Thursday August 13th. Informational meeting at Toolens Running Start in O'Fallon. Got to meet Rhonda Sciarra the contact person for Team Challenge and the organizer of our team. Met Coach Carrie and her little boy Henry who is a corker! We were handed out information packets and watched a short video detailing CCFA and their mission as well as learned a little about the honored members of our team, Karen who I've not met but understand has had quite a difficult time with her illness and Jillian who I've also not met but I understand she's 10 and is fighting IBD also. I hope to meet both these inspiring people very soon and learn their stories and share with them mine. There were 5 of us at the meeting all seemed nice people, some were put off immediately by the daunting task of actually training each weekend, but I feel like their hearts were in the right place and perhaps even if they don't actively participate in the challenge they will support others of us who are. A couple of others were on the fence and I hope they made the decision to jump on board. Rhonda told me today that they signed up 8 more team members Saturday, THAT'S AWESOME.

After reading through my packet and wrapping my head around this fundraising campaign oh and yeah the training for a 13.1 mile run (don't even think that part has registered yet LOL) I've set up my fundraising page, look for my link on this blog. And I've sent out my intial e-mail requests for support and donations.

In the works will be an awesome quilt raffle, with a quilt donated by my lifelong friend Becky Jones Purcll, she makes gorgeous quilts. At this time Becky is fighting her own battle with IBD and is having surgery this week which will hopefully alleviate her pain and allow her to lead a normal life again. So keep Becky in your thoughts and prayers and more on the beautiful quilt later.

I'll also soon be taking orders for Mama T's awesome Texas Sheet Cake and Pumpkin rolls, you know you love them.........you just wont be able to get them for free for the next few months haha.,

Next on the agenda is to........run, oh yeah I'd better get out and run a few times before the first group training session hadn't I?

Mama T's Race for a Cause

You'll never guess what I've done!!!! I've signed on the dotted line to train for and run a HALF MARATHON! What the heck? The furthest I've run to date has been 5.45 miles, what was I thinking that I could run 13 miles, I'm almost 48 years old for heavens sake!

I've recently gotten back into running this Summer I had done the coolrunning Couch to 5k program a few years ago when I was losing weight on Weight Watchers and I found that I LIKED running, I know, who could believe that right? So the first 5k I did this Summer was a challenge my WW Birds of a Feather friends and myself challenged ourselves to do. It was the Mascoutah Meltdown on July 4th to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes foundation. It was a great event organized by Brandy Pickell and all her helpers. BUT it was a horrible day weatherwise, pouring rain, I mean buckets of rain, thunder lightening the whole bit. I nearly turned around and went home.







BUT I DIDN'T I finished the race with a new friend Laurie who turned out to be a fellow WW Lifetimer. I also won a great attendance prize.








When I got home and went through my bag o' goodies from the race I saw a flyer that grabbed my attention. It was a flyer for Team Challenge, a group that TRAINS you to run/walk a half marathon, TRAINS you!!! AND in turn you raise $$$$ for the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA)

Hmmmmmm I could get professional training to run a half marathon, I could travel to Las Vegas on Dec 6th to run in the Las Vegas Rock N Roll Half Marathon. But most of all I COULD do something positive to help raise money for a great cause.

I have Ulcerative Colitis, have had for years, used to think I just had a wonky belly, you know runs in the family kinda thing. Sister has IBS, Dad always said he couldn't lace up his football britches till last minute just in case he had to make a dash for the restroom before game time. I always had nervous belly problems had to watch what I ate, scoped out the location of every public restroom EVERYWHERE, had numerous "near misses" and some out and out embarassing moments. Finally I got to Dr Feldman who did a colonoscopy and diagnosed me with UC. I was shocked when he told me I have a DISEASE an INCURABLE autoimmune disease. I was put on medication that I take daily, twelve pills daily, and as long as I take my meds I stay pretty much in remission with few flares. But I'm still at increased risk for colon cancer from the ulcers in my colon.

I'm going to use my blog to journal my experience with Team Challenge. I hope you'll follow me and comment and encourage!

Grandkids Grandkids and more Grandkids!

I haven't blogged anything lately, most people keep up with me on facebook but decided today to add a few pics of the grandkids and what's going on in their lives. Tori is seven and in second grade, she loves the outdoors, skating, jump roping, 4 wheeler riding, fishing , bike riding anything active, she's also very girly and loves PINK PINK and more PINK! Joel is seven and a half months old and is doing very well, he's rolling front to back and back to front, trying to crawl, working on sitting balance and has 4 teeth. He is perpetually happy and the absolute joy of our lives.

Guess who finally got her ears piecred? She's been talking about doing it for awhile but was too scared it would hurt. She told Gary she had 1 carat diamonds!!! Whoohoo lucky girl.

Tori and her Grandpa Gary went mushroom hunting at Toris house last week and they made a haul! Gary told her she had to "sniff" out the shrooms like a little truffle hunting piggie so she was all about it!

Tori in the middle with the red headband swinging her imaginary lasso singing Yippee Ki.................something or other for a Cabaret Kids performance at the nursing home.

Playing outside in his Rainforest Bouncer, loves having his toes bare!

Joel sitting up pretty well in the high chair that Gary built when Tori was a baby. He's not sitting independently yet but he's close.

Joel needed a walker and of course it had to be a "Jeep" like his Mommys!

Tori and Joel had their pictures taken for an American Cancer Society fundraiser. So here are their "Puttin on the Ritz" pics. Tori is Miss Photogenic and Joel was simply swimming in his little baby tux, but gotta love both their sweet little toes peeking out.

2009

It has been awhile.......................life has been topsy turvy at our house. You would not think that one 6lb 10oz boy would so turn our world upside down! It is a joyful world though, Joel continues to thrive and grow like a bad weed, lighting up our life with smiles and interesting "conversation" Our lives have settled into somewhat of a routine with Cassie back to work as an EMT in Swansea. Our upstairs remodel is almost done so that means we have our living room back and Cassie and Joel have their own space, sort of, we've made the family room up there into a Wii station and Gary's discovered he likes it!! So we'll all be spending time up there "playing."

My plan for 2009 is to work on ME, I had reached my WW goal weight in March of 2006 losing 63 lbs, I ran my first 5k in Dec of 2007, and then.................I completely fell off the wagon and have regained 30 lbs, I'm not exercising and my eating habits are ridiculous. I have exuded so much time and energy worrying and praying and planning and did I mention worrying over the last year that I've let my health deteriorate and I'm not doing anyone a favor by letting that happen. I've been inspired by several of my fellow bloggers just by reading their posts and their individual journeys so it's time to get this MaMa back in shape!

Grandchildren are a Blessing

We've welcomed a new grandson into our lives this past week. Joel David entered the world Tuesday September 16th @ five sixteen p.m. He weighed 6lb 10oz and was 19" long. He and his Mother are both doing well and came home from the hospital on Thursday.

Joel was diagnosed in utero with a few problems, hydrocephalus being one of them, but through prayer and Gods mercy he was born without hydrocephalus and healthy enough to go straight to the well baby nursery and then home with Mom. Joel may have a few bumps on his road growing up but he's doing just fine and his whole family is just full of joy to have him here with us safe and sound.

Tori Nicole is Joels biggest fan and couldn't wait to hold him, she's a pro at holding babies she knew just what to do.

And here we are at 6 days old and 6oz heavier he's already at 7lbs! He's puckering up for a kiss from his Mommy.

And here is what Joel has to look forward to when he's older. Driving Grandpas John Deere. Tori is a great tractor driver and will be happy to show him just how to do it.......

Joels Corner

Here is Joel Davids' corner of the living room. We've converted our living room to a bedroom for Cassie and her soon to be born son Joel. We are currently adding a second story to the house, when that is done Cassie and Joel will move upstairs and we'll get our LR back!

Gary started building the crib in February/March from plans that we found online, it is a "sleigh crib" and was built from an oak tree that Gary cut down several years ago. At that time he didn't have a particular use for the wood but had it planed and dried and was storing it for "future" use. Who knew that future use would be for our much anticipated grandson. We are so very proud of the workmanship Gary put into the crib and plan to pass it on and on for generations to come.

The little book/toy shelf was also made by Gary years ago probably at the time to either hold some of my many books or family pictures. It's current use is to hold Joels toys and the books that he has already started to accumulate. Cassie was gifted with many storybooks at her shower in lieu of cards.

The stack of "stuff" on the floor awaits the arrival of the changing table which has been ordered but is not here yet. Grandpa Gary probably would have built one of those too but with the work on the house we didn't think he'd have time.

Remodel Phase 1

Here are a few pictures of the first couple of weeks of remodeling work. First they cut a hole above the dining room window to access the upstairs. Good thinking on Garys' part that way they didn't carry building materials through the living room and up the stairs. This first week of construction happened to be the hottest so far it was 120+ up there!

Below a picture from the inside with boards layed down for the construction crew to stand on and lots of blown in insulation.

New floor joists in place ready for plumbing and heating/ac to be roughed in YAY!

Back of the house where they were pouring concrete for a small patio that will sit directly below the upstairs balcony..........it's finished now, nice concrete pad. Gary says may screen it in at some point, nice place to sit outside.

This weeks excitement will be the heating/ac folks coming Tues morning to get that taken care of. The contractor is building the walls for the upstairs in his shop and then they'll truck them over. The trusses should be in tomorrow. Gary thinks we'll have a second story in three weeks, God willing and we don't get a monsoon!