Student of the Month - Congratulations Cody!

My sweet Cody showing off his award with his wonderful teacher Mrs. Yorlang!

Cody being congratulated by his school Principal and former teachers. I am so proud of my boy!

2010 Pageant Dance Rehearsal

Above are some of the 2010 Contestants, along with our Director Pamela Curnel, rehearsing a 70's Dance Number that will be performed at both the Moses Lake Lip Sync Contest in May and the Mrs. Washington Pageant in June.

Happy 100th Birthday Boy Scouts!

The Richards Family getting ready for our annual Blue & Gold Banquet and Pine Wood Derby Race in celebration of Boy Scouts 100th Birthday!

My son Kenny is getting ready to launch derby cars with anxious onlookers in the side lines!

Pictured above are the derby cars made by our very own Pack 53 Cub Scouts. So much creativity these boys have!

My husband Jeff is Pack 53's designated Derby Dude! We are busy tallying the totals to find out which cars get to compete in the big finale race-off!

February Mrs. Washington Workshop

Patricia Richards (Mrs. Washington America 2006) was our guest Queen for our February Workshop. She did a fabulous job giving us pointers on how to be at our best in preparing for the pageant.

Pageant Coaching

My good friend Angie Foster (Mrs. Washington United States 2008) and I had the privilege to coach Allyson Meyers who will be competing in the upcoming Miss Teen Pierce County Pageant. Allyson is such a sweetheart and talented as well - she will be performing a Scottish musical piece with her Fiddle. I can't wait to cheer her on!

Pierce County 28th Legislative District Caucus

Served as Secretary for the 28th District along with our Deputy District Leader, Ken Witkoe and Sergeant at Arms, Robert Pourpasand.

Just concluding appointing delegates to the Pierce County Republican Convention with help of a few of my precinct neighbors.

I am pictured above with my dear friend in politics Cindy Baij, founder of KLASS (Keep Lakewood and Steilacoom Safe). If you don't take an interest in politics - it will take an interest in you! Stay informed!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Just got finished playing "Pin the arrow on the Heart". In celebration of Valentine's Day each child in my son's classroom got to play the part of Cupid!

We had so much fun!

Flag Ceremony for Lakewood City Council Meeting

My Wolf Den was honored to perform the opening flag ceremony for the Lakewood City Council Meeting held at the Lakewood City Police Department. Pictured above is the honorable Lakewood City Mayor Doug Richardson ( back row: 3rd from the right) and Council Members with my Cub Scouts and Boy Scout Kenny Richards.

My boys with Sergeant Rich Hall - our wonderful tour guide for the evening! Thank you for your service Sergeant Hall!

Our boys getting a tour of our new beautiful Lakewood Police Department before the council meeting. We are blessed with such great Police Officers here in the City of Lakewood - your sacrifice will never be forgotten!

A Visit from Mrs. America 2006/Mrs. World 2007 Diane Tucker!

Back row: Mrs. Snohomish County (Jessica Riggs), Mrs. Washington America 2009 (Elizabeth Larsen), Mrs. Pierce County (Carla Richards) and Mrs. Washington International 2010 (Julie Rzechula); Front row: Mrs. Washington America 2003 (Kristal Grimstead), Mrs. Thurston County (Dionne Tarter & adorable daughter), Mrs. America 2006/Mrs. World 2007 (Diane Tucker) and Mrs. Seattle (Tamara Deporter).

This last weekend I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. America 2006/Mrs. World 2007 Diane Tucker. What a lovely lady!

Seek Wise Counsel for Your Special Needs Child!

Here is Kenny with his awesome Counselor George Lynn! George Lynn is based out of Bellevue, WA and specializes in working with children with neuropsychological issues such as Kenny's Tourette's Syndrome. He has been so helpful in providing Kenny and the whole family practical strategies in dealing with this disorder.

Become a Cub Scout Leader and Make a Difference!

Cub Scout Pack 53 - Here is a picture of my cubbies and their leaders. These boys bring so much joy to my life. As their Cub Master, I have the opportunity to "make a difference" in each one of their lives and they in turn "make a difference" in mine! Consider becoming a Cub Scout Leader for your boy!
I also have the privilege to serve as the Wolf Leader for my son Cody and his den. Cub Scouts has played a huge role in developing his social skills which can be a challenging skill to navigate for children with autism. I would encourage any parent of a special needs child to sign up for either Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts.

My Wolf Den on a field trip to the Lakewood Museum.

Thanks Ms. Becky Huber for the tour!

Girls Night Out!

Spending some quality girl time with dear friends Angie Foster (Mrs. Washington United States 2008) and Jennifer Adkisson (Mrs. Washington America 2007). They are such a blessing in my life. It's vital for us Moms to take time out to nuture our friendships - they give us more strength & encouragement than we often realize.

Happy Birthday Kenny!

My son Kenny celebrated his 12th Birthday!

Having fun at the bowling alley with one of his best buds John.

It is so important to surround your children with a strong circle of friends. I am so grateful for the time invested in nuturing these friendships. Kenny's friends been such a blessing in helping my him deal with the challenges he faces everyday with Tourettes.