Friday, August 28, 2009

I Scoop for You!

Just a reminder that tonight (August 28) is the night Tricia and I will be participating in the "Celebrity Scoop" at Rita's in Southern Shores from 7 to 10pm!

Tricia and I have been invited to scoop some Water Ice and serve up some Frozen Custard in a fun and creative way to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation! Rita's will is donating 15% of their sales during those three hours to the CFF!

So, come hang out with us, enjoy some frozen happiness, and help us make CF stand for Cure Found!

Nate

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Go Tropical!

Eat at Tropical Smoothie tonight (only at MP 10 in Nags Head and MP 1 in Southern Shores)...they'll donate 15% of every penny they make between 5 and 9pm to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!

(and, contrary to what the flyer says, you DON'T need to bring the flyer with you!)

Nate

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Kisses, Touchdowns, Peek-a-boo and More!

Gwyneth has been learning so much recently. Here is a video that highlights a few of the new things she's doing. In fact, today was the first day she gave me a kiss! What a blessing!!!



Nate

Celebrity Scoop!

No, I'm not talking about the latest news on Brangelina or the most recent gossip about MJ...I'm talking about a "Celebrity Scoop" at my favorite place for frozen treat's, Rita's!

Tricia and I have been invited to scoop some Water Ice and serve up some Frozen Custard in a fun and creative way to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation! Next Friday, August 28, from 7 to 10pm at the Rita's in Southern Shores, we'll be in Rita's uniforms for you! Rita's will donate 15% of their sales during those three hours to the CFF!

So, come on out, meet some "celebrities" (haha...), enjoy some frozen happiness, and help us make CF stand for Cure Found!

Nate

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Meet Levi

I got a call a few weeks ago from a family vacationing on the Outer Banks...they wanted to know if they could meet me while they were here...their one-year old son has Cystic Fibrosis, and they've been following our blog since learning of his diagnosis several months ago.

I'm always up for meeting other CFers and their families, especially if I can help give young parents and children hope for the future. Of course, meeting Levi was just as much a blessing for me. Levi is at about the same place developmentally as Gwyneth (I think they even look very much alike), and he did nothing but smile during the time I spent with him and his parents. He even game me a kiss on the cheek goodbye!


Levi's parents asked me if it were true that all CFers tend to be as happy as Levi...of course! As I have mentioned before, there is something very special about CFers...especially the younger patients. I have never met a CFer who didn't have an overly-abundant love for life and for others...it's as if God gives each of them an extra capacity to experience joy to balance out the difficulty of living with CF. Levi is obviosuly no exception!

It's 2009, and Levi's future with CF is much brighter than his predecesors because of the efforts of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the donations of thousands of people just like you and me. And even though there are promises that we are getting closer, there is still no cure for CF. It is for Levi and the thousands of other CFers that Tricia and I continue to be so passionate about raising money and awareness. One of our dreams is to help find a cure in Tricia's lifetime.

My personal goal this year is to raise $10,000 for our Great Strides Walk for Cystic Fibrosis. I would be forever grateful if you would consider donating to help me reach my goal by visiting my donation page Here. Every penny goes directly to the CFF and their search for a cure, and even $1 can make an incredible difference!

Thank you!

Nate

Eat More Applebee's

Today and tomorrow (Wed. and Thu.), the local Applebee's (at the Outer Banks Mall in Nags Head) is helping to make a difference in the lives of thousands of CF patients! Print off the flyer below and present it to your waitress, or mention that you are "Dining to Donate to Cystic Fibrosis", and Applebee's will donate 15% of your bill to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!!!

BTW, did you know that Applebee's Real Heroes winner this year is a CF friend of mine named Emily Schaller? Check it out!

Nate

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Baby Steps

Gwyneth is discovering the fun of playgrounds...steps, slides, more steps. Actually, going down the slides freak her out, so we'll just stick to climbing steps for now...














Nate

Monday, August 17, 2009

Perfect End

This is the perfect end to the perfect day...

Nate

Register Today!


Our Great Strides Walk (Outer Banks) is coming up in less than a month (September 12)! If you're planning on coming, but haven't registered yet online, please do so! And, if you don't have a team, consider joining Team Pattysue!

Nate

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Pancake Dinner Tonight!


Come hang out with us tonight and support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation! Tricia, Gwyneth and I will be there to serve you the best pancakes on the beach...eat in or take out!

And, if your interested in helping to serve up some pancakes, shoot me an email!

Nate

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Operation Backpack - Free School Supplies for Dare County


Operation Backpack offers free school supplies for Elementary School children in Dare County, NC.

Distribution will take place at Nags Head Church (MP 13, just south of Jockey's Ridge) on:

Wednesday, August 12 from 6 - 8pm
Friday August 14 from 6 - 8pm
Saturday, August 15 from 8:30am - Noon

Supply lists and supplies for 1st through 5th grade for KHES, FFES, NHES and MES will be provided. Supplies are limited.

Call 441-7548 for more information about distribution, or to inquire about making a donation.

Operation Backpack is a Community Event sponsored by Nags Head Church, Staples, and OBXtreme Magic.

Monday, August 10, 2009

An Anniversary to Remember

Remember over a month ago when I told you I'd fill you in on the details of our 5th Wedding Anniversary Date? Well, I finally can, because I have the photographic proof...

I'd been planning it for months...all Tricia knew is that we were going out for dinner at one of those (we can only afford this) once-a-year restaurants. What she didn't know is that I had asked the incredible Mary Basnight, the same photographer who shot our wedding, to meet us after dinner for a photo shoot on the same beach where we were married.

After dinner, we drove to the beach to take a walk...when we arrived Tricia saw Mary walking over the dunes and remarked how odd that was that she was here on our anniversary...we walked over the dunes and then over to Mary "to say hi"...Tricia still had no idea what was going on until Mary started talking to us...even then, I had to assure Tricia that Mary was there to shoot us. Needless to say, Tricia was very surprised and excited...

...and beautiful...



I asked my mom to watch Gwyneth for us during dinner...half-way through the shoot, she arrived at the beach to join us.





Considering Tricia has never felt this healthy for any of our previous anniversaries (or even for our wedding), it was a wonderful day!

Nate

BTW, there are a few more photos of us on Mary's website (Click Here)...she has a few scrolling headers, one of which shows several photos of us...you may have to reload the page a few times to find the header with our photos.

Pancakes!


Come hang out with us this Saturday evening and support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation! Tricia and I ate breakfast at Grits Grill this morning, and I can promise you that their pancakes are the best!

And, if your interested in helping to serve up some pancakes, shoot me an email!

Nate

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Ocracoke (Part 2)

I woke up early the next morning and drove down to the heart of Ocracoke Village to get some photos. I really wish I had the guts to ask a few of the old, local, gnarly fishermen if I could take their photo, but I'm pretty sure I would have ended up as shark bait...



One day, maybe this fall, Tricia and I are going down sans Gwyneth...we'll stay overnight in a B&B and ride mopeds all over town...I call the orange one!





You can thank me later for keeping this next photo PG rated...




Apparently, just me and this cat are the only ones who like visiting the lighthouse at 7:30am...



After a long walk around the village, this is what was waiting for me back at our motel room...


After a ton of rain the day before, the sun was shining. The great thing about Ocracoke is that it is even closer to the Gulf Stream, which means warmer water. We had never hit the beach in Ocracoke, so we took our 4x4 out, found a semi-secluded spot, and enjoyed the low tide for about an hour.












Nate