Joanie Quinn will NOT STAY SILENT

I've never lost my competitive nature.  It can be an asset when judging grocery lines and traffic lanes, and it is especially helpful at the Silent Auction.  When there is an item that I covet, and one of my St Clare friends attempts to outbid me, that's it - the gloves are off.  I don't even care who it is; it could be my own husband (yes, we do get two bid numbers, we have an open marriage like that) and I will not let go.  Letting go is for people who don't want to take things home from the Silent Auction!

I like the feel of the hunt in the Silent Auction.  I'll pace the rows and watch for just the right moment to make my move.  Some people don't take the bidding seriously and start chatting - I sneak up behind them and raise that bid.  I get a particular thrill raising bids in the last minute of the Silent.  My husband calls this maneuver "Why Did We Get All This Stuff?"  Well, I tell him,  "Honey, WE WON IT!"

Come on Down!!!

Most of us will never get the chance to win an Oscar. Or The Price is Right. But for three of us, there is a very special moment coming. The moment when you hear Mrs. Monahan call your name and you sprint to the front of the room and claim your prize: a new Sony Cyber-shot Camera, a 46” HGTV or a week in Kona!

I don’t know about you, but I can see that victory lap in slow-mo. It is beautiful. And the price of admission? Just $25. Buy those raffle tickets and experience GLORY.

(Reminder: Tickets should be sold or turned in by March 7th.)

Movie Shoot Ends with Pregnant Star's Hospitalization

Word on the street is that this year's paddle bid movie is so action-packed that Thursday's shoot ended with one star in the hospital.

Sources confirm Lillian Kidwell was rushed to the hospital Thursday afternoon. "One minute they were filming and the next minute she was whisked away," one witness says. "Those ladies were running around like chickens with their heads cut off." While hospital sources would not confirm the story, a spokeswoman for Ms. Kidwell did say that an on-set mishap led to a trip to the hospital for routine baby monitoring, and that mother and baby are fine. "This is a star who does all her own stunts," her spokeswoman said, "and mistakes can happen." Co-stars Nancy Melzer and Marie Acurso, who were reportedly also on the set, are fine.

The drama is just the latest on the set of the highly secretive movie produced by Bethany MacNeur and Colleen and Frank O'Mahony. While their films are known for physical comedy, in-jokes and a fetishization of the popular 80s dance, The Robot, this year's film is reportedly filled with more stunts and special effects than any previous. The blogosphere is wild with rumors about this film, which insiders have speculated may be either a  Bollywood-style musical set in the Old West or a 3-D mime adventure.

The only way to see the film is to ATTEND THE AUCTION MARCH 10th at the TIffany Center in Downtown Portland. Will Ms. Kidwell make an appearance? Will Baby Kidwell steal the show? Get a front row seat to all the drama; register today.

Have a milkshake with Christian Troche

When I want to feel good about myself, I take my kids to their favorite Mexican restaurant. They order chicken tortillas, beans, and rice, and I order a chocolate milkshake. I love to watch the emotions pass over their faces: surprise, wonder, envy. Each time, they ask why I can have a milkshake for dinner and they cannot.  My reply comes with no small amount of self-satisfaction: "I do this because I can and because I want to."

I get the same feeling when I contribute to St. Clare’s tuition assistance programs. And so can you. Consider how wonderful the St. Clare schools really are, and the positive impact they have on you and your children. Then go to the auction, and during the tuition assistance bidding, raise your head high and your paddle higher, and give the gift of a St. Clare education to a family that could use a little help. Say to yourself, "I do this because I can and because I want to."  You will feel good about this, especially when you hit the drive-thru on the ride home for a late-night milkshake.

--Christian Troche

What do Tricia Leishman and Lil Wayne have in common?

Ladies, you ain't got a thing if you ain't got some BLING.

I would NOT sign up for this awesome BLINGO party if I were you. There is only $500 worth of jewelry to be given away, and if you divide that up by the remaining 39 spots available, that doesn’t leave much booty for you as an individual; but it does leave a whole lot more for me personally. I have lots of practice individually manning multiple bingo cards from St. Clare Bingo Night. I think me and all my personalities can handle this  BLINGO  party all on our own. Cha-Ching!

--Tricia

Book a Spot Today at the Tennis Sign-up Event

We are used to passing them in the halls, chatting casually after Mass, and admiring Susie’s effortless California-girl style, but college tennis coaches Aaron Gross, Susie Campbell-Gross and Pat Dreves are serious celebs on the local tennis scene.  Inspire your little Agassis and Grafs to a challenging and fun Tennis Clinic Sign-Up Event at the Lewis and Clark indoor courts on Sunday May 20th. For just $35 a child, kids from all grades will get a 90-minute clinic including snacks and drinks. Venus- and Serena-inspired ensembles optional.


Register today for the Auction and Sign-Up Events!

Auction Guest Blogger Stephen Schmidt Loves Free Dresses

Free Dress for a Day is giving my child the opportunity to express herself in her own clothing for a day, giving me an extra day to let her uniform sit in a crumpled, dirty heap in at the bottom of the laundry pile. For the low cost of $40 per family, my daughters get a day out of their uniform, and I get to procrastinate. Thanks to Free Dress for a Day, I can focus on collecting box tops. To be honest, as a father of three girls, I was disappointed to discover that the Free Dress for a Day was not offering to give my child an actual garment. However, not having to have to find matching shoes was a relief.     
- Stephen "Boxtops" Schmidt

Save the Day! Be an Auction Superhero

Procurement Push! We are facing a critical shortage of all kinds of auction items. If each family can step up and find 2 items, we will be back on track. It can be as simple as asking for a couple of free lattes from the coffee shop you frequent every morning, or a free month of gymnastics from your kids’ gym, or a week at your in-law’s time share! Asking for a “buy one get one” or similar deal can also help – you can score a great deal AND save the day. And remember, each item you procure is an entry in the procurement contest for a new Kindle Fire!

Procurement forms are available in the school and preschool offices or you can donate online.