Every year we have a Fall Festival in the fellowship area where we attend church.  It’s free and open to the community, and we usually always have a big attendance.  There are all sorts of fun games like you would see for little kids at school carnivals plus we have a “cupcake walk” and a hayride outside.  There’s free food which usually includes hot dogs, cheese nachos, frito-chili pie, lemonade, etc.  And, of course, there’s tons of candy.  Last year my family put up a little area surrounded by black trash bags so it would be dark inside, and then we had all kinds of Halloween lights and a little black light inside.  I think the game inside was a beanbag toss into a plastic pumpkin.  The kids loved it!  This year we’re doing tic-tac-toe beanbag.  It’s always so much fun to see how the kids (and adults) dress up.  And the great thing about this festival is that it’s safe and families don’t have to worry about not having the money for their kids to attend since it’s free.  Hope everyone has a safe Halloween night! 

We are watching “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” right now. This mom, Julie, and her three daughters all have this condition called Chiari. Chiari is a structural defect in the part of the brain that controls balance, and it can cause all kinds of neurological problems, and in severe cases it can cause death. For 16 years I think it was, Julie didn’t know what was wrong with her. It took literally 100 doctors to finally diagnose and do surgery and get her to the point where she is today. Her daughters have inherited her condition which really bothers Julie. And to make matters worse, they lived in a chicken coop that they added on to and tried to make livable.

What is really sweet and inspiring is the fact that, in spite of Julie’s situation, she reaches out to others who have this condition and has helped so many people and their families. She is really making a difference in a lot of other people’s lives and has even helped to save lives.  If you would like to know more information about the disease, go to Chiari People.

I had a friend die of breast cancer and leave behind three children, the oldest was our daughter’s age, and the youngest had just celebrated her third birthday. I can remember having them over when their daughter was a tiny baby, and we were all focused on the joy of having a newborn. Little did I know that years later I would do the Susan G. Komen “Race for the Cure” in her memory. My fibromyalgia has prevented me from participating in the race recently, but maybe one day I’ll be able to do it again. But there is something I can do now and that’s participate in “Pink for the Cure.”

I have several friends who are breast cancer survivors, and they all know that breast cancer research is so important! We can all do our part to help further this research. This month, there are several companies that have “Pink for the Cure” on their packaging and will donate to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research. Also, you can go to 3 Day Mom for more info.
Here are some of the “Pink for the Cure” packages in the stores:

*Argo Corn Starch

*Betty Crocker - Hamburger Helper, Cookie Mix

*Energizer Batteries
*Fleischmann’s Yeast

*General Mills - Cheerios, Total Raisin Bran

*Green Giant Vegetables

*Karo Syrup

*Mazola Pure Cooking Spray

*Northland Cranberry Juice

*One A Day Women’s Vitamins
*Pillsbury- Crescent Rolls & Grands Sweet Rolls

*Progresso Soup

*Spice Island Pure Vanilla

*Thomas Kinkade “Angel of Hope”

*Viva Paper Towels

*Yoplait Yogurt