Update from Chuck and Sara

Here is an update we just received from Chuck and Sara. They are such fighters! I'm so impressed with how well they have handled this situation. Hopefully this updates you on what's been going on with them lately!

Ahhh...another milestone to celebrate! While it is certainly not the end of this madness we call cancer treatment, we completed our first set of chemo. I know it doesn't sound too impressive, but Chuck just completed his 4th round of chemo (2 months on the 16th). We are both so thankful that this set went so well. While there have been many ups and downs, the fact that we were able to complete this without treatment altering side effects is incredible. So where do we go from here? Very good question...and I can only answer it with "I have no idea" :) In two weeks, Chuck will have another procedure to exchange the stent in his bile duct, then he will have all of his scans repeated to see how much progress has been made. After that, we will see the surgeon and oncologist again to determine where to go from here.

While we are understandably nervous about these next few weeks, we also feel a peace about what we have done to fight this disease. This morning we were talking abou t finally sending out all those thank you cards for all the wonderful love and support that you all have given us...Chuck said that we need to give everyone the book "Anti-Cancer" as a gift. This book, along with the book called "Spectrum" have been instrumental in changing the way that we both have viewed cancer treatment and prevention. They helped to inspire a hope that we will beat this thing. The whole idea is basically that there is a significant synergistic effect that we can have on our health and treatment. By making choices that focus on good nutrition, exercise, and mental health, we can give our bodies the tools they need to fight disease. I am certainly no expert on the subject, but it all seems to point to the powerful role we hold for influencing our individual health. For what it is worth, I highly recommend these books...

Things are going well here...this last treatment seems to be hitting Chuck really hard and yet the man continues to fight like Mohammad Ali. Right now we are trying to get Chuck to gain some weight, although he says his waist is finally the right measurement to max out the PT test ;) Really though, he needs to gain at least 20 pounds back so we are working on sneaking higher calories in to our healthy diet. It seems like an oxymoron doesn't it? Never to be outdone by a challenge, we went to Target and bought a blender to start making smoothies (easy way to sneak in protein powder). Unfortunately for us, someone had returned their used Oster blender in my new KitchenAid box and I didn't realize it until we had already bought it. Two important lessons here...number one is always check your merchandise before you buy it. The box in the back is not always the best one ;) Second...if you want a new blender, just return your old one and get a new one for free...okay maybe that is not the moral of the story. The real heart of the story is that we were able to use some gift certificates that many of you have so generously sent, and got an incredible tool for healthy eating. We have loved the smoothies but I am itching to try the newest recipe called "green slime" which includes kale and other super-foods! I'll give a full report on it once I take the leap ;)

I know it has been a while since we have talked to most of you, but we both want you to know how incredible your love and support has been. In the Anit-cancer book, the author talks about some difficulties that make cancer treatment more difficult now-a-days. When talking about the important role that the mind plays in your health, he outlines the difficulties that our generation face. One of the most significant is the fact that many of us move around frequently (hello military!) and have a fragmented support system. We no longer have that huge "family" around us to help us through difficult times and that can affect our health. It was interesting that both Chuck and I reacted to thi s saying how lucky we are to have been blessed with such a strong system, despite distances and the business of life. We really feel that we have as strong a system as someone who has lived their entire lives with the same people. How we became so blessed is beyond me, but we thank you all for it. Thank you for the part you play in this fight...we can never express the gratitude we feel when we think all those we love and rely on for support. We love you...

Fall with the Cookies

Here are some things that we have been up to in the past few months:

Wes and some of the guys from our small group at church went out to a place called Bubb's where you can eat a burger as "big as your head." If you finish it, you get your picture on the wall. I am proud to announce that Wes did finish it. A burger is no match for my man!

Preston and his bud Kaleb have become obsessed with Sonic the Hedgehog this year so it was only fitting that Preston would request this cake for his birthday. Wes made this with his own bare hands....while I was out of town. Wow. That's all I can say.

Yeah for Preston's 4th birhtday!!

Our Annual Trip to the 'Patch


I'm not sure Owen is aware he lives in Indiana and not New York City.

Nothing better than being on dad's shoulders.

Yeah, I think pumpkins are pretty funny too.

The Family

And this is what the pumpkins became. Such a nice little family.

Amazon Mom

To all my peeps who have little peepets:

You may want to look at joining the new Amazon Mom program. This is a completely free program put on through Amazon.com that is trying to lure baby buyers away from places like Diapers.com so that they will buy from Amazon instead.

Here's how I'm using this program to my advantage: I don't normally buy a lot of baby stuff online, but I do buy Christmas presents. By signing up today, I ensured that I have 3 months of free 2-day shipping without having to spend the $25 you normally would to get free shipping on Amazon. This will take me all the way through the Christmas season! And yes, you can use the free shipping on things other than baby items. Sounds like a win to me!

I also have a lot of Amazon gift cards that I have saved from doing Swagbucks so I will be able to use those to pay for my purchases!

Plus, you will get exclusive deals on baby items when they go on sale. Who doesn't love a good sale!?

Here's some details I got from their website: If you want to sign up, just go to www.amazon.com/mom

Amazon Mom Help Page & FAQ

Amazon Mom is a free membership program aimed at helping parents and caregivers, from the prenatal days through the toddler years, use Amazon to find all the products their family needs. To join, simply sign into your Amazon account and tell us whether you are a Mom, Dad, or other caregivers of a child. By providing some optional information about your family, you can help us personalize offers, e-mails, and product recommendations to help you find exactly what you need at just the right time. Amazon Mom members receive benefits such as 30% off diapers and wipes, FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime, as well as exclusive offers via e-mail.

Benefits:

Amazon Mom members receive exclusive discounts on a variety of products and categories. Discounts and promotions will be e-mailed to your Amazon.com e-mail account or made available on the Amazon Mom membership page at http://www.amazon.com/gp/mom/signup/welcome/ref=amb_link_353714182_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=0Z0T2F0B6ZXQN5ZA229T&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1277191742&pf_rd_i=1000535321.

Benefits include:

• 30% off select diapers and wipes: As an Amazon Mom, you receive an additional 15% discount on top of the standard 15% discount on Subscribe & Save when you sign up for Subscribe & Save delivery. Subscribe & Save shipping is always free, and you can change your delivery schedule or cancel at any time. No fees, no risks, no obligations.

• FREE 2-day shipping with Amazon Prime: When you join Amazon Mom, you will receive FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime for the first 3 months of your membership. For each $25 you spend within a single order in the Baby store, we’ll grant you an additional month of Amazon Prime shipping benefits. You can earn up to one year from the date you joined Amazon Mom.
Eligibility & Sign-Up:

It doesn't cost anything to participate in Amazon Mom, and all parents and caregivers are eligible to join. To receive personalized offers, e-mails, and product recommendations based on the age and stage of your child, simply provide some optional information about your family (name, gender, and birthday of your child). We respect strict privacy standards with this information and never share your information with other companies.

To sign-up, visit the Amazon Mom sign-up page at http://www.amazon.com/gp/mom/signup/welcome/ref=amb_link_353714182_4?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=0Z0T2F0B6ZXQN5ZA229T&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1277191742&pf_rd_i=1000535321. Once you submit the sign-up form, you'll receive an e-mail confirmation.

Current Amazon Prime Members:

If you're already an Amazon Prime member, you can still join Amazon Mom. During the sign-up process, we will offer you the option of either:
a) Canceling your existing Prime subscription and receiving a prorated refund for the remaining unused months left on your subscription, or
b) Staying with your existing Prime subscription (customers who don’t anticipate shopping in the Baby Store frequently may prefer this option)
Note: If you choose option A, you will receive a cancellation e-mail that indicates the amount of your Amazon Prime refund. The Prime shipping benefits you receive as an Amazon Mom begin immediately after joining the program.

Current Subscribe & Save Items:
If you already have Subscribe & Save delivery on items that qualify for the Amazon Mom discount, you will automatically receive the additional 15% discount, bringing your total discount to 30%. If you don’t already receive this discount, but would like to, all you need to do is select the Subscribe Now button on qualifying diapers and wipes and the 30% off will apply automatically.

Amazon Mom E-mail:
When you sign up for Amazon Mom, you'll receive e-mail alerts for discounts and promotions. If you don't want any Amazon Mom e-mails, you may cancel your Amazon Mom membership. If you do this, your Amazon Prime benefits will also end when the membership is canceled.

Managing Your Amazon Mom Subscription:
If you'd like to cancel your Amazon Mom membership, including the Amazon Prime benefits and additional Subscribe & Save discount associated with your membership, please visit the Amazon Mom Account page and click the Cancel Mom Membership button.
If you'd simply prefer to cancel your Amazon Prime subscription, you may do so at any time by contacting Customer Service. Your Amazon Prime benefits (including Unlimited FREE Two-Day Shipping) will end immediately; however you'll still receive other Amazon Mom benefits.

FAQs:
Who is this program for, and do I qualify?
• Amazon Mom is a free membership program aimed at helping parents and caretakers, from the prenatal days through the toddler years, use Amazon to find all the products their family needs. To join, simply sign into your Amazon account and tell us whether you are a Mom, Dad, or other caretaker of a child. By providing some optional information about your family, you can help us personalize offers, e-mails, and product recommendations to help you find exactly what you need at just the right time. Your kids are older than toddlers? No problem, you can still join Amazon Mom, just understand that some of the key benefits are specifically aimed at younger children (such as the 30% off diapers promotion).

Are dads, grandmas, and other caretakers eligible?

• Yes. Despite the name, Amazon Mom is open to anyone who is responsible for caring for a baby or young child--“Amazon Primary Caretaker” just didn’t have the same ring to it. Kidding aside, we chose this name because we noticed moms in social communities (like our Amazon discussion boards) looking to connect and share information about products and problems with other moms. We wanted a name that would let these groups know that this program was created with their unique needs in mind. That said, we do not want to alienate dads or other caretakers, and we openly welcome anyone who has a young child and wants deals on diapers, fast shipping, and tailored offers that help them get through the newborn to toddler years unscathed.
What is the maximum age of my child for me to be eligible?

• Amazon Mom is open to anyone. If your kids are older than toddlers, you can still join the program; you just may not enjoy some of the benefits that are targeted at younger children.
What items count towards the shipping benefit so that I can earn more free months of Prime?

• Any Baby product (i.e. anything in the Baby store) counts towards earning additional months of FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime. To be sure, you can always look for the yellow stripe on the product detail page that says “Amazon Mom: Purchase this and other Baby items to extend your Amazon Prime FREE Shipping Benefits".

How are you calculating the amount of my order in the Baby Store to qualify for additional months of Amazon Prime shipping benefits?

• For each $25 you spend within a single order in the Baby Store, we’ll grant you an additional month of Amazon Prime shipping benefits. To determine whether your purchase qualifies, we will total the prices of the items in your order as displayed in your Shopping Cart (i.e. not including any sales tax, shipping or gift wrapping charges and prior to the application of any promotional discounts on the detail page, such as coupons and the Subscribe & Save discount).

• For example, if you purchased the Pampers Baby Dry Diapers as shown below for the current price of $30.00, you would earn an additional month of Amazon Prime shipping benefits. If you signed up for Subscribe & Save delivery on this item to receive an additional 30% off, the price will be reduced to $21.00 in the checkout process. However, you would still earn an additional month of Amazon Prime shipping benefits, because the size of your order is calculated based on the $30.00 price shown on the product detail page, before the promotional discount is applied.

Are the free shipping benefits eligible on products that are not in the Baby Store?
• Yes. FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime is eligible on millions of items, from coffee to bath toys, juice boxes to blenders. Products eligible for Amazon Prime will be designated on the product page and at check-out.

How can I find the Baby Store?
• You can always find the Baby store by going to http://www.amazon.com/baby-car-seats-strollers-bedding/b/ref=amb_link_353714662_4?ie=UTF8&node=165796011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=0Z0T2F0B6ZXQN5ZA229T&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1277261802&pf_rd_i=1000535321.
• Or, from the Amazon.com home page, you can select “Baby” from the left-hand navigation bar in the “Toys, Kids & Baby” section.

When signing up for the Amazon Mom membership, I opted to keep my existing Amazon Prime plan, but I changed my mind--can I switch?

• Yes, if you want to change the type of Amazon Prime plan you are on, you can contact customer service. Please note that it may take a few days for the change to take effect.
How will I know when my free shipping benefit ends?
• In the third month of your membership, we will send you an e-mail that tracks your spending progress in the Baby store. This e-mail will contain a current end date for your shipping benefit based on how much you have spent in the Baby store.

What happens when the three months of FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime end--will I be charged?

• No, you will not be charged anything. If you earned additional months of free shipping benefits by spending in the Baby Store, then your free shipping benefits will be extended by the appropriate amount. If you did not earn additional months, then the free shipping benefit will simply end. You can always join Amazon Prime at the normal subscription price.

What items are eligible for FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime?

• Products eligible for Amazon Prime will be designated on the product page and at checkout. You can receive FREE Two-Day Shipping on millions of eligible items sold or fulfilled by Amazon.com across all stores and departments.

How can I find diapers and wipes that are eligible for the 30% off discount?

• To receive the 30% off discount on select diapers and wipes, all you need to do is select the Subscribe Now button on applicable items and the 30% off will apply automatically. You can change your delivery schedule or cancel at any time by visiting the Manage Your Subscribe & Save Items page. For more information, visit the Subscribe & Save page.

I already have a Subscribe & Save order on diapers or wipes--do I need to re-subscribe in order to receive the 30% off discount?

• No, you do not need to modify your subscription at all. Once you join Amazon Mom, we will add an additional 15% discount to the standard 15% discount you receive by selecting Subscribe & Save delivery, bringing the total discount to 30% off. To verify the discount you are receiving on your diapers or wipes subscription, you can always visit Manage Your Subscribe & Save Items page.

Our Budding Photographer

If you've never let your kids use your camera, you might be suprised how good at it they are! Preston is becoming the family photographer. Here's a pictorial tour to some places you may never have been before......

Like the back of Wes' head.

Or up Preston's nose......

Okay, that's better.

He likes close-ups.

Cook Budget: A Look Backward

Sorry this ended up being a small novel........

As we approach the middle of October, I am reminded of last year when Wes and I decided to radically change our family's budget. I'm not sure what snapped in me, but I knew it was time for a change! I just felt like I was losing control of our money. Part of the problem was that Wes and I have always been pretty good about handling our money, but not keeping track of our money.

So, I decided that October last year was a good time to say enough is enough! We needed to tighten the reins if we were going to do anything but tread financial waters. We have had our ups and downs. Here's an update.

The Envelopes:
These have definitely been the biggest change in our lives. In the beginning of the month, I go to the bank and get out $540 to fund the envelopes. Our envelopes are Grocery, Eating Out, Miscellaneous, and Gifts. After tracking our budget for a while I realized that these categories were where we could handle our expenses a lot better if we used only a set amount of cash. Things like gas and bills I was NOT going to go use cash on....too complicated.

I am trying to give you an honest view of what it's like to live on these envelopes so I will say I have grown to love them. I know, I am as surprised as you are!! It did take quite a while for me to get to this point. I found them cumbersome in the beginning. You should have seen me at the grocery, between the coupons and the cash I was sure to be dropping something! But as time went on, I got better and better. I would track what I was putting in my cart while I was shopping (keeping a loose tally) to make sure I had my bills ready when I checked out. My biggest hurdle has been forgetting to refill the envelopes when I need them. I do sneak money from other ones if I have to. But I always pay them back!!

Loss of Services:
Also in October as part of the budget overhaul, we gave up a few things or made changes to things that were weighing down our expenses. We changed our car and home insurance, refinanced our house, dropped our home phone line with AT&T and got MagicJack, and sold our Avalon for a more gas-efficient car that won't cost as much to repair. So, did these make a difference to the budget?

They definitely put us on the right track, but not without some snags along the way! I lovingly refer to Magic Jack as Magic Junk because it is very moody and decides on some days it just doesn't want to work right! Our insurance was raised this year by about $70 for some unknown reason but is still cheaper than what we had before so I guess that is okay! Since our refi last year, we have refi'ed again this year and our mortgage payment has gone down significantly! Wes loves his new car and we were glad to get rid of the Avalon before it needed any major repairs.

The great thing about cutting back on things is that it makes you evaluate more things you can cut from your life. Since making our initial cuts, we have cut back from cable internet down to DSL and have dropped our basic cable completely and now just use the digital channels that you can get for free. This saved us around $45/month. We did end up adding Netflix for $9 a month since we were frequenting redbox a lot and not always getting our movies back on time! OOPS!

All in all, the buckling down has been very positive! We are saving now for things that we weren't able to when we were not tracking our expenses. If you feel like you are living paycheck to paycheck, I think there's almost always something that can be done. It's not going to be fun, mind you, but it will give you so much more control over your life when you are in control of your money.

We are proof of that.

If you ever want someone to talk to about this kinda stuff, Wes and I love to talk so come on over and we will put on a nice pot of soda (since we don't like coffee that much!) and have a nice chat.

A Birthday Tribute........

I know I have done a tribute to my mom on this blog, but I don't know if I have ever done a tribute to my dad on here!! Since he just celebrated his 59th birthday on the 5th of October, I thought it was high time I hopped to it...he may not have many years left. KIDDING!!! LOVE YOU DAD!!!

If I had to sum up my dad in one word, it would be steady. Growing up, he blessed our family with his logical, level-headedness. He never flew off the handle or tried to stay distant from us. He was always there for us. I have such great memories of him sitting in our living room with the brown shag carpet just listening to music with his gigantic headphones on (you know the ones I'm talking about!!) and me going up and tapping him to get his attention. He was always ready to talk to me or answer my questions. And I had a lot of questions for him! He was my go-to guy when I had deep philisophical questions. He was just always there for me.

Another gift that he gave our family was his quiet example and humility. I didn't truly appreciate this growing up because I didn't really know what it was, but now that I'm out in the real world I realize what a big thing this was. He lived out his faith in such a way that he was respected by others around him. He didn't have to preach at anyone or get in anyone's face and condemn, he just led by example. He also set an example of reading the Bible. I would see him reading his Bible constantly. Never once did he try to make me feel guilty for not reading mine, he just kept doing what he knew what God wanted him to do. By not saying anything, he showed me that his faith was personal and real to him. What a great gift.

As Wes and I raise our boys, I hope we can do as good of a job living out our faith for our children. I know now that the impact of seeing a real, daily faith in God can be life-changing.

Thank you Dad for being a life-changing part of my life. You taught me so much and I love you!

Peaks and Valleys

Oh terrible two's....why have you arrived at my house early? And uninvited at that! Owen has welcomed you into our home and he has become a liability when we go out in public!!

I went downtown to the courthouse to file our mortgage stuff from our re-fi and Owen screamed bloody murder the whole time!! I'm not exaggerating people! And the courthouse echos! Finally a lady in the office felt so bad for me, she came out and got my paperwork for me and worked on it while I kept him outside. Not one of my finer moments.

Then we stopped at the post office to get stamps and Owen walks in with a huge smile on his face and an old man comes up and says "I bet he never stops smiling!"

Yeah, he's smiling!! He made his mother look like a complete idiot! That's enough to make any two year old smile! I keep trying to remind myself that Preston was like this too, but my memory fades so quickly when it comes to bad things!! That's why I keep having children....hoping the next one will be our golden child. They say third times a charm right??

On the other hand we have Preston who just turned 4. He has finally calmed down. It's a good thing because you would need to visit me in the Looney Bin if both kids decided to be terrible together!! Preston is loving preschool. He is a typical boy though and stays hush hush on what's he does there. I always ask and he always says "We did nothing." What a boy!

As I go along on this mothering journey, I am beginning to realize that there are peaks and valleys. It's the peaks that get you through the valleys. Last night Preston and I had our first "date." I took him to our Fall Festival in downtown Noblesville and we ate hot dogs and chips and pop(Preston declared it was the best meal ever!) and went on a hayride and did a little trick or treating. It was definitely a peak for me that I needed. To be reminded of the little people they are who are just wanting to be shown some love and attention. And to show us how great they are!

I know Owen's time will come....but I'm just not there yet!! :)