Don’t miss a fabulous opportunity to meet a local artist and view the Crestview Townhomes for sale.  There will be at least 4 condos for sale and open for your enjoyment, Sunday November 28, 2010 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. 

2261 Crestview Drive S + 3 others held open.  South on River Rd past Minto Brown, first left up Schurman, left on Crestview.  All price ranges from $159,900 to $195,000.  You can buy low and make improvements yourself of buy finished with granite at a higher price.

The seller made this crestview wildlife flyer to portray some of the birds you will meet from your private deck.  You will get to feed these fine feathered friends, as well as other critters.  You will have your own private view of Minto Brown Island Park and the Willamette River.  This is a perfect setting for someone who wants privacy with little to no maintenance.

The seller is an avid bird watcher and will help you get set up to enjoy them for yourself.  This is the perfect location if you want to be close to work, downtown shopping, bus lines, and parks yet have privacy!

Minto Brown is a large natural park which includes open and wooded areas with many trails for walking, jogging, biking, and roller blades.  A few of the park amenities include:

• Shelter with BBQ area to Reserve
• Play Equipment
• Picnic Table/Benches
• Walking/Jogging/Biking Trails
• Off Leash Dog Park Area
• Compass Trail Course, and Maps w/ Trail Distances
• Trails set up for Casual and Serious Walkers
• Family Friendly Play Areas, Frisbee, Horse Shoes, Badminton, etc.

Click this link to explore Minto Island Park on Flickr.  Thank you to everyone in our fabulous community who contributes here!  Salem, Oregon and the Willamette Valley is a wonderful place to live, shop, work and play.  Seeing these photos reminds me of how thankful I am to live here and work with such wonderful people such as the couple who owns this condo.  I will be sad to see them leave the area, but what they are doing is exciting and out of the norm so I am really happy for them!

Come out Sunday 1:00 to 4:00 to 2261 Crestview Drive S and support one of our local artists as well as buy this condo/townhouse!

About the Author:  Look to Laura Gwyn, P.C. for all your real estate needs in addition to information about market trends, local activities, shopping, working, playing and raising a family in beautiful Salem Oregon.  Follow her on your preferred social media sites to stay current on happenings in real estate in the Salem Keizer area as well as the greater Willamette Valley.  She hopes to be your realtor for life!  She can be reached at 503-585-0802, @lggp, or Laura@ViewSalemHomes.com.

Champion Cheer Athletics held its Competition Kick-Off Event November 13, 2010 at South  Salem High School.  They are entering their 7th year of competitive all star cheerleading.  

Even the parents turned out last night and performed which I have added in this clip:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBtIWEfqRUA]

This is an established winning program where athletes can learn and excel in one of the fastest growing sports today.  Their nationally competitive all-star teams love to perform and compete, and the coaches are committed to providing the BEST cheer experience in the Pacific Northwest.  

CCA’s record, the parents, and the kids, speak for themselves.  If your child is interested in participating in an engaging sport that teaches self-confidence and team work, cheerleading may be just what you’ve been looking for!  They come in all shapes, sizes and ages in today’s competitive cheerleading.  A few of the groups at Champion Cheer Athletics are: 

• Special Needs – Ages 8+  
• Tinys – Ages 4 & 5
• Minis – Ages 8 and under
• Youth – Ages 9 – 11 
• Juniors – Ages 14 and under
• Seniors – Ages 12 through 18  

This is not your mother’s cheerleading!  They offer many classes and levels from beginning to advanced tumbling classes, cheer classes, a pre-school program, a special needs team, team choreography, and high school tumbling.  

They even hold birthday parties!  Their spacious facility offers 2 spring floors, a tumble track, mirrored walls, specialized training equipment & so much more! 

Please see their website for more information on the many opportunities for your child to get involved with a program of excellence, dedicated to building CHAMPIONS on the inside and out!

If you have a fun message you would like to get across, try doing it with Xtranormal.  This is a free online program where anyone of any age can make a movie!  Just type and your 3D characters come to life!  Let the kids try it to send a holiday message to Grandma and Grandpa!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt-ZBm2sS5U]

Any videos that appear after my cartoon were not created by me, but rather other YouTube users.  I do not recommend allowing children to surf the internet or YouTube without supervision from a parent or guardian.  You and your children can access Laura Gwyn’s G Rated YouTube Channel anytime day or night!

Laura Gwyn is a Salem Oregon Realtor, wife and mother who works hard to serve her family and community.  Subscribe to her YouTube Channel and don’t forget to add her to your preferred social media sites, like Facebook and LinkedIn.

I have had an invitation on my desk for over a week. I decided not to share it for a number of reasons. In reality I think it was because it caused me to acknowledge my own pain on the subject matter.

It is on Grief. I have suffered thru many different cycles and stages of grief. Losses come in all types of packages, none of which are pretty. I have lost loved ones both suddenly and to terminal illnesses. I have suffered thru infertility issues, miscarriages, you name it, I have probably been thru it. Some of them greater than others. Some of them fresher than others. Some I believe that I am thru and healed from but find I am not, when its anniversary comes up.

It is currently November. (Probably the worst month of the year for me.) So much so that my body starts grieving physically in October long before I know why.

I do not find it surprising that I was invited to hear a fabulous speaker on the subject of grief in November. The title is, Permission to Grieve.

I am the Queen of “I’m Fine,” when asked about coping thru my losses. Not many people even know I have so much experience on the subject. I dealt with them silently and still find it easier to not talk about it. I feared that if I allowed myself to grieve I would never recover. I had times when I knew if I allowed the grief to really come out that people would think I needed a straight jacket or a good pharmacist. I feared not being able to function in my high demand day to day routine after a good cleansing cry.

It has now been 3 years since my biggest loss. I am finally now at a place where I feel I could go to a grief class and function afterwards. It has been long enough now, that I believe I could allow my body, heart and emotions time to grieve, allowing it to go thru what it needs to find a new level of healing.

I know the importance of all the stages of grief. I have been thru all of them plenty of times. I just think that re-visiting a good grief seminar at the right time, such as the anniversary of the death or their birthday, provides a new level of comfort and healing. Yet because of all I have scheduled, I sit here wondering if I should attend or just watch it go by.

If you know someone who suffers from grief, I think they should know about this.  This is a free seminar, Exploring the Sacred Journey of Grief.  There are 3 different presentations: Permission to Feel/Permission to Heal, How to Comfort the Grieving and Where is God in Grief. The speaker is fabulous. I have heard many good things about her. We will learn about the blessings granted when we grieve with intention.

I guess that is the key, “Grieving with Intention.” My grief looked more like a cat going down a waterslide…

Please spread the word, Permission to Grieve, this Saturday, November 6th 9:00 to Noon, at Our Saviors Lutheran Church 1770 Baxter Rd SE, Salem, Oregon. Invite anyone you know who has had a major loss.

                     ~It will be worth the journey.

 Nightmare Factory in Salem – Visit Live and Set Your DVR

The Nightmare Factory is an annual fundraiser that supports the Oregon School for the Deaf.  This year as many people know, Extreme Makeover was in town and gave them one frightful makeover.  I understand the show is set to air on Halloween so set your DVRs! 

Don’t get busy and forget to set your DVR for Sunday October 31, 2010 on ABC at 8:00.  Ty Pennington and his crew were here and you don’t want to miss watching it on t.v.  What a success!  Watch it after your evening festivities or DVR it just so you have it to watch later.  I hate the thought of all the trick-or-treaters interrupting Ty and our Salem Excitement! 

Next, attend this event in person now!   The Oregon School for the Deaf has offered to help Marion Polk Food Share.  They need help replenishing their food bank.  They will reduce each admission $1 in exchange for a canned food donation Friday, October 22, 2010 – Sunday, October 31, 2010. 

     Zombies David and Jonathan Rasca say, “Go now to avoid the crowds and take food anyway!”  They can start accumulating the food now and you would have only saved a buck waiting until Friday.  The closer to Halloween the longer the lines! 

Jonathan is my next door neighbor.  He and his twin brother David dressed up as Zombies during the filming to try to get to the front of the line…  It worked! 

The attraction is open 7 to 10 PM weekdays, 7 to 11 PM on weekends.  General admission is $10 but you can go to the front of the line for $15 and get an additional scare for another $5.  I saw on their website that their credit card machine was down so be safe and take cash. 

Please don’t forget to take canned food donations with you to help Marion Polk Food Share.  They are very low right now. 

Photo courtesy of Jonathan and David Rasca, who made pretty remarkable Zombies.  Jonathan, I’m looking forward to seeing you guys again at Halloween!  Zachary has a great Zombie costume he and Lee put together!  Don’t forget to trick-or-treat us..

The deaf school is located at 999 Locust Street NE Salem Oregon.

There are many fun safe alternatives for kids in the Salem Keizer area this Halloween.  Visiting malls and the large churches in your neighborhood are great alternatives to door knocking strangers in the dark.  If you do not already have a location picked out, please come join our Community Harvest Party! 

Our Saviors Lutheran Church Community Harvest Party 

When:              Sunday October 31^st

Time:               3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

What:              Games, Candy Treats and Prizes

Food:               Refreshments available, donations accepted

Bring:              Canned food donations for the Marion-Polk Food Bank

Location:         Our Saviors Community Church  1770 Baxter Road SE Salem OR  97306

Donut Eating Victory Dance

Please come join us at our community Harvest Party!  This is a safe and fun alternative for your family.  This is a wonderful opportunity to help replenish our Marion Polk Food Bank and visit with neighbors, family and friends.  Friendly costumes are encouraged but not necessary.  I posted a few old photos I had from some of our games on my Picasa Photo Album.

Other ideas to break out of the “norm” are to invite friends over to play board games, make cookies, carmeled apples, crafts, skits, plays, etc.  Don’t be shy.  Try something new this year!  Why not hold your own neighborhood game night?  Anyone for wii bowling?  The Gwyn Team is pretty crazy!

Pop Warner is a national non-profit organization that provides youth football and cheer/dance programs in 42 states and several countries around the world.  It is the largest youth program in the United States.  It was founded in 1929 and I can see how it continues to grow. 

Salem kids play in the Mid Valley Pop Warner League which is based out of Albany.  This league is the governing body for the associations of Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Sweet Home, Philomath, Salem and Silverton.  The organizers try to group the kids by school so they can play with kids they know and practice close to home. 

Divisions are broken out by weight and age.  It is very safe.  There are no try outs and every kid plays each game.  I highly recommend letting kids play in Pop Warner.  I was a bit nervous at first but have been very impressed with the safety and rules in place for players. 

Safety is a number 1 priority for the teams.  The kids have to practice a certain number of hours in the beginning of the season before adding each piece of protective equipment.  So, helmets one week, then pads, then hitting off the pads, etc.  The coaches train them gradually and safely.  Before long your child will be a tackling, passing, running, touchdown making animal. 

Watch the website closely as soon as school gets out.  So far, registration has been mostly by word of mouth.  The website is a great source of information.  Practices run all thru the month of August usually 3-5 days a week.  Once school starts they slow down as high academics are required to play.  They have 1 game each weekend. 

My son, Zachary played for the first time this year.  He was always shy and reserved.  Everyone has been surprised at how he has come alive on the football field.  All the boys I have watched are improving by leaps and bounds in their development and skill level.  The kids have worked hard, but I feel it is largely due to skill and passion of our coaches. 

We are lucky to have 6 amazing coaches.  There is usually a 4 to 1 ratio on the field.  They run them in many safety and fundamental skill building drills.  The coaches speak to the kids in a way that makes them come alive as little men.  The child’s confidence soars after each conversation.  It is so profound you feel it watching from the sideline.  It has been a very rewarding experience for our children and as parents/spectators. 

We only have 2 games left and our bowl game at Autzen Stadium.  The season has come and gone so quickly.  It’s hard to believe we will be saying good-bye to our new sideline friends.  Soon we’ll be off to another sport and season.  These friendships are another example of what makes our community so great.