Confessions of a Twilight Mom

Confessions of a Twilight Mom is proud to announce that we will be hosting our 3rd edition of "United & Giving Back" on December 3rd 2010 for the release of the Eclipse DVD at Borders Books in Oviedo, FL.

The event will benefit two charities.  The Foundation For America's Blood Centers and HOPE.  All proceeds from auctions will be donated to the FABC.  In addition, we are asking that guests bring an unwrapped gift for HOPE, which benefits their "Christmas in the City" event in December.

Joining us yet again will be a few of the Amazing Immortals!  Our local Cullen Look-a-Likes.  The event will include raffles, auctions, games prizes and much more!

For up to date event information, please visit our facebook page:  Confessions of a Twilight Mom.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170974446252011&ref=nf

If you are not in the are but would like to support our cause, our Boutique features the Confessions of a Twilight Mom book and Twi-inpired crystal T's perfect for the Twilight Fan.  A portion of our proceeds are donated to the FABC and are used to host these Twi-Inspired Charity events!

http://www.confessionsofatwilightmom.com/boutique_home.html

Save the Date Central Florida Twilight Fans!  On the evening of June 29th, Confessions of a Twilight Mom will once again be uniting fans and giving back!!

Planning is underway for our Eclipse Premiere Red Carpet Pre-Party Charity event and private movie screening.  We will begin ticket sales for the event sometime around the end of April or first week in May.  We will be offering a limited number of VIP Passes that will include Reserved VIP seating and Specialty Swag Bags!  Let me just say that we have secured a few items for the bags and I think VIP holders will be extremely happy with their signature items!

Keep watching the site and our Face Book page for more details!  The event will benefit the Foundation for America's Blood Centers and The Second Harvest Food Bank!

On a Side Note:  Our Boutique will be offering a "SPECIAL" 30% discount on our New Moon Sparkly T's.  They are now just $20!  Get one while they last.

http://www.confessionsofatwilightmom.com/boutique.html

Thank you for reading and enjoy your weekend!!!  May your day be filled with Peace Love & Twilight!

SHREEEK!!!! I went to see Jackson Rathbone in his band 100 Monkeys last night at The Social in downtown Orlando FL.   My confession is that I think Jackson is so adorable and if you didn't already know, sooooo talented!  and did I already say adorable?  =)  The entire band was fantastic including Marty the Bananager!!  And to top it off....very sweet...to one fan in particular.

As you get to know me, I guess you will come to realize that I can't go anywhere with out some sort of story that will tug on your heart strings.  So here I am in downtown Orlando, waiting patiently with my Alice Figurine and Camera in hand for the 100 Monkeys to come on stage.  Since my partner in all things Twilight and my other TwiMom friend could not make it out tonight, my hubby was sweet enough to go with me!  What a great guy!  I went to the bar to get us a few drinks when I met this fabulous mom who happened to be there with her daughter.

Come to find out, her daughter is only 13 years old and  has had an extremely rough year.  She is currently  in remission from a brain tumor that she and her family were struggling with just one short  year ago.  Her name is Amanda.  Amanda's mom went on to tell me that Amanda is a HUGE Twilight fan, so she decided bring her down town (on a school night) to see Jackson.  I can't even begin to imagine the relief she must feel right now knowing that her daughter is happy in this moment and in remission from such a traumatic year.   As  I talked with her, I was reminded of just a few short years ago when we thought our daughter was not going to make it.  Children are such a blessing. .....Actually, not just children, but WE are a blessing to each other.  Every day that I have my health and that my children are healthy, I am grateful.  Because I have had a taste of what it might feel like to face a deadly illness and It pains me each time I hear stories like Amanda's.

By this time, the band was ready to ROCK and I was ready with my camera.  I squirmed my way through the crowd in an attempt to settle into a good spot so I can get some pics.  I smiled a little because there in the very front row, sporting a "Cullen" t-shirt was Amanda.  "Sigh" I'm happy that she is up front.

When the band finished their set,  all of the fans were anxious to meet the performers and get autographs.  Unfortunately, due to time constraints, the band was unable to meet any of these desires. With One EXCEPTION.....  Amanda's Mom was able to get her copy of Eclipse signed buy the entire band.   As irritated as I was about not being able to get an autograph from Jackson that night, a sort of satisfaction came over me that at least Amanda was able to, and I was happy that the band was kind enough to make that exception.

I commend you...Amanda's Mom, for braving that bar on a Tuesday Night so your daughter could see Jackson perform. To provide an experience that she will always remember.  And to the band for taking the time to autograph her book.

Ok, there is a point to my rambling this morning.  (I am still a bit groggy from a late night and and early morning getting the kids off to school!  I'm no spring chicken anymore you know!  HAHA!)  And here is my overall point:

This is it, this is life no matter what circumstances you are dealt.  This is your shot and you have to make the best of it. I just recently read a quote that Mother Teresa said  " It's the law of nature that the good you do, will be forgotten tomorrow. But the good work must be carried on"  -YES!!! It must, because the good work you do, whether it's giving an autograph, a smile, a kind word or taking your child to a concert.... it matters  NOW!  Your life is a gift, share it in any way you can.

So get out there and do some good.  Because even though it may be forgotten, it matters!

100 MONKEYS ROCK!!!!!!!!!!   THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!  lOVE THE BANANAGER!!

PEACE LOVE AND TWILIGHT!!!!

I finally have some details to share regarding the New Moon DVD release  party and charity event we will be hosting on March 19th at 9:00 PM.

We held our first committee meeting today and have some fun raffle items and silent auction merchandise for our guests to bid on.  I will post about the items as they come in.  I can tell you that we already have a few beautiful original hand autographed photos of Edward and Bella and a wolf pack member we will be auctioning!  Stay tuned for more updates!

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you to Gigi for the beautiful Lion and Lamb Charity Committee luncheon and to the 4 ladies who so graciously have joined us for this event, we thank you with all of our hearts.XXOO

Many of you know how important the idea of giving back to the community is to me and my family.  My main goal  in this entire "Confessions" adventure was not only to share my book about a humorous obsession with like-minded moms, but to use my obsession to give back to a charity that saved my daughters life.

I am very excited to announce that our theme or Motto for the year here at CONFESSIONS OF A TWILIGHT MOM is:

PEACE , LOVE & TWILIGHT                                                                                                               Twilight Moms and Enthusiasts Give Back!

Our New Moon DVD Release Party and Charity event planning is underway.  On March 19th, many Twilight fans will be rushing the stores at Midnight in order to obtain their much awaited copy of the New Moon DVD.  Why not take this opportunity to to come together in the name of all things Twilight, for the purpose of doing good for our communities?

Together with a Borders Book store in Florida, Gigi and I will be hosting a party and charity event that will benefit the Foundation for America's Blood Centers as well as the Second Harvest Food Bank.  (After all, we are supporting the Vampire food supply, we can't leave out those hungry Wolves!!)  The event will include contests, games, giveaways, raffles, silent auctions and more!  Participants will have a chance to win Photo Ops with the stars at the upcoming event, as well as many  Twilight inspired items and other local business gift cards and merchandise.  We are working on a few surprises as well!  We will keep you posted!  If you are in Central Florida, mark your calendars and join us March 19th for a fun-filled night!!!

On my journey, I have been touched by so many other women with the exact same desire as myself.  I was talking with Cindy Adrien, a Georgia Twilight Mom, who has successfully gathered a group of Twilight Moms in her area  for the purpose of doing good things for their community. Cindy and her committee have successfully pulled off a charity event where they gathered 250 Twilight Enthusiasts for a New Moon Movie Premier function and raised money  for Alex's Lemonade Stand and food donations for their local food bank.  She and her group are planning future events, so if you are in that area, check out her website for more information about getting involved!   http://www.twilightmomsofmiddlega.com/

To Cindy and her Middle Georgia group of Twi-Hards I say...."You ladies are amazing!"  Great job to all of you!"  This is just one example of many.  I know that their are Twilight fans doing good for communities all over the world, and I have to say that I am so proud to be a Mom who loves Twilight="Twilight Mom"!

Finally, I'd just like to say that I partnered with the FABC with my book and shirt sales because I have a personal connection to them.  Their existence ultimately saved my daughters life.  But really, it's not just about one charity.  It's about helping out where help is needed.

May your week be filled with Peace, Love and Twilight!

Andrea

P.S.  I couldn't resist adding a picture of our newest Twilight Inspired shirt!  So sparkly!  We hope to have it added to the boutique along with some fantastic gift sets very soon.

My husband and I are about to head home from a fun few days of skiing and celeb spotting at Sundance in Park City Utah.  To think that just 5 days ago, I set out on this vacation thinking that we would have a relaxing few days of skiing and hanging out with friends.  Turns out, I was unaware until the morning we left that we would be arriving in Park City at the exact time the Sundance Film Festival was beginning.  BONUS!

I have to tell you that I was unbelievably giddy over this piece of news because the overly active part of my brain that houses my unrealistic dreams, had me possibly spotting KStew and maybe my favorite vampire actor as her companion in Park City, Utah.  After sending a very excited text to Gigi about my news, she quickly informed me that our favorite Vamp actor, Rob Pattinson, would be involved in a fundraiser for Haiti over the weekend and would likely not be in Utah...Damn!  (But, way to go Rob with the charity event.)

Things started off well.  I was leaning against a wall in the airport at Salt Lake City, waiting for my luggage to take the journey down the long belt to my awaiting hands when my husband quickly pointed out that I should take a look at the map behind me.  Sure enough, there was a gigantic mural size ski trail map on the wall.  "So?"  I shrugged.  "Look at the name of the trail your shoulder is leaning on you goof ball"  He said.

I turned and sure enough, the trail was called "Twilight".  A blue trail, which is a more advanced trail for skiers.  I tend to stick with the greens (easier trails), but if we happend to ski that particular mountain, I vowed to try that course, even if I broke a few bones in the process.... All for the love of Twilight!   Of course the Pocket Edward had to come out for a picture.  The Twilight references did not stop there.  The car we rented was an Equinox (the name of a song on the New Moon Soundtrack), and then I discovered another trail called New Moon.  I silently thought to myself that these were all really good signs.  Maybe I would see one of the Twilight Saga stars in Park City.......This is just another example of how unrealistic my daydreams become if I let the obsession take over too much of my mind!

The days went by...we skied (Pocket Edward stayed in my ski jacket pocket along with my iPod that played the New Moon sound track while I skied), we had great meals, we managed to get tickets to the only film available the day we were not skiing, (a very strange, colorful, free your mind  Sundance film called Pepperminta http://sundance.bside.com/2010/films/pepperminta_sundance2010-that's a whole other story) relaxed.....and in the end, my only celebrity spotting was Paris Hilton at a Jans Ski Shop in Park City.  I have to say that she is just as beautiful in person as she is in pictures.  Oh, my husband did see Catherine Keener.  And Yes, we tried to get tickets to see Kristen Steward and Dakota Fanning's movie The Runaways....Hahaha!  Sold Out...Not a chance!   What kind of Twilight fan would I be if I didn't at least try.

So, I'm sitting here in the airport in Salt Lake City, UT.  I'm supposed to be planning our New Moon DVD release charity event for March, but mostly just scanning the room in an attempt to catch a glimpse of at least one more celeb before heading back to the Sunshine State!  Doubtful.  Now that I have experienced this festival, I would love to make a girls trip out of it.  Definitely worth planning ahead.  Next Year Girls!! SUNDANCE TWENTYELEVEN!

But for now, back to the DVD release party charity planning... So, stay tuned, more to come on our New Moon DVD Release Party charity event!

May your week be filled with....PEACE, LOVE and TWILIGHT

(Thank you Gigi for the very handsome PE pic on skis!)

Happy New Year Fellow Twi-Moms and Twi hards!

I have to admit that I attempted to make a New Years resolution that included me easing up on my addiction to Twilight.  When my friends and family stuffed my Christmas Stocking with Twilight Items, including posters, calendars, chocolates, phone skins, and jigsaw puzzles I felt that maybe I needed to take a break.  I mean, does this define me now?  The answer...No, but, as I was already aware, it is a big part of my extracurricular activities.

So, I made it five days before I had to see New Moon again for the 12th time, get back to my Twilight Moms Face Book group, strategically place my cardboard Edward in my Laundry room for daily ogling and start re-reading Eclipse!  At least I can say that with the  start of the New Year, I have begun to restore some measure of balance in my life.  I spent the entire last week doing laundry, cleaning out closets and organizing my family.  Ahhhhh, now I can get back to my FUN.

So, I'm writing today to follow up on a few things:

Did anyone make it out to your local blood bank?  If so, I'd love to hear about it.  I'll be donating again tomorrow.  I hope that with all of the views the "Are you Edward's Type" post received,  at least some of those readers went and donated.  Thank you if you were able to do so.

I am getting ready to put up a new section to our site called "Get Involved".  The purpose of this page is to reach out to other fans who may be interested in helping out with our cause in their home towns by planning blood drives in association with Twilight DVD release parties, movie premiers or any other event you may see as an opportunity to gather Twilight Fans for the purpose of giving back to the community.  I will be looking to hear from other Moms, or fans who are interested in getting involved.  In addition, if you are involved in or aware of other charities that Twilight Fans are a part of and you feel there would be an opportunity for us to work together, I would love to hear about that as well.

And finally, Gigi and I are about to premiere our newest Twilight Inspired Sparkly Tee!  It is beautiful and best of all, it represents our theme for the year.....Stay Tuned!!  We will post a picture and add it to our boutique page very soon!

A few days ago, I posted and Thank you to our supporters and was filled with joy at our accomplishments with regard to our ability to help the FABC (Foundation for America's Blood Centers).  It brings such happiness to my heart to be able to turn a seemingly useless obsession with Twilight into a productive way to raise awareness for a charity that means a great deal to me.

As many of you already know, my daughter was very ill as an infant and required three blood transfusions that ultimately saved her life.  Until very recently, this topic was one that I kept hidden in my heart, not to be spoken of, but always on the edge of my thoughts- reminding me not only of that pain but of how lucky we are.  How fortunate that her diagnosis ended up not being Cancer, as we thought it would.   I often find myself thinking of the other children we spent those weeks with on the Oncology floor of the Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando.  What became of those children?  Why did they have to suffer?  It pains me to think of these children, mostly because I do not understand.

I watched "My Sisters Keeper" last night for the first time, and found myself right back where we were just six Christmas's ago, undergoing bone aspiration tests, blood tests, transfusions-It's difficult to think about.  Fortunately, our daughter's diagnosis was merely a transient anemia of childhood caused by an unknown virus.  It ran its course, and in a few short months, she was back to normal.  Seeing this movie reminded me of the many children we met whose diagnosis was not one that would go away in time.  I just kept thinking, we have to do more.

So,  I started thinking about our Confessions of a Twilight Mom site, the book that was conjured up not only to supply a good laugh and inspiration to Twilight moms with the same obsession, but to pave the way for an even bigger initiative, the ability to give back to the Foundation and to raise awareness for the critical need for blood in our communities.  The doctors could NOT find a match for my daughter in their blood banks and time was running out.  I reached out to friends, family and co-workers to go out and give blood.  Oddly enough, my boss ended up being a match to her.  A miracle!

To those of you who have purchased the book, I thank you and ask that you refer as many Twilight Loving Moms as you can.  Money from this book is going directly to the FABC to help in their initiatives to raise awareness.  http://www.confessionsofatwilightmom.com/book.html

In addition I challenge you during this month of December to find out....ARE YOU EDWARDS TYPE?  LA TUA CANTANTE, as the Volturi refer to Bella's Blood.  Does your blood sing for him?

Your blood may not sing for Edward, but it WILL sing for someone out there in need!  Your blood could be the difference for a child like my daughter with difficult antibodies to match.

DONATE BLOOD!  GIVE LIFE TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS IT.  Do it in the name of TWILIGHT! Use your love for the saga to encourage you to do something that will help another person to continue to live.  http://www.confessionsofatwilightmom.com/charity.html

May the Holidays bring you Peace, Love, & .........Twilight!