2500!! Can you believe it???

That is what our {me and my SIL's} grand total was. Isn't it amazing?? I think it is. I am really happy. We had 1800 given buy some very GENEROUS donors and we are so thankful, as I am sure the family is.

1,000 was taken to them on Sunday, and the other 1500 will be taken over to John's grandmother's today. I am just pleased and grining from ear to ear. What a difference that will make in getting them to Hawaii, (if it's used for tickets) or allowing them to do some fun things, buy some cool things, or eat some yummy food! Thank you to all who opened your hearts and wallets.

And you know what's even better??? The winner of the mixer,

Denise Brown, has been generous enough to tell me to put it up for auction, {as many of you had said as well} and so I will be listing the kitchen aid mixer on Ebay in the next few hours. Please go and check it out and bid!! Let's raise some more moolah for this family!!
I will put up a link as soon as I can get it listed.

Open House for John

Yesterday I went over to the Mash home for the open house that Chris was putting on for all the people that wanted to see John and or visit with him. They had been having people coming and going for days, since word of his newest diagnosis had gone out and it was getting hard on everyone. So she decided to have a BBQ, and allow people to come and go and eat.
Upon hearing this, I decided I would take what I have recieved so far in donations to their home and hand it to them in person, since I wasn't sure if I would be able to the next time, as they were going to be headed to Hawaii.
They had a happy day. It was a good day. I got there towards the end so that many people wouldn't be there and I would be able to talk with the family if they wanted to and I wanted to.
I had raised 270 dollars by the time I was leaving to their home. My sister in law had raised 229. So we were at 500 dollars between the two of us! I thought that was really neat. My in laws wanted to donate 500 so I was able to drop of a thousand dollars for the family. Hopefully that will be 2 plane tickets, or part of one, depending on the price they can get. They were working with the pediatric cancer research foundation and trying to get that squared anyway.
SOOOOO, with your contributions, you have helped someone in the family get to Hawaii!!! It am thrilled about that. I think it's so neat.
For someone that most of you don't even know, you opened your hearts {and wallets} and gave what you could. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! I don't think I can say it enough. You really don't know what it means to them. I am so impressed, overwhelmed, appreciative of all of you that have donated so far. (These are only those that donated to my paypal account or gave me money.) In no particular order:

Jill Parkin
Jennifer Lovmo
Madison Parks
Adele Smith
Grace Liu
The Bianchino Family
The Moesch Family
Cheryl Bikman
Natalyn Byers
Kelly Carmondy
Heidi Mugar
Stevy Hill
The McCaffrey Family
Melanie Tucker
Loralie Baum
Christine and Danny
Sherri Mellott
Sharon Ogozalek
Donna Biberston
Dana Austin
Denise Brown
The Nix family
Rachel Anderson
Gina Clyde
Brad and Susan Mugar

If you still want to donate, there is still time. Please do so. If you don't have a paypal account, you can mail it to me:

Hope Mugar
PO Box 18591
Anaheim, CA 92817
ALL monies collected, every dime of it, goes to the Mash family.

Fundraiser with a giveaway!!

The first few days of summer have been fun in the Sun, a trip to Disneyland, and swimming and playing. All what summer is about. It's going to be a fun one for sure.
I was very sadden to hear on Monday, that a good friends cousins battle with brain cancer is not doing so well. For those that know me personally, this is my sister in law, Lauren's, boyfriend (Chris's) cousin. Follow that?? LOL

A quick background. John Mash just turned 20 in February.

At age 3 he was diagnosed with leukemia. He fought that with full strength and things were good for years. Then six years ago, a brain tumor was found. AGAIN, with full force they proceeded with chemo/ radiation and he has been doing that for the past 6 years and it seemed to have been keeping it at bay. He has had the lifetime max of radiation treatments that he can have. He also had the Gamma knife procedure this year to try and help. On Monday, June 21st they found out that the spots were no longer "just spots" and the cancer was now more like a spider web all throughout his brain and taking over. They have decided to stop procedures and allow John to take a break and just be his happy self.

His mom told him if he had to return to the hospital, she would give him whatever he wanted. Well, he had to return, and John wants to go to Hawaii. Little did she know what her mother's promise would entail. That is where YOU come in. We are trying to help raise some money for their family so that John can see Hawaii in his lifetime.

I am giving away a kitchenaid mixer

for those that donate to this cause by entering. All that you need to do is paypal 1.00 to me at treasuresofhope@juno.com and you are entered to win. One dollar, that's it. We can all find a dollar somewhere right??

If you would like to donate more, every dollar you donate will be worth one entry toward the mixer.

I will do this for one week, from today the 23rd of Wednesday until next Wednesday, June, the 30th. My goal is $500 dollars. I think we can do it!! If you would like to donate without being entered in the contest, I would LOVE that, {and so would they} just put in the comments section of paypal, donation only. Make sure to click on the personal tab and gift, so Paypal doesn't take out any fees.

If you want to get more entries for free, you can blog, tweet, or facebook about this giveaway for more entries. Just be sure to come back to this post and tell me that you've done so. I will take all the comments here, and monies donated and create numbers and I will randomly draw one winner Next Thursday! By the Way, I am in no way compensated for this giveaway or fundraiser. Every DIME that is raised, with be taken by me, personally to John's mom ,Chris and handed to her directly. It's just something I'm doing because I don't have the endless amounts of money I would like to have to help people like the Mash Family.

Thank you so much to all those that WILL donate. I know that we can all find a dollar out there somewhere, and while it may not seem much to you, together, we all can make a difference. I want to do all I can to help this kid get to Hawaii and fulfill his wish!

Here is his fundraiser page on facebook. If you want to take a look.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=126738337362441

THE news

Well, I have been very absent in the blogging world. Some of it was intentional, needed a break, needed to prioritize, but some was thrown onto me. It was a shock to my system and threw me for a loop. Don't ya just loves those.
Right after I had dropped my 38 pounds and was getting to get really excited that I was 10 pounds away from my wedding day weight, I started feeling not so well.
I was cranky, tired, onry, and just didn't feel well, I started to think, WHAT is wrong with me?? Well I started doing some calculations in my head, and started to freak out a little bit. NO WAY!! It can't be.
YES IT CAN!!

This little thing has been growing inside of me and is what was wearing me out. I was floored. After 3 1/2 years of TTC {trying to concieve}, having this little surprise just made me speechless.

It has sunk in. {a little bit} I am starting to get excited, though when I think about 21 month apart children, it freaks me out again.

I know I can do it. I know I'm not the first ............. and won't be the last, but I just get nervous. I know that God has a hand in all things. I know that we wanted a family SOOO bad and so things are happening for us. I just wish it would've been a little later but hey, He knows ALL things and beggars can't be choosers. right?? And if you saw my joke on Facebook. THAT was a complete joke. I WAS pregnant at the time, but had NO idea. I thought I'd be silly and it backfired on me. Now I know to not do THAT again.

So that's where I've been. Creating another life. I've been resting many a hours away. Between all the many others things I have to get done, I've needed rest and naps. I am now out of the first trimester so hopefully the tiredness will lighten a little, but I STILL have an almost 15 month old, and very active almost 7 year old, so I know I probably will continue to be tired. I guess it goes with the territory. I have a new sympathy, empathy, understanding for those with little ones so close together. WOW! Is all I can say.

So, come the end of this year, right before Christmas, a new little one will be joining our house. {If all continues to go well, of course} I always have that reserve to me, with my history. I am on medication again to help prevent miscarriaging, same stuff I was on with Mr. B, and so I think everything will go OK. I had a level 2 u/s done yesterday (where the picture came from) and she said everything looks good. We are excited and happy about that.

It is now Summer here, as my 1st grader had his last day of school yesterday and he wants to get out and SWIM and have fun so, I am outta here. Time for lots of fun and sun ahead!! (oh joy!, How am I going to make it through this summer??)

I think I can I think I can!! For now,

toodles.

~Hope

Father's Day Giveaway Winner

The winner of the 50 gift card is #1!! Congrats Nutty Mom

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 4
Result:
1

Email me treasuresofhope@juno.com and tell me your mailing address and preference of Home Depot or Lowe's .

I hope you all have a great Father's Day. I STILL haven't done anything, but I have something in the works, or on my mind, just hoping it can get done tomorrow or Saturday.

Just around the corner

is Father's Day!
Are you ready? I soo am NOT. This is the last week of school, the week we celebrate my son's "unbirthday" and things are just crazy.
I haven't really thought (ok, I've thought but that's about it) of what to get my dad, my husband. Oh man, time is fastly approaching.
I'm going to give a $$50 gift certificate to Home Depot, or Lowe's (whichever you are around) to one lucky reader on Thursday. This is for the man in your life, your dad, or husband, or yourself if there's not a MAN in your life. Everyone can always find something at a home improvement store right??
Tell me what you like about Father's day, or what your plans are and your entered to win. One entry per person, ends Thursday 1 pm.
I've got to get cracka lackin' at get things together for a party today so I'm out.
Good luck and have fun today!

I know, I know

I have been MIA!
I needed to be. I needed to step away AGAIN and priortize my life. While I love to document what is going on in our lives and write down my thoughts, it was taking too much time away from me, and my life and my kids, and I needed to take a break. I don't want to feel like I HAVE to post something. I want it to be fun and enjoyable, but it wasn't getting that way.
So I regrouped. and I won't be around alot as summer is coming soon and I want to be with my kids and my hubs.
I challenge those of you to try it and step away from the computer world for awhile.
We planted a garden, got lots of plants and shrubs cut back and just spent time together. Doing whatever. Being silly, hanging out. THIS is what I want my kids to remember most.
Hope you all have a great weekend!
I'm think something special for Father's day needs to be done for the men in your life and a giveaway of some sort, but I'm coming up with ideas, so give me a few days.
Hope you've all had great things happen to you. I know I have.