Action for Ashlyne!

Custom artwork by: Jesse Varela

Reaching out for help here. A very good girlfriend of mine and her husband are going through a very tough time right now. I knew them both back in high school. Everyone went their separate ways and lived lives after graduation. They found each other again and were married last February. I am so very happy for them. They were truly meant to be. Between the two of them they have seven beautiful children. About a month ago they received some devastating news. Her husband's ten year old daughter from his first marriage has just been diagnosed with Stage 4 Ewing's Sarcoma (cancer). I don't even know what to say.

Our community is coming together in the most inspiring ways. So many are reaching out and doing what they can. I write for you all today to ask for your help too. No matter where you are or where you come from, maybe you can help us make a difference for this courageous girl and her family.

Here are the options:

There is a fund set up at TCF Banks. If you wish to donate towards medical bills and other related expenses, please send a check to The Ashlyne Thurber Benefit at TCF Bank 7155 E Point Douglas Drive,
Cottage Grove, MN 55016. 

There is also a GoFundMe site. If you would rather donate through this route, please visit  http://www.gofundme.com/d472sk and do so. Every single cent will help this family during the truly difficult journey they have ahead of them. I can not thank you enough.

If you are local (Minnesota/Twin Cities) I am hosting a fundraiser benefit this month in Brooklyn Park. Please feel free to e-mail me with questions or for details about the event. If you want to contribute to the event in some way, I would be willing to discuss that too. ginnylouden at gmail dot com

Custom artwork by: Jesse Varela

Thank you so much for your time. Keep Miss Ashlyne in your prayers. Love to you and yours. <3

342 Cookies and Counting...

Five hours in the kitchen and I accomplished baking 342 cookies. Whew! I only have a few dozen more to go tomorrow. I would have been done tonight but I did not read the last recipe all the way through before I began. A rookie mistake, I know better. The darn dough has to chill for three hours and I really don't want to start another batch at 3 A.M. Our almost two year old will have me up by 8 A.M. I am sure.

Something I have realized about myself is that I always have some kind of project going on. This particular project I discovered last year while at a coffee shop. I came across a brochure for The Aliveness Project in Minneapolis. They are an organization that helps people and families suffering with AIDS/HIV. The cookies are for their holiday basket program. Apparently they make and deliver over seven hundred baskets in the Twin Cities area. When I read about them I knew this was something I could help with. I love baking and cooking. I always have. I was lucky to be raised around many wonderful cooks. The best part about cooking is letting other people enjoy the finished product. That warms my heart.

It feels so wonderful to help others. I don't get time to do many of these charitable things. I enjoy it very much and I hope as I get older and the kids get older I can work more things like this into my world. The more financially stable we become, the more I can do. The older and more independent the children become the more time I will have. It is not always easy to find the time when you work full time and have three children in school. There is always going to be baseball practice, band concerts, plays and any other thing they need to do. This is alright though. It is all a part of my life I love so very much. I am just looking forward to the ever changing future. The possibilities. The ride.