Block Party 2013!

This past Saturday was the 4th Annual Block Party! Pictures first!

*Formatting may not show up correctly in google reader or email, you may want to view directly on the blog. Sorry for the picture overload. I couldn't choose favorites. :)

All the blocks not already laid out into blankets

Jim couldn't be outdone by Gary! :)

These 3 played together all day!

Rachel and I - How did I get so lucky to get such an amazing best friend??

"How do you get this thing in here again??" Link's wife made over half the blocks this year as she did last year!

Making new friends while they work

Hey look! There's me sewing.. proof I actually do sew! ;)

First finished blanket!

Another one done!

Finishing up the pink one!

Repairing some "issues" with this one - these two ladies are a hoot... that's all I'm gonna say.

All done!

And the last one of the day done! It was decided we weren't leaving until it was finished, so finish it we did!

Now that you've seen the day in picture's let talk about the day in numbers... :)

I was a bit concerned with the snow that we wouldn't have a very good turn out, but we did, with a total of almost 30 people coming to help sew!

We had 6 big blankets (twin size) pre-laid out before everyone arrived. We finished all six and another big one, with a total of 7 big (twin size) blankets sewed!

We had near 1300 blocks donated before the Block Party, and more were brought the day of, with a total of 1769 blocks for this year!

Thank you so much to Jill, Anna, Rachel, Isaac, Rebekah, Anita, Betty, Amy, Lora, Jenny, Sydney, Hazel, Ellie, Ellie, Tracy, Darlene, Jim, Jeanne, Laurie, Diane, Link, Sheri, Lisa, Lisa, Rochelle, Klara, Jocelyn, Heather, and anyone else I missed for coming and helping sew!!!!

And thank you from the bottom of my heart to every single person who made blocks, whether it was 1 or 1000, each one mattered!

Many people will feel the love stitched into each blanket, and they will be blessed because of your efforts. Each blanket and block is bring some joy and hope into the lives of the hopeless in Ukraine. Thank you!

Jimmy's Benefit

Just realized that I never posted about Jimmy's Benefit on this blog! Below is a repost from my other blog.

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Tonight was Jimmy's benefit. I blogged about the benefit/him here. There was a great turnout, but no total yet!

Rachel and I had a table of our stuff, including some Ghana flag themed items. :) The donation basket on our table (we did prices labeled as suggested donation, not actually sold it) $166 for Jimmy!! Praise God! Ironic thing is, that's the same amount as our farmers market last weekend for  Lilly! :)

The tables all set up, ready for lots of people to eat lots of pie!

And the pies.... yes, I'm being cruel and making you hungry. Bwahaha (evil laugh)! ;]

All the people watching the groups that played tonight...

In Harmony...

Con Brio...

Don Shire...

And the Ott Family led several songs at the end, one of which I will share when my ridiculously SLOW internet finally finishes the 1 min 30 sec video after 2 hours. No, I'm not joking.

And then there's the fun in the nursery! :) My little 3 sibs - Elijah, Rachel, Jonathan, my mom, "big" Rachel, and half of the Prevost family, including Caleb! :)

It was an awesome night to bring an awesome little boy home!!

Ghana & Jimmy & Flag Dishcloths

On Saturday night, there is an adoption benefit to help bring Jimmy home from Ghana, Africa.

I blogged more of Jimmy's story over on my other blog if you would like to read it.

And if you are local, you are invited!

Rachel and I will be there, selling these Ghana flag dishcloths, as well as some other items.

We'd love to see you there! :)

Craft Sale

Pictures from the Craft Sale/Farmer's Market yesterday morning that Rachel and I did.

Shared this on our FB page - our hat booth!

Rachel and I

Right before we started

At the end of the day (around 12:30pm) - shows you how much we sold. :)

Not much disappeared from this table - two duct tape pens (made by our younger sisters) and a hairbow.

Just a table runner from this part of the table

And just the purple baby blanket from what you can see here.

Random facts about the sale:

-The weather was at one point predicting rain and wind, but PTL it was only cold! We took a chance not taking a tent, and at one point we thought we may have to squeeze under our nice neighbors tent.... the pink tent - the people on the other side of us were dressed up (last farmers market before the 31st) and they were freaking Rachel out because we couldn't figure out if the one ladies hair was a wig or real and she didn't take her sunglasses off ever (it wasn't sunny)... like I said, random facts.

-We made $166 for Lilly, which is a LOT for a craft sale! Thank you Jesus!

-We had a newpaper reporter take pictures of friends of ours who stopped by our booth, and he was asking about our booth and Lilly and what we do. I said all the sales go to Lilly, who is a little girl waiting in a Russian orphanage for an adoptive family or something along those lines. He says "So she is from around here?" Umm no, you aren't understanding. ;) Don't know if anything will come out of it, but it was a great reminder how uneducated the majority of the population really is about the orphan crisis. Makes me want to advocate harder.

-We were cracking up at how many BOYS hats were getting brought for girls. Mostly for babies, but one teen girl who was with some friend bought one of the red with grey border 3-5 yo size owl hats in the pictures above. For herself!

-As one lady was paying, I said something to the effect of all money will go to helping orphans find families, and here's a business card (everyone was getting them with purchases). She says "That's nice. Oh I don't want that!" and put the business card down. Ummm ok. Some people you just gotta laugh at because it's ridiculously funny how rude they are. ;)

I'm tired and I'm going to bed now. 'Nite all!!