Showing posts with label Ronald McDonald House. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ronald McDonald House. Show all posts

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Pancakes, Pies, and Pop Tabs: Ronald McDonald House Charities

What is it exactly?
I am glad you asked.

What if your child had to be in and out of a hospital in another city?
Where would you stay?

What if you had to be in this other city for days or weeks or months?

Ronald McDonald House (RMH) is a place where families can lodge while their
children are in and out the hospital. They are designed to feel as much like
your home as possible. Kitchens. Laundry facilities. Play areas. Bedrooms.

It is a great thing and a worthy cause to support.

Susan recently stayed at the RMH in Philadelphia while taking Sophie to Shriners.
Don't tell Ronald McDonald but just look at this view from their window.


Tsk. Tsk.
Where is the Burger King House?


The RMH kitchen looks a lot like the Thompson family kitchen.
Mission accomplished on the "feeling at home" agenda.


The RMH breakfast looks tasty!

What makes the RMH affordable? Donations from people like you,
and fundraising from many outside sources, including Grace's sorority at Ole Miss:





They also raise money by recycling aluminum from pop tabs: $1 per pound.
It is commonplace for a particular house to receive donations of 15 tons per year.
Yes, mathletes, that's $30,000 per year from recycling your Diet Coke tabs, so don't
throw them away. Save them and give them to someone collecting them for RMH,
like Emily Sigler. Emily has 250,000 tabs already, and wants to collect 1 million.


The clinic at Shriners is decked out with sea life. Sophie is partial to the mermaids.



Underwater owls? 
Hootie and the Blowfish?

Thursday, January 31, 2013

A Tale of Two Cities



In Philadelphia, Sophie takes a break from PT


Mirror art is good for developing balance




In Mechanicsville, Mama Martha and Annabelle are knitting away


In Philadelphia, Sophie is working a Little Mermaid puzzle


In Mechanicsville, Jacob is tanking up on Gancyclovir


In Philadelphia, Sophie is coloring mermaids


In Mechanicsville, Jacob and his dad wonder if those Angry Birds will ever forgive and forget


In Philadelphia, Sophie's plush cat is the life of the party
at the Ronald McDonald House



In Mechanicsville, Samuel adds sea horses to his aquarium


In Philadelphia, Sophie plays with Stella (local therapy dog)


Then Stella takes kitty's place as "life of the party"






Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Wednesday in Philadelphia


For lunch, Sophie had some delicious soup and was serenaded by a musical group
with a Chinese vocalist, a band leader keyboardist, and several octogenarians.



Sophie, trying to pack all her items into her princess canvas


New leg brace and back brace for sleeping,
practicing being comfortable at bedtime


Don't you just love Sophie's new plush kitty?
Meow!


A Tale of Two Dinners
Philadelphia
Ronald McDonald House
(including fried pickles; yummy)

Monday, January 28, 2013

Sophie Goes to Philly


Susan took Sophie up to Philadelphia for an assessment at Shriner's Hospital.
Sophie will undergo intensive physical therapy to prepare her for subsequent
treatments which may help her walk on crutches in the future.
It will be hard work, but she is determined.

When the work is done, there is fun to be had at the
Ronald McDonald House.

On day one, Sophie had some delicious cake at a birthday party!


On day two, Princess Sophie hung out at her castle,
showing off her improved ability to balance on her right leg.


Today when they returned to the house, Susan found her headboard
was no longer accompanied by her bed. Hmmm. Curious.

Apparently a pipe burst in the attic and flooded the house.
It's always something.

Susan and Princess Sophie have now been relocated to drier climes.
Sophie aspires to be a mermaid but prefers sleeping out of the water.



Meanwhile back home, Lucy is blowing bubbles


and Keith is walking the dogs.


Monday, September 24, 2012

iPad Potpourri


I realized I haven't downloaded pictures from my iPad in over a month.
Some of these are kinda interesting, with some taken from FaceTime,
some from Photo Booth, and others sent to me along the way.





When Grace and Hannah visited Minnesota


When Keith and Lucy visited Minnesota





Zarina with Samuel


Zarina with Noah


Lucy with Bishop Cho

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Jacob: First Day of School at RMH

The Ronald McDonald House has a school inside it.
One teacher teaches all grade levels in one classroom.
Jacob had his first day of school yesterday along with
nine others, mostly siblings of hospitalized children.



The news crew came out to do a story on the RMH school!
How fun is that? The story they ran is online:


After school, Jacob and Susan went shopping.
On the way back, Jacob rested his eyes for awhile.
Hurry home soon, little buddy.


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The House that Love Built


Lucy and Serena at "Knitting Class" at Ronald McDonald House (RMH)


Lucy's animals she retrieved with "The Claw"


Sophie's part in the wall hanging in Jacob's room (made at Reveille UMC VBS)



RMH naturally prefers Coke products


Knitting a scarf with a touch of Viking purple (of course)


Lucy: I think I will do a hand stand right next to Jacob.


Jacob: I think I will tickle the tummy of this girl doing a hand stand.


Jacob: Yes, that was fun!


Not all groovey acts of kindniss are performed by gud spelers.




Jacob and friends at the RMH Lemon Aid stand
They set a fundraising record that day.


Minnesota Twins, partner
(only 20 games back in the AL Central)




Keep smiling, Jacob!