Just watching daddy cut down a tree, on a Saturday morning, in their boxers...just too cute to not share.

~All for the Cure-We Healthy Hooters Are Racing Again to Help~

LOOK AROUND YOU. Every 74 seconds breast cancer claims the life of someone in the world! We need your help on our mission to save lives and end breast cancer so that not one more of our mothers, sisters, brothers, daughters or best friends has to die from this disease. We won't rest until breast cancer is a history lesson, not a current event. HELP US ON OUR MISSION.

For the past 11 years I have been rallying and racing and raising money for The Cure. I have participated in many different events and fundraisers in support of Susan G. Komen-for the Cure. This year I plan to Race for the Cure-on Mother's Day, with my mom, sister Debbie, and niece Emma.

I have painted on my "ta-ta's" and dyed my hair pink...I have raised and challenged others to raise awareness, bring education and help find the cure for this disease that effects so many of the women we love.

In 2012, I added one more to my list: my childhood friend's mom: Linda Mortenson.  She has one more chemo treatment left!  She has fought hard and has been at work through all of this.  Her daughter Brooke (Amiot) is one of the funniest girls I know.  And who would have thought after all these years our  boys would carry on the Harmening-Amiot legend and be best of friends!?

So in honor of many who have fought and survived and for those I will never forget...
Aunt Kathy Braulick-fought and came back a "new" woman!
Janet Olson-Mother-in-law

Aunt Jeanne (godmother)

Diane Olek-one of my favorite people and a woman I can tell anything to-she is a fantastic listener and will always give a level headed response

Jeanne Corrin-golfing buddy & great friend who will always be there for me
Barb Nass-another golfing buddy who loves to laugh

Margo Hell-who left us far too soon
Donna Barg-one fantastic woman with one of the best laughs...it's contagious and unforgettable

Maxine Werner-25 year survivor who will always support me

Marlene Schol-best (Oz) costume maker I know!
Julie Jaksa-the best bargain hunter ever and most willing to help others
Terri Nagurski-one of the best photographers and funniest "moms" I know
Wendy Mayer-one of the Young and the Breastless that "owns" it
Stacy Litwiller-helped my son with his speech issues and I was in awe of her beauty before and after.

In Memory of Janet Wagner-who was taken far, far too early from this world because of this disease. She was a strong woman who fought with grace and compassion.
Carol Hauge-a devoted mother and wife and is always looking out for others
Gina Rasmussen-a woman who we will forever be linked with because of "Papa Norm" and we love it!
Lisa Bahr-fought and won with grace, strength and beauty
Arlene Julien-another early survivor who continues to amaze me daily

Kathleen Riley-my sister Tammy's mother-in-law
Ellen Breneman- fought it with a smile on her face

Last but never the least...one of my best friends and the craziest woman I have ever had the pleasure of staying up all night and dancing with-Becky Glatz
and many, many more...
If you would like to donate to the Race please click the following link...The Healthy Hooters

...thank you for your support!

32 years ago my beautiful mother delivered her 4th child.  A Girl!  She named her Rebecca Lynn.  Thank you mom for giving me life, for raising me into the woman I am today, for guiding me, for encouraging me, for helping me become a better mom myself and for being my best friend.
I love you!
Rebecca Lynn

Go Blue Pics and Results

Here is the link for the pictures of Go Blue Friday and the Results.  Thanks again to all who donated!!

Thank you to everyone who contributed money to this worthy cause!

Each of you who donated helped light up awareness for autism.

We raised a whopping $478 in just two days!  You should be very proud of yourselves.  Here are the standings of how the donations break down.

Brian Mathews $7

Dr. Stone $97
Dr. Heuer $58
Laurie Whitfied-Trautlein $126
Margaret Hyatt $121, but Becky tossed in another 5 to force it to a tie J

Robyn Pelowski $19

And in honor of her grandson Garret, who has Aspergers, a family member of mine donated $50 to United for Autism…

Dr. Stone was stalling this morning at the Clinic (ahem…with a patient) so we were able to coerce Dr. Heuer to get his hair dyed first.  They tie at the hospital was just too perfect, for the two women that raised the most money.  We couldn’t possibly let just one have all the glory.

Thank you to all of our volunteers.  Your willingness to put yourself out there for one day to raise awareness for autism is truly inspiring!  THANK YOU for being such good sports!

I had wanted to raise awareness in honor of Gwen and Griffin Sirotiak.  Lisa Sirotiak, a former RN here at RLMC, moved her twins to the metro area to help them with their struggles with autism and help them thrive in what they excel at.  Lisa is one of my best friends and she is one heck of a woman...she doesn't feel strong, but daily somebody tells her she is and that she is a great mom...which she is. She is so very brave for taking this leap with her kids and putting them first. It's hard on everybody around her. She left her family, friends, house, job, and put her kids and their health at the top of her list. She is organized, emotional, tenderhearted, strong willed and AMAZING!

Thank you again for helping a great cause!

Light it Up Blue

The Things They Will Do!

I currently have 6 people from the hospital and the clinic campuses who are anxiously awaiting what the morning will bring.  IF they have the most money in their jar, they are going to be blued by me by 8 am.  They will wear their hair blue the entire day for Autism Awareness. The 2 little cuties plastered all over my blog are my friend Lisa's twins.  Gwen and Griffin will be four years old on 8/28/12. They are adorable and they both were diagnosed with Autism.  Lisa moved herself and the twins to the metro area to put the kids in a school that will help them with their struggles and also help them thrive with what they excel in.  Her husband Shawn is still living and working in the Falls. So when he has time off, he travels to see his family.

 

 

This past Fall I went and stayed with Lisa and helped take care of the kids while she worked.  Midnights nonetheless.  

 Yes, it was hard to be there for 3 days...I was exhausted.  Chasing after her two and Emmitt about wore me out.  I actually went to Target for toothbrushes since I forgot ours and people looked at me and these three kids in a cart like I had three heads.  But I just kept thinking...Lisa does this every day. She doesn't get a break. 

 The one thing that I noticed that pulled on my heart was that Lisa's kids, mainly Griff, did not know how to show any loving emotion to her.  It took me until the last night I was there to say anything about it to her.  I find myself begging for a moment without a one of my kids hanging on me, especially Emmitt. His is my spider monkey.  He clings, he crawls on my lap, he sleeps way too close and he is a little lover.  Don't get me wrong, I do love it, but sometimes you want to be left untouched.  Where Lisa has to ask her kids to give her a hug or a kiss.  She cannot simply grab them and love on them without getting a push back or a "you are in my bubble, mom" look.  Well it wasn't until later this winter that Lisa posts on her Facebook status that Griff came up to her and hugged and kissed her without her asking!  I simply told her..."melt".  And she "liked" it!   I bawled after that...and still thank God every day that I have little, loving, clinging, momma's boys that are busy, healthy, happy and wild!

 

 So...this is the reason for the following...

April is National Autism Awareness Month

Join Autism Speaks in celebrating World Autism Awareness and Light It Up Blue to help shine a light on autism. The whole world is going blue to increase awareness about autism.

Light It Up Blue, in its third year, is a unique global initiative to help raise awareness about the growing public health concern that is autism. Iconic landmarks around the world will Light It Up Blue to show their support.

Join us now and help shine a light on autism.

There are 6 individuals who have volunteered to “go blue” for Autism Awareness.

There will be 6 jars available and the person who has collected the most money will have their hair painted blue Friday morning (4-6-12) and must wear their hair all day painted this wonderful shade of blue.  We have 3 volunteers from the Clinic campus and 3 volunteers from the Hospital campus.  If you would like to donate money you can write a check out to:  United for Autism & request what jar the money will go in or simply put your cash in the jar for that person. 

Donation  poster/jars are located in the stockroom with Becky Olson at the Hospital Campus and by Robyn Pelowski’s desk at the Clinic Campus.
Listed below are the 6 volunteers

Clinic

Dr. Stone

Dr. Heuer

Robyn Pelowski

Hospital

Margaret Hyatt

Brian Mathews

Laurie Whitfield-Trautlein

Thank you in advance for your contribution!

http://www.lightitupblue.org/Markslist/home.do

 Lisa is one heck of a woman...she doesn't feel strong, but daily somebody tells her she is and that she is a great mom...which she is. She is so very brave for taking this leap with her kids and putting them first.  It's hard on everybody around her.  She left her family, friends, house, job, and put her kids and their health at the top of her list. She is organized, emotional, tenderhearted, strong willed and AMAZING!

This is the least I can do for you Lisa!  I love you and those sweethearts of yours.  And Shawn-O too!

Boys will be boys

The Joys of Boys!

What we thought would be stitches ended up being glue.

Last Friday I was just sitting down to eat my supper and heard the scream, the cry, the running up the stairs and the reasons behind why what happened, happened. 

I told Bear to take Parker and hear his side of the story as I cuddled an upset Emmitt...I asked where it hurt and he pointed to his forehead...then I lifted up his hair to see the spot and simply said, "oh my, you are going to need stitches" and out the door we went.  Parker started telling Emmitt that he was sorry and that he loved him and of course to be brave!  "It won't hurt at all, buddy".

While we were assessing the damage to his head wound, we did end up hearing the story from both boys.  They were playing with the big blue exercise ball and Emmitt ended up taking a hit in the back with the ball which then threw his body forward and his forehead caught the surround sound speaker.  Amazingly the wound did not bleed that bad and he seemed otherwise fine. 

When we got the the ER, one of the registration girls asked (in a very routine manner)...cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting?  Nope, I replied, just needing a few stitches.  And we managed to be the first in the triage room...as 6 other groups of people came in the door behind us with the cough, fever, sore throat crud, we have managed to fight off.

Well, Dr. Knaak came in and took a look and said we were gonna glue it with Dermabond.  I immediately said nope, stitch it.  We went back and forth a bit, I hate glue.  The Dremmel twins have had their fair share of glue to stitches and the ratio always favors stitches.  My argument was he's a 4 year old boy, that glue is never gonna hold.  Docs argument was it's not deep enough to stitch (which is why it didn't bleed like crazy).  So, fine, doc won and I nicely threatened him that I would be sure to let him know if the glue didn't hold.

Well the picture of the the glue is 2 days after the ER visit and the glue was coming off.  The part that had adhered to his hair was catching on his shirts, hoods, etc...of course he wouldn't let me near his face with a pair of kitchen sheers, but he would let Darci!  My Nurse Practitioner friend who I told Emmitt was a doctor.  She snipped off the loose pieces and we managed to make it until yesterday (Saturday 8 days out) with the glue attached.  The scab is uncovered completely from the glue, but there is a bit still stuck in his hair.  The last picture is from today...a pretty open wound still, which I think would have healed better with stitches, but we are all bound to have a few scars...this will be one of his!

Ruby Jay is ONE!

Oh Ruby Jay!  How has one year gone by so fast?  You are cuter than ever and one of the most smiley little girls around!  Your personality has grown right along with you.  You are so Happy!  And so unlike my crabby babies.  Well, they weren't crabby at this age anymore, but Ruby was never that crabby infant even.

My boys often ask for a sister...I tell them they can have Ruby!  She tries to say my name, Casey had Ruby wave bye-bye to "Auntie Becky", she has called me bye-bye ever since!  I say "Becky", she says "Bye-Bye".  But hey, I'll take it.  But the one she really loves the most and even says his name is "Em-Et".
Just today we were together and Ruby kept leaning into Emmitt and hugging him.  He loves her up right back.










The eyes, the curls, the toothy smile are just a few of the things we love about you Ruby Jay...just keep them coming!