Sweet Pea United

Our 2008 Buddy Walk team has now been registered. Sweet Pea United walks again for the 2nd year in a row. We didn't walk the year before, as Samantha had just had her OHS and was recovering. As before, I was a little late in sending out the e-mails inviting people to join our team or make donations, but I'm hoping to beat last year's total and have a much bigger team presence with slightly better outreach. My HR department at work has invited me to post information about the Buddy Walk in the September newsletter and Steve's pals down at the LA Bar and Grill will be taking up the cause. This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the DSANV and has the most publicity surrounding it, ensuring better public awareness of the rich lives, potentials and abilities of people with Down syndrome. Click Sweet Pea United to join our team or make a donation.


I don't have any photos today--I've been a little remiss in the photo-taking department lately. I had wanted to take pics at Bethany's yard sale yesterday (for those of you that don't know, Bethany at Life With Bubba And Chicky is in the process of adopting a little girl with Down syndrome from Russia, and the yard sale benefits the pricey costs of the endeavor), but left my camera in the car. And seriously, it's more trouble than it's worth sometimes to have to gather her back up, go back to the car, fish the camera out, and take pics while trying to keep her curious little hands off the breakable odds-and-ends that were for sale on the tables! Samantha and Payton finally got to meet, which was a bit anti-climactic since Samantha decided she was going to play shy for most of the time we were there. Payton was the perfect little hostess, trying to give Sammi kisses! Next time...


I was also planning on getting a few photos at my friend and former colleague Katherine's going away party yesterday (she and her husband are moving to Portland, OR next month). Samantha and I went all the way out to Tacoma Park to...nothing. Nobody was home except some barking dogs. The party is on September 6th. Can you believe it? I was 2 weeks early. I have never done that, even after having received 3 E-vite notices. I think I have every weekend until the end of September already accounted for, so this one got a bit confused in the shuffle. Hahahaha. Oh well, at least I know where it is now.

My totally adorable baby brother, Josh (shown above with his girlfriend, Kate, last December in one of my favorite photos), left his home of South Jersey for the big city wilds of Chicago last week. He'll be starting his freshman year at Columbia College Chicago. Hopefully we'll make it out there to visit him sometime! Good luck, Josh!