Hot Mess, Brooklyn and Where I've Been

**NOTE: If you're visiting this post to order a Bracelet 4 Brooklyn, scroll down to the bottom and check out the charms, bracelets and colors offered.**

I've been absent from blogging lately.  I apologize.  I needed a break recently to focus on family issues and get myself out of a pretty serious funk I was in.  But I'm back--I've missed you people!  As a result of taking a much needed break, I have a lot of making up to do here on the blog.  So buckle up and hang on! 

1.  Hot Mess Update. 

      I can't remember my last hot mess update.  Several weeks ago.  I weighed myself again yesterday to start back on my hot mama journey. 

Original weight:  142.5 lbs

Last time I blogged:  132.2

This week:

Difference from last weigh in:  +0.6 lbs.

Overall loss: 9.7 lbs.

I'm okay with this.  Keep in mind, Thanksgiving happened over this time frame.  I participated in THREE Thanksgiving dinners.  I'm okay with a 0.6 pound gain. 

2.  BRACELETS 4 BROOKLYN:  Have you read Brooklyn's story?  If you're my Facebook friend, I'm sure I'm driving you crazy with "Brooklyn's Believer's" posts.....and I hope I am.  That means that I'm getting the word out and you're seeing it over and over.  Maybe you're seeing it enough and will be lead to take action and donate to the family.  I've donated $20 from my last paycheck....and I hope to do more with each paycheck Marty and I receive.  In addition, my friend Sarah and I are doing a fundraiser.  We're going to make and sell bracelets with a large portion of the proceeds going to Brooklyn and her parents.  But, like every good idea I usually have, we've hit a snag.  We've found the perfect charms to make these bracelets with.....perfect, I'm telling you.....but the seller is located in China.  So?  Shipping from China over Etsy takes 2-5 WEEKS.  WEEKS people.  If we don't get charms until 5 weeks from now, Christmas is over.  People might lose interest and not be as willing to buy whenever our charms finally come in.  Luckily, I've found a seller that promises I'll get the shipment in 10 days to 2 weeks.  This doesn't make my control freak self happy, but what are you gonna do?  So, I'm going to post a little sneaky peeky here on the blog and gauge interest.  No, I don't have a picture of what your bracelet will look like, but I can give you a pretty darn good idea.  If you're interested in buying a bracelet, shoot me an email, a blog comment, a Facebook message, a text and let me or Sarah know that you want one.  Ready for a peek??

Here's the charms (you can choose one bracelet or both!):

Let me explain the charms.  The family has started a group--"Brooklyn's Believers"--to let the family know that they aren't alone and there's a large group of people out there that believe that they can make it through this difficult time.  Hence, the believe charm. 

Second, Brooklyn's Believers have their own "logo."  Brooklyn is a Minnie Mouse lover.  So, Minnie Mouse charms make perfect sense. 

The Believe charms only come in that color.  I apologize for anyone that doesn't like bronze (I'm telling you...these charms were difficult little boogers to track down).  The Minnie charms can be either bronze (pictured), silver or black. 

Finally, because we don't have any bracelets made, I can't show you what the exact bracelet will look like.  But I can tell you they're going to be reallllllllllly similiar to this:

Your bracelet can be done in a wide variety of colors.  We have all the "cancer colors":
Pink---breast cancer              Purple---pancreatic

Gray--brain                           Aqua--ovarian/cervical

Brown--lung                         Orange--Leukemia
Light blue--prostate              Black--melanoma

Yellow--childhood                Royal blue--colon

Kelly green--kidney              White--bone

Lime green--Lymphoma       Lavender--all other cancers

You may be wearing this bracelet for Brooklyn, but maybe you want a "believe" charm with a royal blue ribbon because you know someone fighting colon cancer.  Or maybe you just like the color kelly green and think it'll match a lot of your outfits...we're not picky!  Don't see a color you want here?  Message one of us and we'll make it happen.  I also have thick leather cording for a more fashionable look if you don't want a colored bracelet.  We're selling these for $8 apiece.  A large portion will go to Brooklyn and $1 of each sale will go to Kosair Children's Hospital where Brooklyn and her family are staying (also the same hospital that cared for my little sister when she was born---another story for another time). 

So, who wants a bracelet???

3.  Finally, if you're in the Etown area on Thursday, stop by Mr. Gattis.  They're donating 20% of their profits to Brooklyn.  But you HAVE to have this flyer for your meal to count towards the donation for Brooklyn.  Stop by, eat some pizza, play some Skee ball and give some money to Brooklyn.