Liz Logelin Foundation 5k - Walk Run Hope

Ah, September in Minnesota -

Can you think of a more beautiful location than Minnehaha Falls?

Not many - that's for sure -

What a gorgeous setting for this year's Liz Logelin Foundation 5k!

It was hard to find my place at this year's 5k - With things being wonky on the home front, super busy on the work front & multiple things happening at once...I wasn't sure what to do...Where to go...

Last year I was more than happy to volunteer wherever needed...but this year - this year I wanted to run the race & see how I could hold up...

Well, with a jam packed calendar I wasn't able to make that happen this year - although after watching the 5k and seeing so many young kids run the thing themselves...I have visions of us doing that too in the not-so-distant future!!

Instead - I hung around & took it all in as a spectator while the kids kept busy with some of the awesome activities at the 5k ~

I'll be honest - watching people get ready for the race - I was feeling a little bit jealous that I wasn't among them...

My friends & neighbors came out to participate in their first official 5k...

And they were off!

I had several friends running in this race...and I was thrilled to be able to cheer them on!

Missy did awesome! Coming in at 38:03!

And Lisa came in right behind her! At 38:17

And do you remember Liz? Many moons ago she set a goal for herself to accomplish a mile? Well, guess what...She did a mile...and then she did two...and then she did the final 3rd mile. In under an hour...

Great job Liz!

The real rockstar of this race? Tammy! I tell ya what! I was standing around thinking to myself - I'd better get my camera - they are going to start finishing soon - and what do you know?

This woman was DONE...and drinking water already!

Yep...her first ever 5k...and she finished in 32:33~AMAZING!

It was so fun to have so many friends out at Minnehaha Park supporting each other and the Liz Logelin Foundation...

Preliminary reports show that the 5k raised around $8000!

I am continually amazed at where this blogging community has taken me...

Continually grateful.

Together - we really CAN make a difference!

Something to Gain!

What's got these two adorable kids in cute matching shirts yelling HURRAY?
Come on over & find out!

Are you Christmas Shopping Yet?

Do you want to start...and potentially knock a few things off of your list via a $35.00 gift certificate?

Come on over and enter my latest give away!!

Why we can't move. Ever.

After a particularly tough couple of days...we were expected at our annual Labor Day Potluck & Bbq in our neighborhood...
I was slow to get ready - dragging my feet ~

And the doorbell rang...
And it was the neighborhood women & my great friends...
Delivering this...

And I cried.

It is so beautiful I don't even want to leave it outside!

What a priceless gift.

I can't even fathom where we'd be without the wonderful people in our neighborhood -

Betsy & Tammy & Brenda & Sue & Jamie & Brittany & Lisa...

I love you all.

Rock Stars

So, these kids are total rock stars...

Going to the dentist for their their regularly scheduled check up...they both argued over who was going to go first...
Pretty awesome - considering the last time we were at the dentist, someone needed multiple fillings! ACK!

We went to a new dentist this time - it's not that we didn't love the dentist we saw this past winter - what I didn't love is their business office practices, or lack there of.

We were told that little miss H - due to the deep grooves (genetics - suck!) in her teeth, would need 3 fillings...

ugh. The 'good faith estimate' was $182.00 - or somewhere in that ballpark...

After the fact - and a bill for several hundred dollars MORE than that later - and numerous calls to their business office...I couldn't bring myself to return to this clinic with our children. Turns out - they only 'guess' what your bill could be - they don't actually check with anyone's insurance - 'Everyone's insurance is different' they tell me - AFTER the fact.

ugh.

So wish I'd of known that they didn't ACTUALLY check with our insurance before we scheduled it all - fillings for baby teeth, sealant for baby teeth - all of which insurance does. not. cover.

Anyway, that and the office staff's inability to correctly run & charge our HSA credit card (which they did run - multiple times!) prompted us to go elsewhere this time...

And these two did great...

you guys do a great job of brushing at home & helping them out!

Their gums look great ~ she told me .

But me...

Well, the assistant whipped right through their cleanings...speedy fast & got us done early...but then, we had 45 minutes to sit in this little room W A I T I N G...

ugh.

The kids were getting squirrely. Especially the boy. Climbing up and down that fancy chair, wandering around the room, begging to get going home & get outside...

The assistant suggested next time we book their appointments for the same time, in different rooms. "Um, so my husband and I can BOTH use vacation time to come here, instead of just one of us? Your hours aren't very convenient for working parents."

You could go back and forth between rooms ~ she tells me.

Um - ok? So my 3 year old, who incidentally, cried because the xrays hurt so bad (don't I know it Buddy! I hate them too!) can just hang out in there without a parent, with sharp, pokey dental tool thingys within reach?

I don't think so lady.

And then, we got the joys of her showing the kids giant full color pictures of rotten teeth while she told them that this is what will happen if they eat fruit snacks or other sticky foods or drink chocolate milk or juice. And when she was done scaring the shit out of them...She proceeded to lecture me on how I shouldn't be buying anything with high fructose corn syrup in it, yada yada yada.

Thanks Lady.

I have enough battles to fight right now...If I want to give my kids some Yogurt that contains HFCS and they will actually eat it - You can bet we're buying it...by the case.

When I thought I couldn't be more annoyed - I was then instructed to bring toothbrushes AND FLOSS to daycare -because what good is brushing BEFORE breakfast...the kids need to brush AFTER breakfast.

huh.

All I could picture was our poor daycare provider - with 12 kids between the ages of 2 & 5, standing in a bathroom that comfortably holds 2 people at once, spitting toothpaste out on the sink, the mirror, the floor, their clothes - EACH OTHER!

I'm pretty sure it's all they can do to get all the kids to make it to the potty on time...toothbrusing - AND FLOSS! At DAYCARE?

Sounds fantastic in theory but again - There are other battles to fight...

By the time the dentist came in I was so over this visit, and so were the kids...That I could barely even listen to anything she had to say.

Next time - The hubs takes the kids to the dentist & I save my PTO hours for something a little bit less stressful.

The (not-so) Great Minnesota Get Together

Well, it was the end of summer & everyone else was doing it...

So we figured why not - we could should do it too!

We typically like to hit the smaller, less crowded venues...like the Dakota County Fair ~ but we weren't able to make that work this year - so we decided to go along with the rest of the state of Minnesota. (And perhaps Wisconsin, Iowa, North and South Dakotas too!)

Seriously you guys.
What. Were. We. Thinking?

Apparently, we weren't.
This shot was taken as we walked inched our way through the crowds...




From our local news:
State Fair Sets Third Attendance Record This Year
If you were at the Minnesota State Fair Saturday it is probably no surprise to you, that it was a record crowd.

The last Saturday of the State Fair is typically the busiest of the fair's ten day run, but this Saturday was busier than all others with 234, 075 people passing through the gates. That is 27,309 more than the same day last year, and 9,135 more than the previous record set in 1995.

Saturday was the third record setting day for attendance so far this year at the State Fair. The first two days of the 2010 Minnesota State Fair also saw record crowds.

Click this picture to enlarge...note to self...IF you are stupid enough to attempt this next year - go on Tuesday!

It wasn't ALL bad -

We had some fun on the Midway...

And this is about as close to eating a carmel apple as we came...

Actually, due to the extremely long lines & lack of personal space outside of .05 inches from your own body - our family of four shared 2 corn dogs, 1 order of fries & 1 root beer float.

Hardly worth going to the Great Minnesota Get Together if THAT is what you comsume!

Shameful!

It's not that we didn't WANT to eat one of everything - the lines were just too long.

And our bank account just to, um, short?

We did pony up the $3 per person to wander into the Butterfly Habitat...

I suppose a decent little add on were it not for the 100,000 other folks in there with us at the same time -

We made it as far as the Kidway...And D enjoyed a few rides...

And when we were out of time, patience, money...and tickets...

Big Sister decided she was finally ready to enjoy herself!

ACK! Lucky for us - we scraped together enough tickets ($5 worth! sheesh!) for her to enjoy this minute long adventure...

I know the Great Minnesota Get Together can be super fun - I actually really do love the State Fair - But I think next time I'll try and go with a few less friends ~ and a few more bucks in my pockets!

Cheap Family Fun!

If you know me, you know I love a good deal.

I'm ALWAYS looking for things we can take advantage of that's free, or nearly free...
Of course, that's not always possible - so finding a deal is the next best thing right?
Remember how I told you about our visit to the Minnesota Children's Museum?
Last week, Savvy Source had a deal for a half price membership...and this week...

savvysource.com

Another great deal!

Did you take advantage of this one?

We've only been to the Children's Theater once & it was a really fun time...and we'd love to go again...but...I can't decide if we should do this package deal or not - Committing to things so far in advance are tough for us me ...and I'm scared about getting crappy seats...(the fine print says *Seating is based upon availability after traditional package subscribers have been seated.*)
On the flip side - I have heard RAVE reviews about the 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins - and taking our family of four to just that one show would run us in the ballpark of $140...
So that makes this deal a no brainer doesn't it?

Each week Savvy Source will be bringing a good deal to our city - and possibly a city near you...
Click on the picture below to find out - and be sure to sign up for the emails so you don't miss a thing!

savvysource.com

Liz Logelin Foundation - A Celebration

On March 24, 2008, little Madeline Elizabeth Logelin came into this world.

The next day, her mother left it.

From this impossibly tragic event, a community was born. A community of individuals, united in their desire to help and support Madeline and her father, Matt. This community formed the basis for what would become a worldwide charitable foundation:

The Liz Logelin Foundation – For the Love of Liz.

After the catastrophic loss of his wife, Matt Logelin coped by turning not only to his wonderfully supportive family and friends, but to the internet. He had already begun a casual blog to keep friends and family abreast of Liz’s pregnancy; within 2 weeks of her passing, that blog became what it is today: a place where Matt can share his joys and frustrations, challenges and heartbreaks; where concerned friends, new and old, can meet, talk, laugh, and cry with Matt; and most importantly, where other widows and widowers can offer – and be offered – support and friendship.

So strong and large was the community that spontaneously formed around Matt and Madeline, it seemed not only natural, but necessary to harness the strength of that network and turn it into something – something that could help ease the pain and lighten the load felt by widows and widowers everywhere.

And it all sprang from the Love of Liz.

Last Friday, September 17th, would have been Liz Logelin's 33rd birthday.
To celebrate, we joined our friends of the Liz Logelin Foundation at what is now an annual fundraiser...this year, aptly titled - Celebration of Hope -
And what a Celebration it was.


While much like last year - it was also very different...


Another gorgeous painting by Mark Rose - Have you EVER seen a more talented artist?
The Robot ~ In full working order...made a guest appearance...

And there were some pretty awesome items up for bid this year again...
Including - an electric scooter...

Poor Trish...She did not want to go home without that scooter...She got a little too excited for her own good however, and broke the cardinal rule of silent auctioning. She needs to practice up on her poker face!

She had dozens of blog posts written in her head about that scooter already - I know she did!

Such a bummer...Next year Trish! Next year!

There were so many other fabulous items - in the ballpark of 200 items...
And they were so so popular with everyone there!


And it was so fun to have my worlds collide at one, awesomesauce event...
My 'Minnesota Blogger Group' was meeting my 'Creepy Friends' Group -
And it couldn't have been more spectacular!

Trish, Me, Missy & Gina
(photo courtesy of Missy!)

Me, Cindy & Missy....

Trish, Missy, Molly & Laura

Last year, Jackie came...and this year -

We met Mark and baby Matthew.


And so many friends & supporters of the Liz Logelin Foundation came out...

The brainchildren behind the entire organization -

Matt ~

and Rachel ~

Rachel & I 'met' via cribsheet way back in the day...When Matt first dropped us a note over there...

Rachel emailed me offline saying 'What can we do?' - and I wondered...Will this guy think we are a complete bunch of quacks? Contacting him like this? Sending him our unused formula checks and all the unsolicited advice we could muster up?

Well, Rachel didn't care. She met this total random dude & his baby for lunch...

And now look...with the help of so many fantastic volunteers (Kris & Laurie & Nancy & Katie J. and Chris T. & Jen G. & Gina & Brooke & Danielle & Kate & Kelly Mc & so so many others...many who's names you'll see here...the countless hours they put in, making an event like this happen...

The donations: silent auction, live auction, online auction, straight up cash.

This foundation is really really making a difference...over 40 grants given out since it's inception.

That means 40 families receiving a little bit of sunshine in an otherwise cloudy time...

This year, something a little different - was live music - by local fav Tim Mahoney -

He played...and people swooned...

Especially when he sang, lullabye style, to one of the newest of the creeplets...5 week old T...

"Don't stop believin', Hold on to that feeeeeelin"

and when people weren't swooning...they Rocked Out with the Robot!

And some of us...some of us just enjoyed an evening with people who make us so very very happy...while coming together for a great cause.

Matt & Tim Mahoney after the show -

It's gonna be hard to top this one...but I hope you'll join us next year to see us try! Huge kudos to the events team for an extremely fun, extremely well run and well put together event. You ladies did such an awesome job, and you should be very very proud.

I have been spread much too thin this year, and wasn't able to give of myself as I have in the past. But you know how I can continue to help, even if I am not cataloging dozens of auction items or stuffing 5k envelopes?

By skipping eating out one day a month...and offering up a few bucks to a very worthwhile charity...

Together - We CAN make a difference.