If You Give Cancer a Cupcake

If you give cancer a cupcake, you are going to need lots of lemonade to go with it.  If you have cupcakes and lemonade, you are going to need some napkins and cups, as well.  Friends will start to tell friends, and a lovely little line will form in the front yard.   If a lovely little line forms, your heart will start to flutter.  When your heart begins to flutter, it will remind you of the day you spent catching butterflies with your children.  This memory will bring a smile to your face.  Just then you will see a butterfly pass over the cupcakes.  Sporting a big smile, you’ll begin to pass them out one by one.   When you pass out the cupcakes one by one, they will be so good, you will have to start passing them out two by two.  As lovely people continue to get in line for this sweetalicious art, they will say how delicious and beautiful they are.  As you take a bite of these beautiful cupcakes it will remind you how beauty comes from the sweetest place in your heart.  And chances are if beauty comes from the sweetest place in your heart, cancer doesn’t stand a chance.  GOT EBB?   

We are home and Elizabeth is moving on into Phase 4!!!!  Inpatient complete and a huge relief in my mind.  She kicked Lymphoma in the knee one more time, this week!  This week has been amazing in so many ways.  A week full of love and joy, hope and light.  This was a week I so desperately needed.  This great big city which so many of us all live, proved to be an amazing, comforting community that I am so proud to be a part of.  We have received so many wonderful and unexpected surprises from as far as Japan!  We have received care packages from strangers.  I have gotten such unforgettable messages from old high school friends I haven’t spoke to since high school.   People everywhere telling me about how Elizabeth’s story is touching and changing their lives.  People raising rainbowlicious amounts of money for a cause that I will never stop fighting for.  I have had beautiful people shed tears for my daughter and tell me they too would do anything to make all of this cancer go away.  I have seen the stars align this week and make some pretty spectacular things happen because there are lots of people starting to get down with EBB.  Yeah, you know me, I’m getting really excited!  You know who’s down with EBB?

Jenny Meyerson and her family are down with EBB!  With Jenny’s permission I would love to share her blog post below.  Jenny is a super duper talented mom and super duper brave cancer survivor.  She has created a life list of things she wants to do.  One of which is, host a cupcake and lemonade stand with the kids.  She was able to mark that off her list this week, but she has said she would like to do it annually.  Many of you have been asking how you can help and be down with EBB.  If you are looking for a great idea, read Jenny’s post.  She walks you through everything you need and with great success!  This little cupcake sale she and her family did raised $1100.00!!  She and her family donated 100% of it to EBB today!!  We would love for you to post all the ways EBB is making a difference in your community!

 http://www.jennymeyerson.com/uncategorized/39-list-host-a-cupcake-lemonade-stand-with-the-kids/

This is my favorite picture she took.  It’s so EBB!  Jenny was apparently dressed in all black, however it appeared she was dressed in all white.  LOVE IT!!!

Cards Football

Your chance to own a…

PATRICK PETERSON ROOKIE AUTOGRAPHED COLLECTORS FOOTBALL

This football was issued and authenticated by your Arizona Cardinals.

Peterson gave Cardinal fans a reason to watch 2011 with his razzle and dazzle style capped by a sparklicious 99yd punt return.

CAN YOU SAY EBB!!!

Patrick Peterson #21

#5 overall pick 2011

4 TD punt returns in a season

*tied NFL record (4 other individuals)

*tied NFL rookie record (1 other individual set in 1951)

699 punt return yards

*NFL 2011 leader

“Humming” Fabulous

When Elizabeth was just months old she would hum herself to sleep at naptime. I would turn on the baby monitor and listen everyday as I would put her down for her lovely little nap. Her favorite song to hum herself to sleep, none other than “Fabulous” by Sharpay Evans from the movie, High School Musical. That’s right, I kid you not, at six months old Elizabeth was humming Fabulous to sleep. How did she know at 6 months of age how “humming” fabulous she truly was? I knew she was “humming” fabulous from the minute she was born. In fact, I knew from the minute she was conceived. And honest to God, I loved every minute of being pregnant with her, even if I did gain 50lbs and my shoes didn’t fit. But, when she was born I loved her even more. I loved giving her baths. I loved rocking her. I loved feeding her. I loved holding her. I loved kissing her. I loved every single sweetalicious thing and moment with her. She never was the baby that cried. Only smiles and giggles and giggles and smiles. But even if she did cry, I would have loved that, too. Everyday. Every minute. She never, ever fussed, never complained. She was sweetness inside and out. She was so independent and content with anything and everything. I have always known how “humming” lucky I am for the life that I have. I did not think I could fall anymore in love with this child, because as a mother your heart is always full of love for your children. But when you lay in a hospital bed day after day with your five year old daughter who is fighting for her life, something about that love explodes. It magnifies a million times and then a million times more. When you have no choice but to sit and watch “humming” poison enter into her little bitty body that clearly is marked TOXIC, it makes a mommy sick. It makes a mommy weak at the knees. It makes this mommy cry because in order to make her better now we have to use “humming” poison. That poison may save her life now, but may cause other cancers down the road. She is “humming” fabulous and does not deserve any of this. Why does this happen to children? No one knows and especially not the “humming” American Cancer Society, which by the way donates less than 1% towards childhood cancer. So if you are looking to donate and make a difference for childhood cancer, The American Cancer Society would most definitely NOT BE THE PLACE TO DONATE! It’s “humming” buttcracks like Andrew “humming” Becker that childhood cancer is not funded enough, not researched enough and definitely not aware to people enough. The night sweats have started again and my dreams at night are much less than magical. And this nightmare, which I keep praying I will wake up from, continues to get more and more “humming” real. The reality is, we are home from the hospital and will return on Monday for more “humming” poison. Elizabeth has one more treatment in Phase 3 and then we move into the 4th and final phase before Elizabeth’s two year maintenance therapy begins. We are estimating another two months. I’m really scared and have moments of panic, but Elizabeth can do this. She can do this more than anyone I know because she’s “humming” faaabulouuuus. We have been warned, the final phase, they “hit” them extremely hard and will probably be the “humming” ugliest. Absolutely, no doubts, she can do it. Not that she should have to but she has no choice because guess why? Cancer DOES NOT play favorites. I am here to tell you that this “humming” childhood cancer can happen to anyone’s child. If it happened to us it can happen to anyone. Cancer is anything but rainbows and sparkles. Cancer is definitely not what I ever dreamed for my beautiful five year old daughter. No one does. Although we paint rainbows everyday, cancer is far from it. It is our way of helping Elizabeth deal with such horror and hell. I will do anything I possibly can for my little rainbowlicious to not think about cancer. She knows kids die from cancer. She knows she has cancer. She is five and super duper smart! Rainbows and sparkles help but they don’t erase the pain and suffering that Elizabeth has and continues to experience mentally and physically and no doubt will never, ever forget. Her memories from five should be letter people and music class in kindergarten, NOT “HUMMING” CANCER! Elizabeth is extraordinary and she is going to do so many good things with all of this. She already “humming” is! Did everyone see Miss Elizabeth Hollywood on her Fox 10 interview? Well, doing an interview on Fox 10 about how much she loves Barbie was not enough for Elizabeth. She wanted to support the Beautiful and Bald Barbie Movement in a much much bigger way. And so she did, with an amazing mini movie webcast. If you have not seen it, you should. And you should forward it to everyone you know, so they can see how beauty truly does come from the heart. Go to http://www.gotebb.com or http://www.youtube.com search Beautiful And Bald Barbie Elizabeth. We love watching it around here and think she will only continue to make more of a difference in the world of childhood cancer. You know who else is making a big difference in the lives of children with childhood cancer and blood disorders, Miss Arizona, Jennifer Sedler. Yes, that’s right, Elizabeth’s friend Miss Arizona has chosen hemotology/oncology not only as her major in college, but also her platform for her year reining as Miss Arizona! She just competed in the Miss America pageant in Las Vegas this past Saturday. And can I just say, I thought for sure she was the winner and quite frankly, she is the winner in my book, choosing a platform as great as childhood cancer. We need more celebrity voices speaking out about childhood cancer. Maybe we can get “humming” people to hear that children are dying everyday from this “humming” awful awful disease. Making the Beautiful and Bald Barbie should not have to be a movement, it should just be. But instead, we must beg and plea for it to happen. Jennifer Sedler, you are amazing and Elizabeth and I thank you for not looking the other way to childhood cancer. So anyways, if you watched the Miss America Pageant Saturday, you would know that Miss Arizona did our state very “humming” proud and was 3rd runner up! Elizabeth was so excited about meeting her at the local trunk show about a month ago, that she wanted to have a party the night of the pageant. A party she wants, a party she gets! We invited Elizabeth’s friends McKindree, Hattie and their mom Aimee over for the party. We had a “humming” great time. We met Aimee, McKindree and Hattie at the Hope Kids Event when we met Miss Jenilicous. They are a beautiful family and we love spending time with them! And of course, Kate, Elizabeth and I sent the boys away for the night so only us girls could sparkle posters, model sashes, and act crazy in our crowns. We crunched on candy, cupcakes and pizza and not to mention SCREAMED a lot, especially when Miss Arizona continued to advance! Actually the EBB in me wanted to take a last minute road trip to Las Vegas to see the show in person, however, by the time it crossed my mind we would have come up an hour too short. It was a “humming” blast! Speaking of a blast, Elizabeth said to me on Sunday as Bryce was at his airsoft gun shooting party, “I bet Bryce is having a blast at his birthday party. Get it mom, (a blast).” As she motioned with her fingers like she was quoting someone. “Hum” I wonder where she gets that from? But, we all know that’s my Elizabeth still cracking jokes. So it was one party to the next this weekend with Bryce’s birthday. My big boy is 9 years old and I left all the birthday plans up to Brooke this year. -BIG PAUSE- It was Bryce’s best birthday ever. Crazy I know! I’m like the “humming” ultimate party planner. And as Brooke and I layed in bed the night before the party he said, I didn’t get a cake yet oh and by the way should I feed the boys lunch? I laughed and went to sleep, however, I then awoke a short time later from night sweats. I’m pretty sure I know why and it’s not because of a birthday cake ya’ll. Moral of this short little story, let go and don’t sweat the small stuff. And yes, EBB was right, Bryce had a “humming” blast! I have so many other things that have happened that I want to share with you, but I am going to “humming” bed for the night.

Beautiful and Bald Barbie

Cancer Survivors Lobby for a Beautiful and Bald Barbie

Cancer Survivors Lobby for a Bald Barbie.

Elizabeth on FOX News!!!

Happy Glitter Year

Elizabeth woke up on New Years Eve morning and with a sleepy voice said, “Mama, I had a beautiful dream.” “Wow! You had a beautiful dream? What was it about?” I asked. She said, “Bryce had magical pennies.” “What did he do with the magical pennies? Did he give you one?” She all of a sudden got ticked off and said, “No!” “Well, darn it! I really want a magical penny right now, too.” I said. I would wish for all this stupid cancer to go away for all these beautiful kiddos. I swear these kids are all the sweetest kids I have ever met here on the 7th floor. My heart is so broken. It is so so sad because of beautiful girls like Zesty Zoey, diagnosed at age 17 just days before Christmas with Lymphoma. Zoey is so super duper smart and has a super duper fire inside of her! She told me about how she graduated high school at the age of 15! She agreed with me when I said that was CRAZY! She is going to college until she turns 18 and then she is off to LA to follow her dream to become a professional dancer. She now has to deal with stupid cancer. She has beautiful long red hair that will start falling out anyday, but she assures me that thinking positive is the only thing she can do. There is no other option, she said. She is still planning on following her dreams. TAKE THAT CHILDHOOD CANCER! I can’t stop thinking about young guys like, Duane. Duane is 16 and will so graciously and so patiently play Headbandz with Elizabeth each and every time she comes strolling into the playroom. He gave Elizabeth’s little friend, Trey Meszaros a remote control car for Christmas the other day. Trey thinks “that dude is so freakin’ nice!” TAKE THAT CHILDHOOD CANCER! Then there is my sweet Elizabeth. Yep, we all know her. She’s tough! REALLY TOUGH! Cancer picked the wrong girl! And there is no doubt in my mind that Elizabeth will do something really really great someday because of all of this. SOMETHING REALLY BIG!!! I KNOW IT! GET HER AUTOGRAPH NOW PEOPLE.

It’s no big secret that this has been the yuckiest year of our lives. It sucks that Elizabeth has to even have words like lymphoma, cancer and chemotherapy in her vocabulary at age five! It sucks that she must look me, her mama, in the eyes and say, “I did not ask to be born into this world. Why was I born? I don’t want cancer!” It sucks that there is a floor full of beautiful children with cancer, a floor that continues to stay full. Children are dying from childhood cancer and even more children are being diagnosed everyday. Children like Zoey, Duane and Elizabeth. No matter what your age, no matter what your dreams, no matter if you’re rich or poor, no matter what, not a single child is protected from this awful awful cancer. We, The Blair’s, are DEFINITELY ready for The New Year and welcoming 2012 with open arms even if we had to bring in the New Year in the hospital. But I must say, it was one of the best new years celebrations that we have had! (more about this in a minute) Unfortunately, PCH closed off the hospital to children under the age of 12 the day before New Years Eve. Bryce and Kate spent the night with our fabulous family friends, The Wise’s! They had a great celebration letting off smoke bombs, sparklers, poppers and pizza! And well Chip, Kathy, Nathan and Katelyn surprised us with a super duper stack of cash for EBB Foundation earlier that day after the Fiesta Bowl parade. $515.00 to be exact!!!!!! The Wise’s had the most rockin’ Christmas light display this year! They programmed their Christmas lights to music and collected donations for Elizabeth. I can’t think of a more glitteriffic way to raise money for EBB! Speaking of EBB. The new EBB blog is up and running thanks to my very special friend, Natalie Meszaros! Check it out! www.gotebb.com. Spread the word! Please spread the word! This year and every year from here on out my new years resolution is one to not be broken… Raising childhood cancer awareness. If you haven’t made one or already broke the one you made, start now and do it with me! www.gotebb.com.

You know…
SOME GIRLS ARE JUST BORN WITH GLITTER IN THEIR VEINS….
Elizabeth Brooklyn Blair is one of those girls.

Here are Elizabeth’s Top Ten Ways to add a little extra sparkle to your New Year.

10. Mix glitter with your lipgloss and add to lips, eyes, cheeks, and ear lobes. Ohhhh la la! So Glamorous!
9. Buy a pair of shoes that sparkle. And if you can find them in cheetah, that’s even better.
8. Applying a rhinestone by the eye, is soooo Hollywood!! Ask Elizabeth and Lady Gaga.
7. Blinged out jewelry and hospital bands. Elizabeth says, the shinier the better.
6. Add a disco ball to your hospital/bedroom décor.
5. Glitter and glow in the dark nail polish is always a must when painting nails.
4. Eat your vegetables. They make your skin glow. The greener the better. They also kick cancer in the buttcrack, too.
3. Drink lots of sparkling lemonade out of a champagne glass, of course.
2. Jump in a pile of glitter! No kidding!
1. Give from the heart, it makes your heart more beautiful and sparkle super duper bright!

Elizabeth did all of this and more New Years Eve! Elizabeth put on her disco ball earrings, sparkling sunglasses, did mommy and her makeup, and as Daddy carried her, she cruised with her pole on the 7th floor all glittered up handing out shiny necklaces and glow sticks! We had the Jonas Brothers jamming on the ipad singing, We’re the Kids of the Future. We told everyone that there was a party at room 7134. And on Elizabeth’s hospital tray stand, we had sparkling lemonade in fancy champagne glasses with Justin Bieber straws, rainbowlicious sherbert ice cream cones, a cupcake piniata filled with lollipops and maracas, awesome music and, of course, dancing. Yep, DANCING! Probably not as wild and crazy like it would have been without cancer interfering, but I will say we had a circle formed and Elizabeth was in the center! Elizabeth told everyone about her Taylor Swift experience this year (a highlight for sure). She shined! I wrapped up the night with telling everyone how we had hoped to be home for New Years, but that it was awesome that we got to party with all of them instead! It was total awesomeness! Aside from having a magic penny and making cancer disappear from this world, I would not have wanted to spend New Years any other way. We had a beautiful night with beautiful beautiful people! Elizabeth got to return home on New Years Day and waiting in the front yard was a gigantic rainbow of balloons that my friend Kathy and her dad hijacked from the parade the day before. They tied them in our yard for Elizabeth’s homecoming. They were amazing and twice as high as our house. When we pulled in the driveway, Elizabeth got a huge smile! We then cooked up some very lucky pork and sauerkraut and we ate almost every last bite for good luck! We will do anything and everything for luck these days!

Wishing you all a magical New Year where all your beautiful dreams come true and a year full of super duper sparkle and piles of glitter!
Brooke, Heidi, Bryce, Kate and Elizabeth