Another L O N G overdue update..... 

I used to be so good at Updates... not sure what has happened... well~ I do know... that team of helpers I used to have is GONE.... :) Just Kidding... just the craziness of "New Normal"  and planning a bake sale have me a little pre-occupied.... don't get me wrong.. if I could take the time machine BACK 4 years I would in a second.... I used to have a life before the NB word entered my vocabulary...

Ok-- An Update... School, last soccer games, last baseball games, some more 1/2 day kindergarten, LOTS of appointments at the doctor, more CHEMO, a mini vacation to Florida, Thanksgiving, and BAKE SALE planning.... there you go-- an update!!! I almost laugh reading this ... it sounds so crazy... 

Grier finished chemo last Thursday... and we left town and headed to Florida with some friends to see the App/Florida Football game.. The trip started with a BANG... really... A LARGE BIRD flew into our windshield in Savannah on the way to Daytona!!! Grier claims he learned to swim in a jacuzzi-- and both boys keep me on my medical toes searching about portugese man o war stings!!! Grier came home with a Tebow Jersey...  We had a great time... and came home for Thanksgiving.  

This week will be crazy... but thankfully Grier only has 1 appointment at the clinic.  It is 100% BAKE SALE this week-- Saturday will be here before we know it!  Next week is a possible CHEMO week.... I would say definately ... but I guess there is a chance NYC will say come to NYC... As much as I love NYC in December it will ROCK my world to have to go before Christmas... so we are in the forever waiting game... 


I think I have written this entry before.... It must be the Ground Hog Day effect....  December is here...and I am having a hrd time remembering last year... I was gone the entire month.... Grier and I lived with my mom at the RMDH and partied every night after treatments during the day.... I know my house was decorated as soon as we got home from NYC...I also know I decided not to do Christmas cards last year... but this year I am trying..... 

That is it--- a crazy update about our crazy life....

Please plan on coming to the 3rd Annual Cookies For Kids Cancer Bake Sale on Saturday, Dec. 4th @ Blackhawk Hardware from 10-5

Lots of yummy baked goodies,,, raffle items ( NASCAR tickets, spa, Dinners, jewelry, kids items).. and a very special Art silent Auction. 
100% of the donations will go to funding less toxic and more effective treatments for children battling cancer.

I promise my updates will make more sense when I am not multitasking....  soon very soon...

soory NO time to PROOF this.... 
Amy

Save the Date--- MAKE a DONATION TO PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH and take home some yummy baked goods or WIN AWESOME RAFFLE ITEMS

Two days of chemo done... Grier is doing ok--- He started with a side effect on day one... but so far we have it controlled with immodium. 
Jeff took him to the hospital on Sunday for the infusion.  It went well-- we lucked out with one of the nurses we really like... and that helped me relax knowing everything was going to be ok.... I gave Jeff a "list"-- it had medicines Grier takes.... and other important things that help -- I even sent the dressing Grier likes for his port... it was good for the "boys" to do this together.... They were busy doing Football logos--- and Grier  kept telling Jeff "that is not how mom does it~"
I stayed home with Grace and Hayes and got them to their activities.... and tried to organize the house.... I also planted flowers because the pots had been dead and empty for a long time.... and this has been on my list of things to do---  
Saturday was a fun day... Grier played in his final soccer game of the season.... got his trophy and was very excited... He went to Dale Jarret Ford and sat in a mustang cobra... and had a good time... and then went to the driving range to hit golf balls.... For dinner we went to Pizza Peel---every Saturday in November a part of their proceeds will go to Cookies For Kids Cancer.  Last Saturday, Beth played live music and we had fun.  My kids are still talking about how they loved Pizza Peel--- Lesa and I did some "car decorating"-- We have painted about 10 cars now all with Bake Sale information on the windows.... Have you seen any around town? 

Bake Sale Update-- The planning is still going well.... we have lots of bakers but we always could use more.  We do need some help from 3-6 to help work the tables at BlackHawk and clean up--- 

And we need help getting the word out in the community.... we would love to send the information through school email --- Since we all go to different schools I need your help reaching out to the person in charge of the email--- we can not send flyers home due to the cost that would involve.... so an information email is the best.

Raffle items are slowly coming in--- we are excited with some of the new ones we got last week... several pieces of Art from various local artists like Windy O'Connor, Pam Anderson, Caroline Simas (Multiple Blessings) and Anne Neilson--  We are still looking for gift certificates and "baskets" from local stores--- 

Please let me know if you can help spread the word about the bake sale-- 
Amy

Charlotte's 3RD Annual Cookies For Kids Cancer Bake Sale Dec. 4th 10-5

A BRIEF UPDATE-- with LOTS OF INFORMATION & LINKS

I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THAT WE RAISED OVER $17,000 FOR COOKIES FOR KIDS CANCER IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER--- 30 days.. 30 businesses and ALL OF YOU!!!! THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT AND PARTICIPATED IN 30 DAYS FOR A CURE-- and a special THANK YOU to those 30 "good cookies" in our community that donated a portion of their sales during childhood cancer awareness month..

A VIDEO TO GET YOU IN THE BAKE SALE SPIRIT!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO HELP AT THE BAKE SALE

STAY IN THE LOOP via FACEBOOK about the BAKE SALE-- click "LIKE"

ONLINE DONATIONS for CHARLOTTE'S 3rd ANNUAL CFKC BAKE SALE

It has been a LONG time since I updated.... I can not believe we are two weeks away from Thanksgiving.... where does time go??? Here is a quick update... Halloween was great... pumpkins were carved and Grier got LOTS of candy when he went trick or treating.... ate some the first night and has basically forgot about it!!  He went to school for almost a full week-- he ended up missing Friday-- he didn't feel well-- I thought it was chemo finally rearing it's ugly head... but it ended up to be a virus... or so they think!  Who knows.... hard to tell when the side effects of chemo also mimic a virus.... He missed Monday as well-- that is when he really felt bad again.  I took him to the clinic to make sure he was not getting dehydrated and they took blood and gave him a bag of fluids through his port-- that seemed to perk him up a little.  They also told me to get him some sugar--- his sugar and potassium was LOW--- so he requested Smoothie King... and after that he seemed to recover!! I think it is really funny what he listens to now at these appointments... because today he wanted a piece of candy and told MacLean he needed a piece because he had LOW sugars-- ha! ha!  I am going to be extra careful not to be in the same room when we have some of our other discussions.  During those few days of low fever and the BIG D I could not help to think this is how all this started in 2007--- off and on feeling bad... just like a virus... I am sure the clinic knew what I was thinking too--- I was asking a lot of questions without asking the "do you think it could be NB again?"  I do wish there was one day when a normal headache or virus did not make me think of NB!

Besides school, sports, carpools, chemo -- I have been helping Lesa plan the Bake Sale that is going to take place on Saturday December 4th at Blackhawk Hardware--- whew... I wish I could type all that we have been doing.... but since I am a S-L-O-W typist I will spare you all the details.... BUT it is going to be an awesome FAMILY EVENT and we HOPE to raise lots of "dough" for pediatric cancer research. I can assure you that you will not want to miss the awesome raffle items we will have this year--- and BAKED Goods from 30 local Bakeries and friends --
We do need some help---- please email me (amychristenbury@att.net or Lesa Helbein lesa.helbein@gmail.com ) if you would like to help in anyway.... WE NEED BAKERS.... you do not have to bake a lot.... a pie, or a cake--- or a few dozen cookies or brownies would be great!
We have a website that we would like you to go to --- you will see where the needs are and are able to sign up through that site-  I put the link at the top of gogriergo.com-- BLOG 11/11/10 PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD THROUGH YOUR SCHOOLS, SPORTS LEAGUES, CHURCHES, and ANY GROUP YOU BELONG TO-

ok-- that is about all I can update right now!  Grier starts chemo again on SUNDAY--- YES... THIS Sunday.... I feel like we just finished the last cycle--- these two cycles have gone very fast.... I guess we are close to going back to NYC and seeing if he qualifies for any clinical trial---


DON'T FORGET.......... THIS SATURDAY NOV. 13th PIZZA PEEL @ COTSWOLD-- BETH WILLIAMS aka Miss "BEFF" by Grier and other FIRST PRES WDS kids--- WILL BE SINGING 5:30-7:30--

We have also partnered with The Pizza Peel on Colwick Rd. in Cotswold! During the month of November, they will be donating a portion of their proceeds to CFKC every single Sat.!  We have lots of fun things planned for the kids & adults!  We will have Corn Hole games, Wii Bowling & Dance, Balloon Artist, etc.  Also, mark your calendars….Beth Williams(Mrs. Beth) will be playing from 5:30-7:30 on Sat., Nov 13^th!  You can also pick up ‘Take & Bake’ Dinners for 4 for $25 throughout the month of November….just be sure you mention ‘Cookies’ or Go Grier Go!.