Being right

Our first day back to reality brought with it a half of day of school but, for once, it wasn't a school planned activity. Nope, this time it was for a trip to see Dr. Debbie. Both Graham and Sydney have been fighting illness and Lynley decided that it was necessary for them to see the doctor. You may notice that I said "Lynley" instead of "we." That is because Lynley is nice, sweet and caring and I am a big ol' meany that thinks that if it isn't cancer they should just suck it up. Okay, maybe that was a little harsh. I am just of the opinion that if you aren't febrile or showing signs of infection there is no point in going to the doctor. Give the kiddos some over-the-counter decongestant and be done with it.

Regardless, mean old daddy lost and we were off to see Dr. Debbie.

When we arrived at the doctor's office Sydney was surprised that she was the one that had the appointment. That just added fuel to my fire of worthless doctors visits. The irony was that Sydney was the only one that came out with a seemingly genuine sinus infection. She received a script for an antibiotic. So, in the end, even though neither Sydney nor I thought she was sick her mother and her spooking sickness divining senses were smack on. Score one for mommies.

However, Lynley's theory that Graham had pink eye missed its mark. He didn't even have a scratched eye. Apparently he just has some kind of seasonal irritation. He did receive some over the counter eye drops and a promise of treatment if an infection set in. But, in this case, Daddy was Mr. Righty-pants. Oh yeah, score one for the male of the species.

The great sickness competition could not be settled though. Ainsley was not sick or suspected of it. She is just a twerp. Both Lynley and I are in perfect agreement with that.

You know, this all makes me think back to the years of treatment Sydney endured. Lynley and I were diametrically opposed on many items . Sometimes she was right, sometimes I was right.

Never the less, we always made decisions together.

I wonder if it is that skill that is the reason we are still married.

She has definitely gotten better at appreciating my all-knowing-ness. She just gives me a little smile that tells me that I am off my rocker and I somehow know it is time to follow her direction.

I love her.

She is my other purpose that often goes neglected. Don't forget that Mark.

Conflicted Purpii

Well, on Saturday, the Dungan's arrived back home from their journey to the deep South. All in all, it was a pretty good trip. For me, I must admit I was a little bit disappointed. I was buried with work and had little time to focus on family. This also meant that I had less time to spend focusing on the kiddos.

Don't get me wrong. I know I am lucky. With my flexible schedule, I generally get to spend far more time with my kiddos than most. However, with owning my own business and running the foundation there aren't really any days off. For most of what we do, if I am not doing it, it isn't getting done. At times of the year like this, when I should be spending more time with my family, I find myself being pulled in a hundred other directions.

I love doing the cookbook - talking with families, collecting the recipes, correcting them, formatting them, adding pictures, running the contests, making sure the winners get their prizes, lining out the printer, setting up shipping, and just about anything else you can think of as it relates to getting the cookbook out the door. But again, it is a lot of work, and when it comes down to it, if I don't do it, it doesn't get done. Therefore my November, and my Thanksgiving are often buried in recipes.

Again, I like it. However, I just miss being able to focus on my kiddos when they are having so much fun. I know that when I am finished - when the cookbook sales are completed, the Lunch for a Cure fundraiser has broken its million dollar mark, and we have a big fat check to hand over to the neuroblastoma researchers -that there is nothing that will feel better than knowing that there are real lives of children with neuroblastoma that we have saved. There will be an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.

We will have made a huge difference. There will be children out there, ones that would have lost their battle - living - and it will all be because of all of our hard work.

I know it is all worth it. I know it is important. I just need to remind myself of that when I see my kiddos out the window having a blast - without me.

It can be hard when your purpii conflict.

Neuroblastoma Black Friday Sale

Lunch for Cure Cookbooks are flying off the presses and they are ready for sale. This Black Friday Sale is a bit different than others. Instead of offering deep discounts for your purchase, the Neuroblastoma Foundation is offering you the opportunity to save a child's life with it. To me, it is a much better deal and I am sure those receiving your gift will feel the same.

It is simple. Go to http://LunchforaCure.org/cookbook and order cookbooks as gifts for your friends, family coworkers, and anyone else you can think of. The proceeds from the sale of this year's cookbook will help fund an incredibly important clinical trial for children with neuroblastoma - a clinical trial which will likely mean the cure for many children. Unlike other "cures" this particular one is proven and the purchase of a cookbook will help ensure that some children that can not receive this treatment will get it.

Not only is the Lunch for a Cure Cookbook an excellent gift for your friends or family but for a child with neuroblastoma it will also mean the gift of life.

Purchase your Lunch for a Cure Cookbook here.

Read more about the "cure" that we seek to fund here.

Help a child with neuroblastoma win a dream vacation to Walt Disney World by donating in their honor here.

This is purpose, with purpose.

A Griswald Thanksgiving

The Dungan's have arrived. The trip was as eventful as expected. First off, I am happy to report that the family truckster survived the trip. We have now had two trips in a row where the Suburban we were driving actually survived the trip. I hope I did not just curse myself. After all, we still have to make it back home. Regardless the trip was fun - even considering the fact that it took 2 hours to make it through just 10 miles of Mississippi due to some wrecks.

We learned quite a bit. The first realization occurred in Tyler, Texas during our breakfast stop at the Cracker Barrel. Graham remarked at how excited he was to be in the "real old" Texas. "Look, all of the signs are even in old Cowboy letters" he remarked when reading the antique store sign that was next door - the "Old Texas Antique Store," I believe

Back on the road it was not long before we made it to Monroe, LA. Sydney asked "What's the smell, Louisiana?" Sorry Louisiananites, but I don't think you won any supporters from the back seat. The twerplets were not impressed. I fear it has been ingrained in to the hearts, minds and sinuses forever.

Other than the traffic, Mississippi was nice enough. It was our first stop in the syrupy sweetness of the deep South. Our stop at Arby's was uneventful but we wanted to share some of the congeniality we experienced there. The sign at the store wanted to let everyone know that Denekia, Kevin, Kisha, Danyeil, La Tonya, Shaniqua, Tareia, Janeeka, and Kevin wished everyone a Happy Holiday. Being in the South, I just thought we would share some of their good cheer.

Several hours later, we finally made it back to Alabama and, in Lynley's opinion, the true deep South. You could feel it in air. Our first stop at a gas station was met with a tide of friendly chatter. It took nearly 15 minutes to buy a coke and some beef jerky as the person behind the counter decided it was necessary to engage me in friendly banter. Friendly-enough people, I suppose. I think they were just trying to figure out how we were related.

Oh, don't get your nose out of joint Alabamians, I am a native son. After all, Lynley and I had to become bother and sister, before we got our marriage license. Just think of me as that obnoxious crossbred cousin.

All joking aside, I love Alabama. I would move here tomorrow if Mama Marge would let us move in with them.

I guess she just doesn't love us enough.

Well, I best be off, there are hours of in-law pestering purpose ahead of me.

Just call me Clark, Clark Griswald

Thanksgiving has arrived. Oh, I know you may not think that Thanksgiving has arrived. You may not have even been to the grocery store to buy your turkey yet. But, if your in the Dungan household, Gobble time is here. The kiddos are already out of school and chomping at the bit to hop in the Suburban assault vehicle and make our very best impersonation of the Griswalds as we make our 13 hour trek to the deep south. As it stands, today I am in charge. The kiddos are home and it is my job to pack and get us all ready to leave by about 4 or 5 tomorrow morning. That means, doing the laundry, cleaning the house, and packing (amidst a list of about 20 items that Lynley has left for me to do). Yes, and all of that while I also watch the kiddos. And, yes, this is all happening while Lynley sits her cute little butt at work and socializes (about business stuff I am sure). Somehow, I got the raw end of the deal.

None the less, even though I won't have my blushing brides help (although I am sure I will receive about 20 more texts from Demandia requesting for me to do more) I do have three little helpers (slaves) by my side. I think I might keep them busy packing for Lynley all day. Knowing Ainsley, she will have Lyn in a pink polka dotted top and yellow and green striped pants for Thanksgiving dinner. That ought to teach her a lesson for leaving her poor husband to do all of this work.

Feel sorry for me yet?

Naw? Neither did she. Oh well, I had better get to work.

In all actuality I am actually really looking forward to our trip. Not only am I looking forward to being back in Huntsville, AL but I am also looking forward to the road trip itself. I know. It sounds strange, doesn't it? The fact is that we have a pretty good time. The kiddos are pretty good and we all have fun stopping along the way. You would be amazed at the excitement a gas stop can be for the kiddos. It is amazing how different they find everything. Listening to them you would thing the truck stop in Terrell, TX or the BP Oil outside of Jackson,MS were in foreign countries. (Well, I guess in a way the latter probably is) Regardless, it is a fun day full of beef jerky, pumpkin seeds, Gatorade, and all of the sites, sounds, and smells (yes, smells) of life on the road.

I am looking forward to it. We will be making memories.

How weird am I?

That is just what one example of what purpose will do to you.

Lunch for a Cure Cookbook Cover Winners Selected

Good morning! After scouring through roughly 160 pictures, we have finally selected a child with neuroblastoma to grace the cover of this year's Lunch for a Cure cookbook. It was not easy. In fact, it was so not easy that we actually select two pictures for two separate covers for the cookbook. Yes, you heard me. There are two covers to the cookbook - Team Xander and Team Reese. Furthermore, for even more fun, one is a vertical cover and the other was a horizontal cover.

I am also ecstatic to say that, for everyone else, we selected the best picture of each child from each entry and have created a collage to grace the back cover. This way, everyone gets to be a star and appear on the outside of what we are sure will be the most coveted cookbook of the year. So, with no further delay, here is a sneak peek at this year's cookbook covers which are already being spit out of the presses.

Incredible, aren't they? I know. I know. I would take full credit for the work but it is obviously the cuteness of the kiddos that pulls them off.

The great news is that we are already at the printer. Make sure to order yours now. You can get them here:

http://www.lunchforacure.org/cookbook

Buy one for yourself. Get them for your friends at Christmas. Give them to everyone.

This purpose will help a bunch of kids with neuroblastoma savor life to the fullest.

Lost tooth = adult?

Yesterday marks another milestone. To listen to Lynley, her last baby is now all grown up. If you ask Ainsley, she would have told you she has been grown up for a long time. None the less, the last true hurdle of grow-em-up-edness has been achieved. Vestiges of her little girldom are beginning to disappear. Ainsley has lost her very first baby tooth. She is now a certifiable adult.

As anticipated, Ainsley is extremely proud of herself. I can't say that I completely understand this phenomenon but, I must admit, it is pretty fun to watch. With the loss of a tooth, Ainsley is now sophisticated (or at least she certainly seems to think so). She is no longer a lowly toothful twerp. She is a grownup and with the loss of her tooth she can now drive a car and vote. She no longer needs a sippy cup when she is drinking grape juice on the couch. As if she couldn't already do everything "herself" (in her mind) she is now somehow certified to it all.

While I hate to break the news to her that it is not the case, I would have to agree that she is somewhat certifiable.

Wow, do I have my hands full. If this is the transformation that a simple tooth can conjure. I am wondering what will happen when she turns 18, 21, worse yet 16, or (for Ainsley) 6.

Time flies when you are a twerp.

Even I will have to ramp up my purpose if we have any hope of surviving her adolescence.

Clearly, my wisdom is questionable

Good morning! Well, as any normal Dungan weekend would be, it was jam packed. First, we had the end of two contests. The recipe submissions for the Lunch for a Cure cookbook ended on Friday and the contest to appear on the cover ended on Saturday. In all, we had over 600 recipe submissions for the cookbook and roughly 140 individual photo submissions for the cover.

Amazing! And to think we did it all in under a week.

Now the load is all on my shoulders. By the end of today, I need to have the cover artwork to the printer. Then, I have to go through the painstaking process of going through all of the recipes and getting them laid out in the cookbook. All said and done, that part will take several days. But hopefully, if I do my job, we should be shipping the cookbooks by Thanksgiving.

In the meantime, I did have the chance to be a little artsy this weekend. Graham had a bible project for school. Our subject was King Solomon's wisdom. We had the choice to make a poster, sing a song, or just about anything you can think of to get the lesson across. We chose to create a movie. We reenacted the great story - The Judgment of Solomon. Of course, we had to have our own twist. Graham played King Solomon, the girls played the two mothers, Lynley narrated, and you guessed it, I got stuck with playing the part of the baby. It was all good fun and if you have a spare minute and 42 seconds it is worth a good laugh. I can't say that we are particularly good actors but at least we are fun.



You are questioning my wisdom now, aren't you? Yep, the things you do for your kids...

Well enough fun. As you can see, a book's worth of purpose lies before me.

Last Minute Neuroblastoma Photo Contest!

We have decided to update the cover of the Lunch for a Cure Cookbook with pictures of children with neuroblastoma. Hurry, the contest won't last long!

http://lunchforacure.org/contest

This is purpose in pictures.

One of the most important clinical trials ever conceived

I have been asked by many people, what exactly is this trial that is being funded by Lunch for a Cure's "lunch money" this year? I have volumes on that. In fact, I have everything you would need to move an important clinical trial in neuroblastoma forward- strong preclinical data, an experienced research team, a consortium of hospitals dedicated to getting the trial open, and incredible scientific reviews.

But, before I begin to delve into all of that, I want you to truly understand why this clinical trail is so important to children with neuroblastoma. So, for that, I want you to take a moment to imagine.

Imagine that your child has neuroblastoma.

Imagine that you have been told that your child would most likely die.

It is a horrible, gut wrenching feeling and one that, unless you have been in that situation, I can guarantee is far worse than anything your mind or heart can conjure. For better or worse, it is truly unimaginable. None the less, I ask you to try.

Are you there yet? Can you feel it? Do you feel like all of the air has been squeezed out of you?

Now, I want you to imagine your child enduring rounds and rounds of high dose chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, a stem cell transplant (or 2), and radiation - and this is only what the first 6 months have brought your child.

The good news is that all of this treatment is working. Your child is better. Your child isn't cured but he or she is winning. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

There is hope.

After all, the neuroblastoma research world has just had an important discovery. We have a drug that has been proven to increase survival by 20%. This is the lifeline. This is the drug that can make the difference for your child. This is the potentially cure cementing answer you are looking for. It will tip the scales.

But, now I want you to imagine that your child can't have this drug.

He or she just can't. Your child won't get this drug and your child won't have a 20% better chance at survival.

Can you feel it now?

You see in this world, the real world, this happens everyday. There are children just like yours today that can't get this drug. Their doctor can't prescribe it and they can't buy it. It doesn't matter who you are, who you know, or how much money you have.

There are all kinds of complicated reasons why these children can't get the drug. They can't have it because they weren't on the right clinical trial. They can't have it because it is not FDA approved. They can't get it because of a limited supply. They can't get it because they ran out of time. They can't have it because they had to much disease at a particular point in time. They can't have it because they relapsed. There are literally hundreds of potential reasons they can't have it.

It is sad.

And children are dying because they cant get this drug - today, in the United States of America.

The clinical trial that Lunch for a Cure is funding will provide this drug to many children that can't get it. Furthermore, it also seeks to improve its efficacy and decrease its side effects.

It will saves lives.

When is the last time you knew that giving up your lunch for one day would actually save a child's life? You can't, can you. This time it will.

Now, for those of you wanting to read more about this trial, go to http://LunchforaCure.org/2010Funding

For those of you that wanting to give up a lunch to help fund this clinical trial, go to https://lunchforacure.org/Donate.aspx

For those of you that want to make a real big difference, ask all of your friends to do the same.

This is purpose - magnified.

Now that is what I am talking about.

Well, the high Ainsley has had us riding on has finally come crashing down. It appears the model student has come home with a yellow sticker - a mark of minor misbehavior. While it is still not nearly as bad as I have come to expect from her on a daily basis it is a clear indication that the child that we drop off at school every day is most likely the same child answering to the name of Ainsley in Mrs. Lewis' class. For a long while we had doubted it, but given yesterday's evidence, I think we can conclude it is probably the same child.

So, what did she do?

Well, in all due honesty it was not even the exciting. She didn't try and slap the teacher or one of the students on the back of the head. She didn't climb the bookcases. She didn't scream 'No' to her elders at the top of her lungs. They wasn't found under her table chowing down on candy. She wasn't even calling anyone a dummy.

All of these behaviors, by the way, are things that we have seen or heard many times before.

No, Ainsley got in trouble for talking and doodling (of all things) when she wasn't supposed to. While I was just as strict with her as I would have been with any of my other children when they brought home a yellow sticker, it was probably overkill for her transgressions. She did not get any ice cream when we stopped on the way home to celebrate straight As on Sydney's progress report. She also had to spend 30 minutes up in her room while the other kiddos played outside. Of course, there was also a stern talking to with mean Mommy and mean Daddy voices.

Normally, I would feel a sense of accomplishment. After all, it takes mistakes like this to create teachable moments. All of this, and yet, I still feel a bit deflated.

Doodling, really?

Of all of the good things (I mean bad) Ainsley could have gotten in trouble for and I had to give her a lecture on jabbering and doodling.

I am totally disappointed. I expect a lot better misbehavior out of her. I won't tolerate these diddly "doodling" reprimands. I have come to expect much more of her. If she is going to mess up she had better step up her game. That is still not the Ainsley we know.

Kinda backwards purpose, isn't it?

A 3 day weekend?

Ahhhh - a brand new week.... After a 3 day weekend you might think I would be fully relaxed. Nope, you have it backwards. I am looking forward to a nice work week to relax. Factor in the normal wear and tear the twerplets bestow upon their loving father and then consider the audacity of my mean slave driving wife (I love you dear) and you can begin to understand the level of refreshment that can be gained from a relaxing day at work.

A 3 day weekend, you ask?

Yep, Friday was Grandparent's Day at Southwest Christian School. That meant a 2 hour program followed by early release. That also meant no work for Daddo. Now, the program was almost as good as you could expect a 2 hour program of singing and acting can be as delivered by hundreds of kindergarten through 6th graders. Like you would probably feel - my kids were awesome - but I could have done without all of those other kiddos. That could have shaved off about an hour and 45 minutes right there. None the less, the messenging was pretty good, we walked away with smiles and I am quite sure that SCS walked away with a fair chunk of Grandparent change.

That was the purpose, right?

That evening was filled with the Wipe Out Kids' Cancer Gala - yes, another opportunity to get out our checkbooks. However, this one was special. Our very own Dr. Granger received an award for her medical achievements in neuroblastoma. Lynley and I were proud. We felt as though we had raised her from just a baby pediatric oncologist. The award was well-deserved and points to the incredible work she is doing for the neuroblastoma community. I am only hopeful that news of her great work can inspire some local neuroblastoma awareness and philanthropy.

Some of you may ask. You are part of the Neuroblastoma Foundation, why are you out hawking the goodness of another pediatric cancer foundation. Well, I am not a foundation bigot. If I believe in the work you are doing, I support you. In this case, I believe in what they are doing and, while they do not focus specifically on neuroblastoma, they are a great organization for general pediatric cancer. Mark my words. This will be the next general pediatric cancer leader in North America. One day this name will be synonymous with the big names like Susan G. Komen for the Cure, LiveStrong, and ACS.

The rest of the weekend was just plain hard work that no one really wants to hear about. The good news is that I got a bunch done on Lunch for a Cure, I finished all of the laundry, and I began the great workroom declutter (a huge job).

Now, it is back to serious work - only 4 more days to submit your recipes - https://lunchforacure.org/recipe

Purpose is well under way!

Win an apple iPad for a family of a child with neuroblastoma for free

I have been told by way to many people that they had no idea that they could win a child with neuroblastoma an apple iPad just for submitting a recipe to the Lunch for a Cure Cookbook.

Well, YOU CAN!

It is simple.

1. Go to http://LunchforaCure.org/recipe
2. Select a child with neuroblastoma (or add one if he or she not listed)
3. Enter your recipe.

Each person can submit up to 5 recipes and each child can have up to 50 entries each. One winning child will be selected at random from all of the recipes submitted for this year's cookbook. It is that easy.

So, if you know of a child with neuroblastoma, go to http://LunchforaCure.org/recipe and submit a recipe in their honor.

Hurry, space is filling up and time is running out! The drawing will be held on Thanksgiving Day but we will only be accepting recipes for 7 more days!!

Now, that is purpose in the form of easy!

Twitter winner revealed

@JakeyBro was the grand prize winner of our all expense paid trip to Chili's (as long as it was under $25) during our little Twitter contest on Monday. This may seem like it is bad news for those of you vying for the luxurious experience of dining out at Chili's but, you would be wrong. It turns out that Jake felt like it was inappropriate for him to win and, thus, has graciously donated the gift card back to the foundation as long as I use it creatively.

So, it turns out that is a good deal for you, but less so for me. Now, I have to be creative.

And, I had thought I was doing that in the first place...

So, get ready for action, in a day or so I am going to come up with something so exciting and fun that your mouth will be watering in anticipation of its greatness.

At least, I think.

The other thing I noticed with this little exercise is that the readers of my diary are, for the most part, twitter challenged. In the end, @NBFoundation received some 20 new twitter followers - not bad for a gift certificate I found cleaning out my desk and the fact that it was only mentioned on my blog. The funny thing about it was that I received over 50 email from people that had spotted me in the picture and were looking for a way to cheat the system. I am sorry to all of you. It was a twitter contest and, while I appreciate you taking the time to email me the answer, only twitter entries counted.

Helpful nugget of the day - Sign up on twitter - its fun!

Oh, and another helpful nugget - Hurry up and submit your recipes for the Lunch for a Cure Cookbook. It is filling up fast.

It is getting to be that time of the year when everyone gets a little purpose in their stocking.

Oh I am such a bad parent!

I have got the shutters on my front windows closed. I am pretty sure CPS has me under surveillance and I don't want them peeking in. This time though, I know full well that it was my own parenting that got me into this predicament.

Did I go too far?

Every child has their issues. Yes, even my perfect little munchkins forget to do things that they know that they should or shouldn't be doing. For Ainsley, the issue is eating candy. She eats too much. We all know that. For Graham - well - I take that back, Graham is perfect. He is flawless. Forget about him. But, Sydney, whoa, she has some issues. (You know I am kidding, right?) Regardless, she does have a few issues and it seems it was hers that led me down this path.

You see, last night after dinner she was complaining about a red mark on her forehead. Yes, even at the tender age of 9 she has somehow already developed the girly obsession of physical perfection. Flawless alabaster skin is important to her and she is always asking us about how much we notice certain perceived imperfections. Generally, these are always redness and usually a result of her rubbing them. There is never anything else that is discernible.

So, anyway, last night she inquired about a red blotch on her forehead. It was barely noticeable - so much so, that, to this very moment, I have doubts that anything truly existed. Regardless, during our discussion I noticed that her teeth were dirty. While I am sure this was a direct result of the dinner she just finished, it was certainly complicated by her lack of brushing. Getting her to brush is like pulling teeth (even the threat of it seems not to work.) It is her issue. Every child has one and Sydney falls victim to not brushing enough.

So.........

When she asked me about her forehead, her teeth were on my mind. I told her the mark on her forehead was because she wasn't brushing her teeth. She looked at me inquisitively. In the most strraight faced manner a could muster I told her "seriously, go ask your mother." She did and guess what? Lynley backed me up. "You bet Sydney, the mark on your forehead is like an indicator light. You haven't been brushing your teeth."

Hook, line and sinker.

We had her. The next thing we knew she was upstairs brushing her teeth.

Before bed she asked if the mark was gone. Seeing her teeth were fresh and clean I assured her that it was. She went to sleep happily.

Now, you may think Sydney is gullible. She is a bit. When I told her the word "gullible" was not in the dictionary she looked it up. It turned out I was right. Gullible isn't in the dictionary. I can prove it. Look it up here.

Yes, I know, I am going to hell. But, that is only if CPS doesn't get me first.

Purpose is just like a cat, there is always more than one way to skin them.

Halloween 2010 & Twitter Contest

Happy day after Halloween. I am happy to report that the kiddos all received a gullet full of candy and declared the holiday a complete success. As you can see below, they brought out their Halloween finest.

Pictured from left to right are Ainsley, Graham and Sydney with Aunt Jenny peeking over their shoulders. But, that is not the tricky part. Can you find me?

Twitter Contest!
Become a follower of @NBFoundation and tweet my location in the picture with the tag #WheresMarko before 8:00 AM CST on November 2, 2010 and you will be eligible to win a $25 gift certificate to Chili's. One winner will be drawn at random from the correct entries.

(example: Mark is hiding in the pumpkin #WheresMarko)

New to Twitter? Never heard of it? Click here for instructions on how to get started.

Now, onto 2 funny quotes from Halloween:
When Sydney was asked by people handing out candy what her costume was she explained that she was a "jail fairy"

The wing on Ainsley's costume kept flopping over giving the impression of a broken wing. She described herself as a "broken angel."