Like many parents, I dread the word "fundraiser". It usually means I have to peddle magazines or cookie dough to some unsuspecting soul so my daughter can "earn" a stuffed animal and the PTA can make a few bucks. Needless to say, it generally ends with me writing a check and having a freezer full of chocolate chip cookies.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big supporter of the PTA and know that fundraisers are an important part of raising money for our schools. I just wish they weren't so painful. And apparently, they don't have to be.

Our school, Southern Pines Primary, decided to hold a fundraiser night at MOE's. It was incredibly simple. First, we picked a night of the week and posted it on the school calendar. We included a reminder in the school newsletter and then sent home flyers with each student on the day of our fundraiser. That night, the only thing parents had to do was show up and have dinner with their kids at MOE's in Aberdeen.

The only "real" work involved was that one lucky parent (that would be me) had to make a box and a sign to collect receipts at the cash register. When the night was over, our receipts were tallied and we received a check for 15% of the sales. That evening, we made over $200 and I didn't have to buy any cookie dough! Now, that's a fundraiser.

But the best part is that many local food establishments offer the same thing. So the next time your school needs to raise a little cash, go out to dinner. It's a fun night for the whole family.

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Each month Monica and I answer numerous emails from moms all over the country (and a few from other countries) about relocating to the Sandhills. The majority of people want to know about the schools, preschools, childcare and activities for their children. They've already made up their minds to move here but are trying to decide between schools or neighborhoods.

However, we also get asked whether or not Moore County is really a "family-oriented" community. And to that we simply answer - YES! Once you look past the golf courses and

retirement communities, you'll find that Moore County is full of families. The Sandhills has wonderfully things for families to do and see. From beautiful nature trails and parks to top notch athletic programs, the area offers something for children of all ages. Just surf the site and you'll find that there are plenty of options for your family.

But most of all, Moore County is about Community. For me, that has been the best part of living in the Sandhills. Like most of the places I've lived over the years (28 but who's counting), it was the Army that brought me here. But it's being part of a community that has led me to choose Moore County for my home.

I was recently asked my a new member who is considering relocating to the area why did we decided to call this area home and the answer was easy - It has the charm of a quaint New England town, unsurpassed Southern hospitality, incredible people and beautiful weather. What more could you ask for?  

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My oldest daughter started talking early and by the time she had reached her first birthday she could form small sentences. As she grew older, her vocabulary exploded and she became a sponge for words. Over the course of those first years, she asked about the name of everything she saw including her body parts.

Unlike many moms who have cute names for everything from bottles to going the bathroom, I never did (one exception - the pacifier aka the "binkie"). I believed that Hallie should learn the proper name for each and every item she came across. This philosophy served me well until the day she saw a little boy going to the bathroom.

Hallie was amazed that the little boy could stand up while peeing from his "squirter" (this was the name she assigned to it) and asked me why she didn't have a "squirter" too. All of the sudden, I found myself faced with having to explain to a two year old the intricacies of human genital. As I stood there looking at this tiny person asking me the difference between sitting on the toilet vs. standing, I found myself debating the pros and cons of teaching my daughter the words penis and vagina. She was barely two and spoke as clearly as most four year olds. And although I believed in using the correct terminology for body parts, all I could envision was my two year old screaming in Wal-Mart that her Vagina hurt because she had to go potty. At that moment, I tossed out the "proper name" rule and opted for the "good enough for now" rule and informed my daughter that there were two types of body parts - boy parts and girl parts. And she had girl parts which meant you had to sit on the toilet. She took the news in stride, expressed her disappointment in not being able to pee standing up and took off to play with her new friend that had the "squirter".

Now that she is older, it is about time she learn the right word for her parts and the correct time to use the word Vagina. I just have to figure out the appropriate time to have that conversation. I wonder if that is something your supposed to do over ice cream?

I would also like to thank the women of Moore County who had the vision and courage to bring the "Vagina Monologues" to our neck of the woods. Not only did I enjoy the production, but it reminded me of the value in being a woman and inspired me to continue to support programs that provide assistance to both woman and children. Congrats to all the volunteers and actors for a job well done - I can't wait until next year's performance.

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If you know me or ever had the opportunity to talk to me, you know I have a gift for gab. I'm a talker. I enjoy meeting new people and love to chat. But lately, I've been doing more talking than usual. You see, I spend countless hours talking about SandhillsKids, the value of family and the importance of supporting parents. Ever since Monica and I became partners, SandhillsKids is all I think about and I have to say, next to raising my own children, it's probably the most rewarding thing I've done in a long time.

What many of our users don't realize is that SandhillsKids is more than just a website - it's a labor of love. Monica and I spend at least 250 - 300 hours each month updating the site, visiting local organizations and groups, promoting family activities and many late nights installing new components to keep SandhillsKids moving forward. And we do all this for free. Supporting families has become our passion.

Although SandhillsKids.com generates some revenue through sponsorship, most of that money gets reinvested into the site through software upgrades, maintenance costs and funding to support some of our future plans for SandhillsKids. Our goal is continue to grow and expand the services of the site while creating a financially stable company that provides flexible employment for parents.

Until that happens, we will continue to burn the midnight oil and ask for you support to keep our vision alive. All we ask in return is that you tell your friends and local business about us. Drop us a line and let us know what you like about SandhillsKids and what you think we should add to the site.

But most of all, become a member. Membership on SandhillsKids is about more than a bi-weekly newsletter or family discounts, it's about power in numbers. The larger we grow, the bigger the voice we have as parents. It's time for our community to realize that there is more to the Sandhills than Horses and Golf because Moore County is a wonderful place to raise a family.

The Pilot recently published a three part series on alternative education that covered homeschooling, unschooling and classical education. I had read the the homeschooling article but hadn't read the others. I didn't think much of it until I read Sunday's Column by Karen Evans apologizing to the family featured in the unschooling article.

Much to my suprise, I knew the family she was talking about. So, I quickly jumped online and found the article in question. After reading it, I realized why Wendy and her family were under fire. The article didn't paint a very positive picture of their education choice for their son. It focused on items such as playing with his friends or the fact that he plays video games. What was missing were all the things that Wendy and her husband do with their son that is educational. Their son learns each day just not with a text book.

I haven't known Wendy very long but I can say that she is a caring, loving parent. She is also a great resource for this community. Without her help, SandhillsKids could not have collected all the resources and contacts for the different homeschool groups in the area as well as the state resources outlining requirements for homeschooling. She also sets up field trips and activities for the Moore for Homeschoolers Network. Even though she is "unschooling" her child, she is teaching him everyday and his education is important to her.

Whether or not you or I agree with her choice, we should respect it. As parents we all want the same things for our children, but we often take different paths to get there. So, please don't be to quick to judge her family until you've taken the time to talk to her.

I happened to take a few minutes today and look at the calendar. That's when it hit me, my husband will once again be heading to Iraq in a couple of weeks. It was definitely not something I wanted to think about at that moment but reality is that it's time to get into deployment mode.

So what does that mean? It means I have to start making lists of projects that need to be completed, verify that I have a current power of attorney, a copy of his orders, life insurance policies and emergency contact numbers for his unit. I have to make sure to give him recent photos of the kids, take lots of pictures with him and the girls, and hopefully get an updated family photo (that's because I'm a little paranoid about not having one if something ever happened - just another naroutic moment). IAnd it's time try to fit in a few more family activities, take a small trip and just enjoy the little time we have left.

But mostly, it's time for me to prepare myself for another good-bye. And that's always something I don't look forward too. Because no matter how long your husband will be gone or how many deployments he has been through, it never gets easier. It is never something you get used to. At least I don't.

On that same note, I don't want people to feel sorry for me or think that my life is somehow harder because of my husbands service because I don't. I know that he serves with pride and believes he is needed in Iraq. And because of that, I have the strength to take care of our family and wait for his safe return. When he leaves next month, I will once again say good-bye, have a good cry and pray for his safe return. (If that doesn't make me feel better, than I have a few margaritas with my friends - I'm sure that will do the trick.)

When Monica started SandhillsKids.com three years ago, she never imagined where it would take her. What started out as a way for her to connect to other moms as a new member of the community, became a way for all parents to connect and that's just how we met.

It was her website that brought us together as friends and business partners. This summer we joined forces to give SandhillsKids a facelift and expand it's content. Although SandhillsKids.com has always been a great tool for local families, we now believe it is the best choice for families.

Monica and I have worked hard at creating an active online community for families in the Sandhills Area. We redesigned our site, set up a free e-newsletters, a communtiy calendar and consolidated information for parents. We did this because we're passionate about our families and being moms. We also know that there is nothing easy about being a mom in today's world and anything that makes life a little easier is definitely a blessing.

Our little site is not so little anymore. Since we've restructured things have taken off and each day new moms join our ranks by becoming members of our site. We were even fortunate enough to have one of the local papers offer us space to write about family life.

For the last 4 months, I have been writing a column for the Moore County Independent. Some of you have actually seen my column in the paper and others have read it on SandhillsKids.com. Either way, my little venture into journalism turned out to be a great thing until......

The bump in the road. Just as my family column had creeped forward from the back of the paper to the "A" section, the owner of the Moore Independent shut the doors and terminated the entire staff. I don't know the entire story behind the decision and certainly don't intend to engage in the gossip that will surely follow such an unorthodox move.

But because of that decision, all the great people I worked with at the MC Indy have found themselves unemployed. As a freelance writer, I was given the option to continue to write for the paper. I have graciously decline the offer and have decided to focus more time to SandhillsKids.com.

I assure you that I will continue to write about things to do with your kids, great places to visit and the joys of being a parent (right now one of those joys is poking at me with her little fingers).

So, stay tuned there is definitely more to come. Monica and I see great things in the future for SandhillsKids and hope that you continue to check us out. Things are always changing.

Rollie