Happy Birthday Bill

All the cards and get well wishes and happy thoughts today were wonderful, and then Chanel & Lily exceeded Bill's expectations of what a great day could be. He got to come home from the hospital today. He received phone calls, cards and pictures from all our grandchildren. Then these two lovely ladies made him this fantastic card and surprised him last evening.

We have met and were graced by the nicest young ladies who worked for us at our Cupcake Store, and to this day they have shown compassion and kindness that exceeds anything we could ever imagine! Thank you Chanel & Lily...

hard days

This is pretty much all he can do, give a little smile on the outside. It is the inside that is causing all the problems. We started the Chemotherapy again, and with a vengeance the drugs have given their most adverse reactions (thank goodness we were at the doctor when it first happened). Some have great sensation to cold so if you touch, breathe, swallow anything that is cold, the outcome makes you wheeze and feel as though your respiratory system is shutting down. Another one of the medications can make your hands and feet crack and peel. There are so many bad side effects, but the positive outcome is it could give us more time. I continue to adore his courage and strength. It is worse than we expected again. Pray...

Article in Napa Register

In the face of a family illness, Gigi’s cupcakes, in Browns Valley, has closed. The shop, decorated in signature pink and black accents, once sold homemade cupcake flavors such as Red Velvet, Devil’s Food Cake, German Chocolate and Meyer Lemon. Jennifer Huffman/Register

The doors are locked and the kitchen lights are off at Gigi’s Cupcakes in Browns Valley.
Citing the illness of her husband Bill, shop owner Laura Young closed the family bakery on Christmas Eve. The business first opened on Valentine’s Day, 2009.
Bill Young’s cancer has recurred, said Young, and she and her family want to focus their energies on his health. Bill Young is about to begin more than four months of chemotherapy.
“Our life has been changed,” wrote Laura Young on the store’s blog, “and we are going to make the most and best out of what we have.”
While foot traffic in the bakery had slowed when Zinsvalley Restaurant moved from Browns Valley to downtown, outside accounts and other walk-in business kept them busy, said Young. It was a hard decision to close, she said, but with her husband’s health crisis, owning the shop “doesn’t mean the same anymore,” she said.
Gigi’s was a family business, with both Laura and Bill Young working in the store. Photos of their children and grandchildren decorated the space. Kids toys, tea sets and other gift items were offered for sale in the shop’s retail area. “It really was all about the family and the grandkids and our dog,” named Gigi, she said.
The bakery opened at a time when the cupcake craze seemed to hit Napa. Within months, two other cupcake bakeries also debuted, Kara’s Cupcakes and Sift: a Cupcakery. Facing competition from two other bakeries wasn’t the problem, said Young. “There was room for all of us,” said Young. “Everyone has (his or her) own personality and style. We were very happy with what we had and what we did,” at Gigi’s, she said.
“Thank you to everyone that cared and became part of our journey,” wrote Young on the store’s blog. “We had some great young ladies that worked for us and became part of our family. We met some wonderful people along the way. What we leave behind are the memories and cherished ones, but we will make more in the days to come.”
“It was a great little dream that we put together,” said Young.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
For more on Gigi’s and the Youngs, visit http://gigiscupcakesnapa.blogspot.com/

Update on Bill

We are scheduled to start Chemotherapy again on the 22nd. It was postponed because Bill was too ill to start. He has had some issues with dehydration and nausea. The feeding tube was not able to be placed due to the obstruction from the tumors. So we are waiting for a second opinion from the surgery department. In the meantime just keeping a minimal weight loss to get the treatment started is the goal. The doctor's believe that once the treatment gets started there is a possibility the tumors will shrink down enough to try again with the placement of the feeding tube. They had to prescribe stronger pain meds to get better control and so far that seems to be helping. In total he has lost 60lbs, and he needs to maintain the weight he has now to have the strength to fight the disease. Another option would be to place a nasal tube to go directly into the stomach and small intestine, but this is a last resort. Sometimes eating is painful, so small amounts and a bland diet are better tolerated. It is a difficult time, but we take it as it comes. We were able to take the trip to his son's and did fairly well traveling. Pray for Bill as he fights to get more time, we still have things to do. Thank you to everyone that send their thoughts, prayers, cards, etc., it means a lot to both of us.

Saying Goodbye

The hardest part of the trip is saying goodbye :(

New Mexico Visit

Bill & Brandon

Brandon, Brooke, Makayla & Bo + one on the way...

Napa Register Article

This article came out in the paper today for those of you who have not heard the news. We cannot go without special thank yous to many people who helped us with everything it took to build the dream of Gigi's Cupcakes Napa Valley.

Hull + Honeycutt ~ The best @ Marketing & Design ~

Thank you Frank & Susan so much for everything including the great friendship!

Grace Design ~ Top @ Web Designing ~

Thank you Angus & Heidi

Home Girl Design ~ Design & Vision ~

Thank you Michelle our beloved friend!

Virtue Development ~ the build-out, plans, permits, etc..

Thank you Dennis & Bobby, plus numerous others involved with the project.

Drew Kastner ~ Trademark Attorney ~

For helping us keep the vision and the dream.

Larry & Michael Giovannoni ~ Browns Valley Center ~

Two of the most kind-hearted souls thank you for everything!

Napa Signs ~ Denise and everyone else over there thank you.

There are numerous others without mention to send our heartfelt thanks to as well

We would like to thank those that worked for us and helped to make Gigi's a lovely place to be!
Thank you so much to; Carina, Chanel, Lily, Breanne, Nicole, Rebekah, Natalia, Alexandra and Daniel for all your dedication to Gigi's Cupcakes Napa.

Some of you will continue on with us to be a part of our lives and that gives us great comfort and joy. It has been without a doubt the best first and last year of our little shop around the corner. So thank you from the bottom of our hearts...

Bill and Laura Young

Now we know

A lot more thin, but still the same guy I fell in love with, and proud to call my husband.

Before we knew?

I fell in love with an adorable man...

Love those firemen!

Thirty-one years of a most honorable profession.