CASA and a Fundraiser at Tiara Rado and Boston's Pizza

Back in November, I became a CASA and posted here about it.

Court Appointed Special Advocates of Mesa County (CASA-MC), recruits, screens, and trains volunteers to speak in court on behalf of children who are abused, neglected or abandoned by their families. These volunteers are the eyes and ears of the Judge. Judges, make the final decision of where a child will live. Will the child be returned to the parent or will parental rights be terminated and the child be placed for adoption. This decision is influenced by the information the volunteer provides to a Judge and could be a major determining factor in the future of that child.

Casa means home, but for thousands of abused and neglected children, it's an acronym that has even more meaning – it's the best chance of finally finding safe, permanent homes where they can thrive.

This morning will be my 15th session of either meeting with caregivers and case workers or being in court to represent my little kiddo in need of foster care.  My partner in CASA and I have created a one inch file of documentation on "our child" so far!  (His foster parents are doing a great job with the kiddo, by the way.)
From the KKCO website:

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO)_11News and Boston's the Gourmet Pizza are teaming up for two great fundraisers to benefit abused and neglected children in Mesa County.
First join 11News this Saturday at Tiara Rado for the 7th Annual CASA Golf Tournament. There's still time to register by calling 242-4191. It's $300 a team or $75 a person. It's an 8am shotgun start.

Then on Wednesday, June 8, join the 11News team at Boston's as the anchors and reporters serve up lunch from 11am to 2pm.
Boston's will also 15 percent of its proceeds for the day to Court Appointed Special Advocates.

Help 11News and Boston's make sure no child's voice goes unheard.

This Wednesday, June 8, Boston's Pizza in Grand Junction is giving a portion of their profits to CASA. If you are not a golfer, at least come out and have lunch or a drink and join the KKCO team in supporting CASA!

7 Days: 7 Positive Things

A fellow blogger in Wales who writes I Knit, and Sew What?, writes a weekly "7 Days and 7 Positive Things", so I borrowed her theme.  Here goes:

1: The Texas Road Trip was completed, family visited, and I maneuvered through interstate and local traffic without incident.

2.  On the plane trip back to Colorado, I had trouble getting to the airport.  Long story short, I was the last person to board the plane, getting to the gate just as the door closed.  If that connection had been missed, it would have required not only a long delay, but a stayover in Denver.  Phew!

3.  I saw Bridesmaids TWICE because it was so funny.  What a hoot!

4.  Chive blossoms in our garden made up an onion flavored vinegar that we will use in balsamic vinegar and olive oil salad dressings.  Love the look and looking forward to the dressing!

(Vinegar pretty and pink and ready to strain after 3 days)

5.  I made up nine small batches of strawberry freezer jam that is delicious.  Here is how: 

• 3 and 2/3 cups of strawberries (washed, hulled, quartered)
• 4 Tbsp. freezer pectic
• 1 and 1/3 cups sugar
• Stir the sugar and pectin together, add the fruit, let stand 30 minutes, pour into containers and freeze

 
6.  Making small, slow progress on a Simple Scallops crocheted scarf:

7.  Our house and garden were spared over the night.  A huge limb off an old cottonwood tree in our back yard crashed to the ground around 1 AM.  We heard a loud noise that awakened us, but did not see anything in the dark.  This morning, we found this in the lower part of the back:

the broken tree trunk was 10 inches in width!

That could have caused some serious damage! We were very lucky.

Leaf Little to the Imagination

From The Daily Mail, artist Ju Duoqi created these works from nothing but Chinese cabbage leaves:

...amazing