I am slowly taking down our Christmas tree and savoring the memories that are part of each ornament. I had a wonderful time with family and friends again this year and feel very blessed. McKenzie and I dropped off 5 boxes of food today at the Ballard Food Bank that we asked guests to bring to Christmas dinner in honor of my Auntie Viv. I realize that I am lucky to be warm and cozy in my new squirrel covered pj's and hoping that we all will remember that in this economic climate many are not so fortunate.

Today photos came back from the printers from 4 new Soul shoots. The work of Dawn, Aaron, Susan and Karen looks great. I am so excited for these families to receive their photos as the work is truly outstanding. I love to see them all completed and in their bags to be delivered as the beautiful handmade albums and trifolds look very regal. I thank these 4 shooters and all the volunteers that put their hearts into making the entire gift so beautiful. Special kudos to Blake's mom, Denise for her devotion to creating the bracelets for each and every Soul mom. My own recent shoot is with Lily who does my post production and I will share a shot or two of our friend Chris as he looks so handsome and so happy to be surrounded by his parents and two sisters.

Doug and I had made the trek to Children's Hospital yesterday evening, not to photograph but to visit our pal Sarah and her mom. Sarah is Doug's bowling buddy and they played Sorry, Monopoly and generally had a grand old time. We are hoping to schedule more bowling outings for this year. Watching Sarah grow up and continue to thrive is a gift for both of us.

We are very busy getting ready for the 5Th Anniversary Celebration. We are in the process of ordering enlargements of every single soul child and parent that is released and we will have them mounted and hung at the show. I have taken on the task of ordering the prints and we will be adding about 100 beautiful faces to the collection. The adult prints and mounting are funded by our grant from the McMillan Foundation but we are hoping that more supporters will back us to fund those of the children. We are thankful for those who have stepped forward and we have to trust that more will follow. Posted here today is a shot by Michael Good that will be part of the collection.

We have shows of the collection that will be hung at Seattle Children's, Starbucks in Shoreline and outside our governor's office in Olympia. We are so thankful to Kat Dunn and her family for working so hard to arrange the show at our state capitol. It is a big step for Soulumination and we are getting ready to address the invitations to each of our elected officials for a special viewing in January. Details of the show will be on the opening page of the web site soon, so if you plan on being in Olympia you are encouraged to stop by.

Don't forget to send in prayer flags for the anniversary. We will need to have them by mid January. We are working to set up a table here at Soul Ballard so that you can drop by to make them here. We have fabric and paints and we even can supply kits so that you can take one to work with a group of friends.

I have to close as I am trying to book a shoot for another child at Seattle Children's this weekend and have a recommendation to write for one of our Soul shooters, Aaron who is applying to grad school. So much going on, if you have time to volunteer for Soul please call Kari at 206-297-0885 as we are swamped. In love and peace, Lynette

Christmas gifts come in many forms and yesterday afternoon I got one from my friend Marin Morrison. Now mind you Marin is not with us anymore but when she was heading to the Paralympics in Beijing she had requested that I make her some red, white and blue eye patches. I hand sewed them and actually wrote a little message inside one and said that way I would be going with her to Beijing through my handwork. A few days ago an email came from our great supporter Deb Eberhardt linking me to an incredible article about Marin in Sports Illustrated. When the article arrived I read the first 2 pages and then was called back to reality, but today on page 7 I read about Marin completing the race and the eye patch is mentioned. So I start to cry realizing that indeed I got to be with Marin on her incredible journey. I feel I have received one amazing Christmas gift from my now angel-friend Marin. Check out the story in the Sports Illustrated Vault online, it was the December issue that was out before the current copy. Marin and I are pictured here today in a shot that Greg Johnson grabbed for me off the video he was shooting. I treasure the times I had with Marin. If you can't find the link to Marin's story please email me at Lynette@ Soulumination.org and I will send a direct link.

I sometimes joke and say that Soulumination has 'gone global'. We did advise a photographer in Sydney Australia about starting her own Soul-type program, our piece from the Today show was shown on international flights by United Airlines and I did work with Brandon's family in Edmonton, Alberta, but now our photographer, Leo Lam is going to work with a new family at Children's who is here from China for treatment for their child. I feel that little by little we can put this kindness out to the world and it will become a normal thing to have beautiful photos of those whose lives are cut short.

We are working toward the 5Th anniversary celebration here on February 6Th. We are grateful to Nintendo for helping fund this day of remembrance. Kari, Sarah and I are meeting today to finalize plans. We are hoping you will attend in honor of our families. We are of course hoping that all of our photographers will be in attendance so that you can meet the amazing talent that forms the backbone of this work.

In the January 2010 issue of Cosmopolitan you can read about our good friend Austen Everett. Her article about surviving stage 4 non-Hodgin's lymphoma is on page 121, and the opening lines are included here today along with a photo that I took in the courtyard here in Ballard. Austen is a long-time friend of my daughters and her mother is a great help and supporter of Soulumination. When cancer struck Austen we did a photo shoot with her looking radiantly bald and this current shot shows her healthy and sporting a new head of hair. This young woman will do a lot to help others who are going through cancer treatment. The Johnson family loves Austen and we are so proud of her.

As we are immersed in the hustle and bustle of the holidays it will be a blessing to take time tomorrow to be with my pal Chris and his family for some updated photos. I can't wait to see this young man as he makes me laugh and has the best outlook. I hear he is looking especially handsome after some facial surgery. Chris has been battling brain cancer since he was a little boy and his approach to life is definitely something unique. He is my favorite stand-up comedian, his quick wit and sharp remarks delight me. I will share photos after the shoot tomorrow.

I took a minute to look at the calendar for December and I see that we are now up to 16 families that we will be working with this month. It is heartbreaking that so many need our services but also it means that we are getting the word out to the right places to be sure that families who would like photos know that we exist.

McKenzie and I worked with our wonderful friends and Soulumination supporters yesterday, Mike and Ashley and their kiddos. I told Mike that I got emotional watching him preform on Austin City Limits this week. I am blessed to know such incredible talent, people who are leaving their marks in the biggest of ways and doing so with humility and grace. To see the young soldiers that were guests of PJ at the show was yet another indication that you can approach life in a way that makes a difference and still be a rock star. Success doesn't have to mean that you lose sight of your own personal grounding. My friends Mike and Ashley live that so beautifully. In love and peace, Lynette

Today's missive will be full of thank yous as we have been so busy here at Soul before the holidays and so many amazing things have been happening.

I had a Soul shoot at Children's on Friday and feel so thankful that it was my turn to take up my camera for our mission. The little fellow I met lit up my life and my camera and his family was just delightful. This little guy had just passed one year from his bone marrow transplant and believe me it was party time in his room. I was treated to some incredible dancing and lots of loud music, seemed amazing that one shy of his second birthday could have so many amazing moves.

Also out working for Soul were Jodi with her 2 shoots in just three days, Randell, Michael and Dawn. I have seen most of the discs and am so thankful for the efforts that are consistently beautiful by these talented photographers. We are also working with movies from a family who lost their dad a number of years ago to digitize the videos so that we can get some still images for them and I am delighted to say that my dear friend and bride, Vicki Piha Ashberg, who helped inspire the Adult Legacy Project will now be featured in our Soul collection. I have a plan at work to gift her family with some of our Soul special creations before the holidays since at the time of her passing we did not have a Soul section for adults, but we have the images to work with since I was her photographer each year on her son's birthday. I thank her sister Ricca and brother-in-law Billy for the donation that covers the cost of enlarging and mounting Vicki's image for the show.

We have the honor of accepting our second grant from the Robert McMillen Foundation. Our grant writer, Sawyer Coleman deserves huge kudos for this effort. Not only are we funded to work with our Adult Legacy project but there are funds designated to add our released adults to the Soul Collection. The cost of enlarging and mounting these pieces is now covered and we are most grateful to Sawyer and of course to the McMillen Foundation.

Lovely donations have been arriving in memory of Donald Ihry and his daughter Deena. Its always confirms the work of this foundation when a family that we have served graciously helps support our mission with this type of memorial giving. We are most grateful and we will use the funds to serve the new families that we are currently booking.

We are busy planning our 5Th Anniversary and hope you have the date of February 6Th on your calendar to come join us in celebration of all our families and the photographers, donors, and volunteers who make this work possible. We will have a very special Valentine art sale that day which is being coordinated by Babs Glover. For a mere $10 you will be able to purchase an original work of art in the form of a Valentine crated by many supporting artists. If you are the artist type and would like to create for this event please contact us, or if you have artist friends please let them know about this effort. This week the big news about the upcoming celebration is that we received a grant from Nintendo to help fund the celebration. We are sincerely appreciative and humbled by the surprise of this generous support.

The Artist Sale was successful beyond our dreams and in this dim economy the support came shining through--- we increased our gross sales by 25%. Kari, our event coordinator did a bang-up job and the artists created items that were stunning. We sold many raffle tickets and we thank Jane Johnson and Betsy Brown for the art quilt that helped increase our tickets sales. Again we want to remember to support the Ballard Market and Ballard Tully's. Having the sale announced on the Ballard Market reader board for a week before the sale was incredible and the Tully's coffee was enjoyed by our shoppers. Next year we hope to add our friend Kristin to the list of artists, she is making adorable skirts for kids and she is pictured here today in one of the Legacy shots we took for her and her son. We are most thankful to the blessings that come when our Soul subjects survive and its especially gratifying when they join in the cause. Those of you who baked cookies, stood for hours in the cold to greet people or were volunteers in any capacity, we thank you and we send thoughts of love and peace, Lynette and all of Soulumination

The Artist Sale was a great success, not only financially but through making new contacts throughout the community and reconnecting with our Soul families who attended. We are tired but ecstatic over the fact that we saw a significant growth in sales. It was a coming together of talent that really had pizazz. It was so much fun to watch our youngest artist, Grant, sell out both days, he is pictured today in a quick snapshot by our photographer Kurt Smith. All of the wreaths sold in the first day so we want to double our production next year, if you want to help on that front please let us know. We will need more sources for donated greens so keep us in mind for prunings and if you know of anyone with property who would share please help us get in touch with them. Thanks to all who made purchases and to the volunteers and artists for working so hard to help us continue this mission. Please support Ballard Market and Tully's Coffee for their generous help.

Yesterday Jodi dropped off the disc from her latest shoot and while she was here I got a call from Children's and she turned around and went back out to shoot again. We are blessed by her talent and participation in our work. We also received requests yesterday for 3 other shoots and are working on a special Soul project for the son of my friend Vicki who helped inspire the Adult Legacy Project for Soul. We are really busy and so thankful that funds are coming in from the most recent newsletter to allow us to move forward. I will do one of the shoots at Children's on Friday and Sarah will work to book the other two today.

It was our company and Soul staff party last night and I had purchased the dinner at the Camp Agape auctions so we were served the most amazing Greek food by three lovely Greek chefs. One of the referrals for a shoot came from these ladies. This dinner is paid for by yours truly in honor of my mom who was one of our biggest fans and financial supporters. It was nice to honor mom, support Camp Agape and treat the amazing women that work around me to a fun evening of chit chat and great food.

Don't forget to use www.Goodshop.com for your holiday online purchases. Truly it costs you nothing and benefits Soul if you just type in Soulumination as your charity of choice. I know a lot of us use Amazon for Christmas purchases and they are part of the goodshop network so please consider this shopping option.

I sold all of my luminarias and most of everything else I made for the sale, so please keep saving those 'painted' tin cans for me please and any empty Arizona Ice Tea cans would be lovely too. I can use small mint or candy tins with a lid. My heartfelt thanks for those who gave tins this year.

Off to the races, in love and peace, Lynette

The energy from the artists that have set up their amazing work in the studio and garage now flows through my home and of course its hard to sleep with all that power in my space so once again I am up early reflecting on the magic that surrounds Soul. Our friend and Soul photographer, Jodi Rosen will be shooting tomorrow at Seattle Children's while supporters come to buy and finance her efforts. I am so thankful that Jodi is willing to volunteer in this busy season.

I want to thank especially my friend Mary Anne Martin, owner of Paint the Town who has donated her amazing paper bowls to this sale. She is selling the bowls at the Mrs Cooks but so generously donated them to us. Also my mushroom buddy and dear friend Patrice Benson took time in her busy life to make charming felt mushroom ornaments and donate them to the sale. I am blessed in so many ways and these blessing often support Soul.

Big hugs to Sandra Coan for her Santa photo project which landed us a donation of over $400, we are so thankful for her work for Soul. She is one talented and lovely person, just like all our photographers and we are so thankful.

My young friend Grant has now raised over $300 in donations and his wild and fantastic creations will fly out the door once the sale opens today. I feel like a proud Auntie, he is one special kiddo and I am so hopeful that he will agree to create for us in the future.

My daughter Lew flew home from Spokane to work at the sale today, ahh she is a sweet one. McKenzie checking in regularly from California. I am a lucky mom.

Huge thanks to all the volunteers who have baked and hauled and created and done any chore we asked. It takes a village to support Soul and we are blessed with that our village is built on love and dedication. Today the angel babies are forefront in my thoughts and I look at their faces on my walls and reflect and rejoice that we have met and become friends of so many amazing families. We checked yesterday and we have served approximately 500 families in these first years of Soul. So now I write one more prayer and spin it in Chris' beautiful prayer wheels and hope that today brings love and joy to all who attend this Artist Sale, in love and peace, Lynette

Opening today's paper I breezed through as I have so little time for indulgences right now and a photo in the obituary section caught my eye and I took a second look to discover it was the father of one of the women who inspired me to form the Adult Legacy portion of Soulumination. Don Ihry was a handsome man and his smile just stopped me and I read about his loving family and his accomplishments, I ended the reading crying and shaking as Soulumination was listed as one of the two places to donate in his honor. This thoughtfulness by a family that we have served moves in so many ways. His daughter Deena was one amazing woman and I am so sad that her beautiful daughters have now lost their grandpa. I send love, peace and sympathy to this family, in their loss they are helping us provide comfort and meaningful legacy for other.

The wreath work party last night yielded incredible holiday decorations and we have already sold a number of them as they are truly works of art. I thank all who lent their amazing talent and their beautiful greens from Dunn Gardens, Steve DeRouix and Kurt and Leah Smith and a number of contributing artists.

I wrote about my young friend Grant who is a new artist to the sale this year and we are all thrilled with his pre-sale efforts. His mom has contacted her friends via email and encouraged attendance or raffle ticket purchases or donations and he is already bringing in funds. His mom says he is giving a presentation at his school about the show. Grant is a shining star for us right now and it will be so fun to see people view his art.

Kari is doing an outstanding job running this sale while Sarah is hard at work maintaining the daily operations of Soul and lending a big hand to Kari. We are blessed by their hard work and the work so many volunteers. See you on Saturday or Sunday.

Tomorrow I take a quick break to go get my haircut at my spot for over 20 years, Salon Metro. The owner Cindy has had this wild hair to deal with all that time and this year she joins us in the Artist Sale with her amazing scarves that are pictured here today.

I will close with one more thank you to the clients of my business who have been so very generous with donations, you honor me with your generosity. In love and peace, Lynette