Beautiful Benny

Today I went to "Gifted," so I could pick up gifts for a few of the VIP's in my childrens' lives, their teachers. I visit the store in Lake Forest once a week after riding. They are so funny and kind even though I smell a "bit," like a horse. This time I notice a box filled with rubber bracelets for brain tumors and child cancer. There were also some in purple, marked "Benny's World," in orange with a note reading "Benny's Favorite Colors Were Purple and Orange." I asked one of the ladies at the counter, "Who is Benny?" She told me it was her son who died at 5 years old from a brain tumor this past September. To help honor his life and help other families like Benny's, they began Benny's World and are doing so many wonderful things around here in his name. I urge you to take a look inside his world and even buy a bracelet or two (or several like I did)to help fund research to cure pediatric brain tumors. www.bennysworld.org

New York, New York!

I was a spokesperson for a major car company while in college. That meant I travelled around the country about 110 days a year. One of those places I ventured to each year was New York City. It was my favorite two weeks of each year. That was a long time ago and I have only since returned for a wedding or two. So it was great to get back and take in all the changes. This weekend I met up with one of my favorite friends for a night in NYC and a show. Lori Thomas Donaudy and I became friends during our stint at Mrs. United States. Lori was the one who would make sure I had gotten critical info and paperwork from the national office that for some reason was not making it to me. Since then, she has proven to always have my back and I admire her in so many ways. Plus, she is a take charge business woman who is a person of her word. She is a mover and shaker in the NY PR world and extremely busy all the time, so getting to catch up in person was priceless. We took in "Priscilla Queen of the Desert." Hilarious show and some great legs on those guys. But the best part was Lori.

1)Lori and me pre-show.
2)Bright Lights, Big (beautiful)City

And Once Again~

So TODAY was the annual Shriners's fashion show at Drury Lane in Oak Brook. I had shown up there in April to only realize I had the wrong month. Maddie Sell, Miss Illinois Teen All American was there. She is so smart, beautiful and looks great in everything. We referred to the runway as, "Ohare," because it was incredibly long like an airport runway. But that was good because it meant they had dozens of tables of women who were there to help usher in Spring (where is it?) and the Shriners. Again, I cannot say enough about the men and women who are a part of the work done by the Shriners for children in medical need.