Kids Taking Photos For Kids

We'd like to invite you ALL to the Kids Taking Photos For Kids "Final Hour Auction" on May 13th 2010. Tonie Duchemin, Miss West Sound 2010 is hosting, in conjunction with Christ the King Acadmey. This fundraiser benefits Childrne's Miracle Network, and all your donations go right toward this great cause. It will take place at Christ Memorial Church in "The Hall."

Thursday, May 13th at 7pm.


Visit www.misswestsound.org to print off your own set of invitations!

You will also have a chance to view and bid on the children's artwork during the first 2 weeks of May. They will displayed in businesses in downtown Poulsbo. You can also add "Tonie Duchemin" on facebook and then visit the event site so you can bid there.

The Final Hour Auction will be your last chance to bid and to go home with a BEAUTIFUL piece of art. The artists are students from all across Kitsap Penninsula. You don't want to miss this! Last year's event was a HUGE success and we expect this year to be even better. Dessert, live music, a Kitsap Blue Jackets raffle, and a chance to ask Tonie Duchemin, the first ever Miss West Sound, a question you've been dying to ask of Miss America....

Hope to see you there!

Ben Graduates With his AA from Olympic College

God is so good.









We are so proud! On March 18th Ben completed his 2-year degree from Olympic College and at the same time was attending his orientation for Northwest University's LEAP program. He is pursuing a degree in Ministry Leadership!

Cake's Continued...

Ben has continued with his cake decorating - this time for our Moms!
March was Wendy Duchemin's birthday (Alex's Mom) and she received a BINGO cake - cause Wendy LOVES BINGO.





And then in April Janice Jacobson (Ben's Mom) got a coffee mug cake to go with her love for a good cup o joe!

WWU Children's Literature Conference

This February Alex attended the WWU Children's Literature Conference. It was such a treat - it brings her so much inspiration and motivation!



http://www.wwuclc.com/ is where you can learn more about this year's conference and the featured guests - Marla Frazee, Lind Sue Park, John Green, and Gerald McDermott. We are reading "Seesaw Girl" by Linda Sue Park right now and will be making Bee-bim Bop according to her story "Bee-bim Bop!" When story comes alive it truly can change a child, or adult's, life!

This year Alex's First Grade Friends created a special introduction video for one of the featured author/illustrators - Gerald McDermott. Thank you to Nancy Johnson of Western Washington University for giving us the opportunity!

After learning a great deal about folklore and about Mr. McDermott himself the students created an incredible video production and it was used to introduce him at the conference.

The students are really looking forward to hearing from him personally, they loved getting autographed books, and seeing pictures of THEIR teacher with THEIR author!
They can't wait to head to the Children's Museum in Tacoma to see their Gerald McDermott exhibit called "Soar Into The Story" later in April.


Thank you to Mr. McDermott for his passion to share story with students and to all those authors, librarians, and teachers who work to bring reading to life. You are truly an inspiration!

The FIRST ever Miss West Sound

Tonie Duchemin, our sister, was crowned the FIRST ever Miss West Sound on February 20th 2010. She will go on to compete at Miss Washington July 9th and 10th at the Highline Performing Arts Center in Renton.






Here she is during competition...











Friends, family, and past titleholders all turned up for the occasion and to show their support for this INCREDIBLE program.










We are so proud of you Tonie! Congrats to first runner up Whittney Glebe and second runner up Taylor Wall.



All the ladies did an amazing job and we are proud to support this program!

Merry Christmas from The Jacobson Clan!

Merry Christmas and Season’s Greetings
From The Benjamin Jacobson Clan.


Yes, we have moved from a Duo to a Clan! The clan now includes our two terriers Ipa-Mae and Marley-Moe, and in November we added to the crew our little black cat named Dosey-Doe. They make life full and interesting in our little downtown home. We love being in a hub of activity surrounded by family and friends.

This year has been a year of building deep friendships, and growing closer together as a couple. In March Benjamin was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes which initially sent us into a tail spin, but quickly developed us into a well-oiled machine and a really great team. Swiftly we were able to get our bearings, learn a lot, and adjust our lifestyle. We were blessed to become a part of a medical study at Virgina Mason’s Benaroya Research Institute in Seattle and feel so lucky to have a wealth of resources and information at our fingertips. The Lord met our needs in unbelievable ways.

Benjamin is still working full time for Higuera Imports, a hardwood flooring company in Poulsbo; and part time for newlife in Port Orchard. Alex is in the middle of her third year of teaching at Christ the King Academy and is so blessed by her friendly, genuine, and loving group of First Grade Friends on a daily basis. They bring SUCH joy to her life.

With home improvements continuing, Ben has almost completed his outdoor studio in our garage and installed new wood floors for Alex this past July. The studio should be the site of some great creativity and inspiration, thank you to ALL who contributed. Ben also celebrated his 21st birthday “Chopped” style with a cook off competition and Alex celebrated her twenty-fifth year with a “Twilight” birthday and camping trip to Forks, WA.

Ben has embraced his most favorite hobby of cooking and has even taken to baking extravagant cakes. See our facebook albums for a few photos: The “Wicked” House, a free standing grizzly bear, an erupting volcano, a werewolf, and most recently an Eifel Tower cake. Alex’s newest hobby is playing the piano and with a year under her belt she is feeling proud and accomplished, especially with the newly learned skill of reading music.

We are so blessed to have friends and family involved in our daily lives and to engage in enriching and challenging relationships. We are growing and changing every day and thank the Lord for his continued goodness in our lives. Love and prayers to you all!

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Our girls this Christmas!

Ipa-Mae, Marely-Moe, and Dosey-Doe are truly "our girls" and have become such a part of our lives. Just had to share a few favorite holiday photos!




These photos of Dosey were taken by our friend Douglas, from Ireland, when he was visiting. He really imortalized her personality in these shots. :)


Tonie really captured Moe-Moe in this one. Such a sweet girl.



Here's our Ipa girl always alert and trying to figure out what's going on. And this is fairly typical Dosey - looking for someplace away from the big girls.




Here are some more mischievious ones!





They will follow her wherever she may go. She's like a living toy!



And to be honest, Ipa might think of Dosey as a bit of a snack. Kind of appropriate since Ipa is after IPA a pale ale, as is Dosey who is named for the Hood Canal Brewery's special ale - Dosewalips!



We just love them! They bring so much joy and laughter into our lives!




Thanks to Tonie Duchemin from Perspectus Imagery Photography for capturing our girls so well, and Douglas Harper friend and photographer extraordinaire!