Baja Fresh Fundraiser Night Profits $50!

For a very, very last minute fundraiser, I was grateful that the Baja Fresh Fundraiser Night from two Saturday's ago profited $50 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!  I am so glad that all the last minute flyer hand-outs brought in some money for the cause!  Every $ helps!!!

A BIG thanks to my little helpers ~ PJ, Kyle, AJ, Alyssa, Diego, Bivi, Taylor, Cody and Riley...and my friend, Karla! 

The San Francisco Progressive Marathon With My Boys!

On Sunday, the 25th, my oldest two boys and I ran in the San Francisco Progressive Marathon.  It was a great experience and an amazing accomplishment for my boys.  Taylor is my 8 years old and Cody is 6 years old.  Taylor and I decided to run this race many months ago...when we were making 'small' goals towards rebuilding his lungs.  Cody couldn't be left out!  He did second guess himself as we started packing on the miles in the two weeks prior to the race, but he kept with it!  Taylor is amazing when it comes to endurance!!!  You would NEVER think that he's had the year he has had this past year.  He's a champ...all the way.  He never complains, and he never gives up!  I am so proud of my boys!  Unfortunately, the 100 yd. dash for little ones, was full and Riley did not get to participate.  He enjoyed cartoons with Grandpa, instead!  Lucky him!  LOL!  He stayed out of the freezing, SF wind!

Their marathon shirts and medals will be quite the 'show-and-tell' items!

***

After San Francisco...we headed further North to Oregon where my parents live.  I started out my first day here with a nice 7 mile run in COOL WEATHER!  How nice!  I have a friend, Kelly, here who finished the Pac Crest Triathalon last month with Team In Training, and we hope to get in some runs together.  The Scandi Run in Junction City is my next race.  It's a 10k in the little town of Junction City, just outside of Eugene...where I grew up!  The run is part of the Scandinavian Festival that Junction City celebrates each year.  It has been one of my favorite parts of my childhood and I am grateful to share it with my kids.  Check back for more pictures and updates!

'Bunco Night' Fundraiser

We had a small group last night to play Bunco, but we had a great time...and $100 went to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!  We enjoyed some yummy Key Lime Pie and lots of dice rolling! 

The raffle for the evening was a great, apple green purse, pretty scarf,

and fabulous bamboo jasmine soy candle!!! 

And, the WINNER is...

TRENA ALEXANDER!!!!

Thanks to all my wonderful friends for attending 'Bunco Night' and supporting my training with Team In Training and my fundraising for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!

In Just 4 Days...

Taylor, Cody and I will be completing the San Francisco Progressive Marathon, together! 

I made a promise to Taylor to help him re-build his lungs by being healthy and running short races together...well, he has taken that to heart!  Cody (6) has joined in too!  These past 10 days, we have been running and walking our miles to accumulate 23.1 miles before the morning of July 25th.  Grandma and Grandpa Mishler will be coming down from Oregon to cheer us on while we complete the last 3.1 miles of our Progressive Marathon in San Francisco this Sunday.  Check back soon for photos!

FYI - Little Riley (4) will attempt the 100 yard dash.  He wants a medal too!

From a Mom to a Mom!

"Encourage one another," that's how she closes her writing on her blog!

Just over three years ago, I moved to Bakersfield not sure of whether or not I would really like it here.  I must admit that this hot, dirty, oil town has grown on me tremendously...and become a wonderful family town in my eyes!  A big part of my comfort here has come from a wonderful fabric shop that I must say is "my favorite."  As a seamstress, quilter and embroiderer, I have found a wonderful home for my fabric purchases here in Bakersfield and almost NEVER shop anywhere else.  This wonderful store is Strawberry Patches.  I love Strawberry Patches so much, I sometimes find myself there EVERY day of the week!

Over the past three years, I've come to know the owner (Suzanne) and staff at Strawberry Patches pretty well.  They have been there as somewhat of a "therapy" for this mom who has had such ups and downs trying to get and keep her son well.  They've listened to our hardships throughout Taylor's illness...and inquired about his health along the way...and they've always provided me the release that I've so needed by having the best selection of fabrics for me to create with.

Suzanne too is a mom...and a mom with a sick child.  Her son has ALS (Lou Gerig's Disease.)  She blogs on her blog "Notes from the Patch" about fabric, embroidery, family, faith and endless topics.  Reading her blog is instant encouragement.  Encouragment to be better, have fun, and enjoy life!  She is wonderful at sharing...and I appreciate every effort she gives to her family, her buisness and her clients.

Today, Suzanne gave me a donation of $300 towards my Nike Women's Marathon run and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  A generous gift, indeed...a gift from a mom to a mom!  You see, I know Suzanne has walked more difficult days than me as a mom, fighting for her son, and helping her family.  She feels my mission to give back and teach my young Taylor that we are blessed, no matter how hard each day is, how sick he may get, or how much better he feels right now.

So thank you, Suzanne!  You are someone to admire!

Encourage one another,

Carolyn

Crazy Idea to Raise Funds by 'Dancing with Ellen!'

Okay, okay...so I spend a lot of my time (lately) trying to come up with creative fundraising ideas!  Well,...I came up with a really crazy idea...and while it is a total LONGSHOT, I took a SHOT!  LOL!

Here's what I did...

I wrote the Ellen show and asked them to help me raise $500 for LLS!

I took a chance,...I e-mailed her show.  Who knows if anyone will EVER even read my e-mail, but if you never take a SHOT, you never get a HIT!!! 

Here's what I wrote her,...and what my idea is:

I'm asking Ellen to help me raise funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by letting me, my son (whos' lungs failed as a complication of H1N1) a friend, their son (who has just finished chemo for Leukemia) and 20 of our friends come on the show to 'Dance with Ellen!'

Here's my plan to raise $500 dollars with the help of Ellen! If your staff could provide us 24 tickets (4 for the above stated individuals) and 20 for me to raise a $25 donation (ea.) to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in support of my Team In Training Nike Women's Marathon run, I would be eternally grateful! I would love to bring my donors to the Ellen show to 'dance with Ellen!'

Here is my Team In Training website for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Please read my story and learn why I am making this commitment to raise funds for LLS...and teach my son (who has been through a tramatic medical year) that we can give back to those who are experiencing even more medical tragedy than we have these past months.

My website is: http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf10/cmishlers

This is a CRAZY idea, but we LOVE Ellen in this house...and love to dance with her. She brings smiles to our faces, even on tough, sick-days. Let us come dance with her & raise funds for a noble cause!

My personal goal this training season is $3000. You can help me raise $500 with this fundraising event! Every dollar makes a world of difference to those suffering from blood cancers...and every dollar makes a world of difference to me as a mom of a sick child who I am sharing a mission of giving back with!

Thank you for your consideration!

Carolyn Mishler Sherman

Mom & Team Member of the Central California Chapter of Team In Training; raising funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

***

Who knows,...maybe we'll get to go and 'Dance with Ellen!'

I'll keep you posted!

Brian Waterbury 2010 Rock to Pier 10k for Our Long Run Day!

This morning I woke up in Morro Bay, ready to run the Rock to Pier!  I must admit, I didn't even think about weather.  Leaving Bakersfield's 105 to start a race at 54 was a definate climate change.  The run was beautiful.  6.2 mile of packed sand (with a little section of rock.)  It was a great training day! 

Some of the Team (and Michele's boys) at the finish of the run!

Baja Fresh Fundraiser Night!!!

I'm excited to share that I will be doing a fundraiser night at

Baja Fresh on Ming Ave.

Saturday, July 17th from 5-9pm!

15% of all orders placed (with a fundraising flyer) will go to

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

in support of my Nike Women's Marathon 2010 run!!!

It's short notice, but I'm hoping to do the best I can to get a lot of customers to the event with a fundraising flyer!  So, if your looking to dine out on Saturday evening...please choose Baja Fresh on Ming Ave.

If you need a flyer, contact me @ 378-2880

My First Company Donation Check!!!

I can't tell you how excited I was to open the mail today and find my first company donation!!!

Thank you so much, Jameson Specialties!!!  I am so grateful for your support!!!

'Pretty Pedi Night' Fundraiser & Raffle!

  

What a fabulous success!!! 

Monday, July 12, 2010 I threw a 'Pretty Pedi Night' & Raffle!

I am happy to share with you...I raised $400 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!

  I couldn't be more thankful to Mera and Marlana for being my 'pedicure' helpers.  We baked up some yummy Italian food and set it out for the party guests.  Marlana's adorable daughters, Morgan & Mia, hosted by serving food and selling tickets to the raffle basket. 

It included the following fabulous donations:

A Europhoria 'Clear My Head' Hair & Scalp Treatment

A Europhoria 'Recipe for a Beautiful Tan'

A Karma Salon Certificate for a Hair Cut & Style by Tracy Hunt

A Karma Salon Certificate for a Brazilian Wax by Leah Chavez

A 'Rock Star Toes' Certificate by Wendy Montgomery

And...the lucky raffle basket winner was...Debbie Tinoco!!!

We had a fabulous evening and our guests left with wonderful, pedicured feet!

Mommy On A Mission ~ My Story

Welcome to my Team In Training blog!  I'm here to share my Team In Training experience with you!  I hope you'll enjoy all of my updates and pictures as I start this journey!  Here is my story...

Hi, my name is Carolyn Mishler Sherman and I’ve taken on an enormous task! I’m training for the Nike Women’s Marathon on October 17, 2010, in San Francisco with Team In Training.

I’m a Bakersfield stay-at-home mom of 3 young boys, a soccer coach, a basketball and baseball team mom, and a school volunteer. This will be my first marathon and I am excited to share with you why I’ve chosen to run a full marathon and why I’ve chosen Team In Training to prepare for it. I’ve made a commitment to raise $3000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to help find a cure for blood cancers. 75% of every dollar goes towards research and local programs. You can help by making a donation in support of my training and marathon run.

Team In Training helps prepare individuals to participate in endurance events. That in itself is a great task. What is more impressive about Team In Training is that they have made an enormous commitment to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to raise funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. What an honorable mission!

Why am I choosing to train with Team In Training and raise funds with them? Personally, I have only known one person who suffered from leukemia; a child of a good friend of mine. I’m glad to say that he is a survivor! I’m taking on this challenge in honor of him, his family, and all those who’ve walked in their shoes.

Why am I choosing to run a full marathon? My reason is my oldest son! In October of 2009, my 8 year old son, Taylor, fell very ill to H1N1. This simple flu wasn’t something he was able to overcome and heal from on his own. His flu progressed into severe pneumonia and led him into lung failure. He was put on a life-flight to, and treated at, Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera, CA. As you can imagine, this was a frightening experience as a parent, and I am lucky to say, Taylor came home with us.

Over the past months, Taylor, has suffered from periodic fevers every two to three weeks, often 105 degrees. It has been heartbreaking for him and our family! When he’s well, he’s well and when he’s sick, he’s extremely sick. We’ve struggled to find an answer as to why he has been sick so often. Obviously, we were advised when his lungs failed, that it would take a lot of time for his body to heal completely…even years. We just didn’t expect him to go through such highs and lows…and for them to be so often. We have finally found the right team of doctors with some answers and treatment. We are grateful that Taylor is not seriously ill, just that he needs time to grow out of this traumatic event.

Taylor is my reason for choosing to be as active and healthy as possible! I have 3 wonderful, little boys who deserve the best examples to be set for them. Why not show them that, not only can we do good things for ourselves, but also do good things for others at the same time. Not only am I training, but Taylor is too! He's running to rebuild his lungs. In May we ran the Bruin Run benefitting Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA, and in July we have another run planned! Cody, my 6 year old son, will be joining us too! What a great opportunity to lead by example. I'm working hard to be healthy and achieve something...and they are too!

The experience my family has had this past year (with a sick child) doesn’t even compare to the magnitude of those fighting blood cancers. As a mom, I take this to heart. Team In Training offered me an opportunity to give back to others fighting for their lives and I hope you’ll help me achieve my goal of raising $3000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society while training for my first marathon.

Please make a donation to support my participation in The Nike Women’s Marathon with Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission of finding a cure to blood cancers. It’s simple. You can make an easy, online donation on my Team In Training donation page:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf10/cmishlers

I encourage you to visit my blog and donation page often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress!

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Carolyn J. Mishler Sherman