Walk MS 2013

This past Saturday was the MS Walk in Emporia.  This is our second year to participate in honor of my Mom, Gloria, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis about three years ago.  Sarah and Phoebe each helped me make a sign that they carried during the walk.  We glued on letters and traced and colored their feet.

I had a special sign with my name on it... It said, "Stacee Hendrickson $1415 WOW!"  This was because with your help, I was the top Emporia individual fund-raiser last year and one of the top 100 fund-raisers for the National MS Society's Midwest chapter in 2012, making me part of the "Elite 100 Club".  Yay!

We decided to have a silent auction this year instead of a raffle.  This allowed people to bid on whatever items they wanted to win, and helped us raise more money for the National MS Society.  We had a total of 30 items that were donated for the silent auction.  Which helped us raise a total of $766!

A special "THANK YOU" to these people and businesses for donating... Hastings Woodworking, Jewelree by Lindsee, Gambino's Pizza, Second Love Gifts, Sweet Granada, High Gear Cyclery, The Granada Coffee Shop, Bluestem, Mark II Lumber, Waters True Value Hardware, Mr. Sister Sweets, Bobby D's BBQ, The Rusted Chain Jewelry, Rhinestones and Rust and Megan Broyles, KVOE and Andy Kuhn, Carl and Patricia Smitheran, Karen Cope, and Paul and Gloria Hastings.

**A word of advice about taking your kids to a silent auction...  NEVER Let them bid unattended.  One of my children, who shall remain nameless, took it upon herself to bid on an item... after she asked her unknowing Popee how to write a few numbers, made her way back to the item of her choice and wrote down her rather large, 3-digit, bid with her name.... Then came and told me that "there were some names after hers, so she wrote her name again with a new number".... I quickly went to investigate this and erase correct her bid. (Now if you are Ernie Grant, you are probably laughing out loud here, as you read this and remember a little girl that you took to a live auction once who REALLY wanted a doll...That little girl did not understand the correlation between raising her hand and paying whatever the auctioneer was calling out....)  Oh well, like mother like daughter I guess!  If there is something you really want, do what you think you are supposed to do, and see others doing, to get it, right?

Our team, "Go For Gloria", had 30 registered team members there to walk with us, and many more who joined us in support of my Mom.  What amazing friends and family members we have!

There were some activities and balloons for kids to enjoy. 

Our team got to lead the walk out because we had won a team week prize in February.  We were one of the teams that had more than five people register online to walk and raise funds for the National MS Society during "team week", which put our team name in the drawing for this "team prize".  Our name was drawn and we got the honor of leading the walk!

There was a new walk route this year.  Walkers could chose a one or two mile route.  The route was well marked, and many passer-bys saw us walking - raising awareness of MS.

After the walk there was lots of pizza provided by Pizza Ranch for the walk participants.  The silent auction was closed and winning bids announced.  And, prizes were given out for various things... The award for "best costume/theme" was given to Silas!  He just looked so cute in his little "Go For Gloria" onesie and jeans, the judges couldn't resist him!

Family ~ Hastings brothers and sisters-in-laws

 

Family after the walk...

"Go For Gloria" 2013 team members pictured:  Marcia Smith, Charles Hastings, Gary Ace, Vickie Kennett, Jan and Dale Hastings, Bev Dillman, Joyce Barr, Janet Jefferis, Wyonna Hastings, Stacee and Silas Hendrickson, Jessica and Andrew Higgins, Johannah Hastings, Paul Hastings, Mike Miller, Sarah Hendrickson, Eric Hendrickson, Dorothy Bowers, Diana Hurt, Gloria Hastings, Shirley Langley, Andy Boye, Matt Hastings, Karen Moorman, Linda Whitney, Greg Smith, Shirley McCloud, Leanne Kehres, Jeline Harclerode, Gerald Kehres, and John Harclerode.  Not Pictured:  Max and Sharon Stewart, Mary Pool, Margaret Wright, Mitch and Taylor Moorman

Our "Go For Gloria" team raised $4093 this year and was the top fund-raising team in the Emporia walk for the second year in a row!  This amount is just a bit more than the total amount our team raised last year.  With your help, I raised approximately $1727 this year, which is about $300 more than I raised last year, making me the top individual fund-raiser in the Emporia walk again this year!  The total amount the walk raised was approximately $12,000!!! WOW!  Great job to all the Emporia MS Walk participants and volunteers!

Other facts and fundraising stats from our team:

-We had 9 people on our team that raised $100 or more. Two of these people are age 6 and 3!

-We had 3 people on our team that raised $300 or more.

-Village Elementary School retired staff members and teachers have always been and will always be just like family.

-We had over 40 people that came on Saturday to be a part of our team and show their support and love for Gloria Hastings!

On behalf of everyone that has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and their families, I want to say "Thank YOU"!  Thank you for donating your money and your time to a cause that is affecting so many people.  Thank you for supporting me and my efforts to raise awareness and funds to help fight a disease that will affect someone I love dearly, everyday for the rest of her life.  Thank you.

He's Just a Big Big Boy

Silas is getting so big, so fast!  He crawls everywhere.  He grabs onto things getting on his knees and even standing up.  He wants to be where the action is, following his sisters around the house and grabbing onto the toys that they are playing with...  We like to sing this to him over and over... "He's just a big big boy, and who is my big big boy?"

In the two pictures below he is showing off his new K-State hat from Aunt Lindsee and EP.  And, in the other picture he is wearing one of his new outfits from Uncle Ernie and Aunt Judy.  What a big boy!

He rode the rock and bounce pony like a pro for the first time last week.

He likes to stand and play with the music table from Uncle Matt.

Last weekend at Popee and Nanee's house he showed us all how he could climb up the first couple of stairs.  Once when I went upstairs I asked Phoebe to keep her eye on him for a minute and to block him from climbing... When I looked down the stairs she had decided to use her body to block him.  She is so funny and smart.... she just laid her little body right across the first step so that he couldn't climb!

And, here he is standing and moving.  

Looking out the back window with his sisters.

What a BIG BOY!

Guitar With Daddy

About six years ago Eric had the opportunity to learn how to play the guitar.  He still plays some at home and the kids like to try and play it too... supervised of course!  There is that occasional time though when Eric is not home, and the guitar has been left out in an easy access area where little hands might be able to reach it.... and I might hear a guitar strum or two, and I might smile and listen for a couple seconds before reminding some little person to nicely move on along...

Music, family, smiling and happy kids... These are a few of my favorite things.

I Am #79

I got something in the mail on Saturday that I was pretty excited about....  But, I couldn't have gotten it without your help.... That's right! You, yes you, the one reading my blog now.  The one who chose to donate your money through me to the National MS Society in 2012.  You helped me reach my personal goal and go beyond it.  Last year, with your help, I was able to raise $1,415.00!  WOW!  I had no idea what a big deal this was until I started receiving emails a few months ago about being part of the 2013 Elite 100.  This means I was one of the top 100 individual MS fundraisers for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Mid America Chapter in the year 2012.  

I could not have done this alone.  It is very exciting and humbling to know that I am working hard and you all are helping me raise funds and awareness for those with Multiple Sclerosis, including my Mom who was diagnosed with MS about three years ago.  I am so happy to be doing something that will benefit others with MS, a cause I am passionate about, and one that affects me and my family.

With your help I am thrilled to think that I may be able to make the National MS Society's Mid America Chapter 2014 Elite 100 again!  THANK YOU!  Each and every one of you who have given money to me, or someone on our "Go For Gloria" Walk MS team, YOU are helping to make a difference in the life of those affected by Multiple Sclerosis.

THANK YOU!

Easter Fun

Last weekend was Easter.  We went to Wichita Botanica for the first time because we had some tickets to use.... The Easter Bunny was there along with lots of girls dressed as fairies handing out eggs.  Not much was blooming yet, and all fountain and water areas were either turned off or not filled yet.  It would be interesting to go back, maybe in May, to see the difference a month or two makes in the appearance.  The girls liked looking around and climbing on the big fake tree area there.

At church on Sunday we enjoyed a large breakfast potluck, a little egg hunt and a fantastic Easter church service - filled with people in our congregation's testimonies about how God has worked and is working in their lives.

Getting ready for the kid's egg hunt...

Our family

After church we headed North to my cousin Josh's house for a Hastings family Easter gathering.

We cooked out, threw some Frisbees, played the annual wiffleball game, visited, had an egg hunt, and did some barn work, and got a little dirty.

Frisbee Golf....

Wiffleball....

Pictured left to right: Jess, Drew, Wyonna, Stacee, Silas, Phoebe, Eric, Sarah, Dale, Jackson, Jan, Johannah, Camryn, and Josh.  (not pictured, but actually taking the pictures: Charles and Beki)

Cute kids!

Easter egg hunting....

Another generation of Hastings kid egg hunters....

Josh, Eric, and Dale did some barn work.... The rest of us watched and took pictures of them working, and occasionally said, "Be Careful!"

We got home that night around 9pm.  We had an Easter bucket with some surprises in it for each one of our kids from us... Sarah and Silas were still awake to look in their buckets.  Phoebe was just too tired and would not wake-up.  She was happy to look in her bucket the next morning.

I hope you had a nice Easter.  Remember God is with you.  ALWAYS.  You may or may not want him to be, or you have yet to realize and know God, and know his love for you is constant.  But, my friends, he is not going to leave.  He has been with you always and will be with you always.  And, he is a good God.  Turn to him.  Put your trust in him and BELIEVE.