Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Monkey

Ok, so I've been hearing some complaints about my pacifier use, so I'm here to clear some things up:

1. I love my Monkey and my Hootie (my pacifier and owl puppet)
2. They've been with me through thick & thin since I was just a little peanut.  Lets be real here, Hootie  has been my rock, my shoulder to cry on (literally), and Monkey, well, he's there when life just plain sucks (pun intended).
  But most important of all..
3. If I give them up then that means the parents have won the battle!! And I'm not ready for that to happen just yet..

There was an intervention, and I can tell that Mama and Daddy are really working hard to stick to their guns on this one.  I've been bribed, I've been reasoned with, I've been threatened (I can hear them plotting to cut off the paci part! Don't think I haven't!)  - oh yeah, they're pulling out all the stops! But it ain't workin'.  I've perfected the art of getting my way (especially with Dad)!

Here's the thing, I'm 19 months old and I still have a 'paci', 'bink', 'wubby' or whatever you want to call it (and chances are you did too at some point in your life!).  It's not like I have a problem or anything. There's no monkey on my back here.  I mean, I could stop anytime I wanted to..
What? No, I'm not sweating just thinking about it...I can..get by without them...You know..I, uh...I just don't feel like it right now...yeah..yeah, that's it..

Oh jeez!  Who am I kidding?!  I CANT SURVIVE WITHOUT THEM!!!!!
Whoo, okay..breath...uh, hold on a minute..I gotta go find Hootie and Monkey...
       

       

Here are a few shots of us just hanging, looking at the trucks and hugging                                       

Okay, so I guess you'll just have to stay tuned on my progress with this situation..

In Other News:

• I had my first real big cold and it was the pits, except for the night that Mama and I watched Ratatouille at 3 in the morning (she didn't think that was so much fun)
• I started walking up a storm last month and I haven't looked back!  I walk everywhere, including trying to walk down our cement front 2 steps.  I made it past the 1st one, but that 2nd one got me.  I got a big scrape by my eye and a bump on my head - again, not so much fun!
• I love to say, "1,2,3 - GO!" and run across the kitchen
• I love to count and the number 8 is my very favorite (I even find it in books and on signs!)
• I am very polite and have been saying 'thank you' for a while, but now I say, "thank you, welcome!"
• On the flip side, I've also learned to say, "stop!" when someone is doing something I don't like (such as wiping off my face or doing anything that interferes with my playing)
• I am learning to go potty and I like to sit on my Elmo potty - fully clothed..I guess I am not really ready yet..
• I am now such a busy girl that I don't have time to use people's full names.  Mama and Daddy are now just Mom and Dad.  Papa and Nana are Pop (sometimes Pops) and Nan.
• It was Daddy's birthday recently and I was in charge of decorations.  So, naturally, I got Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck! I mean, you really can't go wrong with those two.  Let me just say, it was the best decorated birthday for a grown man ever!  
• My MI cousins came to visit me at my new house earlier this month and we had so much fun! I can't wait to see them again soon.
• Next week I will see my Kansas City cousins and then we get to go on a trip to OH to spend Thanksgiving there with family.  It's going to be so much fun!
• My Grammy is going to come visit me in December!
• I love the holidays!  I can't wait for Christmas music and decorating and snow and the Thanksgiving Day parade.  Oh, it's all going to be so magical!  Mom and Dad have been telling me about this guy Santa who brings me presents - I just can't wait for that dude to show up! 

Also, I'm happy to say that I've been helping The OIF with their 50,000 Lives, One Unbreakable Spirit Campaign.  The goal is to raise $10M in 4 years to help 50,000 people living with OI and fund 40,000 hours of research to one day find a cure.  If you're looking to give a charitable donation to a very worthy cause please consider this one.
Have you checked out The OIF's website lately?  If you would like to be added to their eNews listserv just go to www.oif.org and click subscribe on the left.  They have tons of great information and OI news each month.  

You can also subscribe to my blog by entering your email in the upper right hand corner, that way you'll never miss a post.  And feel free to forward on to anyone who would be interested in hearing from a witty little gal who seems to always greet life with a smile. 

Well, another month behind us and so much fun stuff to come!  I'm wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving and many new adventures to you!

xoxo, 
Maggie Shae  

Grandpa's Gift Golf Tournament & Camping Weekend of Fun!

Hey, hey everybody.  What do you say?  Come to Camp Dearborn to celebrate and play!

My Grandpa's BFF, Lari, has planned this super cool celebration at my Mama's childhood summer stomping ground Camp Dearborn for this May (my Grandpa Tom's birthday is May 21st).
It is going to be so fun and I can't wait!  My Mama has told me all about the fun she used to have there, and how her and her friends and family looked forward to this magical week each June.  She even used to celebrate her birthdays there!
My Grandpa got the nickname "Ranger" Tom because he was just like a forest ranger while they were at this very special place called Camp D.  Oh yeah, he made campfires, predicted the weather, and even fished tent keys that accidentally fell into Port-a-Johns (ew).  Oh, and she has many, many more stories about all the fun that was had at this special place.
It has been quite a while since they've all been there, but from what I hear they ruled the roost back in the heyday!  You know, long before iPods, facebook, heck, even cellphones were around...
Back when going to the Cantine for now-and-laters and playing in a giant robot were daily occurrences, and spending time with friends making your own fun was how we spent our days.
My Mama says that "The F-Row Boys" left women fainting at the annual talent show and even beat the Camp D workers in an exciting softball blow-out.  They are legends in their own time...
Wow!  It sounds like a lot of fun to me.
I mean, you have to know that our friends and family are going to do it up just right!
Weather you went to Camp D or not, come out and celebrate one of Ranger Tom's favorite family vacations, where you were (and will be) having a blast surrounded by the ones you love!
Come for the day or stay for a night or two.  Either way we'll be celebrating, raising money for a great cause and, most of all, having a great time like the 'old days'.  

First Annual Grandpa's Gift Golf Tournament and Camp Dearborn Family Weekend

Benefiting the OI (Osteogenesis Imperfecta) Foundation

Hello!

You are cordially (and very enthusiastically) invited to a family-oriented, fun-filled weekend at Camp Dearborn (in Milford, Michigan), and the 1st Annual Grandpa's Gift Golf Tournament.

To be held in memory and in celebration of Grandpa “Ranger” Tom.

Where: 

Camp Dearborn Tent Village and Mystic Creek Golf Course

When: 

Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-27^th, 2013

 Come celebrate and relax with fellow campers beside the fire, while slinging horseshoes, playing euchre, and just hanging out reminiscing at the beach or poolside.  We’ll be catching up and creating lots of fun new memories.

Never been to Camp Dearborn?  Well, this is your chance at a camping experience unlike any other! (click on the links above to see what it’s like!)

Specifics: You can come for the day, stay for a night or the entire 3-day weekend.  There will be 50/50 tournaments and festivities galore throughout the weekend: horseshoe, euchre, kickball, arts and crafts and sing-a-longs for the kids, barbequing and much, much more.

All of this culminating on Sunday with The First Annual Grandpa’s Gift 9 hole golf tournament to benefit The OI Foundation (http://www.oif.org), a cause very near to Tom’s large heart. 

Tent Rental: tent cost is $35/night or $105 for the whole weekend. Cabins are available and those sleep 6 and cost 

          Tents sleep 6 (2 bunk beds and 2 cots) and are plenty spacious for a family.  Each tent has an outdoor closable kitchenette and a covered picnic table.  No sleeping on the ground or critters here!  We camp in style!

Golf Tournament: To be held on Sunday, May 26^th.  Entrance fee to golf is $50 per person.  For those who want to come out and show their support (but aren’t sure about their golf skills) there will also be a silent auction, treats, refreshments and great company! 

Please follow this link to learn more and sign up for any activities that sound fun!

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050E49ADAC2CA31-grampas

So come out and celebrate with all of us!

The price is right for the great time we’ll be having, support for a great cause and remembering the man who kept us all smiling.

As always, Ranger predicts the weather to be perfect and good times to be had by all.

 We hope to see you there!!

http://www.campdearborn.com

www.oif.org

www.hoorayformaggieshae.blogspot.com - to learn more about our OI story

For questions, to reserve your tent or find out more, please contact us at

  Grampasgift@comcast.net

Oh yeah, here's The F-Row Gang (some of them at least!)

circa 1985?