Join Team Connell!

Time has come again! Walk to Cure Diabetes brings people together in a fun, healthy activity for a worthy cause. As most of you know, Dash was diagnosed with Type I diabetes in 9th grade. Type I Diabetes is genetic and Dash is insulin dependent, unlike Type II that can be controlled with diet and is usually obesity related.

In honor of my husband (your brother, son, son-in-law, and friend), we will be participatin for our second year in Houston’s Walk to Cure Diabetes. I would love to have you walk with Dash and I. The walk will be at Reliant Park on Saturday October 20, with registration starting at 7am and the walk starting around 8am. It will be approximately 3 miles. If you would like to join us, just follow this link to register: http://walk.jdrf.org/register.cfm?id=86871053 – TEAM CONNELL! (We have 3 miles to think of a better name for next year!)

We have also set up a fundraising page if you are not able to walk - skip your Starbucks or fast food for a week - and donate in honor of Dash to JDRF through this page - http://walk.jdrf.org/support.cfm?id=86871053. (TEAM CONNELL walkers can set up their own fundraising page) Each dollar takes us one step closer to finding a cure for diabetes. Doctors and researchers are predicting we will actually see a CURE for diabetes well within Dash's lifetime.

Be proud on Walk Day and beyond, experience the pride and satisfaction that comes from knowing you were an important part of a nationwide effort that raised millions of dollars to help find a cure for diabetes.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Dash and Shae

Yesterday was an exciting day - I picked up Dash from his Pro-Am tournament after he called and could not say more than one word - "yeah..." On our way home, I made a comment about his negativity and mood swings he gets when he has a low blood sugar (it was probably in the high 20s yesterday). I was laughing about it, telling him that I try not to take his attitude personally. My husband looked at me and smirked at finding a loop hole. "hehe...you cannot get mad at me for at least the next hour."

He is doing a lot better now, after some Mr. Donuts and pizza. The upside - we both got half of Saturday off work!

To catch you up on what is going on in our lives:

We are staying quite busy with Youth Ministry at our church starting back up, full work schedules, planning baby showers (yay!), craft projects, getting diplomas framed (YAY DASH!), birthdays, trips to New Braunfels for Family Camp with our great friend Ruth, and hanging out with our newly empty nest moms.

Exciting news - Shae was the Bronze Winner for Sales for whole city of Houston for the month of July, out of a couple hundred sales consultants for David Weekley! Basically, they take into account your number of homes sold, total dollars sold, survey results from closings, and discounts given and Shae ended up #3 in the city for July. Her boss wants to hire all her sisters and friends so that is a good sign!

Tonight we are having a NFL Fantasy Football draft get-together with Shae' parents. Football, fried chicken, and family. What could be better? There will probably be some competitive Wii playing as well with Dash and Papa Tom.

Hopefully next weekend we will get to listen to the Aggie football team beat Montana State with Tommy and Ruth and the rest of the Connell clan. Just 6 days until Fightin' Texas Aggie Football starts! WHOOP!

Have a great week everyone!

Concert Groupies

Everyday I listen to KSBJ radio on my way to and from work and never get tired of it. When they announce their 25th Anniversary concerts were on sale, I had to go - especially with Toby Mac and Mercy Me coming. My mom, dad, and Sterling jumped at the chance as well, so last Thursday we piled into my car and headed to The Woodlands for our concert. It had been storming all day but once the concert began not a single drop fell at the concert.

We had great COVERED seats just in case and were pretty close to the stage. We also quickly discovered they serve Chili's (an outside concert with boneless buffalo wings and southwestern eggrolls - God is good!)

The concert line up included Connersvine (never heard of them, but one of the guys is the punter for the Colts), Mandisa (yes, American Idol Mandisa), Israel and New Breed, Toby Mac, and Mercy Me. Toby Mac was the obvious best performer but Mercy Me with their classics like "I can only Imagine" did great.

We had a blast. Thank you Sterling, Mom and Dad for going with me!

Save the Date!

October 20, 2007 - 8am
JDRF Houston's Walk to Cure Diabetes
Reliant Park

Dash and I will start a team soon for all our friends and family to join and walk with us. Last year, we walked for the first time - joined by the Shae's family and Tommy, Ruth, and John. It was a great experience and we plan on continuing our new tradition. Reserachers say that the cure for juvenile (Type 1) diabetes is well within Dash's lifetime, so your support could make the difference!

Backyard splashes

We splurged and bought a pool for our backyard. A pool for our dogs that is. Cooper loves it and has already marked it with his trademark bite marks. In this 100 degree heat index weather, this pool is a life-saver for him while we are gone at work during the day. We can tell when he is getting in it because we hear him 'swimming' around with his two front paws first and making big waves (and a big mess) before he sits down and cools off. Now, if only we could find him some floaties and a slip n' slide.

"Hmm, I think I might like this"

Big waves

"This is pretty nice and I really need a tan. "

"I wonder if I am getting wrinkly yet"

The Showboat

We had a blast last night going to The Showboat Drive-in in Hockley, Texas. For a bargain of only $5, we went to see a double feature of Transformers and Evan Almighty with Nate and Jessica. The whole experience was so different and we cannot wait to go again with more family and friends. Though we were too tired to stay and see Evan Almighty, we do recommend Transformers, which has some pretty good laughs.