Sandy Barker speaks to our team!

Sandy Barker and I after our 6 mile run!

A BIG highlight was during the Team in Training mission moments I met my friend for the first time... we have talked online and over the phone... she told about her son Christian's Journey and their was not a dry eye in sight. She just received her acceptance letter for her organization 501C and is starting this up called Gold Rush Cure. When it is up and running... check it out (don't worry I will post the link here)! It should be fantastic! We walked the 6 miles together and never stopped talking... I know shocker for those who know me... it is funny because I wish we could have done more miles or had time for lunch... I could talk to her all day! Gold Rush Cure is much like Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer (pink ribbon)... except this is geared to get recognition for kids of all ages affected with cancer. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! I am working with her to set up a race that month to recognize these little warriors (gold ribbon)! This is one awesome family that touched so many hearts on Saturday! Sandy you are welcome to join us on Saturday Training Days anytime and we are here with open arms for you!

Viva Las Wages

I spent my last weekend in Vegas for my bowling league! Lets just say the bowling part didn't pan out the way I had envisioned. I went in with a 128 average and my three games were (127-125-109) in order to be in the money for bowling I would have needed games in the 150-160 range for all three.

Luckily I wasn't alone in the terrible bowling my team along with all the others noticed much more oil on the lanes which caused our hook balls to not react like they normally do. One guy in our league always bowls around 200 and had a 118 game! Even the President for our league said the scores were low. Then come to find out that the alley had oiled the lanes with double the oil for a tournament taking place the same day.

After bowling came gambling for the weekend and I pretty much lost all the money I brought to Vegas that was MY MONEY! Once I got down to $26 from my original $220 I mentally gave up. Luckily we went to a restaurant in Downtown Las Vegas and the waitress referred us to the Silverton Hotel. This hotel I kid you not was a few blocks from where we were staying at the Worldmark by Wyndham! They had a deal for newbies who sign up for there players card (1/2 price buffet and $10 playing cash)! Before we ate, we played... Here is where things change!

I put the $10 in a penny slot machine and walked away with $31 of my new winnings... I left to go to the ladies room to come back and find a person on the machine I call mine and there significant other on the machine next to it. So I sat in the middle slot machine next to my friends and next to a friendly stranger. I put $10 in the machine and began playing... it didn't take long before I found out that I was playing $0.90 a hand instead of the minimum $0.30 a hand. When I realized the mistake I was going to change it on the next spin. Well I hit a bonus before that happened and got 15 free spins... during those free spins I hit another bonus within that bonus and they gave me 8 more free spins... when the 23 spins were done I had made $50 bucks because it tripled all my winnings from the bet being 3x the minimum...

now that is a mistake that pays!

Happy Saint Patricks Day

I totally forgot and this morning what do you know... I put on my nice professional looking outfit and no green is to be found...

Results:

• Threats of being pinched... I treatened to kick my heals in who dares to try, lol
• Virtual pinches on my facebook
• Finally drew a happy face on my hand with a green permanent marker thanks to a caring co-worker.

I really do plan on updating some important things tomorrow and pictures too...

Please see my last post if you can spare a few bucks and make my 4th grader niece super happy with her fundraiser to the LLS!

Stay tuned...

Jeremy's birthday dinner at Hooters 3/2/09

All Smiles and All Tied Up

He really wanted the one off his neck! Mel to the rescue!

And that is what happens when Hooter girls tie balloons on my birthday man turning 31!

Jeremy is loved by all his friends!

Renee, Bob, and Carla smiling for the camera at Hooters

Carla gives a thumbs up to the wipes for her hands... love the quote on the wrapper! She didn't sport her Hooters shirt that says "I recycle boys"

Smiles from Amantha

The Big Climb

Amanda at the pumpkin patch!

Breaking news: My Niece Amanda has decided to participate in the Big Climb on March 22, 2009. The Big Climb is a climb up 69 flights of stairs in the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle. She'll be huffing and puffing, but all in the name of helping The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) fight blood cancers

I am asking you to help by supporting her fund-raising efforts with a donation. Click either of the links below to donate online. If your company has a matching gift, please fill out the required paperwork from your company.

If you prefer, you can can mail checks payable to LLS to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Big Climb, 530 Dexter Ave. North, Ste. 300 Seattle, WA 98109. Please include a note with her name "Amanda Barentine" and "Big Climb" for proper crediting.

Any amount, great or small, helps in the fight against blood cancers.

I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on her progress. Your tax-deductible gift will make a difference in the lives of many.

Thank you for joining Amanda's Team Trailblazers
Click here to visit my personal page.

I know Amanda Thanks you too!

She is a little nervous so any words of encouragement is worth millions to her any messages will be relayed to her as she prepares for THE BIG CLIMB!

Thank you for your support!
Melissa