Saturday, May 28, 2016

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Tonight's picture was taken in May of 2009, during the Mattie March. An event Mattie's care community held in his honor to show their support. It is from that March, that the Foundation's annual Walk & Family Festival evolved. What I love about this photo was what caught Mattie's interest! Not necessarily the people or the activities, but he was enjoying being outside and was LOOKING FOR TENT CATERPILLARS. Mattie loved collecting caterpillars in the spring and bringing them home to watch them metamorphosize into a moth. Mattie was surrounded by several people in this photo.... Zachary (Mattie's close friend from preschool), Robbie (a child life volunteer from the hospital), Ann (our Team Mattie Coordinator), and Brandon (Mattie's best buddy, and a cancer survivor). Behind Ann in the photo is my mom and behind Brandon was Margaret (Mattie's preschool teacher and my close friend who died of ASL two years ago). 


Quote of the day: Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it. ~  Mark Twain

There was "magic" in the air at the Mattie Miracle Walk & Family Festival.... thanks to Bob Weiman, AKA "the magic man." Bob is the Assistant Head of St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School and taught Mattie magic in the hospital while he was battling cancer.

In 2009, at the first Mattie March (an event Mattie's community held in his honor), Mattie and Bob performed magic tricks in front of hundreds of people. Bob continues this tradition at our Walk each year in Mattie's memory.

We thank Bob and his talented 5th graders!!! Magic captivates adults and kids alike.

Mattie and Bob at the Mattie March in 2009. From the Mattie March grew the Foundation's Walk & Family Festival. Bob and Mattie performed their "Peanut Butter Booger" trick that day, which Bob unofficially calls the Mattie Brown trick.

I am not sure what Mattie loved more about this.... actually performing this trick with Bob or the name of the trick, which always made Mattie laugh. 

Bob and his fifth graders!

The magic show ALWAYS draws a crowd of ALL ages.

Bob even works with kids in the audience and asks them to participate!

The famous Peanut Butter Booger Trick being performed! It is performed each year in memory of Mattie. Most people probably do not know this, but I do!

I was told the kids did a great job and really were good at hamming it up. Besides skill, there is a great deal of finesse, comedy, and acting involved in performing magic!

Captivated and intrigued attendees!

Each year Peter's and my parents watch the show and love it! Pictured sitting down is Barbara and Don (Peter's parents), Virginia (my mom), and Donna (the wonderful kindergarten teacher that I visit every spring and host a three part art session with her students).

This is my Dad, who you can see was deep in concentration trying to figure out the secrets of performing these magic tricks!