Blatant Promotion of Fundraiser!

Don't you just hate it when bloggers do this? Blatantly promote something of interest/benefit to them and theirs?

Well, tough. Cause I am doing it anyway and it is for a good cause. You know how my last couple of posts have been from ASD world, where mothers wear self-centred t-shirts, and others claim to push the boundaries of what is acceptable in the special needs world? No? Go back and read it then. Well, anyway, I have a compatriot, a cyber friend from this world. A congenial companion on the rollercoaster ride of autism. A soul mate of sorts, who thinks outside the square and pushes those boundaries way out.

She is a bad mamma jamma, advocating, educating and doing far more good in the world than a Madmother ever could.

Well Kirsten, my friend, is running in the City 2 Surf on August 14th. She is running for her daughter, my son, and the many who are nameless in the ASD world. She is running to help give these kids a future. She is running for the ones who need that extra help to reach their full potential, the ones who find it harder in this fast world, the ones who struggle if they don't have people to aid them in their journey.

She is running for this child...

And this one...

And so many others. So please, go to her page here and pledge or donate. As little or as much as you can. Because intervention can mean the difference between joy and pain. And every child deserves joy in their lives.

Blog This Challenge 28: Secret Squirrel Stuff

Your Hidden or Unusual Talent...
Time to fess up!

Can you touch your nose with your tongue? Do you sing soprano? Are you a whizz with a budget or have a black belt in karate? Make a mean roast or have you received some form of public recognition for something real that your readers don't know about?

Blog This

 

You mean something I have not blabbed all over the interweb already? You like to make it hard for a girl, don't you. Let's see, you already know all about my roller derby ambitions.

 

You know I fake a mean feast. You know my reading tastes, be it the literary whore's trash or her slutty tease tastes. So I am a bit befuddled as to what secrets or hidden talents I have left to reveal. I mean, I do bake a mean roast, but I am the third generation of women in my family to do so and it is hardly a hidden talent. The queue rolls up the driveway when word gets out it's roast day...

You know all about my desire to write, you know I am good at organising fundraisers.

Oh, hang on a minute - I have it! I am the grand duchess of parties! You didn't know that, did you?

We have had many parties here over the years, ranging from small intimate gatherings to massive blockbusters. Every tiny detail meticulously planned. And each has been a wonderful success, in fact my friends complain I set the bar way beyond too high... I set it to impossible, or so they say.

Boy 1 and Boy 2 were allowed the grand celebration for turning five, then ten, next will be fifteen, then eighteen, and twenty-one. They can do their own from then on!
The five year old parties involved a jumping castle, pony rides and large numbers of friends. Oh, and a theme. Boy 1 was obsessed with Batman, Boy 2 dinosaurs. I even had dinosaur chocolates made to go with the dinosaur party bags, dinosaur cake, dinosaur balloons, dinosaur treats and toys - well, you get the picture.

By ten it had evolved into laser skirmish (Boy 1) and roller skating parties (Boy 2).

But our biggest party by far was our Halloween party three years ago. Seventy-eight people, of which thirty-six were children. We hired witches to entertain them and had the whole house transformed into Ghoul Hollow, but my favourite thing was an interactive skeleton which hung at the front door. He greeted guests with comments such as: "Nice mask, oh sorry that's your face!" or "I'd come in with you but I ain't got the guts."

Came close to similar numbers for my forty-fifth last year. Around sixty people packed the function room at the local pub. It was cheating in a way, as all I had to do was book the venue, choose and book the band, pick the food. And invite people. They did the rest. Danced my ass off all night.

"Am I ever gonna see you face again..."

We are planning another Halloween party next year. Think it may be even bigger than the 2006 event. Have started planning it now... gravestones on driveway: check; ghoulish webs, terrifying soundtrack: check; new batteries for my mate, the skeleton: check, check check! And that is only the stuff I am prepared to spill here. Make way for 2010's most horrifying, spine-chilling, incredibly fun event:

Halloween with a Madmother!

Mwahahahahahahaha...

 

So there you have it. My deep, dark secret none of you knew. And I am sorry but no, I am not available for private bookings. In fact, I'd rather you kept it a bit quiet. I mean, only a few hundred of my nearest and dearest have any idea about this hidden skill...

What a success!

I am jigging on my feet, tapping my shoes, dancin' around the room. Over $3,000, maybe (if negotiations pan out) nearly $4,000! What a night - feedback is all positive, it ran like clockwork, fun was had by all - bar two very manic organisers. Next year we aim to break the $5,000 barrier! This was the first I had been involved in, first as co-ordinator, only the second one run by the school. Last year it raised just over the $1,000 mark.

Who said little schools can't raise big bucks, who said fundraising had lost the FUN. All you need is a small, good bunch, no politics, plenty of laughter and wine, and no prima donnas! This is how it should be - and look at what we have achieved! Woo Hoo - watch out for the 2010 Trivia and Fundraising Auction Night! Bigger, better, higher returns!

D-Day has Arrived...

... and we are organised, and ready to run. A small group of Mums has organised the trivia and auction fundraiser for our school. Four of us, with myself at the helm, have been running around begging and pleading for donations, wrapping prizes, organising advertising, the venue, the mc, seating, collecting money, drinking wine, laughing and much more. We sold out a week ago. It just shows you with the right mix of positive people you can achieve so much, and avoid the politics, bitching and bagging. It is not about accolades, it IS about helping our children! And drinking wine, laughing and having fun with a great bunch of women.

I think all bases have been covered. The prizes are incredible, the auction items worth thousands, just have to hope people come with deep pockets filled to the brim!

Tally Ho - off we go now!

Not again!

My two had nightmares last night. Which of course meant they both ended up in my bed and I slept on the lounge - if you can call it sleep. Now I have awoken from my dozing with a sore, raw throat, swollen glands, a headache and feeling nauseous. Oh, I pray this is merely the result of a restless night, little sleep and a lumpy couch! I do not have time this week for being ill. I am, with a bunch of friends, co-ordinating our trivia night fundraiser for our school and it is on THIS SATURDAY EVENING! I cannot be sick, I will not allow myself to be sick, oh please, please, do not let me be ill this week, not THIS week!