Letter to Family and Friends - Florida or Bust!

Hi Family and Friends:
Just to remind you we are working as a family to save/earn money so we can all go with Don to a big acting/singing competition in Orlando, Florida this summer at the end of June. Don hask been taking classes through AMTC, www.amtcworld.com (Actors, Models Talent for Christ). This has been a wonderful organization to be a part of and support. We've met so many new friends and everyone encourges the whole family to attend the classes with Don and it's a very fun, welcoming atmosphere for all of us. Don will be in 9 competitions this summer and is working on performing a funny monologue and is singing a beautiful song from Phantom of the Opera...ask him to sing it for you! :o)

If you live near us and have any items that you would like to donate, we are partipating in a big yard sale this weekend and can come and pick up the items. Part of the proceeds will go towards the women's ministries at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Lucas and the rest will help us with our trip this summer. If you have items to donate, please call or email us and let us know when we can come to get them!

We wanted to update you on our progress thus far. We still need to earn approximately $2,500 before the end of June so if you have some work for us, please call (Lori's cell: 972-832-8444) or email us, dlgordoni@gmail.com and let us know. It's been exciting to receive several gifts and lots of odd jobs. Here's a list of the odd jobs we've done:
power washed siding
washed/detailed car
pulled weeds
dug gardens
moved shrubs
prepped mowers
installed flooring
fed and walked dogs
cleaned house
trimming hedges
book reading (A dear friend who lives in Virginia suggested this way for people to help who don't live near us. We sent her a list of books the children promised to read and her family sponsored them! Some friends from Georgia participated in this, as well. This is a great way for the little ones to help earn money for our trip too because we read the books to them! The children are finished with their first list of books and are ready to start on another one! If you would like to help us in this way, just email us and we'll gladly send you their book-reading list.)

We have really appreciated all the encouragement that we have received and would really appreciate your prayers that our trip would be a blessing to our family and that the Lord would use our family to bless others too!
Thank you and God Bless You...
Love,
The Gordoni family

What's that Green Stuff in your Starbuck's cup?

Now, I'm all about green things...green grass, green frogs, beautiful green eyes, "green" things for the environment...you get the idea! But, when I saw green instead of brown in a friend's Starbuck's cup...I was intrigued, to say the least! Just a few months ago, if I saw a sight like that, I would've thought "Yuck!"
However, a couple of months ago, I started on the "7-Day Sugar Free Diet," to help me kick my craving for sugar and coffee (when I drank coffee every morning, it was mostly cream and sugar with a little coffee). For a week, I did without processed sugar and actually survived! And, my craving for coffee ended! The diet is all about eating healthy sugars and carbs through eating lots of healthy greens, using Spirulina, Chlorella, etc. So, I was very interested to find something green at Starbucks instead of brown!
So, when I inquired about my friends' drink, she (with a very peppy voice, she said "It's an Iced Green Tea Latte, with non-fat milk, no sugar and extra Matcha!) Wow, that was a mouthful, so I had to ask her to slow down, so I could write it down. Hey! I'm a rules girl, so I wanted to make sure I got it all "right!" :o) And...Matcha!?!? I'd never heard of that! Okay, you Californians...you've probably been drinking Matcha for years, even had it in your baby bottles, LOL! Well, after reasearching, I found out, that Matcha has been used in Asian countries for a long time and has many health benefits, including lots of antioxidents...more than coffee...
So, I decided to try it..."let's see if I get this right," I said to the girl behind the counter at Starbucks..."I want a Green Tea Latte, with non-fat milk, no sugar and extra matcha!" I felt like I was talking in a foreign language and she actually understood me!
Well, I loved the drink and I still do. I have had it with syrup...yuck! I've also tried it with whole milk...that's okay, but I still prefer it with non-fat milk. Now, I've learned a new phrase to go with that mouthful..."double-stirred," (so you don't end up with all the matcha at the bottom).
Now I ask for an "Iced Green Tea Latte, non-fat milk, no syrup, extra Matcha, and double-stirred" ...and they actually understand me! :o) I do have to add a note, that the Tazo matcha blend they use, does have cane sugar in it, but to me that's the lesser of two evils (between processed sugar and natural sugar).
For now, the "Iced Green Tea Latte, w/non-fat milk, no syrup and extra Matcha, double-stirred" is my favorite drink! It's a good thing they don't advertise that on the menu or it would take up the whole sign! Maybe they should just call it "Green Stuff (but that wouldn't be anywhere near as fun to say!) :o)