great expectations (verse 3)

There has been a lot of self reflection this past month.

It seems that when you're out running and you have nothing to do but run and walk run, various thoughts have a way of entering and circling about your brain. Various thoughts about life and discovering your purpose.

What am I doing with my life?

What do I hope to accomplish in my lifetime?

What kind of example do I want to set for our children?

How much torture can my legs withstand and will I ever make it up that final hill home?

In addition to these thoughts, I'm watching our children grow up a little more everyday. And I'm hearing stories about my dad's failing health. And we're trying to figure out what we are going to do with our careers and whether or not we will relocate. Once I am due to return to work full-time in May, what will Charlie do? Will I become the primary breadwinner - or will I resign from my career and ... ?

It's such a huge decision that seems to be hovering over us.

And the closer I get to hearing about people, especially children, that have been impacted by cancer, the more my eyes are open to just how vulnerable - and fragile - we are.

Every day, I consider my health, my children's health, my husband's health. At this very moment, our arms and legs can move without pain. We can stand up and sit down and walk without assistance and are capable of eating just about any type of food and properly digesting it. We can breathe without medication or inhalers. We can hear and see, taste, touch and smell.

There are no physical issues that are weighing heavily on my mind.

Up until recently, I went through each day thinking about what I had to accomplish in order for that day to be considered "successful". Now, I go through each day reveling in the fact that we are healthy. If there is more laughter than crying, and if we are able to get outside and see nature, then I consider our day to be an overwhelming success.

The comment that I received yesterday didn't upset me in the least. In fact, it seemed as though some one put in to words the exact feelings that I've been having, myself.

What is the real reason that we are doing what we are doing?

At the risk of sounding totally sappy, I feel like the time any of us have here is extremely limited. No one knows what the future holds. I feel like it would be very easy for me to turn the other way and live my life in a bubble and pretend that my responsibilities end at the front door. I could very easily live my life in a bubble and hope that nothing bad ever happens to me or one of my children. But when I read posts like this one, I am painfully reminded that sometimes bad things do happen to very good people.

To innocent little people that had their whole lives to live.

The expectation that I have for myself is that I will do more. But this is where it gets a little tricky. Because to do more, I have to really put myself out there. And although this might come as an overwhelming shock to everyone, I really don't like being in the spotlight. I'd rather not advertise. I'd rather not speak to groups. I'd rather not ever be on television or in the newspaper. I'm one of those people that deteriorate in to a puddle of sweat under pressure.

Think of Broadcast News.

Infact, I feel extremely self conscious sending out random e-mails asking for various bloggers to help plug the work we are doing for cancer research because I feel like I am trying to promote me when, I'm actually trying to promote our fundraising. Not this blog or it's author.

There's a huge difference.

But I also recognize the power of the internet. Whenever I consider that the majority of the money that we have raised in the past month has come from extremely generous readers of this blog, I am humbled ... and amazed. If this blog can potentially help serve as a platform to draw attention to an important cause - is it wrong to use it that way?

Over the past 24 hours, I've been thinking about what is important to me and what are the big rocks in my jar of life. I'm sure if I spent some more time on this, I would include additional rocks, vary the dimensions, and see if I could make the "laundry" pebble any smaller.

But what I've decided is that one of the most important things in my life, an underlying theme to everything, is the desire to Do Good. And I think it's important to add, I'm not trying to "Do Good" to look good in anyone's eyes, other than my own. I want to be someone that my husband and children are proud of.

I want to be someone that I am proud of.

Yet in order to Do Good, I might have to put myself out there a lot more than I feel comfortable with. And what I've learned this past month is that there might be rejection. There might be a lot of phone calls and e-mails that are not returned. There might be a lot of phone calls and e-mails that straight out tell me no. High expectations that I place upon myself for success might be dashed at times. And sometimes, I might feel totally defeated.

But in order to Do Good, I've got to keep going in all the ways that I can, in every place that I can, at all the times that I can, for as long as I ever can.

And when the road that I am on feels a little too rocky (or should I say - when it feels like I'm on a rocky road) ... I have found that it helps tremendously to eat a bowl.

Thank you to everyone who wrote me an e-mail or left me a comment on my post, yesterday. If it takes me a while to write you back, please know I'm really so thankful for all of you.

great expectations (verse 2)

One of the greatest struggles in my life is with setting high expectations for myself.

The post that I originally published last night was out of fatigue.

I've been grappling with a lot of different things and unfortunately, I put them in to words and hit publish. And if there is one thing I've learned it's that if you are going to have a public blog, you have got to carefully filter what you write.

If there are people reading your thoughts, you want to appear positive. Upbeat. Totally in control of everything and managing it all well. The absolute last thing you want to do is discuss how your grandiose expectations aren't being met.

Even if they are written in jest.

Do I set expectations for my husband and children that aren't met and cause me frustration? Absolutely. But then again, I'm not heavily medicated.

Did I have expectations that I would receive a positive response from one of the famous bloggers and/or companies that I contacted regarding fundraising efforts? Yes. But then again, just because this is a priority for me, doesn't mean it's a priority for them.

I know this. I was born at night. But I wasn't born last night.

Am I alone with feeling disappointment for expectations that aren't met? Absolutely not. If I didn't feel compelled to protect the innocent, I could write at length about what other people consider to be our overwhelming shortfalls and insensitivities.

We forget birthdays.

We back out of playdates and dinner parties.

We don't attend important family functions.

We don't do what someone might want for us to do.

Sometimes, thank you notes take too long to write and phone calls and e-mails aren't promptly returned.

One of the greatest things that I've been struggling with for a long while, has to do with this blog. What is it's purpose? Is it just a means to keep track of this time in our life? Is it to connect with family and friends? Share tips and tricks that I've discovered? Or is it to encourage people?

What is the purpose of this blog?

This morning I received a comment in response to my post last night that read, "Get real! Your kids are 4 years old. They forget things, just like must (?) have. Your husband seems great and seems to loves you. Not everyone can get on Facebook. People have real problems with finances today. Not everyone works for a successful company and has 2 great jobs in their house hold. Lots of people would love nothing but to give and give all day but they are tired from swimming against the current and near drowning of a fallen economy. They have problems like how are we going to keep our house, feed our children or God for bid an Illness. The cancer cause is wonderful! You’re doing a great thing. But who are you doing it for? Is all this for the cause or for you to look good in the eyes of everyone. Remember you are offering people a piece of candy. Not everyone needs candy. Not everyone likes candy. Not everyone can have candy. Think about it. It is not personal - It is just the way it is."

This made me think.

I have been devoting a tremendous amount of time to the computer. It has taken me away from my work, my children, my spouse, my sleep, my exercise routine. When I read this article last night, I questioned the amount of time I've been spending in this very chair looking at this very screen.

Is the purpose of this blog to make me rich and famous? To date, I haven't collected a single penny in income from this blog. Yet in the past few weeks, I've devoted more time to it than a career that supports my family. That seems unwise and unhealthy.

And now, we are devoting a lot of our time and resources to cancer research that I am writing about here. Charlie and I have taken a portion of our tax return to fund giveaways and we are training to run a marathon. We could just spend this on a vacation for ourselves. We could just donate this directly to the cause. But if there is a chance that we could generate some enthusiasm and donations by funding contests, why wouldn't we?

Is it because we want to look good in the eyes of people we know and many more that we don't? Is it because we are looking for accolades, glory and fame? Or is it because we are trying to contribute to a cause greater than us and we know that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step?

I hope people can see that we're trying to do this for a good cause. I hope that people don't think that we have some hidden objective. I have carefully weighed reaching out to bloggers and companies because this isn't about me. It's about raising awareness and raising funds.

Ultimately, as important as this blog and finding a cure for cancer are, I cannot forget that the most important part of my life are the small children that are sitting behind me watching "The Fox and The Hound 2" so I can finish yet another computer task.

Although I can easily lower my expectations for a lot that I might be capable of accomplishing in my life, the expectation to be the best mom I can be on any given day, isn't one of them.

great expectations (verse 1)

I originally wrote this post late last night. But the "tone" of the post that I thought was entertaining at midnight, sounded rather whiny at 8 AM. So until I have an opportunity to go back and make some edits ... just remember this.

Nobody likes a cry baby.

Unless they are 20-months old and covered in sand.

favorite thing friday (& KitchenAid giveaway!)

I've written on more than one occasion about our family's ancient O'Henry Bar recipe. When I went back to search for my original O'Henry Bar post, I found that after I wrote that first O'Henry Bar entry, a mere four months after starting my blog, I have made reference to O'Henry Bars on at least 40 other occasions. If that doesn't border on obsessive, I don't know what does.

Suffice to say, I love O'Henry Bars.

Everyone in my family loves O'Henry Bars. Although seeing as other members of my family also have an insatiable appetite for sweet things, it's really no surprise. (For example, here's a link to my cousin Anne Marie's new baking blog. Once I caught a glimpse of the baked goodness that she was capable of creating, my desire to move back to Massachusetts and live next door to her, went up ten-fold.)

For that matter: everyone I've ever met in my entire life - who does not have an allergic reaction to peanuts or chocolate and is not crazy - loves O'Henry Bars.

This oatmeal, chocolate and peanut butter treat from heaven, is such a part of my heritage, such a part of who I am, that my son is named after them.

(Seriously, it's true.)

Although I've written about O'Henry Bars before and have provided basic instructions on how one might set about cooking up a batch, I have never posted a visual on how these bars are made. And based on some of the feedback that I have received over the past three years, I think a tutorial might be useful, if not downright necessary.

I would like to apologize in advance for the increase to your waist size that this recipe may precipitate. However, it may also serve as a great opportunity for you to embark upon a fitness program that you've been putting off. So with that introduction, here's to your health!

To make O'Henry Bars, you will need:
1 stick butter
¾ cup brown sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
4 cup oatmeal
¾ cup Karo syrup
Up to 2 cups of chocolate chips
Up to 2 cups of peanut butter (smooth or chunky)

** Warning: Small helpers are useful and fun to have around, although they will rapidly diminish your chocolate chip supply if left unguarded.**

In a large mixing bowl - or preferably, KitchenAid mixer - add a stick of butter.


Then add in ¾ cup of brown sugar.


Add in your 3 teaspoons of vanilla - but beware that if your small helper assisted you with adding the aforementioned stick of butter, their little hands might be especially slick and you may lose your measuring device. Fear not. Just fish it out.


Add four cups of oatmeal.

One cup ...


Two cups ...

Three cups...


Four cups.


Now, you'll need to add ¾ of a cup of Karo syrup. But if you are anything like me, you will just pour that Karo Syrup directly in to your mixing bowl because you can never get all the Karo out of your measuring cup, or off your spoon, and this way - you save yourself something to wash.

(Notice the pink breast cancer ribbon. Making O'Henry Bars is helping to raise money for cancer research. Could I just bake for a cure instead of run for a cure?)

Grab a spoon and start stirring.

Or, turn on your KitchenAid mixer and let it work it's magic.


Once everything has been thoroughly mixed, pour (dump?) this concoction on to a rimmed un-greased cookie sheet. Then, using a spatula - or a spoon - or your hands, begin the process of spreading the oatmeal base. Because of the Karo, you might find that the oatmeal base is very difficult to distribute and sticks to everything.

I have found that it helps the spreading process significantly, if you frequently dip your spatula (or spoon, or hands) in to a small bowl of water. You don't want too much water on your spreading utensil, but just enough so that it's not as sticky.


Continue the spreading process until every square inch of your ungreased cookie sheet is covered with the oatmeal base.

It should look like this.

Although, it might look like this if you decide to taste the oatmeal base.


Or like this if you determine WOW that is good.

But before you place your cookie sheet in to a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes (not a minute less, not a minute more), you'll want to be sure that there are no gobs of oatmeal base missing.

Once your base is evenly distributed, place it in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10 (TEN) minutes, maximum. Do not overcook these or they will be way too hard and might break your teeth. When the bars are done, remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool.


Now. In a saucepan, mix together approximately 1 cup of chocolate chips ...


With approximately one cup of peanut butter.

I'd like to add in here, that much like the Karo Syrup issue above, I do not measure out the exact quantity of peanut butter because a precise measurement is too difficult to accurately gauge. So, I just ration out what I believe to be approximately one cup of peanut butter.

Then you'll turn the stove on low, and while continuously stirring, let the peanut butter and chocolate chips INFUSE together.

Oh! Dear! God!


My heart is skipping out of my chest just looking at this picture.


As for me, I test the peanut butter / chocolate chip mixture pretty frequently and prefer it to be a little more peanut-buttery.

(Oh, and notice my saucepan? That was a gift from my sister Beth the year I moved away to college. I think she picked up an entire set of Faberware at Filene's Basement in the late 70's. Thirty years later, they still work great. Thanks again, Beth!!)

Once your peanut butter / chocolate ratio is just where you want it, pour the mixture over your cooled oatmeal base.

Then, using a spatula - or spoon - but preferably not your hands, begin the process of evenly distributing the chocolate topping.

When completed, your cookie sheet should look something like this. Notice there are no divets or obvious undulations to indicate that I ate half of the uncooked base.

You will then want to put your cookie sheet in to the refrigerator to cool. Typically, it takes at least an hour before they are ready to be cut up in to squares, although, I have witnessed people diving in to a tray of not-fully-cooled O'Henry Bars after less than 10 minutes of refrigerator time.

OK. Fine. It was me.

I would really love to show you what a picture of the finished bars looks like, but alas, as I was standing up from taking the picture directly above, I fumbled my Nikon SLR and it landed on our tile floor with a CRASH. This is the last picture that was snapped off a millisecond before my LENS broke off the camera. And trust me, if it wasn't for a tray of O'Henry bars in the refrigerator right now, I would still be crying.


The purpose of this Favorite Thing Friday post is two-fold.

First, to share with the world one of my favorite recipes. Second, to share with the world that one of my favorite kitchen appliances is my KitchenAid mixer.

We bought our KitchenAid a week before our triplets turned one. Up until that time, I could never rationalize why we needed one of these professional mixers that grace the kitchens of people who actually know how to cook. Sure, I would have loved to have owned a KitchenAid, but they are rather pricey and I had never been terribly opposed to mixing things the good old fashioned way. Mostly because I didn't KNOW better.

But when Charlie had decided that he was going to bake his family's ancient tradition five-tiered, one-year birthday cake for our children, we were told that in order to make the batter, we would absolutely, positively need a large capacity KitchenAid mixer.


We also needed specially sized baking pans and a host of cooking supplies and ingredients that I thought for sure we'd never use again.

Unless of course we had another baby. Which lo and behold we did, but due to our being on a huge road trip, three thousand miles from home when our baby turned one, he shared a sheet cake with his grandmother, that was decorated in patriotic colors.

So we bought a KitchenAid and four years later, I cannot imagine my life without it.

And whenever I was directed to this post yesterday on the King Arthur Flour website (thanks Amanda) I jumped out of my seat with joy. LOOK!! Here's one more thing I can make with my KitchenAid!! (And one more reason I must NEVER stop running.)

Do you like it?

Do you want one?

Now that Charlie and I have reached our fundraising minimums (or will once the bundle of checks we've received are deposited), for a minimum $5.00 online donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society via Margaret and a comment left on THIS post, you will be entered in to a raffle to win a KitchenAid Artisan Series mixer, in your choice of color. (If you donate $10.00 you will be entered twice; $20.00 four times and so on.) If you select pink, KitchenAid will make an additional $50.00 donation to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer fund.

The retail value of this mixer is $350.00.


But for a minimum $5.00 donation, you can enter this contest to win one.

Your donation is 100% tax deductible.

Your donation is fueling research for a cure.

And seeing as the most recent update from Deana indicates that the newest round of "emerging" treatment that she has been receiving is having a dramatic effect against her highly aggressive cancer, your donation will help someone live a longer life. I can't think of anything more awesome than Deana winning this fight and watching those two beautiful little boys grow up.

If you have concerns with donating on line, you can write a check made payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and mail your donation to:

The Amazing Trip to Cure Cancer
2220 Otay Lakes Road
Suite 502, PMB #99
Chula Vista, CA 91915

However, if you chose to donate online, please add KA next to your name so that is clearly visible.

The winner will be announced on Wednesday, April 1.

*******

Please for the love of all that is good and right, help us spread the word. It is our goal to not only reach our fundraising minimums but to EXCEED them. By forwarding the link to this post to anyone you know who doesn't have a KitchenAid mixer but sure would like one, you will earn yourself a special place in the heart of anyone who has been touched by cancer.

OK, ready ... set ... GO!

This concludes the longest post I have ever written. Now, I'm off to eat an O'Henry bar and mourn the loss of my lens.

what's in you wednesday

Oh, hey there!


How are you doing?

Me?

I'm great!

Other than my running has taken a total skid and I've been living off a diet of frozen pizza, bagged salad, Ginger Ale and chocolate chip cookies. But whatever. I figure everyone is entitled to a week or so of nothing but junk food and severe inactivity.

Sadly, the one real meal that I made this week, (french toast and tofu sausage) was put on a plate and stuck in the oven to be kept warm and enjoyed after I took a shower. But I've had so much on my mind that I completely forgot about it until two days later when I opened the oven to stick in yet another sheet of cookies.

What happened?

Why the loss of momentum?

I'm not really sure.

Everyone in our household is sick with a cold. Children are sleeping even less than they normally do and, they've gotten in to this tricky habit of taking off their night time diapers in the middle of the night and since they don't yet know how to wake up to use the toilet ... we have been awoken from a sound sleep on more than one occasion by howls of, "I AM SOAKED!"

Followed by, "I AM, TOO!"

Followed by, "I AM, TOO!"

Followed by a baby that screams, "MAMAMAMA!!! APPWLES!!!"

Work has been a little crazy. There is a lot of discussion over a possible relocation and lots of soul searching as to what we need and want to do. The relocation wouldn't be to the northeast. It would be to Texas. Houston to be exact. This coming summer. Circa July.

Isn't that the equivalent of moving to Alaska in January?

I tried to go running on Thursday of last week and I could only run for two minutes before stopping to walk. After starting and stopping, I would set my sights on something like a stop sign a few hundred yards ahead and think, "I'll make it to that sign and then I can walk." But I'd start running and only cover a distance of about 10 feet before having to stop again.

It seriously took every ounce of my strength to not lay down on the ground and draft a note for those who found me.

My legs were lead.

On Saturday, Charlie and I drove out to meet our Team In Training group for the eight-mile run. And for the record, the acronym for Team In Training is T-N-T.

(Whenever Charlie read on someone's blog [who shall remain nameless] about training for a T-I-T endeavor, he fell in to a laughing fit so badly I thought he was going to stop breathing.)

As it turns out, we were an hour and a half late. And even though we still could have done the run, we took one look at the hilly course, and the rising sun, and the two double strollers that we needed to push and we decided that a morning spent at IHOP sounded like a much better proposal. So that's just what we did.

Heck yeah I'll take a Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity!

Today, I was thinking that perhaps the reason I have been feeling so tired is because I have almost completely cut meat out of my diet the past six months and my body is in dire need of protein. So for the next few days I am going to eat nothing but steak (and peanut butter cups) and we'll see how that helps.

Oh and yesterday?

I met with a podiatrist who gave me a pair of inserts for my running shoes and told me that if those don't work with my feet falling asleep, he wants to schedule an angiogram and MRI.

Hot diggity!

Cookie anyone?

Now I know you didn't come here to hear me complain. Unless you enjoy seeing someone who feels like they are getting run over by the train of life.

So now I want to share some awesome news about Deana.

Today, she wrote on her CaringBridge site that the doctors have told her the chemo seems to be working. Two weeks ago, Deana was told by her doctors in California that she had a few weeks left to live and she needed to call in Hospice. And now, her doctors in Texas are telling her that she may be released as soon as Friday or Saturday as an outpatient. Granted, Deana still has a long road ahead of her ... but for now ... the chemo seems to be working.

Can I get a Hallelujah?!

Charlie, Margaret and I will finish the 26.2 miles. As for me, personally, I might walk 25 of those miles, but I will cross the finish line. All three of us will also meet our minimum fundraising goals, and hopefully, exceed them by at least a thousand or two.

When I met my fundraising minimum last week, I received a (form) e-mail from the President of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in which I learned that since its founding in 1949, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has invested more than $600 million in blood cancer research.

They have funded more blood cancer research than all other voluntary agencies combined.

They have been directly responsible for developing Gleevec, a pill for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML). Now, more than 95 percent of newly diagnosed CML patients survive more than five years with a good quality of life. AND, they were instrumental in the development of Velcade, the first new treatment in more than a decade to be approved for patients with multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma.

This is the exact reason we are participating in this marathon.

This is the exact reason we are raising money for research.

Because RESEARCH leads to DEVELOPMENT of new MEDICATIONS that SAVE lives.

Can I get a Hallelujah?!

So even though I have legs of lead and my doctor thinks that I have a circulatory problem within my calves that may require surgery, and we have four-year-old triplets and a one-year-old toddler and we both work and we don't sleep nearly as much as we'd like and yada, yada, yada ... we are so PUMPED to be doing exactly what it is that we are doing.

Infact, I am planning to compete in the Ovarian Cancer Research triathlon in October and in November, I am planning to complete the 3-Day Breast Cancer walk. (Provided of course we don't move to Texas in the middle of July.) I'm currently in the process of pulling together a walk team and thus far, I have three people who have said they would walk with me.

Granted, two of them had consumed two cocktails when they accepted the invitation ... but I'm sure they'll be out there with me.

Right, Jessica and Jeanmarie?

And Debbie? I'm expecting you out there, too.

And Lorie. You're not getting out of THIS one.

Do you live in southern California and want to walk with us?

OK then, you're invited.

I don't know how exactly I am going to do it, without giving away the farm, but my lofty goal is to help raise $50,000.00 this year for cancer research. As of today, between Margaret, Charlie and I, we have raised over $6,000.00 (not shown on our fundraising pages are several checks that need to be deposited in to our accounts).

So that leaves $44,000.00.

Have you bid yet on the Melissa & Doug easel?

Did I mention it is one of our children's favorite toys and even I, who tends to prefer activities of the non-messy variety, really loves this thing? Probably even more so than I love our PBK beanbag chairs?!

Speaking of which ... the winner of the personalized beanbag chair is: Maggie Nixon!

Maggie, please send me an e-mail to: TheAmazingTrips (at) gmail.com and let me know what solid color slipcover you would like for your beanbag, and also - the name you would like to have embroidered and which font selection. Here's the link to the PBK website to help you in your selection process. If you could also confirm the mailing address where you would like the bag shipped, that would be great.

For everyone who participated in the beanbag contest, thank you so much.

You helped to raise almost $1,000.00 for cancer research. Even though you didn't win a beanbag, I hope that you get a lot of satisfaction from knowing that you are providing an opportunity for people like Deana to live a longer life.

And hey, there is yet another contest coming up this Friday and it is guaranteed to be the biggest one yet. (Shhh. Don't tell Charlie. He might put a freeze on our bank account.)

Hopefully, once my fellow cancer crusaders have met their minimum fundraising goals, I will stop stuffing my face with cookies and see if perhaps I can get excited about running.

running.

COOKIES!!!

running.

COOKIES!!!

I fear I have a looong way to go.

How are you doing with your goals?

huh?

Today we purged our closets and garage. We filled up at least 10 bags of clothes for a local shelter and we donated several household and baby items that we will no longer need. While Charlie was loading up some old stereo speakers in to the back of his truck, I ran my hand over the crib and highchair that we would be giving away.

Once upon a time, not very long ago, there were three matching cribs and three matching high chairs. We gave two of the highchairs away a couple years ago. But we held on to one of the highchairs for Henry, which he has since outgrown. And although we do still have two of the cribs, including one that has been converted to a double bed for the girls and the crib that Henry currently lays in for a few hours before coming in to our bed sleeps in at night ... as I watched these once critical baby items leave our house, I felt a sense of sadness sweep over me.

It wasn't that long ago our children were so small.


Slowly, the baby supplies are going.


Quickly, it seems this phase of our life is passing.

While I stood outside trying to hold back tears, Charlie walked up and putting his arm around my shoulders said, "I feel oddly sad right now." It felt good to know that he understood the significance of moving these items out of our home. I looked up at my husband and through blurry eyes nodded, "Yes, I know! It's really sad to see some of this stuff go, isn't it?"

Charlie was quiet for a moment before he added, "Yeah. Those were my very first stereo speakers."

favorite thing friday

Ever since they were small toddlers, our children have loved to play with paint. When they were only two-years-old, I would let them fingerpaint on our kitchen table. I would strap them in to their booster seats and cover the table with butcher paper, before squeezing a big dollop of brightly colored paint before them.

This activity was always guaranteed to keep the children busy for a solid seven or eight minutes and generate the largest mess imaginable. But for those seven or eight minutes, they were blissfully happy. Until they realized that they had PAINT ALL OVER THEIR HANDS and they'd fall in to a screaming fit, while grabbing at their hair, faces and anything within reach.

Although we own a PBK Carolina Craft Table, with a built in roll of paper, the children all seem to prefer the Melissa & Doug easel that Santa brought this past Christmas, for painting.

On one side of the easel is a dry erase board, on the other side is a chalk board. Through the middle of the easel, one can pull up a roll of paper that is affixed in the center, transforming one or both sides to a paint center.

Because we have multiple budding artists in our home - I will typically clip paper to both sides of the easel - and at least two children can express their inner artist.

The ability to create two separate paint centers works very well because although only one child may have expressed an interest in painting, whenever the easel is set up and paint cups are filled, everyone wants to be Renoir.

We use our easel every day. When we aren't using it for painting, we are using the chalkboard and dry erase board to practice letter writing and spelling. It is one of my top 10 favorite toys and something that everyone enjoys.

Do you have small children?

Or do you know any one that has small children?

For a $5.00 donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society via either Margaret or Charlie and a comment left on THIS post, you will be entered in to a raffle to win a Melissa & Doug easel AND the Melissa & Doug easel companion set.

(The estimated value including tax and shipping is ~$125.00).


Your donation is 100% tax deductible.

Your donation is fueling research for a cure.

And your donation will enter you in to a raffle to win one of these easels, which will keep your child happily and constructively entertained for hours tens of minutes each and every day.

Personally? I can't think of a better way to invest $5.00.

When I met with my fellow Team-In-Trainers this past weekend, it came to my attention that there are all kinds of accolades and glory bestowed upon those individuals who are capable of raising the most funds since our season has begun.

What?

You mean to tell me that I've been intentionally sending everyone over to Margaret and Charlie's fundraising pages when I should have been telling them to donate to me, me, ME so that I could have won a new purple jacket?!

When the top three fundraisers from my team proudly stood up to be recognized for raising $2,000.00, $1,500.00 and $1,000.00 over the past few weeks, I couldn't help but smile at how awesome it is that we've raised more than twice as much.

To me, it really doesn't matter that one person raises more than another. What matters is that all of us reach our minimum fundraising goals and that all of that money goes to cancer research.

Thanks in large part to so many of you, earlier this week, I reached my minimum fundraising requirement of $1,750.00. My cousin Candy's $250.00 donation put me over. And my eight-year-old nephew, Michael's $5.00 donation (from his very first allowance) was the cherry on top.

Although my goal is to raise as much as we can, at this juncture, my priority is insuring that my fellow "Cancer Crusaders" have reached their minimum fundraising goals, as well. So to enter this contest, please make your donation to either Margaret or Charlie's fundraising page and don't forget to leave a comment on THIS post.

If you donate $10.00, you will be entered 2 times; if you donate $20.00 you will be entered 4 times. And so on. All of the entries will be placed in to an excel spreadsheet and the winner will be selected using a random integer generator on Wednesday March 11.

Is anyone having as much fun as me? Seriously, if I didn't need to actually work to make money to fund these giveaways, I could honestly see doing this for a living.

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Do you visit BabySteps? Carolyn's Board? Triplet Connection? Mothering.com? Please let people know to head over and enter for a chance to win. In doing so, they will be expediting the cure of a disease that takes one life every 10 minutes and is the number one cause of death for children between the ages of 1 and 14.

OK, ready ... set ... GO!