On 10/26 we finally got to light the night and we quickly found competition in that effort with mother nature. The weather was perfect for a bit, but just a minute into the walk the skies opened in full force. Fortunately for us we had not started to walk yet and so we were able to get everything together and head to the garage as quickly as we could. Unfortunately we still got drenched and weren’t able to get a full team picture. So the plethora of pictures in the slide show below will have to do for this year. We did get a special shout out for our Boo Cancer tshirts that we had made up during the initial presentations where we got on stage and told a quick version of Cutler’s story. A special thank you to everyone that helped get ready, raise funds, and made donations to our team effort. To date, we have managed to raise $8,209 and that doesn’t include the matching donations by some companies putting us at number 3 for individual teams in the North Cities area. It’s by far more than I anticipated and I can’t thank everyone enough. You’re all now off the hook for at least another few months before I start the next campaign for LTN 2014.
Category Archives: Cutler
All things Cutler
Fall 2013 School Pics
We got the boys pictures from school back this week and Mason’s is probably my favorite of all time…no offense intended towards Cutler. We let Mason pick out his outfit for pictures and he shocked us with his desire to wear a tie. We got it for him for Grandma Boo’s funeral last month and he has really taken to looking nice. Of course his outfit of choice is usually sweats, but at least for photos it was the tie.
Halloween 2013
We were a bit surprised by the costume selections by the boys this year in that 1) Cutler was not a super hero and 2) Mason went with a “scary” phantom costume that closely resembled the grim reaper minus the bare shins showing under his robe. One disclaimer for Cutler is that he was a super hero for his school’s Halloween using the cape and mask that were given to him by the wonderful people from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
We were fortunate to have grandma and grandpa in town so they agreed to stay home and hand out the candy while Melanie and I both went around with the boys for the first time since Cutler has been out of the hospital. Melanie took the opportunity to steal the cape and mask and be a super hero as well.
Below are a few photos including some from earlier in the day of grandpa working his pumpkin carving skills.
Membership Has Its Privileges
When Cutler was diagnosed on 9/11/09 with AML he was instantly granted a lifetime membership to the esteemed cancer family and we are really beginning to learn the privileges that come with this membership. Last night we were fortunate enough for Cutler to be selected to be the Honorary Stick Kid at the Dallas Stars game. This consisted of us going down to the depths of the arena for a mini tour, allow the boys to bust knuckles with the players as they walked by to the ice, stand by the ice and watch both teams during the pregame warm ups, and for Cutler to be presented a game used stick and have it autographed by one of the players (Brendan Dillon). It was an incredible experience and one that I am still on a bit of a high from. Mason told us that it was the best night EVER…especially after he was handed a puck from the ice as one of the players (Rouselle) as he was exiting the ice. This was all made possible by the wonderful people at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society recommending us when the wonderful people at the Dallas Stars reached out to them asking if they had someone in mind. Cutler’s early life struggles are turning into blessings for him and our entire family. Words can’t express how grateful we are for being able to have this incredible experience nor can they express how incredible everyone at the Stars and the LLS are to us as a family. Don’t worry everyone, I am still a Blues fan first, but the Stars are pushing their way into a close second with their hospitality and giving nature. Below are some of the pictures and a video of the stick presentation recorded from the video board. Mason was quick to point out to me that they mispronounced our last name which I told him it is best to just get used to it. 🙂
Crosses For A Cure
As part of our efforts to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, my crafty mother is once again making some lovely crosses. Last year it was all with barbed wire and beads, but she has now added some smaller versions made of just beads. I’m sure there is some other stuff in there, but that is the best description this uncrafty person can provide. Below are some pictures of what she has put together. The larger ones are $25 and the smaller ones are $15. They are in honor of Cutler as well as in memory of Grandma Boo, who recently passed away and had beaten Lymphoma once before. If you are interested in purchasing any or have any questions, please contact Carol (my lovely mother) at cjkjf@outlook.com. If she doesn’t reply, let me know and I will gently remind her to check her email. 🙂
Turning Lemons Into LemonAID 2013
It’s that time of year again for the LemonAID Stand. This is the fourth year in a row where we will be selling lemonade for AID to those battling blood cancers. 100% of the money that we raise as part of this multifamily effort will go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as part of our annual Light The Night fund-raising effort. This was started four years ago when one of our friend’s daughter wanted to have a lemonade stand and considering the impact that LLS has had on our lives they were quick to say ok as long as the proceeds were donated to the LLS. It was thrown together very last second and we were able to raise $160. The next year we put a little more planning into it and were able to up that amount to $860. Last year, we were in the local paper and on TV raising $1500. Unfortunately this year we have not had the time to put forth the same effort, but we are building a new stand, so that will probably be worth a donation just to see if it stands for the full four hours.
As is now customary, we will have lemonade, cookies, snacks, some adult beverages, a bounce house, and snow cones. For the adults concerned about catching the local college game, I will even have the tv set up in the garage. Last year was a tremendous success so here’s to hoping for a continued growth of our annual stand. The lemonade and snacks are free for any donation. No donation is too small nor too large.
So mark October 19th on your calendar, the stand will open at 2pm and go until 6pm. We usually extend well beyond 6pm, but that’s the unofficial gathering. Those that have joined us in the past can attest to it being more than just a lemonade stand. It turns into a great time held by all with kids running all over playing sports, wearing themselves out in the bounce house and then heading back for more sugar to keep up the fight. The parents are usually doing something similar with return trips to the adult cooler instead of seeking sugar.
Our address is (Stalking only allowed for large donations):
429 Whisperfield Dr
Murphy, TX 75094
If you can’t make it but still want to help make a difference in the effort to squash blood cancers, you can make a tax deductible donation at our Light The Night team page.
http://pages.lightthenight.org/ntx/Plano13/TeamCutler
CutlerWolf
While searching for costumes for the boys for Halloween Cutler did his best Werewolf imitation. I won’t reveal their actual costumes until Halloween, but if you happen by the house I am quite confident you will discover it as they are wearing them nonstop.
Putting On The Foil
Cutler had his first “hockey” practice in full pads and with stick on Saturday. It was right after Mason’s practice so it was pretty cool seeing them getting ready in the same locker room. Now I just need to make them tough and mean enough to rival the Hanson brothers. This was also Cutler’s first attempt at skating with pads and after about 10 minutes I would deem it successful.
Below are a couple photos from the locker room and a video of Cutler passing his way across the ice.
Someday Is Today
I don’t yet have a memory of when cancer was cured, but I sure as hell remember when Cutler was diagnosed. Please help by donating.
http://pages.lightthenight.org/ntx/Plano13/TeamCutler
Yes, I plan on beating everyone over the head with this. September was cancer awareness month, I am just starting a few days late.
Brothers’ Day 2013
After Cutler was out of the hospital in 2010 and the day after Father’s Day, four year old Mason asked me, after celebrating both Mothers Day and Fathers Day, when we would celebrate Brothers Day. And so Brothers’ Day was formed. Given the bitter memories of the day of Cutler’s diagnosis, among the other bad memories of 9/11, we thought this would be the best day to celebrate it annually. The first year we went to Disney World, the next year we went to a butterfly exhibition, sadly I can’t remember what we did last year but I am sure it was fun, and this year we decided to go bowling.
Yes, the celebrations have gone down in size over the years, but the important part of this day is being together and the two boys celebrating their love for each other and that love was on full display while bowling. Despite beating us all in the first game, thanks to the rack system for little ones to bowl, Cutler was very quick to reassure each of us after each roll that “You can get it next time” and Mason was loving helping Cutler line it up before each roll. He even didn’t mind losing. Cutler won the first game pretty handily and then Melanie came in and destroyed us all in the second game. Bowling is clearly not my sport, which will probably bring great shame upon my parents.
Team Fricke 