It's beginning to look a lot like...Relay Training Season!

We are in the heart of Relay training prep right now.

It's safe to say that over the past few weeks -- mainly since the National Summit in July, I have been living, breathing, eating and sleeping Relay For Life.

I knew that when I woke up with my first Relay bad dream, that the first major training is approaching.  It may or may not have involved me up on stage, in all my pregnant glory, wiping out as I stepped off the stage.  And having the baby right there.  That would definitely wake ANYONE up!

I have the awesome privilege of heading up a great team of peeps who design and create the general sessions of our Great West trainings.  The Great West Division covers a 12 state area -- with the nation's highest per-cap states (meaning they raise the most per person in the state) as well as the lowest.  It's quite a training challenge -- meeting as many needs as possible, while delivering great content in a way that gets Relayers fired up.   We train volunteers from nearly 500 events, with more than 5000 attending over the fall training season.

Next weekend's training is two parts -- the first official Summit of Great West as well as the "Train the Trainer" for our Summit leads.  The other Summit leads -- from 12 different Leadership Summits in our Division -- join us to see how it's done.  They have their own track and attend our General Sessions so they can see how we hope it will be done in their own trainings. 

It's safe to say there's a little bit of pressure not to screw up.  :)  Or to fall off the stage and have your baby at the same time.  That's probably my bigger focus after that dream.

Jonathan's been fantastic, because since he returned from North Carolina, I've pretty much been holed up in my office -- designing templates, updating scripts, importing content from our National Summit and updating it as things change and building out training pieces for the General Sessions.  I feel very blessed to be able to have an impact on this level -- and to be able to put my creativity to good use.   Finian Road has designed much of the collateral pieces for these trainings -- including some sweet surprises which will be unveiled next weekend if everything comes together.

But I'll be honest, I'm really looking forward to having this month-long crazy-focused adventure come to an end, as everything is presented, refined and packaged to be given to each of the Summit leads by the end of next weekend.  The end of summer is always intense as we finish everything up.  At that point, my role transitions to presenter and emcee over the fall -- in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Nashville (for the Mid-South Division Summit) and finally Seattle...where I will be too far along to fly anymore.  :)  It will be much less stress...and then we transition to focusing on a major training event in January for our top Relays in the Great West.

The Wee Skis have always been a part of Relay -- Thomas was in his first Division meetings at 7 weeks old, when I chaired the Division's Training Task Force.  John Paul was 7 weeks old at his first overnight Relay For Life, and the Wee Ski 3.0 will be about 7 weeks when he comes along to the 2013 Mega Event Experience in January.  You could say the Skis are big believers in not letting age hold you back from volunteering. 

I'll be honest -- I have been blessed with some amazing people in our Division who make it possible for me to volunteer AND have the Wee Skis (usually during their first year) with me so their nursing isn't affected.  Both boys have been to more than half a dozen Summits and trainings, and Thomas can spot a Relay logo from a mile away. "They Relay, Mommy!  Look!  They're my friends!"

One of these awesome people is Linda Kohls -- who is my staff partner for the Mega Event Workgroup.  She lives in Minnesota so we've never actually been to each other's houses -- except for now.  She's been to the farm.  She was visiting one of our Mega Events in SW Washington, and took a few hours to come up to the farm and brainstorm out some ideas for Mega this winter.  It was so much fun having her here.  She's famous with John Paul because she let him eat a cube of butter off a plate in Denver, Colorado -- and Thomas adores her after she taught him to say, "Uff da! I'm a farmer!" with a big piece of hay hanging out of his mouth.

His funniest quote since then?  Telling everyone he sees, "I had fun with Auntie Uffda, she works for Relay, and gave me weed and I put it in my mouth."  

Hay = weed in this sweet three-year-old's mind.  :)

She's amazing to work with, and so great at taking care of our top Relays.  Very excited to see her next weekend.


I LOVE THIS PHOTO.



Back to the grindstone...I'm on hour six today and needed a blogging break from scripting!!  :)  I'll stop for dinner with the Skis in a few, and hopefully finalize up the 3rd General Session before bed tonight.

Everything needs to be finished up before I step on the flight to Nevada on Wednesday.

CANNOT WAIT for next weekend!!

The 2012 Relay For Life of Thurston County

What a weekend! I can say that now...since we are finally putting away the tent and unpacking...only a week later!  We honestly slept most of Sunday, I slept most of Monday, and the boys and I finally left the house again on Tuesday afternoon. 

This year's Relay was an awesome experience for our team...especially because of our newest members, Tori and Mary.  Mary was not only responsible for our amazing balloon art at our tentsite, but she raised more than $3000 as well!  Tori, who is my Relay sister from another mister, was an awesome sparkplug to our team, coming in as a brand new Relayer and when it's all said and done, will have raised more than $6000.

It was a bittersweet year for our team, as Jim's sister, Mary Connolly Davis, had been rediagnosed with lung cancer.  A few days earlier, she had learned that the cancer is terminal.  We Relayed this year for her, for our amazing Mary Fairhurst (who spoke at opening ceremonies), and for all those we know and love who have fought the disease.

The boys were hilarious at the event, loving every moment of being able to play nonstop, even as it rained through the night.  When the book closes on this year, we will have raised more than $53,000 to fund the fight against cancer, and we loved every moment. 

One of the sweet surprises came from the amazing Autumn Cummings -- who surprised our team with an "awesome award" -- goodies for s'mores, complete with custom Relay marshmallows.  We also received  grape kool-aid in a custom Relay pitcher and sweet treats.  It was a great surprise and definitely warmed our Relay hearts.  She was definitely a huge blessing to our event this year!!


Thomas, on Bear Bear's shoulders during opening ceremonies.  He's waving at his favorite Auntie Tori.


Tori and her BFF, outfitted for an all night adventure!


John Paul and grandpa.  Notice the squirt guns that they now have, thanks to their grandparents. 


Thomas loved his a little too much...


...as this was him during most of the survivor lap, right in front of Grandpa.  He must think it's a sign of affection to shoot the survivors.


Thomas, just before luminaria, cuddled up with Auntie Mary, also known as Supreme Court Justice Mary Fairhurst.  She gave an AWESOME opening rally cry to the survivors, even weaving in the rain that fell during the ceremony!


And one of my favorite images...taken for the first time with some truly incredible women that Jonathan has known through the years from the fire department.  Just to the right of Jonathan is Kathleen Devin, and the next purple shirt to the right is Rita (also known forever as "Chief Rita") walked in her first survivor lap as she is just finishing her treatment. 

It meant so much to us that they all made the trip out -- survivors in purple and caregivers in green -- to celebrate our survivors during the opening lap.  Rita and Kathleen, especially, have been so good to Jonathan, especially since Mary passed away...and we loved being able to celebrate them at the Relay. 


We feel so blessed to be able to have such a powerful way to fight back...and to be able to involve ALL of our family -- blood related or not -- in something that we treasure so greatly.   The Skis blew past our goal of $10,000 and we personally raised more than $11,000 toward our team total of $53,000+. 

If you supported us -- through prayer, finances to the Society, or feet at the event -- know how much you mean to us and how much we treasure YOU!  ♥

Our Reasons to Relay: 2012

It's no secret that we are avid cancer fighters through Relay For Life.  The American Cancer Society is the single largest non-governmental funder of cancer research in the world...for all cancers, not just one type.

With the two latest Nobel Prizes recently awarded, 46 ACS-funded researchers have gone on to win the Nobel Prize for the research and developments. 

And Relay For Life is a huge part of that.  Now the largest health-related fundraiser in the world (started right here in Tacoma!)...it is a worldwide movement to end cancer.  I have been so blessed to be able to chair the event in Tacoma (check this out -- the 20th anniversary video was subtitled by someone to Japanese!  "Shelley Mauss" is in Japanese!), to captain 3 top nationwide teams (raising more than $50,000 in a single season), to Relay in Canada and Europe, and to help train others how to fight back against cancer. 

But my very favorite moments in Relay revolve around my family -- Jonathan, the boys, my dad -- as a survivor, and Jonathan's mom -- who we lost. 

This video sums it up. 

And if you feel so inclined, anything you'd like to donate to push us closer to our $10,000 goal would be so appreciated!  :) 

The 2012 Blarney Blast!

We kicked off the Relay season in Irish style last night at the third annual Blarney Blast.  Jonathan even wore the leprechaun ears hat I found for him (thereby retiring his infamous beer hat that I hated so much)!  The Blarney Blast is one of our team's major fundraisers for the Relay For Life that began two years ago when Jim was fighting cancer.

This year, we moved the event to the South Sound Manor, added a dessert auction to the silent auction, and a short program at the end.  Finian Road designed the invites, tickets, responses cards, and VIP table goodies, and we had a great night seeing our hard work come together in a great celebration.

Auntie Mo came down to stay with the boys so Jonathan and I had a mini-date-night within the Blast (see above).  The boys adore Auntie Maureen, so they were totally fine to see us go.  :)

The Skis a few sweet donations to the auction -- a shoot with Finian Road, my famous St. Patrick's Day cake truffles, homemade treats for a year (starting with french baguettes w/garlic butter), and  a few pairs of preseason tickets for the Seahawks.

It was a great event all around.  Early estimates showed we raised more than $13,000. Yea!!

A few of my favorite photos: 












At the end, we did a short program about Relay For Life and our team.  Many in attendance have never been to an event, so it was our chance to invite them down to celebrate, remember and fight back with us.  I showed a  great caregiver video from ACS, Jim's son-in-law led the evening toast, and it was a blast!  :)

The video we showed:


And the sweet new Relay commercial you may be seeing on television:


After Relaying far and away from home for so many months, it's so good to be Relaying at home again!

Quick Takes: The Way Up North Edition

Seven snippets of life right now.

1. This is my last weekend of flying to Relay Summits on the calendar. 
   It's a bittersweet feeling as I love Summit training season: meeting hundreds of volunteers and staff, designing general sessions over the summer and delivering them at the Leadership Summits in the fall, being part of others' journeys as they celebrate, remember and fight back, and getting fired up to Relay for the upcoming season in 2012. At the same time, I love knowing when the traveling season is coming to an end because I really do love being at home.  Five years ago, I never would have said that.  I loved being on the road.  But with an awesome husband and two sweet Wee Skis -- coming home after a Summit is the best feeling.  "Mommy!  You're home!"
2. My mom and dad have been an awesome blessing.
   Thomas loves the time he gets with BearBear and BearBearMom, and I know that he is having a good time.  He prays for them every day and as my mom said last night, "He is so sweet, and a very brave boy."  She tucked him in last night and he asked, "Cuddle me, Grandma?"  He has played at the park, on the beach, shopping, eating out, playing, watching sports, and chasing the dogs.  He's also had a great time the last two weeks as he's spent a few hours at Mike and Kristine's -- playing with Avila while Max slept. I'm really grateful to you all - thank you!
3. Cuddle time.
   This has been a sweet by-product of travel.  Thomas had grown out of the cuddle stage entirely, and now he asks to cuddle.  It's a combination of having a baby brother who sleeps in a bassinet in our room + my travel. I'll admit, I have a great fondness for the time spent with him when he's wanting to cuddle.  I need to soak this up because I realize it's a season, and it too, will pass.
4. One-on-one time with John Paul.
   The adventures this summer and fall have given me a chance to really get to know John Paul on his own -- as his own sweet little Wee Ski -- instead of simply 2.0.  We've been able to bond through lots of time in the air (18 flights, so far!) and wearing him nonstop while we're gone.  He is blessed with a number of Relay aunties and uncles who are angels and usually goes through a bit of withdrawal when we get home and Thomas isn't quite as sweet as his aunties and uncles. Jonathan has loved the one-on-one time with Thomas -- last weekend, they went to Wolfhaven and to the train station to watch for trains, and played a lot.  I love driving under the train tracks on Rainier Road, seeing a train and hearing, "Wow!  Papa made that just for me!"
5. We flew into Anchorage, Alaska last night.
   We began Relaying in July in Florida, visited Phoenix in August, Seattle and Denver in September for Staff trainings, New Mexico and Alaska this month, and Portland next month. I'll be honest -- the walk to dinner last night in the chilly Alaskan air was a great contrast to the muggy 100°+ weather in Florida and 107° dry heat in Phoenix!  Isn't the hotel beautiful (above)?  This is an incredible place to Relay!  Linda, John Paul and I had dinner last night at a tasty local spot and feasted on king crab, scallops, prawns, halibut, and apple dumplings.  Excited for the Summit kickoff this afternoon for the event chairs and team D chairs, and the full Summit tomorrow with the Alaskan committee members.  Those organizing the Summit have been amazing -- kind, hospitable, and genuinely love to Relay.  Love being welcomed into the fold!
6. This child has GROWN.
   It's amazing the difference in size since the Nationwide Summit in Florida...he was still wearing newborn onesies and was tiny on my arm.  He's sleeping away in a six-month sleeper now, and has the sweetest little roly-poly cheeks.  I love that. 
7. Excited to be at home and fully caught up with the summer + early fall Finian Road season.  This fall and early winter shooting schedule is crazy busy.  I sent a number of projects to print for clients in the past few days before I left, and I will love coming home to boxes on the porch from UPS with beautiful, completed designs that are ready to go!  It's been a number of early mornings beginning at 5 and working until the boys get up, and then working like mad while they are asleep in the early afternoon.  Finding a bit more order + balance in the process, loving that as John Paul grows and we are all settling into our new groove.

Keep us in your prayers for a great weekend, with no snafus (I'm talking about you, brand new Dell laptop to replace the first that failed), and safe travels home tomorrow night.  One last thing I love about Summits?  I'm always staying in the same hotel as the Summit -- so I don't need to drive a half hour to an hour to get anywhere!  Need to be somewhere at 8:30?  I can leave at 8:27.  That never happens on the farm!  :)

Home sweet home.

An awesome weekend in Albuquerque for the New Mexico Relay Summit.

Yesterday was pretty exhausting, as it was back-to-back for the General Sessions. First one kicked off at 9 am, immediately followed by the rehearsal for the lunch session, immediately followed by the lunch session, immediately followed by prep for the final session, and finally, the final session. We finished up around 4:30 pm. John Paul and I tucked into bed with room service and a "Real McGee" NCIS Marathon and snuggled in for the night. We were tired. 

We got up this morning and headed to the airport at 4:30 mountain time.  When we touched down at Salt Lake, I opened my blackberry to find this message from Jonathan:

SUBJECT  |  Don't dawdle
MESSAGE  | 

8pm-1130pm. Thomas doesn't sleep because he wants to call John Paul
1240 scared of coyotes
130 same
250 same
340 same
455 same
5-7 snoring
730 I want pb toast
830 IWANTJOHNPAUL!!!
850 IWANTMOMMYJOHNPAUL

Sent from my iPhone

Nothing like being welcomed home to small arms and a giant hug, "Mommy!  I missed you!"

On the agenda for the next few days?  Lots of swimming, the pumpkin patch, and playtime.  We've all earned it.

It's good to be home.

The 2012 Nationwide Summit

Settling back into home after a whirlwind four day adventure to Orlando, Florida.

John Paul was an incredible little Relayer this weekend.  Fabulous on the flights, chill during general sessions + breakouts, and loved all the peeps he was able to meet.  He had an incredible number of aunties (and even a few uncles!) who held him, bounced him, and rocked him throughout the weekend.  We were both in heaven.

Thomas stayed with Mom and Dad for a few days, and then came home to Jonathan on the weekend.   I had a few sweet things to come home to:

• ME  |  Thomas, did you miss Mommy and Baby John Paul?
  THOMAS  |   I had a good time with BearBearMom and Papa.
• Jonathan finished a bunch of projects on the house -- finishing up my bathroom vanity, fixing the washer, finding an amazing weed whacker to take on our blackberry bushes, keeping the house clean, and giving The Wee Ski 1.0 a great boys' weekend.  I loved logging into Facebook to see them checked in at the Amtrak station, where Thomas could watch trains FOR HOURS.

Anyway, back to Summit.

In a nutshell: the Nationwide Summit brings together 500 Relayers from around the world (9 countries, including the U.S.!) to convey the vision for the upcoming year and to motivate everyone before we head back home.  Some incredible speakers, experiences, and moments throughout.

I was so grateful that the Great West Division made it possible for me to attend with John Paul.  You don't often hear newborn cries at a conference (also the reason why there were no changing tables in the bathrooms), and so it's definitely out of the ordinary.  But it was a gift, and I truly appreciate it.  I found it hilarious that a number of people only know John Paul as "The Wee Ski"...and that's how he was introduced to everyone!

We got a big jump start on the final prep for the Great West Summits this fall, and it was an awesome weekend. A LONG LONG to-do list prepped on the BlackBerry on the flight home. 

A few of my favorite moments:


John Paul and John David (J.D.) crashing out on the floor together at the very end.  Both Wee Skis love J.D. 


John Paul and his "virtual Auntie Angie".  I SO loved getting the chance to catch up with her, it had been three years since we were in the same place at the same time.  The last time, it was in St. Louis at a Fundraising Forum and I was pregnant with Thomas and she was about a year ahead of having her son.  Now, there are three boys between us.  I love that we have been able to keep up with one another, even as our paths cross much more frequently in the virtual world than the 'in real life' world!


Getting to see Judy, Brian and Nancy all at the same time.  Last time that happened?  Celebration on the Hill, 2006.   If you've followed Nancy's journey, you'll know she has worked for the American Cancer Society for years, heading up the National Corporate Team Program.  (She definitely had a hand in my being selected to be featured in the National Workplace Giving Campaign at Merrill Lynch back in 2006!)

A year ago, she was diagnosed with lymphoma and not only fought back successfully BUT RAN MARATHONS while doing so.  She looked radiant, even after a whirlwind few days at Summit.   She's an awesome photographer and an incredible inspiration to everyone around her.  SO loved catching up with her!

Auntie Carrie, who made it possible for John Paul (and subsequently, me) to be able to attend.  I remember a year ago, chatting into the wee hours of the night about life, family, and wishing that it wasn't so hard to have another Wee Ski...not knowing I was a few days pregnant at the time.  She surprised me with a sweet little care package from Fargo, ND -- with things I love -- a local cookbook for my fam, a Relay onesie for John Paul and shirt for me, and some cool little themed goodies from Fargo.


Linda, Heather, Mark and Michael
There's a good chance Auntie Linda was teaching John Paul how to flip someone off on the plane if they complained about his crying... :) I love her. She was so good to him. Linda and Heather are coordinating a number of videos, and I got the chance to be the "American" in a sweet video of International Relayers saying 'thank you' in their native languages. So there I was, with my Pacific Northwest non-accent, surrounded by Relayers from Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, the United Kingdom and South Africa.  One of these things is not like the other...  Mark just returned to the US following a worldwide global volunteering adventure chronicled over at Aspen to Nepal.  Michael is our 'multimedia geek' from the South, but with Great West now.  I could listen to his accent ALL DAY LONG.  He worked with the online Relay initiatives and he's hysterical.


My Nationwide Leadership Training Team gals, with Carrie.
Michelle from New Mexico, Angela (I brought the Connolly's Crew tee over for her, since we added her name as a survivor this year), and Mary, from Eastern Washington. 


Ron, bravely wrestling the gator.  A hilarious on-site fundraiser from the Mid West Division on Friday night.  Words just don't do this photo justice.


With Lisa, my co-facilitator from the Mid-South Division.  She and I trained together when I was just a few weeks along with John Paul, and I learned an INCREDIBLE amount of Southern goodness from her. She's also the one who put a hairpiece in my hair because "it just wasn't big enough to be southern hair without it'.  So good to see her again!


A super funny Relayer from the United Kingdom, dancing to the Silent Storm -- the silent disco set up by International.  SO INCREDIBLY FUNNY.  I hope that we can set this up next year at Relay!


Heidi and Kara from the High Plains Division.  John Paul was in heaven with these two.


Mimi, Lisa and Kelli.  I hadn't seen Mimi since she visited the Tacoma Relay for the 20th Anniversary.  It was so good to actually hug Kelli in person!


And the Great West crew before heading out to dinner on Saturday night.  You should have seen the looks that Jennifer got when she was carrying John Paul, as she is seven months pregnant right now.  It was awesome.

So good to go, but so good to be home.  And now...to start checking things off my follow-up to-do list before our call on Thursday... :)

I love this man...to infinity and beyond!

The Newest Wee-est 2011 Grand Club Member

John Paul went to his first Relay For Life of Thurston County meeting tonight at 22 days old.  He beat his brother, who attended his first Relay meeting at 54 days old...but that was a Great West Division meeting.  So they both hold their own records - one for a local meeting, one for the division.  :)

He got the best Relay baby surprise EVER tonight.  John Paul qualified for the Grand Club with our family (we all got our tees tonight)...and our amazing staff partner Janell ordered the smallest size for Thomas, and a second one for John Paul.  She then customized the tee BY HAND into a newborn sized onesie, complete with snaps on the legs!  So thoughtful and an awesome surprise after being "out of the loop" for a few weeks!

The first photo is his best "CANCER SUCKS" face, followed by a shot of the back while being held by Papa. 

Both boys will be sporting their Grand Club shirts at the end of June at our event!

The 2011 Shoot to Fight Cancer is LIVE!

Our Relay For Life team (Connolly Tacon & Meserve: "Connolly's Crew") is off to a fabulous start -- with funds that I mailed off a few days ago, we're just shy of $20,000 in funds raised!

For the last three years, I have donated a photo shoot from Finian Road and raffled it off to benefit the American Cancer Society.  More than $5000 has been raised from the tickets sold for the Shoot to Fight Cancer.  

I introduce this year's Shoot to Fight Cancer.

A photo shoot with your fam from Finian Road + the digital negatives + two beautiful gallery-wrapped 16x20 canvas of your two favorite images from the shoot...all while fighting cancer at the same time!

And this year, the new addition to the prizes are the addition of a second prize and third prize -- so there will be 3 winners this year!  The second prize winner wins a $250 gift certificate to Finian Road, and the third prize winner wins a $100 gift certificate to Finian Road!

With the exception of the cure for cancer, I can't think of a sweeter deal.

Tickets are $25 each, and there are just 125 tickets available. Great odds for a prize package worth $850!

100% of every dollar from every ticket goes to support the life-saving work of the American Cancer Society...saving lives and creating more birthdays by helping you stay well, helping you get well, finding cures and by fighting back.

You can use the shoot yourself, or give it away as a gift (and you would be the best gift giver EVER!).

Here's how to buy your tickets:

• Go to our online website for the Relay For Life.You'll see a very cute video of the Wee Ski showing off his Grand Club shirt at a Relay Regional Summit last fall.
• Click on the blue "donate" button under our names.
• Enter the amount you wish to donate under "select gift amount": $100 buys you 4 tickets, $75 buys you three tickets, $50 buys you two tickets, and $25 buys you 1 ticket. And you can always buy more than 4!
• Follow the prompts to complete your donation to the American Cancer Society.
• We will receive a notice that your donation has been made and your ticket stub(s) will be in the mail to you within 48 hours. It will go to the billing address for the credit card used to pay for the ticket.

Our goal is to sell out the tickets before the end of the month...so don't miss your chance to pick up your tickets!

Also sweet to note -- each ticket has a coupon for 15% off a Finian Road shoot or product, good through August 31, 2011!  So really...every ticket wins something!  :)

The drawing will be held on Saturday, April 30th at 6:00 pm, Pacific time. The winner will be announced on the blog that evening, just after drawing.

Good luck!

Jim Connolly, 1952-2010: "Choose Life & Expect the Best"

"Choose Life and Expect the Best."

The Connollys' family motto throughout Jim's diagnosis and fight. Based on Deuteronomy 30:15-20.
Last night, with his family surrounding him, Jim Connolly passed away.

Diagnosed with kidney cancer just over a year ago, he defied the odds based on the advancement of his cancer and gained a full year with his family and friends. As he often quoted from "Field of Dreams", reminding people of the importance of "going the distance", Jim did exactly that.

When we got the call late last night, our first prayers and tears were especially for the Connolly family: his wife, daughters and son-in-law. There's never a "good" time to lose someone, but a few nights before Christmas is especially difficult.

His son-in-law made the most beautiful request on Facebook early yesterday morning "We need your prayers this evening, my father-in-law is hurting...pray for my wife who is hurting so badly and I can't heal her pain, I can only trust that God is holding her heart."

And it's now that we pray specifically for comfort and peace for Jim's family...as they share in the birth of our Lord over the next few days and in saying goodbye to Jim (at least this side of heaven) as that same Lord embraces him and calls him home.

Please add them to your prayers as well.

The Relay Runway

Scenes from the Portland Relay Summit's Relay Runway on Friday night...it was the first time that Charlotte and Thomas got to 'walk the runway' together in the fashion show.  So much fun to see them together, especially since I really got to enjoy it as Jeff and JD emcee'd the show!

They were featured during the debut of the 2011 Grand Club tee shirt (which Charlotte is wearing since she's already earned hers!).  The Grand Club is for any Relayer who has raised more than $1000 for the American Cancer Society in a given year for their event. 



Charlotte was so good with Thomas, and they loved their moments in the purple spotlight.  Especially with Miss Angela, who is on the training team with me, and is also a former Miss America contender as Miss Pennsylvania.   Don't they look cute together?


Why not take a look at their debut on the Runway?    Enjoy.

Legacy and Leadership

At the end of September, the American Cancer Society hosted an evening at the Space Needle [sponsored by Amgen -- so no donor dollars were used here :) ].   The Legacy and Leadership Awards Ceremony is the annual event where the ACS awards the current year's Research Grantees (for 2010-2011).  This year was special for our family as they also recognized 'special friends' to the Society in addition to the Research Grantees.

Currently, the American Cancer Society is funding 25 researchers with more than $6.3 million in research grants in Washington State, in addition to serving more than 8,500 cancer patients and their family members in this region.  Dr. Mary Claire-King from the University of Washington was the highlighted speaker: she is known for proving that the "breast cancer gene" (now known as BRCA1) existed at all.  She is always fascinating, and we loved having the chance to hear her speak.

For us, being able to hear and meet American Cancer Society-funded researchers is always a treat.  Not only are they brilliant, but you get to see the 'real people' behind the life-changing research that is happening.  You get the chance to put a face behind the funds you are raising...and this time, it's not a face that you simply celebrate or remember, but a face that can potentially hold the key to the future of cancer in our world.

The invitation to the evening said:
"Celebrate with us those current and promising leaders in science who are finding a cure,
and those individuals and organizations, who by their various contributions of time, talent
and treasure, are leaving their legacy in the fight against cancer."

And it's with that second part that the Sprouffskes from Rainier got thrown into the mix.



With Mark Horoszowski, one of my good friends and co-Nationwide Leadership Training Team trainers, as the emcee, he told our "Relay love story", and a little of how we both became involved with the American Cancer Society.  From Jonathan's Relay proposal to fundraising to a major fundraising focus at Merrill Lynch and now with Connolly Tacon & Meserve to our family.  It was, at the same time, both very humbling and an incredible honor to see our names along side the other award winners (especially Team Aloha -- led by our good friends Karen and Dave Conley) and the Research Grantees.

I love that Erin Sheahan (pictured above, she is the Regional Vice President for our area), titled our story as she did.  The American Cancer Society is a part of our family in how we choose to fight back against cancer, and it was a very meaningful evening for the Skis.  I just wish that Jonathan's parents, especially his mom, had been able to be there with us.  I hope they were, at least in spirit. My parents were able to make it that evening -- delaying the start of their 40th anniversary getaway to make it happen.  Mom and Dad, thank you for being there.  It meant the world to us.  ♥

One of my favorite parts of the evening?  Being stopped by one of the Research Grantees to be thanked for how we've supported the Society.  It was incredibly ironic, because the thanks, in our eyes, belong to the Researchers.  It deeply touched our hearts.

And it's then that I was reminded how important everyone is to this fight.  As it's said at Relay...

Survivors make it personal.

Researchers make it happen.

Supporters make it possible.

A palindrome

I love this.

A little something for you from the Relay For Life summits right now...




...and while we're at it, I love this time lapse video from the Virginia Tech Relay this year...

Relay For Life, Y'all

Last weekend, I flew to Jackson, Mississippi for the Mid-South Leadership Summit.  The training covered three states: Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

I had never Relayed, southern style.

It was a blast.

They brought in 6 national trainers -- Kathy (from Illinois), Kara (from Texas), Michelle (from New Mexico), me, Ed (from Pennsylvania) and Amy (from Wisconsin).  The first night after we all flew in, we headed to the Mayflower Cafe.  The scariest bathroom experience EVER - get a key, walk outside, down a block, up some crazy stairs and lock yourself IN hoping that no one comes in through the window.  But the BEST. SOUTHERN. FOOD. EVER.

Iron Chef Cat Cora chose the Mayflower's Comeback Dressing as one of her "Best Things She Ever Ate".   It was also the place that I started my list "What I Learned in the South".

On the list?  I learned what a "varmint" was (said like "vaaaaarrr-mit").  I had fried crabclaws and gumbo and crab bisque.  And the best lemon ice box pie ever.  The trainers from the Mid-South Division were so awesome -- and loved getting to know them over dinner and the upcoming days.

Training began on Friday -- with a football theme.  I seriously had NO IDEA how deep the south is into football.  I trained on Leadership Development that afternoon, and we had a big tailgate party that night -- with each state having a big tent celebrating their own state (and its football).  :) The event (for us as  trainers) ended with a cheer off between the states, where we judged and then hustled out of there.

Saturday morning flew by -- I sat in on a top fundraisers track (which was awesome) and trained on Event Development.

And by the end of the day, I was wearing a "Southern Hairpiece" for when your hair is flat (translation: NOT BIG ENOUGH).  The blackberry pic is below at the end.

I didn't bring a camera, so I borrowed all of these from Facebook.  Thanks, Donna and crew!  :)

The NLTT crew:


Amy and me, preparing for the Purple Glove Dance


Kara, me, Michelle and Kathy


Mississippi's tent -- and also the winners of the cheer off


The Arkansas tent --where I learned to "call the hogs", Razorback style.


And finally, with Lisa's "flat hair day hairpiece" -- enjoy.  :)


So much fun...looking forward to working with Amy and Kathy again in less than 2 weeks in Chicago, Illinois!

Prayers, please

Most of you know about our Relay For Life team's journey this year as "Connolly's Crew".  

Last night, Jim's family posted a beautiful journal entry to his CaringBridge site.  I wanted to share part of it here, because I know many of you have been praying for his family over the past few months.

Dear Friends and Family,

It is hard to imagine that we have been home two weeks from the hospital. Unable to get results from last round of chemotherapy because I can't get a CT scan with a broken arm. Even without a CT scan, our oncologist is not encouraged.

The first part of the last couple of weeks has been spent dealing with a decision to pursue further treatment or not. First we received "comfort care" services from palliative program and tomorrow will be the first meeting with hospice.

A book we like (May I Walk You Home) provides this explanation... hospice means lodging for travellers. Those who are dying are travelling a special journey and hospice care provides those travellers with companionship and loving care for the final journey of life. Hospice is for anyone who has had a medical diagnosis in which he has days, weeks, or months to live. However the focus is not on how long someone has to live, rather hospice focuses on trying to help each day that one lives to be the best that it can be. Hospice care strives to help the person make good choices and to have as much control as possible in his medical care.

For example, in living life to the fullest, we have a family trip planned for Crater Lake at the end of September. We are making special arrangements (with the guidance of hospice) to make this happen for me.

Please continue to keep the Connolly family in your prayers.  For peace, for strength, and for the grace to live every moment to the fullest.