The Big Apple

Well we're off to NYC. When I say "WE" I mean the whole kitten kaboodle! Me, Ted, Jack, Max, Monkey and Julie. It should be a lot of fun. I have an awesome wedding to shoot and then the rest of the time we are just going to play. The last time I was there was so long ago with my girlfriends I'm afraid this experience is going to be just a tad different hauling around strollers and diaper bags. I was looking back at my pictures from that trip and I can't believe how much has changed in each one of our lives since then.Cherry, Shelle, Anna, Carrie and Me (what is up with my hair..seriously I don't think it was wind either)
Central Park posers

Me and Carrie at the MET
A shot of the twin towers from the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.
I'm 100% sure I'll have a ton of photos to post when I get back! That is if we don't get mugged and someone steals all my camera equipment. Oh that never happens right?

Belated Birthday

Jack's birthday was a bit belated this year. Since he has been on a Star Wars, planets, rocket ship, anything outer space kick he naturally requested a Star Wars birthday. Here are some fun photos from the party. Oh yeah, just to avoid the earful I might get about what a birthday freak I am......The balloon guy was Jack's gift from Grandma and Grandpa Eliason who are currently boycotting toys considering the current state of the toy room.
Our faithful videographer, Darth Vader.
Loving the slide and party I will.....said Yoda Max.
I think the dark side might be winning here.
Quick break for some cake and then on to more dueling for jedi and vaders.


Ted took a beating from all the kids but that was their favorite part.
Request from the adults: Tinkerbell, Nacho Libre, Sleeping beauty and of course a Harley :)

We sure love spending time with our friends and family. Thanks guys. We love you!

Girls Night Out

I couldn't resist this. Our husbands just think we go out to gab and shop (shhhh) Thanks girls for fun night out dancing!

website

Okay Party People. For those of you that care my new site has launched. Still tweaking and fine tuning a few things but for the most part I have quit obsessing and decided I was done being sick and staying up until the weeeeeee hours of the night. So this is what I've got. The other site is just a place for cool stuff and I'll attempt to post some useful/fun photo stuff. I'm also really excited for The "Dinner Diva Dawn" to share some of her fab cooking tips and recipes on that site. Heaven knows my family could sure use some good home cook-N more than once a week (if they're lucky). Let me know if any one else wants to help or comes across cool finds to share on the site. (the pictures below are the links)

Quinn's Eagle Project

I'm so proud of my cousin Quinn. This is such and awesome project, inspired by my little brother Sam who most of you know is in a wheelchair himself due to a near drowning accident. I don't think anyone in my family let alone Sam can imagine what life would be like for him if he didn't have his wheelchair. Just $45 will build one wheelchair. Such a small amount for such an amazing gift. I hope you will pass this along, link it to your blogs, post it to your blogs or send an email to others you know and help Quinn reach his goal and more importantly help give others the gift of mobility.

His original email to me is posted below.

Hi…My name is Quinn and I am a 15 year old future Eagle Scout trying to make a difference in this world and I need your help.

My cousin, Sam, is confined to a wheelchair, and I wanted my Eagle Scout service project to help the disabled. Over 100 million people around the world have lost the ability to walk and are too poor to afford wheelchairs. Life is hard enough being disabled, but much harder if you have to drag yourself around the ground; so for my Eagle Scout service project I have partnered with an organization called Free Wheelchair Mission. Free Wheelchair Mission is a non-profit organization committed to providing mobility to the disabled poor in developing countries. Their founder designed and developed a low cost wheelchair with a total cost of only $45 and that includes shipping.

My goal is to send an entire shipping container of 550 wheelchairs to one of the 60 countries Free Wheelchair Mission partners with. In addition, my parents and I plan to travel with Free Wheelchair Mission to help assemble and distribute the chairs and see first hand the difference you and I can make in the lives of 550 people. I’ve never done anything like this before and I really need you and/or your company to help me raise $25,000 in total. You would also help me tremendously if you forward this email to people in your contact list.

Please watch two VERY short video news clips…one about my specific project (attached to this email) AND another by CBS Evening News that shows some amazing video footage of the disabled people around the world benefiting from this great effort (see CBS video; click here www.freewheelchairmission.org – use Internet Explorer)

I’m asking for your help in giving the gift of mobility to the disabled poor. There are two ways to donate…by check or credit card

Please send checks payable to Free Wheelchair Mission and in the memo section put Quinn’s Eagle Project and mail to:
Free Wheelchair MissionP.O. Box 513538Los Angeles, CA 90051-3538.

Credit Card: Go to the website www.freewheelchairmission.org . Under the “donate” section please make sure to apply the donation to Quinn’s Eagle Scout Project.


If you can donate please send me an email to mhtml:%7B19BE15DF-DDFC-4764-99F1-D9721A64FFA9%7Dmid://00000417/!x-usc:mailto:quinn@civicstone.com so that I can send you follow-up emails on our progress, including the trip next year.

Thank you in advance,
Quinn