A week and a half ago I shared a little video introduction of our friend Claire. So many of you immediately opened your hearts (and your wallets!) and offered love, compassion, letters, packages, and support for the Fuchs (“fewks”) family. I can’t thank you enough for your kindness, willingness to serve, and sweet gestures. I know Karlee + Chris (Claire’s parents) + Jacob (her brother) feel incredibly blessed through this whole experience. Karlee + Claire have been working on many, many handmade thank you cards lately.
Guess what? Claire Bear is now HOME from the hospital! I will fill this blog post with pictures from our visit yesterday but first … have you noticed the sidebar on my blog? Looks a little different, right? When I introduced Claire, I also announced an Ads for Claire campaign to help raise dollars for Claire’s newly-acquired needs. We were completely blown away by the number of individuals and companies that contacted us. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much to all of these sponsors! 100% of what they paid to have ad space on my blog went straight to the Fuchs family.
Everyone: Please click refresh to ensure these ads show up the way they’re supposed to. : )
Readers: Please take time to click on the ads and see what fun things each sponsor has to share with you as far as inspiration, products, or services. These ads will be here for just this month of February … and then they go away.
Advertisers: If you notice anything at all that needs to be adjusted with your ad, please email karolyn@beckyhiggins.com so we can fix it straight away. This is our first time placing ads on my site and it’s definitely a new experience for us.
Note: Because of the nature of this fundraiser and the need to keep the entire process very, very simple – we are not taking any more sponsors at this time. Anyone who wants to reach out to the Fuchs family with a note of encouragement, or a letter in the mail, or even a cash donation, can find that information HERE.
Special thank-yous: In addition to the sponsors, I am so very grateful to Karolyn + Brandi – two of my very dearest friends who managed this whirlwind project – Ads for Claire. They are amazing. I am eternally grateful to my brother Andrew who constantly works his magic on my website, and especially for staying up super late last night to get all of the ads in place in time for today. And a huge, huge thank-you to David. He is always thinking inside the box, outside the box, on top of the box … he’s seriously genius. As we were brainstorming how we could help the Fuchs and pull off some sort of fundraising effort, it was David that thought of doing the ads. Smarty pants.
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Before Claire returned home, there was so much work to do to make their home wheelchair accessible. There is still work to do, and it’s not quite finished yet, but so much progress has been made – thanks to many volunteers in our community. Her bed/bath area is nearly done.
I wish I had a before picture, but their driveway used to be pavers and now they have a beautiful concrete driveway that makes it easy to get Claire safely between the front door and the car safely in her wheelchair. So many people (adults + youth) worked hard to remove + stack all the pavers in preparation for the cement to be poured over the weekend.
You can imagine my delight when Karlee busted out Claire’s baby album and some old scrapbook pages she made. I am loving the pictures of little Claire! And I am loving that Karlee is ready + motivated to pick up where she left off. As soon as the dust settles in their home, she’ll be getting loads of pictures into a Project Life album.
Love, love, love this girl. Oh – and this family picture? This is the MOST RECENT family picture they have had taken. (Not including the very impromptu picture I snapped yesterday, at the top of this blog post.)
Um. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Yeah. I totally know that we are so going to make sure that this darling, amazing family has a darling, amazing photographer in Arizona take pictures of their family soon. Are you with me on this? I’m giddy about the idea, actually.
I would love for you to get to know someone very special to our family. Her name is Claire. She recently fell out of her 2nd story bedroom window (you can read the full story HERE) and broke her spine. Claire and her family already have a life full of very intense challenges – and now she has lost the use of her legs. The accident could have been much more tragic and we are all grateful it wasn’t any worse. There have been lots of little miracles the past few weeks, and her stay at the hospital is coming to an end soon. But Claire has a long road ahead of her. She is embarking on a new chapter of her life, which will be spent in a wheelchair.
Claire is one of my favorite people ever, and I’m not even sure I can articulate why I feel such a connection with her, but I just do. I love her, and I love her family. In fact, some of you may remember from a few years back when I shared some cute handmade bags made by Karlee Fuchs (pronounced “fewks”). Karlee is Claire’s mom and one of the most selfless people I know. For sure.
I made a little video from my recent visit with Claire at Phoenix Children’s Hospital so you can get to know Claire.
Naturally, the Fuchs family is facing a very expensive transition with having to remodel the main level of their home, making everything wheelchair accessible. Chris (her dad) even has a video on Claire’s BLOG right now that shows the current progress with that. They’ll need to purchase a wheelchair van and of course all sorts of other expenses are piling up.
Today I am presenting a very unique opportunity that some of you may be interested to know about.
I have never monetized my blog. I’m certainly not against doing it, but it’s just not something that I have implemented as a part of my brand or my business. However … for the benefit of Claire’s family … and for the benefit of (hopefully) many small businesses, I am going to open my blog for advertising!
Important notes:
- This will be temporary + the ads will run for one month – February. Then we’re back to no more paid advertising on my blog. Unless I realize after this experience that I can make millions that would help with huge manufacturing costs. : )
- 100% of the ad fees will go directly to Claire’s family.
- Ads are due SOON – January 30 – so that we can launch all these ads on February 1.
- Ads will be positioned on my blog sidebar based on a first come, first served basis as well as the largest ads at the top, and so forth.
Interested?
Oh, I hope so. Of course we would love to raise money for Claire’s family, to help lighten their burden even a little bit. Additionally, I love helping small companies. If you have a blog, or an online shop, or any sort of business that you would love more people to check out, this would be a great opportunity to increase your exposure. Please email karolyn@beckyhiggins.com and she’ll give you all the nitty-gritty details you would want to know as you decide if and how you want to do this.
Want to help, but not through advertising?
The Fuchs family would be grateful for any kindness sent their way. Even if you wanted to just send a note of encouragement (Claire loves mail!) or perhaps donate a small amount of money (it all adds up!) … go HERE to see several ways that you can help.
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Thank you for taking time to get to know Claire.
Thank you for considering this as a potentially fantastic advertising opportunity that doubles up as a wonderful service for a remarkable family.
Thank you for spreading the word to your favorite businesses (blogs, etsy shops, other businesses) so they will consider the opportunity as well.
Many of you know that there are two things that I have avoided with strength and will power for a long time: Pinterest and getting a dog.
They’re completely unrelated but I’ve been putting off both of those things in my life for good reason. Both would entail more attention and time than I’m able to give. I know I would love it, but I can see how Pinterest would simply become addicting and a major time trap.
As for a dog? Come on, seriously. I do not have time. There is no way I can devote the energy that is required to take care of a furry thing. This isn’t the right phase of life. I already have a load of responsibility on my shoulders. I’m not ready. I have strongly resisted every time there was a heartfelt plea. Some of you are in my camp: “Stay strong, Becky. Don’t do it. It’s so much more work than you realize.” And others have said, “Do it, Becky. You’ll never regret it. Having a pet is the best thing you can do for your family.”
But here’s the thing. All things considered, this isn’t about me. And so … we pulled off a little Christmas Miracle for our kids. It really is a miracle for our kids because they knew I wasn’t ready for this yet. To wrap up the 12 Videos of Christmas series, I wanted to share the experience with you.
Thank you for joining me this Christmas as I shared 12 random videos throughout the season. Here’s a recap:
Many of you are giving the gift of Project Life to someone – awesome! I’m hearing about lots of wrapped gifts under the tree.
In case you’re not able to put something under the tree but you still want to let the recipient know of your pending gift … here is a 5×7 JPG that you can print and personalize. Perhaps one of the items you were going to pick up is sold out. Perhaps the gift you are giving is digital. Perhaps you live outside the U.S. and product hasn’t quite arrived yet. Whatever the reason, you can still give the gift of Project Life.
PS -
1. The Project Life photo book could become available on Shutterfly by this weekend. Stay tuned.
2. For those items that are sold out on Amazon, we’re expecting them back in stock next month – January.
3. The Signature Binders are still due to arrive to Amazon before the end of this month (so … next week!) or definitely by the first of January.
It’s Friday. As in Feedback Friday. Except that my Friday … and my Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday have been a little crazy. So this week I will be sharing lots of feedback + answering your questions – tomorrow. I don’t usually post on weekends but hey. Rolling with the punches here.
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So today you get the next video in my 12 Videos of Christmas series! Say hello to adorable Ada in Spreckels, California who teaches us her bow-making tips.
Ada says, I learned how to make these bows years ago … and they are SO easy! Whenever I wrap something up I am asked how to do it. It’s not easy to explain, but very easy to show. That’s why I made the video. I wish I had more time because I love blogging & all the things I get from other peoples lives. I don’t do it nearly enough. I’ve been following Becky’s for years … like before Claire!
Hello again. Another blog post today for a special reason.
Today we hit 20,000 facebook likers. That’s 20,000+ folks who are getting my facebook anecdotes. Photos, ideas, finds, and inspiration for cultivating a good life and recording it.
To celebrate, I’m giving away some of my products. If you “like” me on facebook, leave your first name, city, and state (U.S. only for this giveaway) HERE on this post. Technically I don’t think I’m supposed to do giveaways on facebook (what. ever.) so we’re doing the giveaway here.
This quilt was a gift David and I received for our wedding.
The creator of this piece? My Grandma Johnson.
Grandma always had a room that was filled to the brim of fabric. She spent so much of her life sewing, hand-stitching, and creating countless pieces. She was the best back-scratcher and arm-scratcher. She was cuddly. She washed my hair in the kitchen sink with the dreamiest strawberry-scented shampoo every time I stayed the night at her house. She was incredibly generous and giving of her time and skills.
She initialed and dated everything she did. And taught my mom to do the same. And so I’ve always known that’s just what you do when you create something.
Recently as I was putting the quilt away after another one of the kids’ backyard picnics, I noticed her initials there in the corner that I haven’t noticed in a long time — and it hit me. My children, who use this quilt often, have no idea that their Great Grandma Johnson created this quilt. She passed away before any of our children were born. She’s not here to share her stories anymore. That’s my role. How is it possible that I’ve not thought to tell them?
Lately I have been so focused on the here + now that I’ve neglected focusing on the legacy that came before us. I so needed this reminder. I need to share old pictures with our kids more often, to tell them more stories about their heritage.
Appreciate the PAST. Make the most of the PRESENT. Live for the FUTURE.
I’m resolving to be better about actually showing my appreciation for the past by sharing those stories + pictures that we have. This is how we pass on the legacy of those who came before us. And all of this makes me even more grateful for my efforts in documenting life here + now. This is our legacy.
With her permission I’m sharing this letter from a fellow reader. What she says deeply resonates with me and I know it will with many of you as well.
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Dear Becky,
I finally got my scanner working again, and went to work on the sticky, gluey falling apart photo album my mom made of my first year so that I could put copies into my Project Life book before the photos degrade even more.
As I really looked at these pictures, something stood out to me. I noticed for the first time that the background of these pictures are all at my grandmothers’ houses, or at events with them. Every single picture of me as a baby was taken by one of my grandmothers, on their cameras. Then they must have sent duplicate prints to my mom.
My parents were too poor to even own a camera, and my mom still found a way to make this little photo album of her baby. Every picture was straight in its spot, with dates written next to the pictures, the occassion and how big I was at certain age milestones. She was capturing little moments of life before they got away from her.
How much was I loved that these three women would make the effort to document my babyhood like that? What a huge gift to me, that I am breathless about almost forty years later. Taking photos and preserving them really does communicate love.
*** This post has been edited. I just learned that giveaways on facebook are not allowed. So instead of a week-long “facebook giveaway” the giveaways will happen right here on my blog. A huge thank-you to Jessica Turner who was thoughtful enough to let me know about the restrictions that I was not aware of. Lesson learned. Now I know. ***
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Hello there!
Today we’re launching a big giveaway here on my blog. Every day this week I’ll announce a new giveaway and every day I’ll announce at least one randomly-selected winner. I do giveaways for two reasons: 1) It’s a fun way to share fun finds with you. 2) It’s a fun way to help other small businesses get a boost in their exposure.
Yay for win-wins.
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I’m pleased … no … I’m thrilled to kick off this week-long giveaway with something really special. Talented jewelry artist Angela Bannatyne has designed custom pieces especially for us Project Lifers! Presenting …
The Amber Edition:
And the Turquoise Edition:
And yes, there are even coordinating earrings:
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Isn’t that just the coolest? She created these pieces based on the color pallets of the current 2011 editions of Project Life. Not only are they gorgeous, but when you wear them, you’re reminded of how awesome you are for cultivating a good life and recording it. ; )
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You can check out Angela’s Avenue {A} site and her etsy shop to see more. And this is the direct link to the Project Life inspired items in her shop. Super affordable and absolutely beautiful. Plus, she loves one-of-a-kind pieces so there will be slight variations as well. I suspect these will sell out fast so if they do, check back. Angela has more supplies on the way and will be making more available soon.
I bet you’d like a chance to win one of these gorgeous Project Life bracelet & earrings sets, wouldn’t you? Leave your first name, city, state, and which version you’d love to have — Amber or Turquoise. You’re always welcome to nominate someone too.
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A very special thank-you to Angela for creating Project Life inspired jewelry with my readers & customers in mind. That’s just the coolest thing and I so appreciate her sharing her talents with us.
Porter and I had an opportunity to have a little one-on-one date over the weekend. When looking at our movie options, it was down to 2 choices: Gnomeo & Juliet (neither one of us was really interested) or Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.
Justin who?
Okay, I’m kidding. I mean, I’ve heard of Justin Bieber. But that’s about it. A) There are no pre-teens in our home and B) I am so not up on current music lately. I hardly listen to the radio or watch tv in this phase of my life. It is what it is.
So … we saw Justin Bieber.
And guess what? Within the first two minutes, I was pretty happy about those 3D glasses on my face because my eyes welled up with tears. I kid you not. And that was the first of several times that my emotions got the best of me.
What the heck? What is this about, right? (No. I’m not pregnant.)
It wasn’t about Justin’s music, although no one can deny the 16-year-old is crazy talented. It wasn’t about about how cute he is, although for sure he is adorable. And this is certainly not about movie reviews because I am so not a movie critic.
I’ll tell you what it was about for me. This kid is in the middle of an incredible journey of ups & downs like the rest of us (just on a much more public level) … and the way they connected his past with where he is today, was remarkable. His mother & grandparents not only dedicated their best efforts in raising him but they recognized his natural talents and interests and they cultivated that growth.
It was about appreciating the fact that they had home video along the way, even back to when he was 2 and 3 years old, hitting wooden spoons to a kitchen chair and there was actual rhythm. They were documenting life. They were able to tell a great story in this movie because they put all those little pieces (pictures + home video) together.
It was about generosity. The way his manager & team went out amongst the people and passed out concert tickets to unsuspecting fans. The way he connected with his little girl fans. (Although if Claire ever acts like these screeching, squealing girls … over ANY pop star … EVER … oh, we will be having a serious talk.)
It was about entrepreneurship. It was about believing in yourself and knowing that anyone — ANYone — can take that little seed of a dream and foster growth if you put forth the effort and are willing to face bumps in the road.
In the end, I think my connection with this movie was my already-firm belief that everyone should cultivate a good life and record it. That does not have to have anything to do with becoming “rich & famous”. It’s about each of us taking what we believe is a good life — it’s different for everyone — and going for it.
And … along the way, make the effort to document and record the journey. The good, the bad, the ugly. Because when we do this, we are honoring our past, our progression, and our passion.
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I created Project Life because I wanted to simplify the process of keeping memories so that more and more people will enjoy the satisfaction of doing something with their pictures and documenting their stories. I deeply care about helping people bring all their “pieces” together to tell their story.
So this week, thanks to the added inspiration I found in a teen-bopper movie on a date with my 8-year-old … I am giving away a Project Life kit every day this week! In the comments, please share what “cultivating a good life” means to you personally, in a sentence or two. Or share one of your dreams or passions or something you’re working toward right now. Or nominate a friend. And mention where you live.
In light of the fact that we’re one week away from Valentines Day, love is on my mind.
But … not so much the Valentines kind of love. More of a charity kind of love.
You’ll notice what it says on my homepage: Cultivate a good life and record it. That’s going to mean different things to different people. For me it means, in part, that we try to love unconditionally and treat others with kindness. (It also means a hundred other things to me.) Are any of us perfectly loving and perfectly kind? Of course not. But that’s another part of cultivating a good life — to just do our best. Always.
Here are 7 suggestions of what we can strive to do to increase charity in our life. If even just one of these points might prompt you to do something this week, it was worth the quick stop here on my blog today.
1. Tell someone. You likely have someone on your mind that has had a positive affect on your life. Don’t keep that to yourself. Write an email or letter (the old-fashioned kind that actually goes through the mail system is even better!) and tell that person how they have been a blessing to you or your family. Be specific. You have no idea what that will do to brighten their life.
2. Kick gossip to the curb. We’re human. It happens. But we have complete control in stopping it. First of all, don’t be the one that gossips. It doesn’t look good on anyone. Being critical of others does not benefit anyone. Ever. If you’re in a situation when the gossiping begins, find a way to change the topic and focus on something more uplifting. What an admirable quality.
3. Recognize your blessings. Being proactive in actually talking about the tender mercies in your life or writing down the specific blessings you receive will naturally bring about more awareness of how rich your life is. Cultivate a good life … and record it. Your children will be blessed for reading your words at a later time. You will be blessed for reading your own words. Trust me on this one.
4. Cultivate the potential in others.Quick anecdote to illustrate: Several siblings in a family had a natural singing talent. Except for one of the brothers. As a young boy, they went through instructor after instructor but he just didn’t seem to have the gift. It didn’t seem like there was hope. His parents tried one last instructor and when this boy first sung for the instructor, he stopped the boy singing and said, “Where did you get this voice? That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard!” The boy’s confidence soared, he completely blossomed, and he became known for his singing talent with full vibrato at a young age. True story.
5. Study. If you are religious and consider scripture to be a valuable and truthful resource (I certainly do), carve time out of your day to read scriptures on the topic of love, charity, service, etc.
6. Don’t judge. This is especially applicable to those who you do not yet know very well. When we catch ourselves beginning to make assumptions about someone, chances are we do not truly understand what’s really going on. Mother Teresa spoke this profound truth: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”
7. Stop. If you’re the type that seems to be in go-go-go mode all the time (whether you thrive on that lifestyle or you’re just forced into that kind of schedule right now) … how will you ever be able to truly show charity to those who mean the most to you if you’re always so busy? Stop once in a while. Get on the floor with your kids. Look your husband in the eyes as he talks about his day. Listen to your child’s ramblings about whatever they want to talk about. Be engaged. Nurturing any relationship means carving out time to just BE with that person.
I sooo don’t want any of this to sound preachy. I just have these things on my mind and a blog is for sharing, after all. These are just a few gentle reminders of simple things we can all do, that can in turn make life happier — for you, for me, for those around us, and especially for those we care about the most.
When I announced on Tuesday that I was giving away a set of 40 handmade cards to someone, I didn’t expect nearly 600 entries, most of which were on behalf of a wonderful cause. I am deeply touched with how involved and concerned you are with various organizations and fundraisers that bless individuals and families.
For those of you directly involved causes in any way, bless you. My heart is always warmed to see people reaching out to help one another. Serving others results in an unmatchable feeling and increased love. There is most definitely a need for this now more than ever. We need to continually lift one another, build each other up, and look for ways to serve others. Always.
Life is too precious, too short for negativity. May we resist urges to criticize, gossip, belittle, and assume things about people too quickly. Instead may we continually seek to do good and speak kindly about one another. I already knew my readers were awesome. It is now even more clear to me how good you are. I love you for that.
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So who is getting those 40 cards? Let me just say it’s a good thing I wasn’t choosing based on who “should” get them, because there were far too many wonderful causes. So … congratulations to Amy Sorden, who was randomly selected.
Amy said: I would love to win these BEAUTIFUL cards ! I have the perfect place for them….you see, there is a 5 year old little girl in our community that was recently diagnosed with leukemia. Her name is Aly and we are having an all day breakfast, lunch, and supper benefit for her, along with a bidding auction and a silent auction. We are trying to raise funds for her family as they have to travel for her medical needs, let alone all of her medical bills that have piled up. This is a very sweet family with 5 children who needs our community support. I think these cards would and could bring in some money for a great cause! Please pray for little Aly! She IS a fighter! Thank you in advance for your consideration!
Amy, I will pray for Aly. With close friends and family members that have had Leukemia, we too have been affected by this. I will happily send you these cards for your efforts in helping Aly’s family raise money. Send an email to projectlife@beckyhiggins.com with your mailing address and I’ll hook you up!
Here’s something your youngsters can make for their little friends. It’s quick and inexpensive and personalized. Little custom notebooks.
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What you need:
- original artwork
- scanner & computer
- mini notebooks (Target/WalMart/office supply)
- Mod Podge
- craft/foam brush
- disposable plate
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Simple steps to create:
Step 1. Have your child draw something festive. (Of course this idea can be used any time. It’s not holiday-specific.) Be sure they put their name somewhere.
Step 2: Scan the art. In your photo editing software, crop to desired dimensions based on the size of your notebooks.
Step 3: In a word processing program (Word, Pages, etc.), drop in copies of the art and be sure they’re the exact size you need them to be.
Step 4: Print however many you need and trim to size. Plain copy paper is just fine.
Step 5: Spread Mod Podge all over the entire notebook cover. Place art. (Mod Podge, if you’ve never used it, is basically glue.)
Step 6: Once the art is in place, spread Mod Podge over top the entire cover again. Allow to dry. (It dries pretty quickly and it dries clear, leaving a nice protective layer over the art.)
Step 7: Help your kiddo spread holiday cheer to their friends.
I know many of you are anxious to know when Project Life will be available again. An appointment is finally set for Amazon to receive the shipment on Thursday which means … Project Life is expected to be available THS WEEK, probably on Thursday or Friday.
Say hello to Candace and Ross who live in Indiana (gorgeous couple, aren’t they?):
Here is part of an email Candace sent to me:
“I got married on January 1st of this year and Ross (my husband) and I are loving documenting our first year of marriage! Ross has taken an awesome interest in the project too, taking pictures of his daily activities and journaling at least 2 or 3 of the days each week. Without fail, every weekend he asks if he can go get our “pictures of the day” printed! It’s been so much fun. Not only have we already been able to document our wedding and honeymoon during this year’s project life, but we have a lot of big milestones coming up this year too! This book will be something we both cherish for the remainder of our married life because we will be able to remember all those special moments from our first year together in such an awesome way!”
I’d like to extend a special THANK YOU to Jan in Indianapolis. Who’s Jan? Jan Gerbers is Candace’s sister and the one who gave Project Life to the new couple. Candace is just entering the world of scrapbooking and I’m so, so, so pleased that she’s entering with Project Life.
I’ve heard from many other readers who have given the gift of Project Life as wedding gifts and graduation gifts and I just want to let you know how much I appreciate that. You are truly giving a gift that will keep on giving. Project Life can start any time, any season, at any age or stage.
Here’s the thing.
Scrapbooking can get a bad reputation. There are so many who view this wonderful hobby as one that requires a lot of time and creativity and even money, right? I don’t blame them for thinking that. Scrapbooking can be that. But it doesn’t have to be. They are the reason — and you are the reason — that I created Project Life. So that anyone who would like a beautiful scrapbook can achieve that WITHOUT all the time and creativity and money.
Project Life is scrapbooking in the simplest form.
So think about your friends and family members. Think about who you know that could really benefit from knowing about Project Life and give them the heads-up that this week they’ll be available again. When they sell out, they are gone until we release the next edition later this year. My blog is the place for the most current information. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, what questions might you have about Project Life? Ask me here in the comments. Be sure to check out the Project Life FAQ section here too, as your question might already be addressed.
***NOTE: I have re-posted this with easier downloading this time.
While visiting Tallinn, Estonia I became especially fond of the doors in that city. Each one seemed to be entirely different than the next. So much character. I found myself snapping pictures of a few of my favorite doors and then it became kind of a game. We would walk and discover and see and shop and walk and walk and walk … and when a door stood out to me, the camera went up to my face. As I was doing this, I saw in my mind’s eye the end result, which is this –
I’m putting this in a frame in our home office because it reminds me of a wonderful experience, and it’s a fun collection of color and texture that inspires me.
I am reminded of something I’ve heard from home decorators and organizers: Surround yourself with things that you love or things that you use. That’s all you need. The rest is unnecessary.
In the unlikely event that one of my readers may want this print too, I’m including it here in a few sizes. Just right-click on the size you want & save the image to your computer. Then upload it to your favorite online print shop.
Applying this concept to your own photography, can you find a collection of things on your next trip, in your town, or even in your home? I’d love to hear what you’ve done or what you plan to do.
We have some very special friends - the Fuchs ("fewks") family - that are adjusting to a "new normal" with their special-needs daughter who had a terrible accident and is now confined to a wheelchair. You can read all about it HERE
For the benefit of Claire's family - and also for the benefit of many generous sponsors - I opened my blog for advertising for one month only! This is temporary + the ads will run February 1 - 29, 2012. 100% of the ad fees have gone directly to Claire's family.
Because of the nature of this fundraiser and the need to keep the entire process very, very simple - we are not taking any more sponsors at this time. Anyone who wants to reach out to the Fuchs family with a note of encouragement, or a letter in the mail, or even a cash donation, can find that information HERE
