The Cliff Notes

Just to keep things interesting around here...

both Kean and Reese are sporting fevers of 100 degrees.

Pray, cross your fingers, do a dance-- whatever it takes

to keep Kean from crossing into the 101 degree temperature -automatic

trip to the E.R. realm.

I'm just too old for all this drama.

Before I head to bed (hopefully to sleep through the night),

here's a whirlwind look at our cancer fundraising music festival.

I tell ya, our music was first rate--

from country musicians Desirae Bronson

 and Brooke Faulk...

 to the soulful Mimi Knowles.

 All the girls in the audience went wild-- and I mean wild

for the boy band Beyond 5.

Holland and Greer were somewhere in the pack.

 We Are the Strike was amazing... they are not only

great musicians but quite the entertainers.

 Voted Idaho's Best Band-- Waking Jordan.

These guys are wonderful--

 as are all the members of Fictionist.

We really had artists with hearts as big as their talent.

 For example, one of our singers, Mossi-- was game on stage

to swab his mouth to show the audience how easy it is to

participate in the "Be the Match" registry for bone marrow transplants.

Mossi has a nephew with cancer who just a month ago had a transplant.

 We also had tons of booths, a Kid's Zone, activities,

food and side events to keep reinforcing this was a fundraiser

for kids fighting cancer and Camp Rainbow Gold.

"Motorcycle Dwight" was one of our favorite volunteers.

He oversaw all the logistics-- from porta potties to

fencing.  He also raised money and shaved his long, long locks

to help the kids.

 The Barkette's took to the stage for a few minutes to say

our thank you's to all those who made the event a success--

from the donors, sponsors, musicians, and volunteers  to the

people in attendance.  My parents even brought Kean down

for a sneak appearance on the stage.

(He wasn't really into it-- at all).

 Throughout the evening, we had some of the warriors among us--

the kids who have fought and slayed the cancer beast 

take to the stage to share their stories.

This young woman was particularly inspiring as she talked

about her journey and what a difference Camp Rainbow Gold

has made in her life.

I think my kids are looking at me to make sure I'm 

not losing it on stage in front of everyone.

 Finally, our headliner, Ashley Monroe of the Pistol Annies

took to the stage to close out the evening

and my oh my, can that girl sing.

 My favorite moment of the whole affair was when

she sang a beautiful ballad -- Has Anyone Ever Told You...

She pulled up on stage a young girl she met a few years

back who had a pretty severe brain tumor (one that affects her to this day).

It was a beautiful moment....

 only made even more beautiful.

We had several of the children with cancer,

a family who had lost their son last year and others

connected to the disease light giant paper lanterns

during the song.

 It was a lovely, lovely moment in an evening

full of lovely moments.

Our Baldapalooza photographer, Don Johnson took

all of these pictures.  

It was a magical evening... one that will keep me

pushing along for a long, long time.