BUDDY WALK - SEPTEMBER 29TH!

Calling All Walkers!   Please help support the Central Illinois Down Syndrome (CIDSO) organization this year during the 8th Annual Buddy Walk in Normal, Illinois.  We are forming a team this year for Quinny and we're calling it "Quinten's Quest"!  We are getting t-shirts made up with some cool graphic, and I envision swords, shields, and other "quest-like" attire for our team...so start searching those clearance items in the costume shops and dress-up areas!

If you'd like to participate in this year's Buddy Walk - there are a couple of ways we'd love for you to be with us:

1.  Save the Date Now for Saturday, September 29th and come out to Carden Park in Normal, IL!
2.  Register with our team - Quinten's Quest ($5 per walker) and Walk With Us!!
3.  Support CIDSO by donating online at www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/quintensquest/2012BW.  Our goal is to raise $1,000 this year and I know we can do it!!!
4.  Please forward the www.FirstGiving.com/fundraiser/quintensquest/2012BW link to all of your contacts and help us achieve our goal!

Here are the details for the event:

8th Annual CIDSO Buddy Walk Please join us at Carden Park (1300 E Raab Rd in Normal, IL) on Saturday, September 29th as we celebrate all persons with Down syndrome. The Buddy Walk is a one-mile walk in which anyone can participate without special training. Before the walk, you and your family will enjoy entertainment for everyone, including face painting, food, and fun! After the walk, we will have raffle drawings with fabulous prizes! Download Flyer (400KB PDF) Date and Time September 29th, 2012 9:00 am - Registration begins, food & pre-walk festivities 10:30 am - Buddy Walk begins following walk - Raffle and Prizes 8th Annual CIDSO Buddy Walk Please join us at Carden Park (1300 E Raab Rd in Normal, IL) on Saturday, September 29th as we celebrate all persons with Down syndrome. The Buddy Walk is a one-mile walk in which anyone can participate without special training. Before the walk, you and your family will enjoy entertainment for everyone, including face painting, food, and fun! After the walk, we will have raffle drawings with fabulous prizes! Download Flyer (400KB PDF) Date and Time September 29th, 2012 9:00 am - Registration begins, food & pre-walk festivities 10:30 am - Buddy Walk begins following walk - Raffle and Prizes

Vist Baby Chadwick's CaringBridge Blog: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mandychadwick

Happy 4th of July!

I hope everyone enjoys their day off from work today and if you live in Illinois -please don't melt from the intense heat we are going to have today!  We are off to our annual 4th of July party where we'll swim all day long and stuff ourselves to no end all day long.  Haha.  Good thing I got up to do my 7am Bootcamp class this morning!! 

I am a bit late on getting Quinn's 6 month pictures taken - so, instead they are his 7 month pictures.  He is doing so great....beyond all expectations!  He looks so big and grown-up in these photos, I can't believe that in 5 months we'll be planning his 1st birthday party.  Time moves sooo fast.

Vist Baby Chadwick's CaringBridge Blog: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mandychadwick

July? Really?

I really can't believe that it is July already.  I am not sure where this summer is going!  I have already gotten into the mode of thinking about school, by registering Ethan last week and most recently trying to figure out what we are going to do with him before and after school once August hits.  My mom has been watching the two older boys this summer (her first summer off ever as a Teacher) and that has helped us out tremendously.  We are getting spoiled having her around to be there in the morning when they wake up, and stay with them all day when we are at work.  I know once school hits it is going to be chaos-city again.  Especially, with Kevin traveling internationally for the next year.  His travels so far have taken him to Peru and South Africa.  He's home this week but leaves on Sunday to go to Canada (up near Montreal) for two weeks - oui oui :) I hope his French is good!  Then after he gets home on that Friday, we pack up that night and leave early Saturday morning for our vacation to Tucson, AZ for the week.   It is going to be much needed after my two weeks at home with all three of the boys.  It is exhausting work being alone.  I just keep telling myself that we can do this for a year - its going to all be good for his career, and us.  I have to keep giving myself pep talks every now and then.

I wanted to give you some updated pictures of what's been going on in our house lately. 

Quinten's Helmet - Can't you see he "loves it" ...are you kidding me, he says?

Quinten's First Taste of Solid Foods (Finally, after over 6 months we finally got the okay from his feeding/speech therapist to start on solids)....mmmmGreenbeans!

Ethan and Caden after their Tball Game.  They are undefeated this season...wink wink:)

 And finally....what boy doesn't love Chuck E. Cheese's? I took Ethan to a birthday party there yesterday, and we had a lot of fun.  He scored 100's of tickets and was so excited.  Isn't he getting so grown up? With his Foe-hawk and cute plaid shorts...can't believe he'll be 7 in a few short weeks!

Vist Baby Chadwick's CaringBridge Blog: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mandychadwick