee, too.

You stumble to the closest porta potty. If you're smart, you're wearing a clip-on flashlight on the brim of your cap, or a headlamp like miners wear.

You pee, and of course that porta potty has no TP. You forgot to check. BUT -- you did remember to lock the door because I said so and you at least get to pee in peece. (No, not a typo. Just thought that would look cute.) At least it's peeceful if your teeth aren't chattering.

You stumble out, wipe your hands with a wipie (no running water, you know) and limp back to your tent. Your muscles are tight. You want to cry. Maybe you have a blister on your big toe -- I don't know.

What I do know, is that if you made your tent stand out because I said so, you're going to be really glad you're one of the four readers of this here blog. If you don't decorate your tent, I'm gonna tell you I told you so.

I'm getting old, and I can't for the life of me remember what we did for our tents the first two years -- probably nothing because we didn't have the first clue what we'd gotten into.

In 2008, we decorated some of the tents with pictures drawn by kids at our school. We also had blue laminated Tiaras that let us know who was sleeping in which tent.

In 2009, we had some cute tents in our group, but Suzi and I didn't do much with ours. (What you can't see here is that our tent was signed by hundreds of our sponsors and supporters. With that, who needs decoration??) LisaSudtelgte had the CUTEST ever -- it was dressed up like a ladybug. And Alicia and Mark slept in the Love Shack. Wendy made this cute little banner. And Cassie made us all tags to let everyone on the team know who was sleeping where.

Now... We've already established that not all four of you are on Team Tiara -- and that's okay. BUT if you are, our theme this year is "Wild about a Whole New Way to Live."

(Can we just pause for a quick word from our sponsors and let me tell you that as I type this, there's a Freaking Fly buzzing around my office?? ARGH!!!!)

Anyways, we have come up with an easy way for the Tiaras to go with that theme, and make our tents stand out. You can check out your local Hobby Lobby or other fabric store and get 1 1/3 yards of some animal print fabric. Whatever you choose. There are SO many kinds out there right now!!! You might not want a kind that's really heavy -- because it might weigh down your tent. On the other side, though, it might offer a barrier against the wind.

Using an animal print shower curtain would be another option.

We'll drape the fabric over the top of the tent and use clothespins or binder clips to hold it in place. You MAY NOT poke holes in the tents with safety pins or other pokey things. And tape will not work -- been there, tried that.

If you're super creative and want to turn your tent into a zebra, lion or other zoo animal, that's great -- more power to ya. But for those who are creatively-challenged, this is an easy solution.

Suzi and I are going to have Zebra Print on our tent. Just got it today! (On sale at Hobby Lobby, by the way!)

That, my friends, is Tent Decorating 101.

The Princess Guide: Don't be a Duck!

If there's one thing you don't want to be in life, it's a duck. Especially if you're on the 3-Day.

When I ride my bike every morning, I have this little route I follow. I go to the back lakes and ride a bit, then I come back to the older part of the neighborhool (bigger trees = better shade) and ride around a while. And I make 2-5 laps around the big lakes towards the front.

And the ducks... Oh, the ducks... Every day I have to play Dodge Duck.

This big, white, ugly duck walks into my path every single day.

Do you have any idea how much ducks poop?? It's scary, really.

And we've got a LOT of ducks around here.

If I ding the bell on my bicycle, they walk in front of me. If I Whoop and hollar at them, they walk in front of me. If I try to sneak by the ones who are asleep, they wake up and walk in front of me.

Dodge Duck. Every day.

Listen folks, you can't be a duck.

When you're walking, you've got to be aware of who's around you at all times. And it's hard -- oh, it's so very hard. When you're on Day 3, Mile 45, you can't think straight. Your body is numb with exhaustion. Your brain is shot. All you can do is put one foot in front of the other.

But that won't work -- you've got to find a way to stay alert. You don't want to be a duck. The Ya-hoo driving the car that you walk in front of may just plow you over.

Your Challenge for Today:

Ask your boss if you can host a jeans day at work. Co-workers can pay for the opportunity to wear jeans to work. You can provide snacks (with a pink theme!) in your office kitchen / lounge / waiting area. Be sure to include information about the 3-Day and why you're walking. And please don't forget to include information about breast cancer awareness. (You can get a LOT of that from Komen.)

What I'm Doing Today:

Yesterday two different situations really brought home why what we do is so very important. My friend Tracie had a double mastectomy and reconstruction. She's my age. And my friend Suzi learned that a contact of hers had been diagnosed with breast cancer. HE is waiting for test results that will show how far it's spread.

Ya'll listen up. This disease is a BEAST. It's spreading. It's hitting men. It's hitting women. Young and old, it doesn't care. It MUST be stopped.

Yesterday I road 18.5 miles on my bike, but today is a "day off" for Bible Study. We're starting that Beth Moore Believing God study I told you about a couple of weeks ago. I can't wait!

The Princess Guide: It's a Stretch

Hi there.
Still trying to catch up on my 74 posts in 74 days -- 3-Day Style. This one is going to be a bit of a stretch, but we'll see what we can do to tie it in!

BTW.... Did you know you should stretch for 5 minutes for every hour of walking you do??? Especially if you're old and creaky and have funky feet like I do!

But enough of that. On Saturday, the girls and I took off for the MotherLand. BUT we decided to take the scenic route through Dallas and meet up with some of our Team Tiara family on the way.

And boy, did we meet up. We met at Babe's Chicken, and Holy Cow, that place is good. So good that's where we're going to have our Thursday night get-together before the walk in November. So good that I didn't even think to take a picture of the food. So good I thought about asking if I could get a to-go vat of the Banana Pudding. But I resisted. Oh, and Oh My Goodness -- they have this Jalapeno Honey Mustard stuff that's just DREAMY. I can't wait!

Here we all are outside of Babe's. Next time I'm going to find a different place to stand in the picture. That wagon wheel was just AWKWARD. (But someone had to balance Kait.) Nevertheless, aren't we a great-looking group???

So here is where the stretch part starts. BUT I do think I have a tie-in. Sort of.

Labor Day weekend is our weekend to always go to the farm. This year we were short a Dad and about 30 friends hunting doves, but the girls got to ride a LOT. And for them, that's what it's all about anyway.

Tie-in #1: It's all about safety. Whether you're riding horses or training for the 3-Day, you've got to keep safety in mind. Just as my girls aren't allowed on a horse without a helmet, you shouldn't go out without the right equipment. Be sure to bring your water bottle. And don't forget reflective clothing if you're walking at night.

Check out those teeth -- or the lack thereof!

Tie-in #2: Practice makes perfect. Our girls ride really well, considering they only get on a horse a few times a year. They're both learning to ride poles, they have no fear, and they do great. BUT... Imagine how well they would ride if they had access to horses all the time. If they could spend their summer days with Simon and Sugar and just ride to their heart's content. All that practice would come in handy, right??

The same goes for the 3-Day. You can't wake up on November 3 and expect to walk 60 miles. You've got to get out there and be walking now. Training. Practicing. Finding out what works for you and what doesn't.

I know this is coming across as my saying, "Do as I say, not as I do." If it is, you're right. But the fact of the matter is, I'm not going to walk 60 miles in November. My goal is 45. I'd love to do 60, but time will tell. And while I'm not walking yet, my bike and I have been working hard to get ready.

If you're planning to walk then, you need to be walking now. Believe it or not, there's only one Suzi Bruin.

Tie-in #3: Take time to rest, refuel and rehydrate. I don't know that there's much in life that's more relaxing than watching your daughters help their favorite horses cool down -- or much in life that warms your heart more.

You, too, need to take time to cool down and rest between training walks!

Tie-in #4: Don't pee in the showers. Nuf said.

Tie-in #5: Sometimes you've got to bring in the Big Guns to get the job done! Just as Uncle Max and the girls used the biggest tractor imaginable to plow the arena, sometimes you've got to bring in the big guns. That's how I look at the 3-Day. This isn't some dinky little walk. This is a WALK. We're raising a lot of money, and we're gonna find a CURE!!!

Tie-in #6: Just follow the herd. Don't worry about how you'll know where to go on the walk. There are plenty of signs and plenty of walkers just ahead of you to pave the way!

The 3 Amigos...

The Princess Guide: You've Got Mail!

All Right, Gang!

If there is one blog posting you need to forward to everyone you know, this is the one. At the end of the day, when you've walked 20 miles, drunk enough Gatorade to drown a grown elephant, and showered in a converted semi-truck, there's nothing better than news from home. Or friends.

I still have the cards my friends and family sent me on the walk the year Mom died. And I'm still getting teary just thinking about them.

Wow. They were perfect.

So.... Here's the scoop.

3-Day walkers, can, do, and NEED to get mail on the walk!

The address is:

3-Day for the Cure
Attn: (Insert Name of Participant)
P.O. Box 6244
McKinney, TX 75071-6244

You can send mail from now until just a few days before the Walk.

Your Challenge for Today:
Take this opportunity to send your family and friends an update about the 3-Day. Remind them that you're walking, tell them how close you are to your goal, and let them know you'd LOVE to receive mail from them on the walk!

What I'm Doing Today:
I'm off to ride my bike -- hoping to beat the storms!

The Princess Guide: Oops.

Oops. My 74 posts in 74 days isn't working quite like I'd planned. I went to the MotherLand this weekend, and Blogger wouldn't let me do delayed posts. And since the MotherLand is the MotherLand it's always been, I had no access to a computer.

So.... I'm going to have to double up on posts for a few days.

And it's a real bummer, because my Saturday post was one of the most important ones I'll post all year. It's short, but so important you really need to imprint it on your brain.

Never forget to lock your porta potty door.

Really.

Your Challenge for Today:
I've been thinking about the Power of Ten. Let's see if we can make it work for you. Your challenge is to find 10 friends who will help you do your fundraising by getting 10 of their friends to donate $10.

Once your friends agree to help, send them a sample email that tells a little bit about what you're doing and why. When this works, you'll raise $1000!!!

What I'm Doing Today:
Hermine kept me company on my ride today. I did 11.5 miles, mostly in the rain. And I enjoyed it. A LOT. I was tempted to skip today. BUT... after three days of way too delicious but not too healthy meals, I didn't have a choice. But what a great three days they were!!

The Princess Guide: Paige Miles Rocks!

Hey gang!
I'm still bouncing off the walls over Paige performing at the Team Tiara Gala!

Do you know.... She started singing in church at age 5?

Do you know.... An awful lot of kiddos in Fairfield know her as "Miss Paige?"

Do you know.... She's moved to LA and is working on her Debut Album???

I can't wait to hear her sing at our Gala!

Your Challenge for Today:
Yesterday, your challenge was to order your Gala Tickets. Today, your challenge is to get all your friends to order tickets!!! www.teamtiara.net

What I'm Doing Today:
I did 16.5 miles on my bike today -- with my new padded bike shorts. I've never worn those before, and the best way to tell you what they're like.... Well, it's kinda like having a couple of Poise pads in your shorts. Or at least what I think that would be like. A bit awkward, but boy, did it help!

The girls and I are headed to the MotherLand tomorrow, so we've been running around getting ready. We had to find the riding helmet and all sorts of other stuff. We're going through Dallas to have lunch with some of our Team Tiara family, and are so excited about meeting up with them! Babe's Chicken, here we come!!!

The Princess Guide: Miles of Smiles!

All I can say is, "Wow."

Sometimes God surprises you a little, and sometime He surprises you a lot. And sometimes He just blows you right out of the water.

Today is that kind of day. The kind where He has blown me right out of the water.

I had a post all planned for today. Something about camping at the 3-Day or porta potties or something like that.

It's gone. As gone as a post can get.

Because Today Has Been a ROCKIN' Day!

This morning, that phenomenal Suzi Bruin did it again. She called a friend, and with one phone call accomplished the amazing.

Thanks to Suzi -- all Suzi -- Paige Miles, Fairfield's American Idol, is performing at our Gala on October 2!!!!!

I'll pause right here while you let out a big, ol' squeal. Cause that's what I've been doing all day.

This is so big, and so cool. Paige is a remarkable young woman. And I have to tell you God had His hands all over this.

And I haven't stopped grinning all day!

Your Challenge for Today:
Order your Gala Tickets!!!! You'll find out more at http://www.teamtiara.net/. You can download an order form there. OR, if it's easier, you can click the Donate button and pay online. Just let us know how many tickets you're ordering, that this is for the Gala, and please add $3 to pay for the PayPal fees. OR, if you're in my neck of the woods, you can just drop a check off at my house!

What I'm Doing Today:
Besides grinning and jumping up and down?? I rode 14.50 miles this morning, then promptly went to Academy and bought some padded bike shorts. My tailbone has had ENOUGH.

The Princess Guide: Your "Why" Determines Your "How"

I wanted to start off this morning by sharing this video with you.

I love it. It's definitely Kleenex-worthy.

Yesterday, I asked you to make a list of why you're walking in the 3-Day -- or better yet, why you're walking with Team Tiara!

It was kind of your homework.

A lifetime ago, back in my Homemade Gourmet days, I learned that your "Why" determines your "How."

The easiest way I can come up with to explain this is that if you have a really big "Why" for doing something, you're going to have a really big "How" come as a result.

My "Why" is huge. I lost my Mom. My girls lost their Granny. I don't know that it gets much bigger than that. I don't live with a constant fear of breast cancer or anything like that -- but what I DO live with is a constant awareness that it could strike our family again.

I've found my "Why." And my "How" is to do the 3-Day. Not just walk the walk, but to walk the walk, talk the talk, and do whatever I can to stop this disease. I don't stop at raising $2300 -- that's not enough. I'll raise every penny I possibly can.

What's your "Why?" And what's your "How?"

Your Challenge for Today:
We need a super-fun, money-generating challenge. Lucky for you, I think I have one. And it's good for the environment, as well as the Boobies.

How about you contact all your friends and ask them to save the aluminum cans from their Labor Day Barbecues? You can collect those early next week, sell them, and boost your fundraising! Be sure to let them know that if they aren't having a barbecue, they're welcome to just make a donation to your fundraising!

What I'm Doing Today:
I did 12.75 miles on my bike today and the warm-up for Insanity. I love that quote in the Insanity credits "You should never exercise beyond the level you feel comfortable." Ha!!

I know I'm not following the formula for 3-Day training, and I really hope you are. My feet just aren't where we can tackle that right now. But I'm working on it -- and bound and determined to knock off these 20 lbs., so my feetsies have an easier trip on the 3-Day!